Stories by: Amy Schurr

In an effort to dispel some of the privacy concerns surrounding radio frequency identification technology (RFID), the Information Technology Association of America has issued a white paper covering what the technology is and is not capable of.

Certification is on the mind of many security professionals, and the recent Computer Security Institute conference devoted much attention to the topic. In one session, Peter Stephenson of Eastern Michigan University's Center for Regional and National Security presented an overview of what certifications can do for you and which ones, if any, you should have.

Cisco last month officially launched a free resource to help your IT staffers do their jobs better- the Cisco Certifications Community. Exclusively for those who hold Cisco certifications, the portal is a place for users to network and share best practices with their peers.

Only 25 per cent of workers surveyed by CareerBuilder say they hold their dream jobs, while the rest are dissatisfied with the pay, workload, stress level or career advancement potential of their current positions.

Nortel recently added several IP telephony certifications to its lineup, including two expert-level certifications and two certifications aimed at those who design networks that use the vendor's products.

If you're new to IT or looking for an introduction for someone who wants to learn more about the field, check out Alcatel's free "Fundamentals of Communications" course available online. Experienced IT pros may even find this useful as a refresher on certain aspects of voice or data networking.

What do employees look for in a leader? It's not the latest business book trends, but basic principles managers are more likely to have learned in elementary school. That's according to survey results from Right Management Consultants, a career transition and organizational consulting firm in the US.

The new calendar year usually brings performance reviews. If you haven't undergone one yet, your turn may be coming soon.

In companies that operate around the clock, there are likely IT pros pulling an evening or overnight shift to keep systems running. And if these people are anything like the respondents of a survey on shiftwork from Circadian Technologies, they're feeling overworked and undersupported.

Recruiting and hiring via the Internet will become even more popular over the next few years, growing to a $4.5 billion market by 2004 and $10.3 billion by $2008. That's just one of the findings of a report from market analysis firm Aberdeen Group.

Need a little help studying for certification exams? You can find a treasure trove of free study guides for Cisco, Linux, Microsoft and Unix certifications at the Global Document Database.