Computer Weekly Xtra! is on the hunt to find the IT Personality of
the Year, writes Nathalie Towner.
Our quest is not about tracking down the next Bill Gates or Larry
Ellison, we want to reward the person who has the knack of making
Monday mornings that little bit less painful for the rest of the
team - the ITer who everyone would happily buy a pint for.
Nor is this award about applauding the person who e-mails out
project proposals at 11pm every night or who has been given 12
promotions in the past six months. This is about finding the ITer
that everyone would welcome onto their team.
IT professionals often work long hours to complete urgent projects.
Sometimes, when the stress of it all gets too much, one person can
be instrumental in keeping everyone's enthusiasm going.
The winning ITer's attributes could include having the ability to
lighten the mood when the workload is dragging everyone down, or
being the one who makes sure no one's birthday is forgotten. Maybe
they are the sort of person who is always prepared to help out a
colleague who is struggling with a tricky task.
Ask yourself whether you can think of someone who makes a real
difference to your working day. If you can, and at least one other
colleague agrees with you (two nominees are required for each
person put forward), then go to
www.first-option.co.uk/itpersonality
and nominate them for the award.
It is not just prestige that they could win. Computer Weekly has
teamed up with travel booking agent First Option to reward the IT
Personality of the Year with two return flights to Amsterdam and
two nights in a four-star Hilton hotel.
In the nomination e-mail, be sure to include the name of the person
you are nominating, their job title, the company they work for and
three bullet points explaining why they deserve the award (for
example, one point might read,"Helen puts herself out for others -
cancelled an important tennis match to help someone who was
struggling to meet a deadline"). Please write "IT personality" in
the subject area of the e-mail.
The deadline for nominations is 5pm on Monday 6 May.
The sponsor
This year the IT Personality of the Year
award is being sponsored by hotel and conference booking agent
First Option. First Option offers clients a range of accommodation
throughout the world, from low-priced, independently owned hotels
to prestige hotel group properties, at competitive rates. The
company's events division can source venues for meetings of any
size, ranging from a couple of colleagues to conferences involving
thousands of delegates.
The judges
Anne Cantelo, project director, E-Skills NTO
Natasha Clarke, managing director, Pathway IT Resourcing
Imogen Daniels, advisor to the Chartered Institute of
Personnel and Development
Karl Schneider, editor, Computer Weekly
Kevin Wayt, chief operating officer, First Option.
Rules and conditions
1. The competition is open to all readers of Computer Weekly
with the exception of the staff of Reed Business Information, any
printers employed by them or near relatives of such staff.
2. Each candidate must be nominated by at least two people.
3. The winner's line manager will be contacted before the
result is announced.
4. Flights to Amsterdam will be from a London airport and
cannot be taken on bank holidays or Christmas. Tickets will be
valid until 31 December 2002.
5. The winner must be prepared to be interviewed for an
article to appear in Computer Weekly.
6. The closing date for entries is 5pm on Monday 6 May
2002.
7. The decision of the editor on the interpretation of the
rules and conditions and on all matters will be final. No
correspondence will be entered into.
Website
www.first-option.co.uk/itpersonality