Throughout our lives we all look back at the choices we've made and reflect upon their impact on who we are and what we have become. Some results are easier to measure than others. We can easily measure many of our choices by our wealth, position, and possessions. Others may be more difficult to quantify and might include love, happiness, reputation, and knowledge. The one saving grace for us as human beings is the opportunity to grow and change through the choices we make continues throughout our lives. Even as adults we have the desire and the need to
keep learning, shifting, and adapting to the world around us. As we learn from our earliest childhood days, we are in fact in charge of our own destiny, each of us playing the cards of fate on a daily basis through the roads we take. One of the earliest decisions we face, perhaps at a time when we are least prepared is that of our career. At a young age we cast our lot in the direction of some 'mysterious' life long ambition. Some are lucky and are able to grasp the brass ring on the first try. Others, like myself may find that a career choice made years ago has turned out to be less gratifying than expected, forcing us to find completion in searching out new trends and acquiring new skills.
This is not unusual in today's workplace environment in which some experts explain that a career change is more likely to be the rule rather than the exception. David Madison suggests in his article Successful Career and Job Changes that today's average college graduates, in reacting to situations that require new skills or understanding, will reinvent themselves with four careers by the age of retirement. This trend can already be seen by the fact that the average American has been in his/her job for only four years. So why do so many people find themselves toying with a career change? There are many possibilities to consider. It may be due to the fact that the workforce is living longer and working harder resulting in job related burnout and a loss of passion for one's chosen vocation. Perhaps changing livelihoods is a natural response to personal and professional growth. Careers are like trees, spawning fresh branches of interest and curiosity that often lead us in new directions. Others may be fueled by statistics that lure change with the potential of increased financial growth and opportunity in burgeoning new fields.
Of course no matter how bright the statistics may seem, evaluating the risks and benefits involved in changing careers, whether real or perceived, should be done on an individual basis. Remember, when faced with a career choice, one will appear to be familiar, comfortable and safe, while the other will undoubtedly be unexplored and daunting. It is up to you to decide which one will lead to your happy ending. Making a conscious choice in favor of a career change is not an easy task. First off there is the fear of leaving that ever-faithful friend, the paycheck. Sacrificing the familiarity of rules, procedures and colleagues in the workplace also plays its part in concerns to be reckoned with. However, if you are stagnant on the job with no career growth in sight, you might consider making the leap into uncharted territory in order to promote your skill set, your salary, and ultimately your personal well being and self esteem. If you are still unsure, ask yourself a few questions that may help indicate if it is time for you to move on. Is Sunday night the worst night of the week simply because of your dread of having to return to work the next morning? Do you feel that your job prevents you from increasing your skills and has caused you to stop learning? Do you feel out of the loop, and that your participation in the workplace is primarily in fielding one-sided communiqués from your boss or higher ups? Do your co-workers and family comment that you look drained and discontented? Is your salary and status slipping in relation to that of your professional peers? (FORTUNE.com: Career Tools: Is It Time to Move On?) If you've answered yes to a number of these questions you might want to brush up your resume and start looking for new opportunities to grow.
Currently one of the fastest growing and undoubtedly most exciting sectors for employment is that of Information Technology. The electronic age and transference of information has altered our world so expansively that computer applications and technology touch our lives every minute of
every day. In fact by the time we get to work each morning, most of us have more interaction with microprocessors than we do with the people around us. No other innovation has advanced so rapidly and affected society and culture so completely as the computer. It touches all aspects
of our modern existence but none more than the work place, the job market and ultimately our careers. For those who wish to take advantage of opportunities opened by this series of events and are contemplating a career change towards the IT industry, some interesting facts may help in deciding which road is right for you.
According to department of Labor statistics cited in Changing Channels, Career Facts, 45% of all jobs in 2004 will be in areas that did not exist in
1994. Of the ten occupations with the fastest employment growth, four are computer related. Database administrators, computer engineers and systems analysts occupy the top three positions with the demand projected to more than double by 2006. The number of core domestic IT workers is expected to near 2.6 million in 2006 not including an additional 250,000 to replace those exiting the profession. Additionally, 75% of systems analysts and scientists, and nearly 80% of computer programmers are under the age of 45. Future projected growth for the dot-com industry looks bright as well. Deloitte Touche's dot-com CEO Tohmatsu reports that the industry is "full of confidence", with an average expected growth rate of 160 percent in the coming year. Peter Williams, the national leader of Deloitte's ebusiness practice and dot-com specialist stated, "the key to success, as with any fast-growing business, is having quality people and being able to
maintain vitality through periods of exponential growth. The shortage of skills is a global phenomenon and is worsening in an increasingly tight employment market."
Sadly many people considering career changes feel cut off from taking advantage of the job market statistics related to the new e-conomy by thinking their previous careers and working know how are out of step. Terms like HTML, ASP, JSP, DNA, COM and the thousand other
acronyms that fill want ads seem like some underground geek code rather than intelligible requirements needed by those to fill positions in the escalating IT field. When in actuality, experience in Human Resources, Economics, Finance, Accounting and other traditional disciplines may be more valuable than you think. Many participants in the IT industry are graduates with degrees and experience in fields other than Computer Science and Technology, yet have managed successfully to migrate through entry portals and opportunities to change their careers and become successful participants.
Susan Pieper-Bailey in her article Jobs for the New Millennium: Interview with George Bailey states one thing to remember is that a career changer in today's IT marketplace is not a job seeker but rather "human capital" and not a cost but rather an "investment." Employers are not only concerned with technical know how, but also in having a well-rounded individual who is familiar with the business environment in which the computer system will be operating. The fast paced development of technology within the industry itself also demands that job seekers have good people and communication skills to facilitate team efforts in meeting the challenges of a work environment where the competition and requirements seem to change by the minute. George Bailey of Price WaterhouseCoopers believes that jobs for the new millennium will require that individuals have "broader experience. You can't get ahead anymore by being narrow."
Finally above all, a strategic element that must be possessed by any individual seeking a career in IT is passion. Excitement and innovation involving the Internet is the fuel that is propelling us all into the next generation of technology affecting the way we conduct business and our daily lives.
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