I have been working with computers for 22 years (since I was 12), with the last 10 years as an IT Professional. I have no college degree (I attended one semester prior to joining the US Navy).
The various positions that I have held over the lastten years encompass almost all aspects of a technology organization (PC Only), from VP of Fortune 50 Financial institution, to CIO of an international subsidiary of another Fortune 500 company.
I am very process oriented, very technical, and am as hands-on as I need to be (as CIO, my first task was to build an entire network/telecommunications network from scratch with no truly qualified local support, then teach the people under me how to run most of it).
However, my strengths are out-of-the-box thinking, Microsoft Networking, directory services concepts, Project Management. Determination is my biggest asset, and also my biggest weakness.
My ethical stance is uncompromising, i.e. based upon business requirements, I will set an arbitrary “minimum” technical requirements, and I will not compromise to save a few dollars if I evaluate that there is a significant risk to the system/client (i.e. let’s do a weekly backup rather than a daily backup on the companies financial data).
Though I am gifted in the area of architecture, I am currently in a position as a Sr. Programmer/Analyst (how I got here is a LONG story).
My desire is to move back into the management realm, however, I find that my lack of a college degree makes it almost impossible to even be considered for management.