What makes configuration management (CM) professionals so unique? Is it the way we can view a complex task and break it down into meaningful activities? Is it the way we can bring some level of order to chaos? Is it that we not only want to understand the details on how things work, but we also like to understand the big picture? Is it our need to improve our environment? Or is it the way we persevere at difficult tasks in trying to bring together the pieces that comprise our deliverables?

Assess the state of your career by making a list of the positives and negatives. By creating your dream job on paper you can form a plan to help you get there. Elisabeth Hendrickson encourages you to make the time to take stock of your current career situation.

Professional development activities can help you stay competitive in the marketplace. Eric Patel describes ways you can benefit from extracurricular career activities such as volunteering, joining professional associations, attending and speaking at conferences, and pursuing continuing education.

Finding just the right technical person remains a challenge. Waiting for just the right person to come along, or hiring someone with inadequate skills, can often result in late or high-defect projects. A project will most likely fail if you have not hired the appropriate staff. Learn when to wait when hiring for a position, and when to change what people will do.