7. Do Develop Soft Skills
IT professionals need more than technical ability to advance their careers. Skills and certifications still matter, of course, but they are not enough. What are you contributing in a non-tech sense?
You may need to bring one or more of the following soft skills to the table: communications skills, teamwork skills, organizational skills, leadership skills, sales skills, presentation skills and business skills.
Can you motivate teammates to perform? Do you interact successfully with customers? Do you understand the business issues driving the IT solutions you provide? How do you give value (tech and non-tech) to your clients and employers? Most IT professionals don?t develop their soft skills, so if you do, you have a strong career advantage.
8. Don?t Run From Challenges
Problems and challenges will crop up from time to time in the course of your career. Rather than run from challenges, you should look for ways in which the challenges will make you a better IT professional. Challenges should widen your array of skills by opening up new avenues for career and skills growth. Tackling challenges requires resourcefulness on your part. You may need to do the research and interact with more experienced colleagues.
Often challenges can offer you the highest growth potential. The more you can do, the more valuable you are. The challenge might be an opportunity to develop your soft skills. Or it might be an opportunity to conquer a difficult area and carve a niche for yourself.
9. Do Keep on Learning
Knowledge and experience come first in the IT industry. Since your knowledge is your power, take responsibility for continuing your education and increasing your knowledge. Develop good strategies for acquiring skills that will enhance your value. What is your level of your expertise with current technologies and your knowledge of new and upcoming technologies that might affect your career?
Lifelong learning is essential for IT professionals. What is in demand today may be obsolete tomorrow, especially in IT. Stay current with the latest trends through seminars, training, e-mail newsletters and, of course, the Web. But note that you must have the willingness to learn, and if you want real growth you can?t afford to confuse cramming with learning.
10. Don?t Neglect Professionalism
Professionalism has to do with your attitude to your job, employer, colleagues, clients and society. Let your actions speak in a professional, positive manner. A bad attitude can render your skills, knowledge and experience ineffective.
You need to make professionalism a habit by imbibing the values of honesty, fairness, tolerance, respect for others, ethics, politeness and integrity. How trustworthy are you? Do you promise heaven and deliver hell? What image are you carving for your co-workers and clients? Professionalism is not just soft skills and tech skills. Professionalism is about the total package of soft skills, tech skills and attitude. Be dependable, be supportive and perform above expectations. The right people will take notice.
Just as there is no mystery to developing your career, there is also no magic formula. The aim of these dos and don?ts is to make you aware of the things you should and shouldn?t do so that you can avoid costly career mistakes. I hope this also shows you that the power to shape your career is in your hands, and this knowledge should make you better prepared to succeed in your IT career.
Part 3 7. Do Develop Soft Skills
IT professionals need more than technical ability to advance their careers. Skills and certifications still matter, of course, but they are not enough. What are you contributing in a non-tech sense?
You may need to bring one or more of the following soft skills to the table: communications skills, teamwork skills, organizational skills, leadership skills, sales skills, presentation skills and business skills. Can you motivate teammates to perform? Do you interact successfully with customers? Do you understand the business issues driving the IT solutions you provide? How do you give value (tech and non-tech) to your clients and employers? Most IT professionals don?t develop their soft skills, so if you do, you have a strong career advantage.
8. Don?t Run From Challenges
Problems and challenges will crop up from time to time in the course of your career. Rather than run from challenges, you should look for ways in which the challenges will make you a better IT professional. Challenges should widen your array of skills by opening up new avenues for career and skills growth. Tackling challenges requires resourcefulness on your part. You may need to do the research and interact with more experienced colleagues.
Often challenges can offer you the highest growth potential. The more you can do, the more valuable you are. The challenge might be an opportunity to develop your soft skills. Or it might be an opportunity to conquer a difficult area and carve a niche for yourself.
9. Do Keep on Learning
Knowledge and experience come first in the IT industry. Since your knowledge is your power, take responsibility for continuing your education and increasing your knowledge. Develop good strategies for acquiring skills that will enhance your value. What is your level of your expertise with current technologies and your knowledge of new and upcoming technologies that might affect your career?
Lifelong learning is essential for IT professionals. What is in demand today may be obsolete tomorrow, especially in IT. Stay current with the latest trends through seminars, training, e-mail newsletters and, of course, the Web. But note that you must have the willingness to learn, and if you want real growth you can?t afford to confuse cramming with learning.
10. Don?t Neglect Professionalism
Professionalism has to do with your attitude to your job, employer, colleagues, clients and society. Let your actions speak in a professional, positive manner. A bad attitude can render your skills, knowledge and experience ineffective.
You need to make professionalism a habit by imbibing the values of honesty, fairness, tolerance, respect for others, ethics, politeness and integrity. How trustworthy are you? Do you promise heaven and deliver hell? What image are you carving for your co-workers and clients? Professionalism is not just soft skills and tech skills. Professionalism is about the total package of soft skills, tech skills and attitude. Be dependable, be supportive and perform above expectations. The right people will take notice.
Just as there is no mystery to developing your career, there is also no magic formula. The aim of these dos and don?ts is to make you aware of the things you should and shouldn?t do so that you can avoid costly career mistakes. I hope this also shows you that the power to shape your career is in your hands, and this knowledge should make you better prepared to succeed in your IT career.
IT professionals need more than technical ability to advance their careers. Skills and certifications still matter, of course, but they are not enough. What are you contributing in a non-tech sense?
You may need to bring one or more of the following soft skills to the table: communications skills, teamwork skills, organizational skills, leadership skills, sales skills, presentation skills and business skills.
Can you motivate teammates to perform? Do you interact successfully with customers? Do you understand the business issues driving the IT solutions you provide? How do you give value (tech and non-tech) to your clients and employers? Most IT professionals don?t develop their soft skills, so if you do, you have a strong career advantage.
8. Don?t Run From Challenges
Problems and challenges will crop up from time to time in the course of your career. Rather than run from challenges, you should look for ways in which the challenges will make you a better IT professional. Challenges should widen your array of skills by opening up new avenues for career and skills growth. Tackling challenges requires resourcefulness on your part. You may need to do the research and interact with more experienced colleagues.
Often challenges can offer you the highest growth potential. The more you can do, the more valuable you are. The challenge might be an opportunity to develop your soft skills. Or it might be an opportunity to conquer a difficult area and carve a niche for yourself.
9. Do Keep on Learning
Knowledge and experience come first in the IT industry. Since your knowledge is your power, take responsibility for continuing your education and increasing your knowledge. Develop good strategies for acquiring skills that will enhance your value. What is your level of your expertise with current technologies and your knowledge of new and upcoming technologies that might affect your career?
Lifelong learning is essential for IT professionals. What is in demand today may be obsolete tomorrow, especially in IT. Stay current with the latest trends through seminars, training, e-mail newsletters and, of course, the Web. But note that you must have the willingness to learn, and if you want real growth you can?t afford to confuse cramming with learning.
10. Don?t Neglect Professionalism
Professionalism has to do with your attitude to your job, employer, colleagues, clients and society. Let your actions speak in a professional, positive manner. A bad attitude can render your skills, knowledge and experience ineffective.
You need to make professionalism a habit by imbibing the values of honesty, fairness, tolerance, respect for others, ethics, politeness and integrity. How trustworthy are you? Do you promise heaven and deliver hell? What image are you carving for your co-workers and clients? Professionalism is not just soft skills and tech skills. Professionalism is about the total package of soft skills, tech skills and attitude. Be dependable, be supportive and perform above expectations. The right people will take notice.
Just as there is no mystery to developing your career, there is also no magic formula. The aim of these dos and don?ts is to make you aware of the things you should and shouldn?t do so that you can avoid costly career mistakes. I hope this also shows you that the power to shape your career is in your hands, and this knowledge should make you better prepared to succeed in your IT career.
Part 3 7. Do Develop Soft Skills
IT professionals need more than technical ability to advance their careers. Skills and certifications still matter, of course, but they are not enough. What are you contributing in a non-tech sense?
You may need to bring one or more of the following soft skills to the table: communications skills, teamwork skills, organizational skills, leadership skills, sales skills, presentation skills and business skills. Can you motivate teammates to perform? Do you interact successfully with customers? Do you understand the business issues driving the IT solutions you provide? How do you give value (tech and non-tech) to your clients and employers? Most IT professionals don?t develop their soft skills, so if you do, you have a strong career advantage.
8. Don?t Run From Challenges
Problems and challenges will crop up from time to time in the course of your career. Rather than run from challenges, you should look for ways in which the challenges will make you a better IT professional. Challenges should widen your array of skills by opening up new avenues for career and skills growth. Tackling challenges requires resourcefulness on your part. You may need to do the research and interact with more experienced colleagues.
Often challenges can offer you the highest growth potential. The more you can do, the more valuable you are. The challenge might be an opportunity to develop your soft skills. Or it might be an opportunity to conquer a difficult area and carve a niche for yourself.
9. Do Keep on Learning
Knowledge and experience come first in the IT industry. Since your knowledge is your power, take responsibility for continuing your education and increasing your knowledge. Develop good strategies for acquiring skills that will enhance your value. What is your level of your expertise with current technologies and your knowledge of new and upcoming technologies that might affect your career?
Lifelong learning is essential for IT professionals. What is in demand today may be obsolete tomorrow, especially in IT. Stay current with the latest trends through seminars, training, e-mail newsletters and, of course, the Web. But note that you must have the willingness to learn, and if you want real growth you can?t afford to confuse cramming with learning.
10. Don?t Neglect Professionalism
Professionalism has to do with your attitude to your job, employer, colleagues, clients and society. Let your actions speak in a professional, positive manner. A bad attitude can render your skills, knowledge and experience ineffective.
You need to make professionalism a habit by imbibing the values of honesty, fairness, tolerance, respect for others, ethics, politeness and integrity. How trustworthy are you? Do you promise heaven and deliver hell? What image are you carving for your co-workers and clients? Professionalism is not just soft skills and tech skills. Professionalism is about the total package of soft skills, tech skills and attitude. Be dependable, be supportive and perform above expectations. The right people will take notice.
Just as there is no mystery to developing your career, there is also no magic formula. The aim of these dos and don?ts is to make you aware of the things you should and shouldn?t do so that you can avoid costly career mistakes. I hope this also shows you that the power to shape your career is in your hands, and this knowledge should make you better prepared to succeed in your IT career.