The following review was contributed by
PAUL LAPPEN
You would like to get a job in the high-tech field,
but there is a problem. You're convinced that you are
unqualified because your college degree (if you even
have a degree) is in something like Early French
Literature, or you don't know the difference between a
gigabyte and a trilobyte. Fear not, help has arrived.
The average high-tech company consists of more than
just engineers and computer programmers. It also
consists of contract negotiators, customer service
people, finance people, project coordinators,
technical writers, web page designers and human
resources people, among many others. These are
positions where abilities like analytical thinking and
clear written and verbal communications are more
important than having a degree in a certain subject.
The usual rules about resume writing, networking and
how to do a job interview still apply. Go to the
corporate headquarters, where the hiring occurs, not
to a branch office. The most important thing is to get
your foot in the door, so take any job that is
available. From there, you can transfer to the
preferred area. The high-tech employee who stands
still risks getting run over by fast-changing
technology. Always look for ways to expand your
abilities and knowledge base (and increase your value
to upper management). Read the company's web site.
Read professional publications in the field. Don't be
afraid to ask questions. Constant re-education is a
must.
High-tech is very different sort of industry, so he
author looks at what to expect. Can the applicant work
long hours, in a demanding atmosphere with little or
no supervision from above? If not, maybe another
career is the answer.
If the opportunity comes along, consider working for a
startup, even though the huge majority of them are
destined to fail. If it does fail, don't worry about
it. Putting a failed startup on a resume is a good
thing, because it shows that you're a risk taker.
This book is excellent. It's easy to read for
non-technical types (like yours truly), and it's
written by an industry insider. It allows the reader
to pinpoint areas of interest, and areas to which
their backgrounds are best suited. It gets two strong
thumbs up.