By
Mendy Green
July 5, 2024
•
20 min read
Fundamental Skills
Professional Development
Over the years of training and assisting various technicians, I've formed a set of guidelines that I've been known to drill constantly. The other day while talking to a newer technician and working with them I realized that I now have the time I didn't have before to actually write down what I've been ranting about for 14 years. I've dubbed them as the Laws for the Practical Technician.
There's a lot of nuance in each "law" so now that we got the TLDR version out of the way let's dive into the specifics. Note for the purposes of this post, each law has been given a title.
If you run around with your eyes closed expecting nothing to get in your way, you're bound to smack into a wall (or something) and fall down. If you keep your eyes open and aware of your surroundings you can navigate the obstacles and overcome them.
End users typically expect systems to work seamlessly and view issues as problems needing external help. Technicians, on the other hand, approach systems with the expectation that things might not work and are prepared to "figure it out" each time.
Key Points:
Example: When dealing with a software bug, an end user might see it as "broken" and wait for a fix. A technician, however, will explore various angles—checking logs, considering recent changes, and testing different scenarios to identify the root cause, or find a viable workaround
Computers and software are designed to be used, (it's actually the only way they make money!). Therefore, the information needed to operate or troubleshoot them is generally available on the screen or in logs, (although the language can be context-specific for the industry). To effectively identify and solve issues, it's crucial to explore the interface and ask questions. Thoroughly reading on-screen messages and prompts can provide insights into what might be wrong and how to address it.
When encountering an error message or unexpected behavior, don’t rush to conclusions, AND DO NOT SKIP IT!
Instead, read all the details provided. Error codes, system messages, and even seemingly minor details can offer significant clues. For instance, a message that seems obscure at first glance might make sense when considered within the context of the application or system you're working on. Even comparing against a computer that is working, looking for differences in behavior, or order of operations, screen activity, and so on, can provide clues (for example an error that takes a while to appear is likely caused by a timeout, vs an error that appears immediately is likely caused by an immediate rejection).
Example: If a user reports an issue with a software application crashing, instead of just noting "application crashes," you should read any error messages, logs, or system prompts that appear when the crash occurs. These details can guide you towards understanding the root cause and potential fixes.
To effectively troubleshoot, ensure you can recreate the problem and understand its significance. Start by asking the person reporting the issue why it's a problem and why it's important to solve it. Gather as much information as possible to understand all sides of the issue. You should be able to understand the problem at least as well as the person reporting it to you, otherwise how do you expect to fix it? Or even explain it to the next escalation point if you have to reach out for help?
Here are some ways you can work to understand the problem.
Example: If a user cannot access a shared network drive, ask them about any recent changes to their system, any specific error messages they receive, and how critical this access is to their work. Look at what the shared drive is mapped to, and if other people have access to it that are working. Identify the network the user who is complaining about is on and if it has connectivity to the shared drive host. This comprehensive understanding allows you to troubleshoot more effectively and escalate if needed.
Being intentional in your actions means making deliberate, thoughtful decisions rather than taking random stabs at fixing an issue. This approach prevents exacerbating the problem and leads to more efficient troubleshooting. Most technicians below Tier 3 will perform troubleshooting by way of "trying different thing to see what works", this is essentially closing your eyes and trying to pin the tail on the donkey, make sure you understand what is going on, and the logical reason why what you're attempting will affect (either negatively or positively) the current outcome so that you can make progress with every step.
Expand on This:
Example: If a printer isn’t working, don’t randomly try different fixes like restarting the printer, reinstalling drivers, or changing settings. Instead, follow a logical sequence—check for error messages to help point you towards a connection issue or a driver issue.
Always be prepared to reassess what you know. Technology and systems evolve, and what was true yesterday might not hold today. Keeping an open mind and questioning assumptions can lead to discovering the true cause of an issue.
Expand on This:
Example: If a network issue arises, don’t assume it’s due to the same cause as last time. Reevaluate the situation - start the troubleshooting process from scratch everytime until you've identified the root cause to the be the same as last time.
Always have a contingency plan before making changes. Ensure that any action you take can be reversed if it doesn’t resolve the issue or causes new problems.
Expand on This:
Example: Before modifying a system registry, backup the registry or export the key in question. Rename something instead of deleting it, or cut/paste it somewhere else. This way, if the change has unintended consequences, you can easily revert to the previous state.
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Edit 2024/11/13 | This article has been presented and recorded at The IT Nation Connect 2024 in Orlando, Florida! You can watch it here: https://youtu.be/ZJqhT48pnLU
Often attributed to U.S. President John F. Kennedy in a speech from 1963, this aphorism, “a rising tide lifts all boats,” is regularly heard throughout the MSP Channel: many of our friends and colleagues use this phrase in some iteration during conversation, in mottos, and uh, for business names.
The analogy, in some ways, is astute. Technology and our relationship with it are both constantly evolving, requiring a certain buoyancy and literal ability to “go with the flow” with every new development, vulnerability, and client request. The founder of MSPGeek, Martyn Keigher, used this phrase to describe why he started the forum to answer questions about ConnectWise’s RMM platform, LabTech, and which evolved to discuss products, security, and other MSP-centric matters. It was a nice sentiment, made practical: together, we can navigate struggles that occur with every new development. Together, we can share knowledge and experience and let others who pass this way stand on our shoulders. Together, as a community, we can traverse the deep sea of change. We can learn and grow, together.
But I’ve also seen it used another way. Bear with me and hear the difference:
“We are The Tide. We are the people and ideas who are going to solve all of your problems. We can solve your problems if you would just listen to us and agree and obey!”
In an industry that started in garages and basements, one built on torrents and IRC and subverting systems, one that is constantly wrangling humans in all of their complexity and anxieties, why…WHY would anyone expect to be a sole authority on even one aspect of the Tide?
Because here’s the thing: of all things we should want to mimic from nature, a rising tide isn’t the pinnacle of success you may think it is. Limited by time and natural laws, you must remember that ultimately, tides don’t rise forever.
Let’s talk about how the cycle of tides are reflected in our lives, as humans and businesses.
As the Moon orbits Earth, its gravity pulls on our oceans, creating a bulge of water known as high tide. This high tide isn’t the only one occurring at that time — another high tide forms on the opposite side of the Earth due to the physical properties of water as it responds to the Moon’s pull.
From National Geographic. Illustration by Mary Crooks.
High tide is a good thing for boats, giving ships more water to move through. At high tide, it is easier to navigate without hitting shallow areas that could damage your vessel, making it more practical for boating — and in many cases, more fun.
Low tide, on the other hand, is more likely to be harmful for ships than helpful. If a boat isn’t docked properly, the receding water can leave it stranded in the mud. If left unsecured, changing currents can carry the boat out to the unforgiving sea. At the same time, depending on the location, low tide is the best time for hunting for sea shells or accessing fishing holes that were inaccessible before. It depends on your needs and goals on what part of the tide you prefer.
All of that said, what our analogies usually miss in their catchiness and simplicity is the intrinsically transient nature of the tide.
Consistent as clockwork, the tides rise and they fall in a matter of hours. It may be more pleasant to swim in when the tide is low, but what if you’re not a strong swimmer and are unprepared for the incoming rising tide? The ships are lifted, but what happens to the boats when the tide flows out again and the ships’ captains are unprepared?
As someone who has always had a side gig and has helped start and run multiple small businesses, I firmly believe that Small to Medium Sized Businesses (SMBs) are the future of our economy.
According to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, 99.9% of businesses, or 33.2 Million businesses in the States are small businesses, accounting for nearly half of their total GDP as a country, and nearly half of their employment. Worldwide, according to the World Bank, those numbers are similar, with 90% of businesses are small businesses, employing 50% of our workforce.
The creativity, competition, and cooperation within community that small businesses exhibit beyond employment and GDP is worth celebrating. Small businesses working together create stronger products and services for both the public and private sectors: truly a demonstration of iron sharpening iron.
Humanity will continue to diversify, solving problems and creating new things. And with it, technology will continue to be vital for growth, productivity, and efficiency.
This diversity and evolution is what I consider the Tide. The complex social, cultural, economic situations that our communities will be inadvertently interacting with in their homes, schools, churches, government buildings, and offices.
We (MSPs, technologists, consultants) are not the Tide. We're arguably more important. I believe MSPs are the future of SMBs and in that, we don’t own the Tide or the rights to It. We merely are custodians of the energy, ideas, and potential hidden within each wave.
Imagine with me that you are standing on a beach on a perfect summer day.
Maybe your feet are buried deep in the warm sand; there is a pleasant breeze carrying light scent of coconut and pineapple from people applying sunblock a few feet away. A clear blue sky and glorious yellow sun embrace everyone under their domain. Tiny crabs skitter back to the ocean in confusion, chasing every wave that brought them in. In the distance, you can see a pier where people set lawn chairs and coolers as they fish for the local fare. You hear kids playing, building and destroying sand castles behind you. Seagulls swoop and shout at people in line at the french fry stand, others are eating ice cream they knocked out of a small child’s hands. A local fisherman is exchanging pleasantries with a customer in the parking lot as he sells shrimp he caught this morning. The beach is abuzz with life.
It’s almost like the tide may be what brings these people together, but it is not the most important thing on the beach. There is an entire ecosystem that was created around the tide and with the tide, that follows the tide, and that depends on the tide, at both its lowest and highest points.
In the same way, entire ecosystems exist and are further enabled by the tide of technology, and as the Tide of technology shifts, It demands a higher bar of technical ability and tools to connect with the increasingly fast paced world around us.
Of the businesses that have sprung up around the beach where this Tide resides—doctors' offices, accounting firms, car dealerships, grocery stores, print shops, restaurants, manufacturers, retail—some will be able to manage changing and upgrading on their own. Many others will rely on competent and experienced MSPs who can see the depths of the waters and navigate with wisdom and care.
You’re not just a bait shop selling worms, hooks, and overpriced rods. You are seasoned navigators with maps, anecdotes, and hard-won advice on the best places to fish. In the same way, a competent MSP can step in, and beyond “managing services” or being a “value-added reseller,” they bring a wealth of experience to enhance those small businesses: advising, creating, maintaining, and protecting technical tools and skills as each SMB grows.
The importance of the role of MSPs guiding SMBs through shifts in technology becomes clear when we examine the projected growth in IT managed services revenue: according to data from Jay McBain at Canalys, in 2025, the industry is expected to grow by 13%, reaching $595 billion globally (Canalys, 2025).
The great thing about the ocean is the variety of occupations that exist at every season and Tide. You are an experienced ship captain; you know how to read the sky and the stars to predict the weather. You are a seasoned fisherman, who knows all of the best spots for the prized sea bass. Your purpose is not to be the Tide, but to help those around us to understand, harness, and profit from the Tide.
While SMBs need help from MSPs, here’s the catch: MSPs are also SMBs facing the same struggles of scalability, knowledge gaps, and industry-wide shifts that any small business does. MSPs, as SMBs themselves (according to McBain, the average MSP employs 8 people), need help from similar coaches, advisors, consultants, and implementors to navigate the constant influx of change and growth.
It’s something my business partner, Mendy Green, and I talk about often. The services we provide—automations, onboardings, and business process consulting—are complicated enough that you will spend significant resources whether staffing your own team or hiring an external consultant. We have a backlog and are hiring consultants who meet our high standards as quickly as we can (if you’re looking and think you’d be a good fit, give us a shout).
But how can we help more people with the finite amount of time we have, how can we better leverage our experience and skill for those who truly need our help but who cannot access us (or other consultants) due to time and cost?
We could keep doing what we’re doing, throwing more people at the traditional consultant model of one-to-one, limited by scheduling and budget.
That only solves half of the problem. We’re grateful for the work, but it’s important to us to keep our services accessible to the people who need it most. So we’re trying a few things to help fortify our ecosystem rather than just ourselves. Here are some ideas that our team and other peers in our circles are trying:
We’re not here to be the Tide. We don’t claim to own this industry or control the ever-changing currents that shape it. Instead, we—as MSPs, Consultants, and Advisors—are here to share the tools, wisdom, and experiences we’ve gained to help others chart their own course.
We don’t have all of the answers, but we are embracing a big experiment of open-source problem-solving, sharing knowledge freely through tutorials and blog posts, and creating community-based solutions like group consulting. Together, we can support each other as we navigate uncharted waters, fortify our fellow ships, and ensure that no one is left stranded as the tides shift again.
We believe that by pouring ourselves into community by sharing, collaborating, and creating slightly abnormal approaches to “the norm,” we’re not just surviving the Tide; we’re harnessing its energy to move forward.
We hope you’ll join us in this effort, whether by joining an online community, incorporating similar practices at your business, or participating in ours. Ride the tides with us, and let’s see how far we can travel, together.
A few quick notes for you on big changes we’ve had at Rising Tide and what you can expect from us as we work to better support you.
To start, we’ve added to the crew!
We've been adding staff like crazy to better fit your needs! Each person is truly a rockstar in their own right and we’re thrilled to bring them to help you improve your automations, operations, and implementations. If you've not met them yet, please welcome our new staff as you see them:
Also of note, Ben Bennett-Day is moving to part-time, doing less hands-on consulting and more reporting and offline work. While he will be missed full-time and at conferences, we’re excited to support him as he explores the tech world as a software developer.
Second, we’re continuing to create resources to help you.
With the big staffing changes, our mission for driving improvement to help you grow your team and your MSP continues on track. We have a ton of additional community content planned for our YouTube channel as well as a bigger focus on our blog and written documentation. A few specific resources to keep an eye out for:
Is there anything you specifically need help with? Let us know, maybe it’ll be the next walk-through we create.
Last, find us on the road!
An assortment of the Rising Tide team will be at our favorite community conferences this year, so let us know which ones you’ll be at too. We hope to see you there!
If you’ve gotten this far, thank you for being customers and supporters of the Rising Tide vision.
Until next time,
Your Rising Tide crew
When is the last time you updated your Resume/CV?
There was a little bit of chatter in the MSPGeek Discord last month about what actually needs to go on a resume. (MSPGeek Website | MSPGeek Discord)
It got me curious: how many of my friends in the MSP space have an up-to-date resume, and one that they’re proud of?
Uh-oh, have you not dusted yours off in a few years?
Let’s talk about why you might want to change that even if you’re happy where you are and some practical advice for updating yours into something you’re proud to showcase.
Let’s start with the basics.
A resume is a generally a concise document highlighting your professional experience, skills, and accomplishments. When I’m coaching others, I use the analogy that a good resume is just a firm handshake. It's what gets your foot in the door for hopefully further conversations. You’ll want your resume to be tailored to your current interests and objectives, whittled down to reflect your story and expertise.
On the other hand, a CV, or curriculum vitae, comes from Latin words curriculum, which came from the original word currere which translates to run, as in a race; and vitae, meaning life. Curriculum has since been adapted as an educational term for what you’d be learning in a class or program, but it originally just meant “what race are you running?”
With that in mind, a CV literally translates to course of life, and as such it’s a beefier document than a resume, reflecting a detailed account of one’s professional journey, path, and achievements, showcasing a full history of your education, research, and work. I coach my people to keep both on hand, considering the CV as the “source of truth” for everything you’ve ever done with complete timelines and full descriptions, and creating multiple child resumes depending on your specific job application or use case.
In general, in the MSP (Managed Service Provider) space and in the employment arena, these words are often used interchangeably but I encourage you to default to providing a simpler resume, and as such we’ll be focusing on that term in this article. However, there are places and times that it makes sense to provide a full CV and we’ll address that as we go.
Having an up-to-date resume is a good practice to keep even if you’re not actively looking for jobs. Some companies that bid for work include team member resumes and CVs as evidence of that company’s competence and fit to win a particular Request for Proposal (RFP).
It’s also helpful because you never know when the random person you meet at a conference, church, or bar, likes the cut of your jib and wants your resume to see if you’re a good fit for their company!
If you’re in Sales or Marketing, knowing what your technical teams’ Resumes and CVs look like can be a wealth of data for building proposals or providing accomplishments to prospective clients. It’s worth seeing if your team has up-to-date resumes so you know the high points of their skills and accomplishments and can brag about them accordingly.
So enough about the why of a good Resume. Let’s talk about the how.
As someone who has applied for many jobs, read a good number of applications for my own businesses, and coached others in cleaning up their own, let’s talk about what makes a resume or CV successful to me and how I applied those ideals in my own resume. As you’ve surely noticed, the word good is in quotation marks – every bit of advice in here is built on years of learning and experience, but is by no means dictatorial or the final word on the resume that will get you the job of your dreams.
My goal is to give you inspiration on revamping and practical advice further editing your own! If you follow these ideas, hopefully, you'll take your resume from "meh" to "good" and as you build your idea of what good looks like, you can make it "great."
Here is my current resume, for reference:
What are your first thoughts? It’s ok if you hate it, it won’t hurt my feelings. The fact that you’re thinking about what could be a resume is the exciting part for me. We’ll use my resume to tear apart some of these rules so you have practical ideas for what to do, or not!
Rules I kept in mind:
For the uninitiated, Doctor Who is a BBC Family Show about a millennia-old time-traveling alien who consistently finds himself saving the human race while meeting historic people and events from the past, present, and future. In the 2024 Christmas special, Ncuti Gatwa as the Doctor finds himself trapped in a crappy hotel room by himself, for a year. “The long way ‘round” rings in the viewers’ ears as we are then escorted through the next year of the Doctor, watching his character development as he performs menial labor and often comical tasks. It’s heartwarming and tearjerking, and....
Don’t do that.
Yeah, you heard me. Your resume is not the place for your growth or development. It’s not the place to give the ins and outs of your day-to-day. Your resume needs to be the high points. This is just the book cover, the summary, the short review enticing someone to pick you up and actually flip through the pages.
Ways that you can do that include:
We want to know that you can speak Judoon, have commandeered a TARDIS, and are adept with both psychic paper and a Sonic Screwdriver. We do not need to know that you carjacked said TARDIS, brought someone a cheese toastie and pumpkin latte, or snogged Queen Elizabeth. If the devil is in the details, well, leave the details and the devil out of your resume, dude.
This example is a little silly, but the point remains that YOU are the hero and YOU write your own story. Make sure the readers of your resume know what that is. And regardless of what story you write, your resume should always lead with Action.
What have you done that you have control over? Your resume should show that you’re an asset to the teams that you’re on and that the work you’ve done has shown your strength.
Instead of framing things as being a part of a project or that something was imposed on you, stretch yourself to consider the decisions you made and how they were impactful.
Check your resume in a grammar checker for “passive voice” and eliminate it from your resume as much as possible. Passive voice makes it seem like you are just that: a passive bystander to things that you created. This isn’t the place for modesty, it’s a place for groundedness and intentionality! Don’t be scared to show them what you’ve got! Here are some good rules of thumb for your resume:
Here are some practical examples for how you can update passive voice with active voice.
Of note, it is highly possible that you don’t feel like you have the numbers or the confidence to do this, today. There is a certain amount of intentionality and care that is required to start gathering these types of Key Performance Metrics or goals. It’s possible that your management is tracking some of these things already and you can talk to your manager about their goals for your department and roll those into your own successes.
Know your audience and keep it relevant in all the ways possible, I’d specifically encourage you to consider context of content and context of delivery.
We allude to this in the section on being the Hero, but keep multiple versions of your resume on hand depending on the role and company you are applying for! Review the business’s website and job listing for key words, phrases, or values to show you are a good fit. Remove work experience that isn’t applicable to the role. Don’t keep things in if they dilute what you are actually seeking to present yourself as. Customize your bullet points: Swap in key accomplishments that fit the job description. If the role focuses on leadership, highlight examples of mentoring or leading a team. If it’s technical, detail relevant certifications, tools, and projects.
Use consistent headers, bullet points, and spacing to make your resume easy to scan. Avoid excessive detail that clutters the page. Stick to clean, professional fonts and clear section breaks.
Keep it simple, but don’t be afraid of a little personality: A pop of color, a different font, or slightly unique formatting can be memorable—but don’t overdo it. Use section dividers, subtle lines, or an (one!) accent color to guide the eye. Include icons for contact info if appropriate, but ensure they don’t distract (choose SIMPLE icons with only one color and make sure all icons are from the same family pack).
Keep font choices professional yet modern, such as using sans-serif fonts like Calibri or Lato. In general, I recommend not using more than one typeface, and limit the times you change it. Regular, bold, italic should get you far, and try to keep font sizes to three variations: title (36pt), header (18pt), body (12pt). Keep things consistent like you would be if you were marking up a webpage or application. And please, whatever you do, don’t express yourself through clever or cartoony fonts, this is for business, not your personal art gallery.
How are you submitting your application? In person, by email, through a digital system?
Will the person be reading this on a mobile device or printing it out?
If in person, don’t be afraid to print off a color copy on nice, weighted cardstock for an in-person interview, and bring copies for other people who may be in the room as well, for a peer interview.
For digital submissions Check the format based on delivery method: Ensure your resume reads well in multiple formats—digital (PDFs), ATS-scannable text, and print. Run tests to see how it looks in each form. Do screenreaders or convert to plain text to see (or hear) what a computer-read version of your document turns out to say. Does it make sense? If not, rework it.
As mentioned multiple times in this article, your resume is a tool for opening doors, so don’t let it be a dead end for the reader. Where do you keep your portfolio or where should they go to find more information about you if this resume piqued their interest? Don’t keep them guessing, give them access! Some things you may want to include on a modern resume:
What do you think? If you look at your resume, does it follow my suggestions of making yourself the Hero. leading with action, considering appropriate context, and showing your Work? Where did I deviate from the rules, do you think it works for me, or not?
On the flip side, what rules do you think I am missing?
I hope I’ve inspired you to update your resume and/or CV this month and to encourage your friends and colleagues to do the same! If you need help cleaning up your resume, you can find me on any of the social channels listed on my resume, or through Rising Tide if you want to pay me to just do it for you.