Monday, December 22, 2008

Rolling Off

I recently experienced the joy of rolling off of a project. An experience filled with many emotions. Sorrow for bidding good bye to new friends. Excitement for what lay ahead in the next project. Stress for trying to land the next project. Additional stress for also tieing up all loose ends with the short time left (finishing the object just right; catching up on the documentation; the dreaded knowledge transer to the consultants who remain). Those last 2 weeks just fly by.



There are several housekeeping tasks that I always try to do.

1) Try to get contact information from fellow consultants and the employees. I always like to be able to contact people that I have worked with in the past. They could refresh your memory of an object that you are trying to recall. They may provide leads for new projects (and visa versa). Sometimes it's nice just to say hi.

2) Make a copy of the code, documentation, emails, etc. of the objects you worked on. There are many, many occasions when you are trying to think of the way that you solved a problem in the past. It's nice to be able to look it up.

3) Remember to take all of your personal effects home. There is no going back for your favorite "#1 Programmer" mug. The remaining team will promise to mail it to you, but for some reason it never happens.

4) Remember to return all company property. It may be tempting grab that power strip that you could use, but its not worth it. Your reputation could be damaged over such a small thing (even if by accident).



Once you turn in your badge and your gun, there is no going back. Leave with head held high, smiles, and a firm handshake. With any luck, you just might be invited back down the line for another project.

Glenn Allen
Syracuse NY

Wednesday, September 10, 2008

Genesis

Where to begin? Why add to the pollution of the blogosphere? Well, for selfish reasons of course. One of the ways to be successful in your chosen career is to be published. This blog is the lowest cost of entry for that purpose.

In this blog I am going to focus on the softer side of being an Independent American Technical Consultant specializing in SAP. There are many, many articles speaking to the technical aspects of SAP consulting. Not much out there on the 'touch' side, so hopefully these articles will fill the vacuum. That's not to say I will never write about a discovery found during the day. These will be included from time to time.

First and foremost these articles will be written for the express purpose of documenting my experiences for me. If someone else reads it - Great! If no one ever does - Great! I will need to edit myself so as not to get too personal. For several years I have been following the musings of the 'Brazen Careerist". Her take is quite insightful. Recently though she has started to get very personal discussing her divorce; her sex life with a farmer; etc. It's like a soap opera (though I am hooked).

Even as I compose my thoughts writing this first entry I can tell that this is an exercise that could aid in anyone's personal growth. The public diary....

Glenn Allen
Syracuse NY