It was ten years ago in the year 2000 that I started working for Compaq as hardware technician doing remote support for their servers. Compaq then merged with Hewlett Packard after the dotcom implosion and from then on we were known as HP. During that time I transitioned to a completely new career, still within the IT industry, but no longer hands-on with servers, and moved into project management roles and grew with it. That phase ended this Dec 31st, 2010 and I am excited about the new opportunities ahead.

Enjoy here random shots of my old Alma Mater as picked off from Flikr.com (none are taken by me)

As I progress in getting better in the field of project management, it is good to self-evaluate by checking against independent methods of assessment. An intuitive one is to use the "Dreyfus Model of Skill Acquisition" which sees progress as passing through five distinct stages: novice, advanced beginner, competent, proficient, and expert. 

Here's my simplified self-evaluation questionnaire to see if I've made progress in my PM mastery since last year:

1) Do I need step-by-step instructions? - If so, I'm a PM Novice.

2) Can I do tasks on my own? - If so, I'm a PM Advanced Beginner

3) Can I handle most troubleshooting? - If so, I'm PM Competent

4) Can I learn by using the experience of others? - If so, I'm PM Proficient

5) Do I continously look for better method because the old methods are holding me back? Do others come to me as a source of knowledge? - If so, I'm a PM Expert

6) Am I the maker of the new rules and the new methods? Do I have style? Am I simply amazing when I perform? - If so, I'm a PM Master

The sixth level is an added level that others have suggested. This is to address the level achieved when individuals get to the point where they are operating at an amazing artistic level and can be described as being in "the zone" similar as to what high-level sportsman achieve when competing at their very best. I'm not there yet, but the view from there must be very gratifying. 

What do you do with a written testimony from someone you worked with? Specifically, how do you store a good recommendation when you don't have an immediate reason to show it to others?

Here's what I do: I upload the testimony to Posterous and turn on the "Mark this post as private" option. I also tag with the word "resume" or "testimony".

After I accumulate over time several testimonies, I can easily pass on the testimony link to a client or prospective employer. This keeps a cover letter or standard resume uncluttered. Only those who have the specific link can see the "private" post so this allows you to control the viewing audience.

Besides, it's fun to just click on the "testimony" tag for oneself to get a boost on a down day!

I like to send written thank-you messages to co-workers and even to vendor partners who have become like trusted advisors. I do it when I am grateful for their help or their exceptional performance in support of a common project goal. I do it because I know I appreciate it when others do it for me.

Sometimes I include their managers on the email thank-you. Most of the time I send it directly to the recipient and forego copying others. Sometimes a gift is best savored in private and shared later. Thank-you notes follow the same principle.

Recommendations are like thank-you notes, except I add my contact information so I can be contacted to vouch for the reference I gave in writing.

How do I find the balance between overly sentimental and overly analytical? I typically scan old email threads to trigger my memory for specific tasks and actions that showcase why that person was awesome to work with.