5 Tips to Take Your IT Career to the Next Level
The technology industry has extraordinary opportunities available right now. Technology has never advanced so quickly or been in such a big stage of change as it is at this moment.
Maybe you feel like you haven’t progressed as much as you would’ve liked to, or just that you want a change of career, it’s relatively simple to gain skills that could transform your future in IT.
It’s about building on the skills you already have
Taking your career to the next level doesn’t necessarily mean you have to start from scratch, instead, it’s all about working on the skills you already have. The technology industry is all about knowledge and experience, both can be gained or learnt. It’s an industry that is constantly evolving, which means that there is always something new to learn. Take this in your stride and learn about it. Robotics is certainly a sector that is developing rapidly and will need informed IT professionals to help its development.
Everybody has some of these skills, but it’s about doing additional things to make yourself unique. So, here’s a few things you can do to stand out to employers and take your career in IT to the next level.
1. Consider your next career move
The most obvious way to take your IT career to the next level is to switch jobs or gain a promotion in the current job you’re in. If it’s a new job, ask questions before starting, think about what you want to gain from the position, as well as what they want from you. Thinking forward in life is extremely important, so consider leaving your comfort zone, which may be your current job. Instead, jump out of your comfort zone and find a job that you feel fully fulfilled in. Your job should be challenging, stimulating and rewarding, if it isn’t that then it may be time for a change.
2. Be constantly willing to learn and educate yourself
If you’re studying a technology-based subject at University, or maybe at the Open University, choose a specific module based on your interest area within technology. If you’re unsure as to what topic to take, automation or robotics is the future, so could be a helpful module for further on in your career. Also, learn from others around you and any consulting individuals your company may have employed.
3. Networking is key
IT recruiters and professionals are looking for individuals who are confident in their ability and can be relied upon to motivate themselves. Showing this can sometimes be difficult, which is why the easiest way to do this is by attending conferences and IT events (online or offline). There are so many networking benefits, like being able to keep as up-to-date as you possibly can with any of the newest trends or technologies. Also, it’s a great way to meet like-minded people, and employers, who may be looking for an innovative individual to join their team.
4. Work on any customer service skills you may have
In most jobs, at some point, you will have to deal with customers. So, make sure you have the right skills to be able to converse efficiently and effectively with them. IT support assistants are customers’ first point of call, whether that be via phone or chat. You not only need to understand what you’re doing as an IT assistant, but you also need to empathise with the customer and solve their problems. It helps to have previous customer service experience on your CV, but if you don’t there are other ways to show that you can help customers effectively.
5. Make yourself stand out from the crowd
Being part of the crowd is boring, and employers don’t want the same employees over and over again. The easiest way to make yourself stand out from the crowd is to just be yourself in the interview stage and don’t be too shy, or too loud.
There are other ways of standing out, like completing additional online courses and gaining work experience. Whether you could start networking at speeches or events, or plan your future career so you know what steps you need to take to get there, it really is easy to take your IT career to the next level.