Transitioning Your Career Toward the New E-conomy: Part II

Generally speaking, the IT industry is young compared to other disciplines such as medicine and law. Employers are often more concerned with work experience, enthusiasm, achievement, extra-curricular activities, and of course reliability rather than degree content. Aline Cumming, a consultant in IT and Education suggests that career changers need not worry about having a first degree in IT or Computer Science, citing that many employers provide training for new recruits in the specific technologies used within the work place and provide additional personnel tooling as

newer technologies come on board. But there are also many ways in which you can ease your entry into the IT field while increasing your prospects to be successful at a career change.

If you are seriously considering a new career path, try to broaden your experience and familiarity with what is happening in the industry today by taking advantage of additional training or even part time training. There are many opportunities to take courses in specific IT technologies at the community college or university level. It is often not required to go through the entire prescription of courses to attain an additional or associate degree. Of course a joint degree is not frowned upon but rather open college credits are encouraged and show interest, determination and the

ability to learn new skills to prospective employers. If you can, take time out to study full time and grasp as much of what is going on in the market place as possible. Other non-traditional training is also available and is usually set with the career changer in mind. These offer diplomas or certificates in various subject matters and are often more vocational and less academic in nature. Many are vendor specific and are tailored for the short term in order to get the individual up to speed as quickly as possible. Information Week cites that companies such as Microsoft, Oracle, Novell and others are committed to filling the skills gap by providing qualified

individuals to fill positions in their specific technologies. For example this year alone, Microsoft is expected to train nearly 1.2 million IT professionals while Oracle plans to train an additional 520,000 in specific technologies through instructor led training programs. In traditional institutional education venues enrollment for all level of degrees in technological fields are up anywhere from 71% to 108%.

An often-overlooked route for career transition preparation lies in apprenticeships, temping or in seeking one's transfer into a technology department within the workplace. This approach provides an opportunity to test the waters so to speak, to see if your career ambitions are really a match for your talents and personality. In taking the less committed approach an individual may also examine if a career in IT is also in synch with personal preferences concerning the work place environment,

professional and leisure time relationships, and commitments. Often careers in IT require the ability to rise to the occasion in terms of longer work days and overtime in order to achieve certain project deadlines. Making sure you have the stamina to keep up with the pack is often tantamount to success in some areas of the industry. Above all, no matter which approach you use to gain added experience to increase your marketability, make sure that you can provide tangible practical evidence of your skill set to implement the concepts and expertise you've gained. Be prepared to show a prospective employer some insight and examples as to real world application of your knowledge other than those created as requirements for coursework. Individuals looking for careers not only need to prove that they attended and passed technology courses, but also that they are competent in applying the knowledge in today's marketplace.

If you are still at odds with whether or not the road to an IT career is for you consider working with a career counselor. Assessment is a vital part of career counseling and may highlight your skills, strengths, and weaknesses. Some counseling may add to your ability to develop your interpersonal skills as well as to effectively market yourself. Of course counseling is just that, and should not relieve you of executing your own plan for a successful career transition. Use it as a tool to shape your advantage in the marketplace not as an excuse for apathy.

Once you have charted your course and committed to the idea of making the leap there will be other activities to consider.

- Revamp your resume to expose your functional skills first. IT employers are interested in what you can do and what value you can.

- add to the work environment, not in your long list of previous employers and dates. It is often not what you know but what you can learn that will propel you to the forefront of the line in IT.

- Start networking as soon as possible. If you feel yourself migrating towards a career in IT start mixing with people who are already in the field. Join organizations, user groups, and frequent the places that attract your prospective employer and associates. Start socializing and collecting business cards from anyone in the

industry who will give one to you. In the tight labor market most jobs are filled through relationships that guarantee some level of authenticity of the applicant. You can find groups and associations through newspaper articles as well as web based research and news groups.

- If you land an interview, make sure you do your research. Know what expertise your potential employer is involved in and develop a series of scenarios in which you can display your eagerness, insight and potential for adding value through your presence on the job. Show that you are an analytical thinker and have the ability to

see the endless possibilities of the new e-conomy by thinking 'outof- the-box." Remember, developments happen so quickly in the IT industry that today's realities were not even thought of 5 years ago. Prepare yourself for the interview to be "out-of-the-box" as well. In the fast paced dot-com world expect the experience to be short, sweet and very much to the point. In Debra Williams' article "Do You Have the 'DNA' for a Dot-Com Job?" she quotes a leader of marketing now employed in cyberspace as recommending you be ready with an "elevator pitch. In the time it takes to go from the bottom floor to the top, you should be able to sell your skills for a particular position." Be comfortable with your past experiences and job history by drawing parallels during an interview as to how your skill set blends with the needs of the potential employer. One thing there is a shortage of in the youthful IT industry is the 'mature experience' that can only be gained by having been there and done

that. Life experience is a valuable card and played correctly, it can work to your advantage.

- Lastly, and interestingly enough for us "older" cyberians, prepare to be interviewed by someone younger than you. If you have difficulty relating with 20 and 30 year olds and are intimidated by their presence perhaps you might want to spend a few evenings rehearsing at a local pub. Your success could be hampered by the inability to point out your similarities. Just keep in mind, they will be one of us soon and will also be faced with the challenges of keeping contemporary.

If you are contemplating a career change, no matter what career path you choose, whether it is the tried and true or the intimidating and new, trust your intuition in making your decision. Eugene Raudsepp in "Trust your Intuition in Career Decisions" claims that intuition plays a key role and works well in choosing a path that is right for you. By evaluating all of the options with an analytical yet realistic eye you enable your subconscious to evaluate and compare your options. Intuition is the oracle of the mind and can often provide you with advice on which direction to take.

In closing, making a career transition is never an easy task. It always involves research, brave commitment, and hard work. The road that leads to a happy ending in IT in particular is paved with education, training, and experience. The more you know, the more you will grow. Above all the best advice is to do something you like, like what you do and do it well. Remember to strive to add value to your toolbox of marketable skills. By adding value to yourself, you add value to those around you and guarantee your success in whatever career you choose.

Please click here to visit our site: Set Focus

SetFocus, known for its Master's Program and Corporate Training Services, is a unique training organization that provides the most current and cutting edge technologies in the training market. A Microsoft Certified Gold Partner for Learning Solutions (CPLS), SetFocus is highly regarded in the Microsoft Learning Solutions Arena.

Transitioning Your Career Toward the New E-conomy: Part I

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.

Please click here to visit our site: Set Focus

Set Focus, known for its Master's Program and Corporate Training Services, is a unique training organization that provides the most current and cutting edge technologies in the training market. A Microsoft Certified Gold Partner for Learning Solutions (CPLS), Set Focus is highly regarded in the Microsoft Learning Solutions Arena.