Stories about: Korn/Ferry

David Reynolds wants to be a CIO, and the 35-year-old systems manager for the Rhode Island Blood Center may well be on his way.

The IT job market is improving, and CIOs are once again looking to hire permanent, full-time IT staff. But because the labor market is saturated with IT pros looking for work, IT hiring managers are being choosey, say IT staffing industry experts.

For CIOs who experience some kind of enterprise IT failure in the course of their careers-whether a high-profile security breach, massive network outage, or multi-million dollar ERP boondoggle-the incident can feel like a career killer. But unless a CIO repeatedly makes the same mistake, or the failure stemmed from some illegal or "just plain stupid" action, it won't end a CIO's career, says Mark Polansky, senior client partner and managing director of Korn/Ferry International's Information Officers practice.

In the new book The CIO Edge: Seven Leadership Skills You Need to Drive Results, the trio of authors argue that CIOs' leadership and people skills are the biggest determinate of their success -- or failure.

Keeping track of bids, vendor performance, previous contract terms, alternative providers and technology differences was taking too much time for Bernard "Bud" Mathaisel as he settled in as CIO of electronics manufacturer Solectron in 1999

Feeling out of the loop, not quite in control? You might not be paranoid. Read about five warning signs that the staff in your IT department could be planning a coup d'etat-and three tactics to deal with the situation.

Think you can do a better job than your out-of-touch manager? Trying to oust him is a career move fraught with risk, but it can be done if you heed these five steps

Employees who frequently telecommute may damage or kill their chances to advance within a particular career.

Career Planning Guide Part III - Calling It A Day

Smart IT leaders take succession planning seriously.