Tej Kohli career guidance
Although every job has its own set of specific requirements, some core competences exist regardless of the field of endeavor.
Whilst computer expertise in general, and detailed technical skills and intimate knowledge of the IT applications in particular (such as the knowledge of development in the area of systems and hardware) are a given, there are other core competences which are highly prized in the modern-day working world, including the following key characteristics, ones any employer worth their salt will be looking for in an interview and working situation.
1) Willingness to learn
There’s an old employment saying which says that any skill can be learned, provided the candidate is willing to learn.
Yes, jobs can seem scarce in our recessionary job climate. That said, a pleasing manner, mental alertness, an obvious willingness to learn, and flexible yet firm personal standards of behavior will go a long way to determining the success – or otherwise – of your career aspirations.
2) Commitment and dedication
Whilst enthusiasm is a welcome character trait, and one which can stand a staff member in good stead, it can wane fairly quickly, whereas commitment is very much a personality trait for the long term.
Too many people in our modern world lack the commitment necessary for success. A little commitment can and will go a long way to determining your overall success in the IT World.
3. Excellent oral and written communication skills
Though the perception of an IT professional may be that of someone stuck in a back office situation, with little or no contact with the outside world, the reality is vastly different.
More than ever, the IT professional of the 21st Century must ensure their oral and written communication skills are first class. More often than not, this also includes proficiency in the English language, the international business language of today. Something the intelligent IT professional would do well to remember when preparing themselves for our modern working environment.
4. The ability to work within a team environment.
Once again, the stereotypical view of an IT professional shut away from the world in their “cave”, working away on their tasks in isolation, is a thing of the distant past.
In today’s IT field, the ability to work within a team environment is of paramount
importance. This ties in with the need to enhance communication skills, and ensure that each action performed is part of a coherent, structured process, one designed to produce the maximum output with the minimum amount of effort.
5) The ability to meet deadlines, manage multiple tasks simultaneously, and keep track of details.
One of the “buzzwords” of modern business is multi-tasking. The ability not only to meet deadlines, but meet multiple deadlines and simultaneously managing several non-related tasks will determine how far and how fast you proceed in your chosen IT career.
A combination of attention to detail, whilst at the same time remaining aware of the ‘bigger picture’ (and how your work fits into it), will reap rich rewards.
6) The ability to troubleshoot and resolve unexpected issues quickly and efficiently
Over the course of your IT career, problems will arise at a moment’s notice, usually when you least expect them – and least want them to.
Your ability to prioritize these unexpected issues, and resolves them effectively, will enable you to broaden your experience and could take your career into new and exciting directions you may not have considered possible.
7) The ability to adjust to a fast-paced, high-pressure environment
“Time waits for no-one”, or so the saying goes. A saying particularly relevant in a business world where the correct choice of action, and its rapid and successful implementation, is of paramount importance.
Not only have client expectations risen dramatically, the level of competition has also risen dramatically, necessitating a major reassessment and realignment of the corporate training and goals required in the modern marketplace.
Therefore, you must demonstrate at all times the ability to adjust to a fast-paced, high-pressure environment. Otherwise it will adjust without you…
Must possess skills in creative and visual thinking
A common misconception is that IT is above all a procedural affair, and even though this is still true to a large extent, the modern IT professional must consider developing their creative and visual thinking skills – what is often interpreted as “lateral” or “creative” thinking.
Not all IT problems or issues can necessarily be solved through pure logic alone – yes, many of them can be sorted out this way, but not all. SO for the IT expert with that spark of creative thinking present in their decision-making processes, the world could be their oyster.
9) Must be a self-starter, dedicated, and highly motivated to excel
You have the IT skills, you think creatively, and you have the communication and team-player skills which mark you out as a future superstar of the IT world.
But do you possess the motivation and dedication to turn your talent into concrete and regular successes?
The IT profession is littered with employees content merely to draw their paycheck and put in the minimum effort needed to ensure they are not fired.
If you wish to succeed in any field, particularly that of IT, you must go the extra mile and make sure you put in the extra hours, learn additional skills on an ongoing basis, and never rest on your laurels, however much success you achieve. This is what marks out the “doers” from the “also rans”.
10) AND FINALLY – How To Find (Or Keep) That All-Important “Dream Job” (Even When It Says “Experience preferred” In The Job Specification…)
Whether you’re fresh out of college looking for your first step onto the IT career path ladder, or you’re an established IT professional looking for new challenges and a change of direction, a major stumbling block in your career path may be those dreaded words: “Experience Preferred”: especially when you have no experience in that particular field.
So how can you overcome this “Chicken and Egg” roadblock, whereby you can’t get the job because you have no experience, and you can’t get experience because you haven’t got the right job?
The simple answer to this vexing question is to apply all nine of the points summarized above, and look to the Japanese “Kaizan” business model of small incremental and continuous improvements.
Look to take on extra responsibilities, or apply for a low-paid or no-pay Internship to build your skills and rolodex of contacts, to improve your business network.
Applying these positive career-building tools on a daily basis will soon make you stand out from the apathetic crowd, get you noticed, and into your dream career path, even if you lack the necessary qualifications.