What's the one skill that could best help an IT pro weather this economic downturn? Adaptability! Be prepared to change your role and either use new skills or reuse old ones. Companies will be restructuring and asking people to do different things. Keep an open mind and an enthusiastic attitude, and employers will be grateful to have you around. And whatever happens, make sure you stay current -- keep your certifications up to date and keep reading tech sites, participating in online tech forums, etc., even if it's on your own time.

What are good things to look for in a potential mentor, and how should I approach someone about taking on that role? I'm interested in assuming more leadership responsibilities, and a mentor is one of the things I think could help. come in all shapes and sizes, and what will work for one person won't work for another. Also, you may need different mentors to help you with different aspects. Firstly, you need to figure out what your ideal career path will be, and look for mentors who have taken a similar path. They don't have to be people you already know, or even in your immediate circle -- in fact, it's often better if they aren't. If you don't know what your preferred career path is and whether it's feasible, your initial mentor might be someone who can help you figure that out. If you determine you want to take on more leadership responsibility, you should seek out mentors who are respected leaders in your field. Initially, ask for advice, then see how the chemistry works before you make a mentoring request. If you don't know anyone suitable, ask around. Maybe a vendor could suggest someone at another company, or you might locate someone through friends of friends or a social network.

I'm looking into getting a master's degree. Are online schools gaining respect in the eyes of hiring managers? Do it because you want to, not because of what hiring managers will think. There are many ways to gather knowledge, and hiring managers are impressed with people who have and can apply that knowledge -- less so by academic qualifications. Experience of current technologies is always more valuable, so certifications in , , and other technologies might be more relevant in this economy than broader academic education, which may be personally enriching but less commercially valuable.

I found out that a co-worker has been . I'm pretty sure he had no legitimate reason to do so, and I don't think anyone else knows about it. What should I do about this? I feel funny about ratting someone out, but I wouldn't want someone poking around in my files. Many companies have established whistle-blower policies to allow confidential and often anonymous reporting in situations such as this. I suggest that you seek out your company's policy through its intranet or published policy statements. If that doesn't exist, you can use anonymous e-mail sites or have someone else make a phone call for you to tip people off in your HR or legal/compliance departments, and they can initiate the appropriate investigation.