Over the years, I have been asked to provide career advice to more people than I can remember. Through these exchanges, I have learned many things.. In addition, the IT industry has changed and matured so much in the recent years, it may time for us all to take a fresh look at the opportunities and future possibilities that we be facing.
And so, I have here my general advice to IT career oriented professionals. However, before I share this career advice, I have a few suggestions that leaders should be mindful of if asked for career advice.
First of all, a leader should not give advice as much assist the individual find his or her own way through a good mix of questions versus statements. Each and every individual is so unique that is impossible for me to ever assume I could know what would make someone else happy and productive in a career choice. However, there is nothing more rewarding than being there to listen as someone finds their true calling.
The second trap many leaders fall into is providing advice based on their own experiences, goals and desires. It is very difficult to divorce yourself from your experiences and truly provide objective advice to someone with a completely different mindset, perspective, and experiences. Trying to shape a set of recommended career steps or actions based on what is important to you is usually not very helpful or appropriate to the person you are offering advice.
Finally, working with Bruce Longshore over the years has taught me how different each individual really can be in the way they hear, interpret and internalize what other people say and the advice they give. It is amazing to see some of the interpretations formulated base on so many factors, internal and external. Because of these unique and individualized characteristics, people will filter what you say into something completely different than what you may have intended. This is one reason I strongly suggest the involvement of a professional that truly understands the psychological make up of the individual seeking advice.
Now, for my general thoughts regarding career advice for IT oriented professionals. I recently published a blog called The New Differentiator where I used an analogy of small town USA. That same analogy can be used here as I see the IT industry becoming so diverse and specialized as we have witnessed happen to the medical field. In small town USA, you would find one doctor that would handle anything and everything the town’s people needed from cradle to grave.
In today’s world with the diversity of specialized skills and the economic realities facing the corporate world, a company that is not specifically an IT company can simply not afford to invest in an organization of IT skills and talents to stay competitive while staying competitive in their own industry. It is simply a matter of time before more and more companies will face the inevitable decision to outsource more of the IT functions and not just the IT operations components.
My advice for those wanting to continue a career in IT is to align your career with an IT based business, a business that must invest in their IT people in order to stay competitive. It is as simple as that.
After being on the buyer and supplier side of the equation several times over the years, the above advice also has a subtle suggestion regarding the level of respect and camaraderie we in the IT profession, buyers and sellers alike, strive to achieve with one another.