[BigV]

Originally Posted by marichiko

Hey, BigV!

Have you considered working for the Feds? Like for example, here's something off USAJOBS.

Sounds like a fun job and the pay's good, too. They had a bunch of others in the Seattle area, also.

Good luck!

Thank you!!

I followed that link, and I am in the middle of a rather laborious login/registration/application process.

As part of that process, I found a couple of interesting questions. The first one made me laugh out loud (yes, I know there's a smilie now. Hush.) The question, and I paraphrase, but only a little, asked "Do you have one year of specialized training OR a PhD in the area of interest?"

Ah, *snicker*, I'd like experience for $100, Alex. 1yr=PhD? Ooooookay. I hope it gets easier from here.

Later, there was a good question, an essay question. Here is the question and my answer. All editing, proofing and content criticisms are invited. Constructive ones will be considered, humorous ones will be laughed at and I'll disregard the bs ones. Here it is: (yes, they end it with a question mark, not my typo.)

Originally Posted by BigV on Federal Job Application

Question:
List the typical technical resources you use to assist in resolving problems or learning new technologies?

When faced with a technical problem, I try to gain enough information fast enough to minimize the damage. Here is a list of common technical resources I use to help me resolve these kinds of problems.

Event logs, error messages, and error logs are all useful when available. These telltales are cross referenced with system manuals, troubleshooting resources (manuals, manufacturer manuals, websites, or cds.) I also consider the input of the user that reported the problem, and I ask a lot of questions about the circumstances surrounding the situation, especially about what was going on just before the problem happened. Often, the problem I'm faced with is not the first time the problem has happened to me. If I've seen and solved it before, I should be able to remember or look up the answer using local resources, like an operating manual.

For those problems that are new to me, there's a good chance that they're not new in the world. Google has provided many links to answers to questions where I know only some of the circumstances of the situation. I have found answers in discussion groups populated by users of similar systems, or on the manufacturer's online information, or other places. These search results, combined with my own experience usually lead me to an answer. Most problems I face are solved at this level.

Sometimes, the combination of all my skill, experience and research fails to produce a ready answer. At times like this, I ask for help. The human technical resources I rely on can be other employees in the department, or in similar environments in other locations. Sometimes, I call the organization that created the system; software publishers, hardware manufacturers, and/or the designers or maintainers of the systems I'm working on. I have a personal network of professional peers and friends that I regularly share war stories with. We like helping each other, and I am active in this network, giving and recieving help as needed.

When learning new technologies, I use many of the same strategies, since as a new user of a given technology, everything unknown I face is like a new problem to be solved. "How do I accomplish this task?" "How do I make this work?" "Why does the program/device behave this way?" "What just happened?" Paying attention, relentless reading, talking with others about how stuff works and just plain using and doing and working make up the bulk of my new learning.

Certainly there are other ways to learn about new technologies. I read trade publications, I read manuals and users' guides, including third party publishers. I have attended formal training classes based on a given technology or set of responsibilities. There are self guided tutorials and paid trainers that can both be learned from. But mostly, using a given technology lets me take something new and make it something known.

Good question!