"Give me somebody who understands the shifts in how the different cultures and generations use computers," says Archibald. "There is no 'one size fits all' anymore. Gen Z/Millennials would rather have an iPhone/Droid and a tablet with no cube, or maybe a couch. Baby Boomers are still using tower desktops and want an office, not a cube."
A-Teamers must be up to speed on the smartphones, tablets, social networks, and mobile apps du jour. If popular enough, these items will eventually make their way into your organization, whether you like it or not. You'll need to be ready for them.
"The biggest thing you should look for is people who come in the door with a consumer mentality," says Bonvanie. "They understand how technology being used by consumers is being brought into the business. You want someone who's always trying out new things, that superuser who knows more about Facebook, Twitter, and MySpace than the 24-year-old MBA who just walked onto the sales or marketing team. That's what it takes to stay ahead in IT and keep your job."
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This story, "A-Teams of IT: How to build a crack strike force," was originally published at InfoWorld.com.