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Human skills vital for IT pros...
Information Technology professionals know the development of technical skills is non-negotiable in the development of their careers.
But learning about and mastering the subject matter is only one of the necessary talents.
There is also a strong human component - eight soft skills that must also be mastered for industry players to excel in their chosen technology fields.
Energy - Whether your technical skills are average or above-average, applying a positive attitude and energy can improve the working environment and your career prospects significantly.
Be energised about problems, be positive in your approach to solving them and show conviction.
Attitude and energy applies as much to what you do as it does to how you do it. It also applies to the interpersonal skills you bring to the workplace.
Communication - The more communicative you are, the more you will find yourself surrounded by people and projects that help you grow your career prospects rather than bog you down with problems and hurdles.
Communicating ideas is important - doing so in ways that the people understand is even more so.
In IT there is an added need for written communication as it is important to provide users with manuals and information on how to maximise the solution.
Perspective - Keeping perspective when faced with major obstacles is a must. It enables you to see complaints, compliments and issues for what they really are.
Understanding the context is also important. If you don't, it becomes difficult to overcome issues, little problems can be blown out of proportion and solutions mismatched. top.DisplayAds('SquarLAV',15,"1733"); You could find yourself scrambling to chase away the smoke rather than putting out the fire. Worse, without perspective you could be fuelling the fire instead of fighting it.
Business savvy - To ensure a successful career in IT, you must understand the business. It is necessary to get a grip on what drives the business, to understand its objectives and what your role is.
You must know what your managers and directors want of you and what the clients expect.
In coming to terms with the business, you must align yourself with it. If that is not possible, it is best to move on: you serve no one working for a company that you do not understand or appreciate.
Control - There must be understanding and respect for those in positions of leadership. They must be used as mentors to expand your skills and knowledge. Even occasionally, management decisions should be challenged, provided the business stands to benefit.
Responsibility - Those in positions of leadership must apply themselves to sharing their knowledge and they must lead by example. Leadership must be fuelled by energy, checked by perspective and context, assisted through communication, and guided by business savvy and control.
Direction - Responsibility for your career is yours and yours alone. Companies cannot be expected to tell you what career you should be following or how to get there.
They should assist in your career growth. This is most effective when you align yourself with the business and take responsibility for yourself, your knowledge and your actions.
Generalisation - Technology requires very specific skills to be acquired, but to ensure a successful career in IT, you must complement these skills with a generalist approach.
Broadening your knowledge and understanding in your chosen field, and coming to terms with the more general concerns that surround it, gives you power to go places.