* Wanted: A working professional with a combination of business and technical skills
As you settle into the New Year, thoughts often turn to your career as you take stock of where you are and where you want to be. In recent weeks, Network World has published a whole raft of careers-related articles that (hopefully) will help clarify some of your thoughts, the nut being that adding business-savviness to your repertoire will take you a longer way than just relying on your technical know-how. Here are three articles that could provide the wisdom you’re looking for.
* 12 IT skills that employers can’t say no to
In this article, writer Mary Brandel outlines what eight experts – including recruiters, curriculum developers, computer science professors and other industry observers – say are the hottest skills of the near future. Among the skills on the list include:
– Machine learning: The ability to design and develop algorithms and techniques to improve computers’ performance. We’ve been hearing about this need for years, but apparently now is the time when companies are crying out for people who can extend business applications, such as ERP, procurement and expense approval to mobile devices. Apparently open source is coming back in a big way (we didn’t know it had left) and people skilled in Linux, Apache, MySQL and PHP will be in high demand.
– Mobilizing applications:
– Open source programming:
You can view the entire list here. What’s more interesting are the reader comments to the article, which reveal the true frustrations and beliefs of IT pros in the field. One CIO laments the inability of some tech pros to possess “basic communication skills,” while another reader working for a large financial firm comments: “… an MBA to go with your CS degree is going to help as it is not a matter of sitting in the closet anymore writing code but conducting meetings and working on true business problems.” Read the comments in full and join in on the discussions here.
* Take home more tech pay in 2008
Writer Jason Snyder suggests honing your project management skills will help to prevent your job from being outsourced in 2008. He suggests that purely technical positions are vulnerable and that IT execs should combine their technical know-how with business expertise. Consistency is another watchword – as in being consistent as an overachiever than excelling in fits and starts. Also, volunteering for projects no one else will touch will also get you noticed – in a good way.
Finally, if you feel overworked, the article has this advice: “Tomorrow, see if you’re capable of putting in an intense productive workday. If you can, then you’re de-motivated. If you can’t, then you’re suffering from some level of burnout.” Read the full story here.
* IT job skills that matter: Where you can leave a mark
It seems that we are all banging the same drum these days. My colleague Carolyn Duffy Marsan writes that if you only have time for a few training courses this year, make sure they are business-oriented. “Project management, financial analysis and communications skills are in big demand, according to CIOs, recruiters and IT staffing specialists,” writes Carolyn.
It’s all very well knowing how to integrate this platform with that but do you know why you’re doing it and what benefit it serves to the business? In the coming months, this newsletter will aim to point you in the right direction to find training programs that provide you with such business knowledge.
In the meantime, take note of what the article suggests are hot and cold skills for ’08:
Hot skills: Project management skills and certifications; security experience; business process understanding; communication skills, especially writing and teaching skills; and the ability to manage remote workers and virtual teams. Software development and programming; quality assurance; and technical certifications.
Not-so-hot skills:
* Giveaways: Check out this month’s giveaways from our friends at Cisco Subnet and Microsoft Subnet:here.
Win an iPod Touch courtesy of Cisco Learning Partner Global Knowlege. Up for grabs 15 copies ‘Firewall Fundamentals’ by Wes Noonan and Ido Dubrawsky. Plus: win your choice of a Microsoft training course worth $2,500 courtesy of New Horizons. Details of all giveaways
