Technology has found a way into every facet of our companies and organizations today. For many, it has reshaped how we think about and do nearly every aspect of our work, impacting everything from how we organize to how we communicate and from how we deliver our services to how we protect our information. And technology continues to change and morph into both new problems and new solutions.
With this in mind, this guide is intended to help information and technology managers by providing you with a plethora of information to make your job easier. In this guide you'll find, a variety of reading material intended to keep you informed on what's new in a variety of realms in the IT world. We've also included some Twitter accounts you might find both helpful and enjoyable to follow, tools that can help you manage your team and your team manage its work, and professional associations and development resources to help you advance you career and stay on top of an ever-changing industry.
Ranking
Top 50 Online Master's in Information & Technology Management – This ranking vetted schools from around the country based on reputation, graduates' early career salary, and tuition costs to find the top online master's programs in information and technology management.
Blogs, Magazines, Websites
If you are or are aiming for a senior-level as an IT manager, CIO is intended for you. It is a wealth of knowledge when it comes to thinking about how business and information and technology interact. You'll also find a lot in the way of professional development for senior-level IT professionals. CIO's parent company is IDG, which also owns ComputerWorld, listed further down in this guide. Follow them on Twitter at @CIOonline.
ComputerWeekly.com's IT Management Page
The IT Management resource page form ComputerWeekly.com has news, in-depth articles, blog posts, op-eds, and videos to keep you, as an IT manager, up-to-date on what's going on in your field. Follow them on Twitter at @ComputerWeekly.
A must-read for individuals working in IT, ComputerWorld will help you stay up-to-date on everything happening in the industry. Be sure to check out their extensive research library. Follow them on Twitter at @computerworld.
ExtremeTech is a resource focused on the hardware and electrical engineering fields. While perhaps aimed at mechanical and electrical engineers, it can be a great resource for managers who work in the hardware industry and are looking to stay current. Follow them on Twitter at @ExtremeTech.
IT Manager Daily is full of the latest IT news for IT professionals. In addition to news, check out their resource guides and tech job resources pages. You can also follow their editor-in-chief, David King, on Twitter @ITManagerDaily.
The IT Managers Inbox is a blog for both IT managers and IT professioanls. It was started as personal blog to help share information about "managemetn skills, soft skills, and technical skills" relevant to the field. It focuses heavily on Enterprise IT Technology and management.
It's all Linux all the time over at Linux Magazine. If you use Linux as your operating system, this is a great resource for you, and is particularly helpful for developers and administrators on the platform. If you want to take a deeper dive into the technology, be sure to peruse their white papers.
If you're an IT manager in the networking field, Network Computing provides a plethora of information. It provides reviews, comparisons, and analysis from IT professionals in the field. You'll also find a career page with current job openings. Follow them on Twitter at @NetworkComputin or their executive editor, Marcia Savage at @marciasavage.
All about Microsoft, Redmond Magazine will keep you up-to-date with the latest Microsoft technology. You'll find discussion forums, software trials, news on upcoming releases, webcasts, papers, and more.
Resources & Tools
InvGate's Service Desk is a help desk software app with an intuitive and easy interface. It lets you link a ticket to anyone involved to help get it solved quickly and has a thread-centered flow to keep it easy to follow what's happening. It also has gamification and analytics that can be very helpful when it comes to training needs for your employees.
IT Manager is an app with a cloud-based interface accessible on any mobile device, perfect for when you aren't at your desk. It allows you or your team to manage a slew of apps, from Windows to Amazon Web Services, remotely.
Lansweeper will allows you to push new software out to every device in your network with automated software deployment, and then it will provide you with reports on the devices in your network to help you save time.
Spiceworks provides free infrastructure management and network monitoring software, though it currently only supports Windows servers. In addition to the software, however, you also become part of a responsive, online community.
TeamViewer saves your team time by allowing them to remote access into devices on your network to both provide support and install software
Microsoft's TechNet has space devoted to IT managers. On it, you'll find podcasts and other technical and professional development resources for IT managers working with Microsoft products.
Professional Associations
Association for Information Technology Professionals
Part of CompTIA, AITP helps IT professionals advance their careers with access to skills training, research, career advice, job boards, local chapters, and more.
Association for Women in Computing
Founded in 1978, AWC mission is to promote the advancement of women in computing professions. Members of AWC are everything from programmers to technical writers, to managers, to consultants. The association seeks to provide professional development for women through networking, continuing education, and mentoring. It has nationwide chapters, as well as student chapters on college and university campuses, and independent members who live outside the US or are unable to attend a chapter.
Black Data Processing Associates
BDPA is an international, nonprofit organization founded in 1975. Its members span a range of fields, from information technology to computer science-related STEM careers. It hosts the Annual National BDPA Technology Conference, has over 40 local chapters, provides continuing education and professional development, as well as academic scholarships and mentorships, and career opportunities for its members. In addition, it has corporate sponsorship opportunities.
IT Financial Management Association
Established in 1988, ITFMA is a leader "in the education of IT financial management professionals and the only recognized provider of certification in the various financial disciplines of IT financial management." Its goals are to improve IT financial management policies and procedures, promote professional development, and encourage connection among IT financial management professionals. It also gives you access to its Journal of IT Financial Management, which is the only journal of its kind, focusing on issues that are specific to IT financial management.
Professional Development
Global Knowledge has courses and certificate prep on basically anything you might want to learn in the IT industry. For managers, check out their leadership and management training catalog, their IT service management training catalog, or their project management training catalog.
Skillsoft has an enormous array of self-paced, online learning. If you want to brush up or expand upon your management, or other, skills, Skillsoft has an extensive offering of courses in their management and leadership collection.
CIO Straight Talk @CIOStraightTalk
CIO Straight Talk offers "insights from CIOs, for CIOs." You can find more resources and information on the Straight Talk website.
Engadget @engadget
Engadget is a great source for news and reviews from the tech industry. Find out more on their website.
Get It Manager Jobs @GetITMgrJobs
If you're looking for an IT management job, this Twitter account may very well have what you're looking for. They post multiple times a day with jobs across the U.S. Or you can head over to their website if you want to filter your job hunt a bit.
Linux Foundation @linuxfoundation
Linux Foundation is a "nonprofit organization enabling mass innovation through open source." Find out more about the work they do on their website.
Kim Stevenson @Kimstevenson
Kim Stevenson is the senior vice president and general manager for data center infrastructure at Lenovo.
Reshma Saujani @reshmasaujani
Founder of Girls Who Code (@GirlsWhoCode), Saujani is tireless in her efforts to close the gender gap in the tech industry.
TechCrunch @TechCrunch
TechCrunch's Twitter account gives you breaking news, analysis, and opinions in from the world of tech. You can also check out their website for more.
Techmeme @techmeme
Techmeme is one of the places to IT professionals to stay current on the hottest things happening in the industry. You can follow their founder, Gabe Rivera at @gaberivera or check out their website.
Women In Technology @womenintech
Like it or not, IT is still a male-dominated sphere. Women In Technology is a space in the Twitterverse that supports and empowers women in the industry.
Women Who Code @WomenWhoCode
And while we're talking about women in IT, consider following Women Who Code, a "non-profit dedicated to inspiring women to excel in technology careers." Find out more on their website.