I’m still recovering from my third year at Black Hat and DefCon. The physical and emotional exhaustion, social overload, and post-event sniffles are all signs of a great conference. This year, I added an extra day for the first-ever Black Hat AI Summit. I was drawn to the topic, the networking opportunities, and my usual… Read More »
I returned from my second Hacker Summer Camp a few weeks back, Black Hat and DEF CON, and I’m excited to share my observations and notes. What is Hacker Summer Camp? DEF CON was started by Jeff Moss (known as Dark Tangent) at the age of 18 in 1993, with around 100 attendees, and it… Read More »
There are many opportunities in our professional lives to provide feedback on peers, managers, company direction, instructors, vendors, etc. You may be tempted to use these opportunities to focus on the negative by providing constructive criticism and negatively weighted responses. I suggest that you consider focusing on the positive. Consider that these feedback requests are… Read More »
At some point in your technical career, someone is going to ask you to research a new technology and to educate others on what you learned. Maybe you are a SME, consultant, salesperson, instructor, or you simply drew the short straw. I have been fortunate to experience this process many times in my professional career.… Read More »
Forged in Fire is a great analogy for a job interview. Forged in Fire is a one-hour blacksmithing competition show where four contestants compete in three rounds to identify the Forged in Fire Champion. Each round involves sword and knife forging competitions. Professional and amateur blacksmiths compete in timed rounds to forge weapons within specific… Read More »
The Information Technology career field draws people from many industries. If this is your first career or your third career; here are a few tips on how to be awesome at IT Admin. Most IT Admins are not programmers. Learn at least one programming language fluently. For those entering college that means taking the computer… Read More »
Here are some useful links for job seekers. I will update the list periodically.
Microsoft Specific, Resume Services, Soft Skills, Cyber Learning, Tech Training, Vet Resources, Tech Projects
Here is a list of over 1,000 hours of book recommendations (70 titles) from an audiobook and podcast addict. Walking, driving, shopping, cleaning, or just relaxing. Hopefully I can share my addition with others. May you also get strange looks from onlookers as you laugh unexpectedly or carry a silly grin or intense scowl. Enjoy!… Read More »
The two most important interview questions in my opinion are around your passion for technology and the company. Interviewers want to know that you are technology focused and that you are particularly interested in serving their organization. How do you stay up on technology? The core of this question is an attempt to assess your… Read More »
Here is a screen shot of me preparing for my 2017 interview with Microsoft. Here are a few remote interview tips. Look closely… I have a high-end web camera mounted on a tripod at a flattering angel. Many laptops place the camera at an unusual angle. The larger camera provides a better focal point for… Read More »
Do not get taken to the cleaners by web hosting companies with insufficient security controls that upsell you to expensive website protection services. They have a financial incentive not to protect your websites. I host my WordPress websites with a big hosting company. One of my sites was attacked. My hosting company was quick to… Read More »
How will you prepare for your next interview? Please let me share my tips on preparing for and landing the interview for your dream job. Crushing the interview begins long before the actual interview. Identify your dream job (get your head out of the “any” job mindset). Determine the type of work, a short list… Read More »
Quick tips for achieving the Azure Solutions Architect Expert certification. There are no prerequisites. You only need to complete AZ-300 and AZ-301. I do highly recommend completing AZ-900, AZ-103, and AZ-500 prior. Be prepared to retake 2-3 exams along the way. Test early and test often. These exams overlap and have a cumulative effect. Starting… Read More »
Are you at a fork in the road? Time to polish your resume or maybe time to write your first resume? I have completed over 100 technical interviews, mostly for college and veteran hiring programs. I see a lot of bad resumes and would like to share some tips on resume writing. In my experience,… Read More »
Arg! Why pirates? Halloween is just around the corner… I created a set of 400 flashcards on Quizlett last year. The deck is based on the recently retired AZ-533 exam (now known ad the AZ-103 or Azure Administrator Associate exam). I refer to these cards periodically as a refresher. Due to the rapid evolution of… Read More »
There is an amazing niche group of the US IT industry jobs that require a government security clearance. Recruiting cleared employees is difficult and expensive. Having a security clearance job generally means significantly more pay and job security. Most of these positions involve working for a government entity, government contracting, or working for a partner… Read More »
The evolution of technology is ever increasing. It is important for IT professional to adapt quickly to these changes. Unfortunately, learning is something than takes time and focus. Learning requires repetition. These topics are too complex or broad to absorb by sitting through a class or watching an online training session. I recommend first narrowing… Read More »
I mentioned in my pervious article that traveling will test your patience and tolerance for stress on a regular basis. Here is my running list of tips to make business travel more enjoyable: Get a passport with Global Entry (better to be ready) Get qualified for TSA Precheck (skip the lines, keep your shoes, avoid… Read More »
After nearly three years at Microsoft as a field engineer, I have traveled over 160,000 miles which is around 250 hours in the air. That doesn’t include the time spent in airports, trains, cars, and taxis. I also spend around 125 night per year in hotels. These past few years are an extreme example but… Read More »
I am part of a student mentoring program that involves a significant amount of interview prep discussions. Those entering the class have varying levels of experience and education. One common question is how to compete for positions upon graduation with candidates who have more education or experience? This is a tough situation. For those with… Read More »