Interview With IT Manager

Complete an interview with an individual who is currently or formerly an IT manager. Consider interviewing an IT manager who does not work in your organization or one who works in a different department or business unit of your organization. You are, however, allowed to interview your manager if your manager is a manager of an IT department.

Use technology and social media to connect with individuals and explain that this is a research project and that no identifying information will be shared. You will have to rely on your ability to use professionalism and interpersonal skills when contacting the industry professionals to participate in your interview process. Interviews can be done in person, via phone, or video conferencing. At the end of your interview assignment, include a link to the website of the individual or organization you interviewed. For your interview, ask questions that will help you learn the following information about the interviewee. You may include the following questions, but you do not need to limit yourself to these questions, as this list is not exhaustive:

1. What is your job title?
2. How long have you been working in IT? How long have you been working as an IT manager?
3. What are the required skills and training needed to perform your role in your organization?
4. What are some of the significant differences between being a front-line IT professional and an IT manager?
5. To what extent do you communicate and collaborate with others both inside and outside of your organization? How important is communication and collaboration in order to deliver business performance excellence in your organization?
6. From your perspective, describe the significance of building relationships with your followers based on mutual trust and respect.
7. What specific characteristics do you like to see in your followers? Why do you value these characteristics the most?
8. Describe a typical “day in the life” for you at your job. What do you like most? What do you like least?
9. What are the most common issues you face on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis? Determine the cause of the issues and describe the strategies for effectively managing them.
10. What advice would you give an IT professional who was recently promoted to a management position?

In addition to submitting the typed questions and responses from the interview in the appendix, please include a 250-500 word reflection that includes the key points you learned from the interview you conducted.

Whether you are conducting your interview in person, via the telephone, or video conference, please remember that you are considered a guest. Each person you interview has taken time out of his or her schedule to honor your request. As a result, please maintain professional behavior at all times as a representative of Grand Canyon University (GCU).

Prepare this assignment according to the guidelines found in the APA Style Guide, located in the Student Success Center. An abstract is not required.