11:00 AM, preferably and not Monday morning.

Approximately 90% of all instances where a candidate accepted a counter offer resulted in the employee leaving within the following year. The employer will counter with an offer of a higher salary and/or a promise for a promotion; however this usually is a silkscreen giving the employer time to hire a replacement. Broken promises in the end.

Move forward with your initial reasons for leaving the organization and enjoy your next career challenge.

Write a letter of resignation giving two weeks notice and state the last day of work. Keep the tone positive in the note. Deliver the letter in person to your manager and have a face-to-face discussion. It is unprofessional to send an e-mail of this nature!

If face-to-face is not an option, then have a live telephone conversation. Again, do not leave a voice message. During the following two weeks, train your replacement; document your work, tidy up projects to the best of your abilities. Keep details of your new position confidential.

Keep a sense of professionalism and integrity at all times. It is a small industry and you never know what the future may bring.

As a contractor, you will acquire a wide range of experiences and projects in multiple industries. You will work on assignments ranging from a few weeks to up to two years in duration. You will act an entrepreneur running your own business. As a contractor, you are slightly removed from the internal corporate politics and you are able to focus on the deliverables at hand. Incorporated contractors may be able to write off certain business related expenses thus decreasing your taxable income. Contractors may be paid more than a permanent employee. A contractor is expected to ramp up quickly in the new environment and is usually considered the expert. A contractor is expected to produce excellent results with minimal guidance.

There is risk involved; a contractor may not be able to find work during a recessionary period. A contractor is encouraged to keep up their skill sets at their expense to maintain marketability among their future hiring managers. A contractor is not eligible for company benefits. A contractor must seek his own insurance and medical benefits. A contractor is responsible for submitting GST/HST regularly as outlined by the CRA.

• Become an active member of a professional IT organization of your area(s) of specialization.
• Being invited and speaking at conferences or for professional IT organizations will raise your profile.
• Write articles for IT related newsletters, industry trade press, tweets, your web site and blogs - become published.
• Always maintain an air of professionalism both in person and through social networking sites.
• Follow through on all of your promises.
• Always treat people in the same manner as you would like to be treated.
• Regularly add contacts, join groups, update profile within Linked-In.
• Ensure consistency in your image on Facebook, Linked-in, MySpace and Twitter accounts.
• Include your Linked-in URL on your resume and your e-mail auto-signature.
• Consider setting your Facebook profile to "private" so only designated friends can view it.

The best answer is, "I will entertain any reasonable offer".

If the hiring manager requests an actual figure then quote a range that you discussed with your recruiter or a compensation that you have researched prior to your interview.

1. Describe your ideal job and or manager?
2. Why are you looking to leave your current employment?
3. What unique experience or qualifications separate you from other candidates?
4. Tell me about yourself? (Should be 7-10 minutes in length)
5. What are your strengths and your weaknesses? (1-2 of each)
6. Describe some of your most important career accomplishments.
7. What are your short-term and long-term goals? (2 years and 5 year goals)
8. Tell me about a time when you were faced with a challenging situation and how you handled it.
9. Why are you interested in this position?
10. What would your former boss/colleagues say about you?
11. What are the best and worst aspects of your previous job?
12. What do you know about our company?
13. What motivates you? How do you motivate others?
14. Are you willing to relocate?
15. What are your salary expectations?

The questions should be strategic in nature, demonstrate that you are interested in the position and that you were listening attentively.

1. Where do you see your company within the next 2 to 5 years?
2. How do you envision the future of this industry?
3. How do you rate your competition?
4. What is the overall structure of the company and how does your department fit within the structure? (This may have been addressed throughout the interview)
5. What have been the department's successes in the last couple of years?
6. Describe a typical day/week in this position?
7. What are the most immediate challenges of this position within the first 30-60-90 days?

What are the next steps? (Silence, wait for the hiring manager to answer completely)