Developing Your Successful IT Professional Career

Walter Fang
walter_fang@hotmail.com

2012-2-21

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Outline of my talk
IT Professional Career
Why it is important to plan your career? Technical vs Management career

Career Path Professional Development

Assessment Training Self Motivation

Questions?
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Prioritize and Plan Your Life, and Career

A philosophy professor stood before his class with some items on the table in front of him. When the class began, wordlessly he picked up a very large empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with rocks, about 2" in diameter. He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was. >> So the professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the rocks. He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was. >> The professor picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else. He then asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded with a unanimous "Yes." >> The professor then produced two cans of beer from under the table and proceeded to pour their entire contents into the jar effectively filling the empty space between the sand. The students laughed. >> "Now," said the professor, as the laughter subsided, I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life. The rocks are the important things - your family, your partner, your health, your children - things that if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full. The pebbles are the other things that matter - like your job, your house, your car. The sand is everything else. The small stuff." "If you put the sand into the jar first," he continued, "there is no room for the pebbles or the rocks. The same goes for your life. If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff, you will never have room for the things that are important to you. Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness. Take time to get medical checkups. Take your partner out dancing. There will always be time to go to work, clean the house, give a dinner party and fix the disposal. Take care of the rocks first - the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand." >> One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the beer represented. The professor smiled. "I'm glad you asked. It just goes to show you that no matter how full your life may seem, there's always room for a couple of beers." 3 2012-2-21

Life is a one way street, and you only go through it once.

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If you dont know where youre going, any road will take you there.
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Professional Career Definition

A Professional Career is a grouping of occupations (with advancements) in a broad range of industries based on a common core of competencies.

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Sample Professions
Agriculture & Natural Resources Architecture & Construction Arts, Audio Video Technology & Communications Business & Administration Education & Training Finance Government & Public Administration
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Health Science Hospitality & Tourism Human Services Information Technology Law & Public Safety Manufacturing Retail/Wholesale Sales & Service Transportation, Distribution & Logistics Scientific Research & Engineering
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Information Technology

IT careers involve the design, development, implementation, support and management of hardware, software, multimedia, and systems integration services.

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The Information Technology (IT) Profession

IT-Specific Disciplines
Artificial Intelligence Computer science Computational science Database engineering Computer graphics Human-computer interaction Network engineering Operating systems Performance engineering Robotics Scientific computing Software architecture Software engineering System security

IT-Intensive Disciplines
Aerospace engineering Bioinformatics Cognitive science E-commerce Financial services Genetic engineering Information science Information systems Public policy and privacy Instructional design Knowledge engineering Management information systems Multimedia design Telecommunications Transportation

IT-Supportive Occupations
Computer technician Help desk technician Network technician Professional IT trainer Security specialist System/Network administrator Web services designer Web identity designer Database administrator

Italicized entries are strongly supported at WWC though programs and courses in various departments. Careful course selection will help prepare for entry into the other disciplines and occupations. Table is extracted from: Denning, Peter J. Who are We? Communications of the ACM Febuary 2001/Vol. 44, No. 2

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IT Career Paths (Pathways)

Sales / Marketing Information Services & Support Software Development Network Systems Programming & Software Development Interactive Media (Web) Development Embedded Software Development
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IT Career within Company ABC

HR

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IT Career within Company ABC

Design Coding PM PM Consultant

Test

Sales/Markting

1 2 3 4 5

PSM

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IT Career within Company ABC

/

/
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The Scope of IT Career Development

SPECIALIZATIONS

PATHWAYS

CERTIFICATIONS & PROFESSIONAL DEGREES

Academic Foundation Communications Employability Skills Ethics IT Applications Legal Responsibilities Safety Practices Systems Teamwork Technical Skills

FOUNDATION

CERTIFICATIONS & PROFESSIONAL DEGREES

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IT Foundation Skills Standards

Academic Foundation Communications Employability Skills & Teamwork Management & Supervision Ethics & Legal Responsibilities Business Law, Ethics, Legal Issues IT Applications Computer Applications
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Management Practices Management & Supervision Business Skills Economics & Business Concepts Technical Skills Data Communications Internet IT Technology Basics IT Technical Foundation
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The IT Professional Career Model

IT careers involve the design, development, support, implementation and management of hardware, software, implementation multimedia, and systems integration services. In addition to career opportunities in the IT industry, IT careers are career available in every sector of the economy, from Financial Services to Manufacturing; Transportation to Education. Services

C A R E E R D E V E L O P M E N T/ L I F E L O N G L E A R N I N G

IT DEGREE PROGRAMS AND/OR CERTIFICATIONS Examples: Computer/Information Systems Analyst, Computer/Information Scientist, Software or Hardware Engineer, Programmer

EMPLOYMENT

Academic Education

CAREER CONCENTRATIONS/PATHWAYS Network Systems Network Design & Administration Information Support & Services Programming & Software Development Database Development & Administration Programming/Software Enterprise Systems Analysis & Integration Engineering Technical Support Technical Writer New & Emerging Applications Academic Foundation Communications CAREER FOUNDATION Technical Skills Systems Employability Skills & Teamwork IT Applications Data Communications Economic & Business Management & Supervision Computer Applications Internet Concepts Ethics & Legal Responsibilities Safety Practices IT Technology Basics Business Law, Ethics, Legal Issues Management & Supervision IT Technical Foundation ACADEMIC FOUNDATION/INTENSIVE IT CAREER EXPLORATION IT Fluency: Career Exploration and IT Skills for Work IT Literacy: Career Awareness and IT Skills for Learning
*IT TECHNICAL FOUNDATION STANDARDS Software Systems Management Web Page Design Database Management System Basics Technical Writing & Documentation Financial Management Functions International Business/Technology Quality Assurance Operating Systems SOURCES IT Pathway Pipeline Model Model revised 2-28-01 Version 8 Skill Standards for Information Technology The Ohio Information Technology Competency Profile 16

Interactive Media Digital Media Web Development & Administration

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Organizational Training
Training
Identified Planning Timely training Tracked

Competence Analysis
Identify the knowledge, skills, and process abilities

Competency Development
Graduated training and development activities Available descriptions and information about development opportunities Pursuing learning opportunities
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Mentoring
Selected Assist in developing capability Participate in performance management
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Work Based Experience

Competency Development Activities

Career development planning Formal classroom training Courses of study at educational institutions Degree programs (for employee over 3 years) Guided self-study Apprenticeship or mentoring Just-in-time training Workgroup (or team) training and development activities
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A Generic Thought Process

O - Objective-oriented A - Action-oriented R - Result-oriented O A R

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Maslows Hierarchy of Human Needs

nc yN ee ds

Be in

gN ee d

Motivation

De fi

cie

Hygiene

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"A winner is someone who recognizes his God-given talents, works his tail off to develop them into skills, and uses these skills to accomplish his goals.
- Larry Bird -

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How Companies Fill Positions

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

Promote or transfer within Already known to company - projects Internal recommendation mgt/ee/dir External recommendation friend, etc. Made known at right time Recruiter / advertisement / Internet / Job Fair / Govt.

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What Companies Want

Skills You have done it before. You have done it recently. You are good at it. You have exactly what we need. 2. Qualifications Education & Certifications 3. Industry You have worked in our industry. 4. Personal characteristics and traits You fit our culture.
1.
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What Are You Selling?

Skills You have done it before. You have done it recently. You are good at it. You have exactly what they need. 2. Qualifications Education, certifications 3. Industry You have worked in their industry. 4. Personal characteristics and traits You fit their culture.
1.
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What do you bring to the table?

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.
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Know your skills Inventory Prioritize your skills Preferences Which ones are current? Which ones are wanted? Knowledge of the industry. Passion for the job.
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IT Career Tips
Industry-specific knowledge IT professionals need more than an IT specialty. Training Keeping skills current is a given - self-study is key. Management Management is a viable route to a long-term career. Business know-how Do not focus on technical expertise only. Understand business goals and processes, including IT value to business, is essential to building a productive career. Free agency For some, working independently may be the answer, for others, working for someone else is more comfortable. Community Relationships are at the heart of any career. Build network and pal community. 27
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THINK LIKE A CEO

What are ou r products & s ervice s?
y How much mone ge? can we char

re our Who a rs? investo Who are o ur partners? ur are o Who titors? e comp
Where do we get venture c apital?
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Who are ou r custo mers? e What is th e? bottom lin

How do we contro l costs ? What is our market?
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Be the CEO of Your Life and Career

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"Far better to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though chequered by failure, than to take rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy much nor suffer much, because they live in the gray twilight that knows not victory, nor defeat.
- Theodore Roosevelt -

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If you do what you have always done . .

You will get what you have always gotten

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.
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We cant solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them.
Albert Einstein
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The problem is never how to get new, innovative thoughts into your mind, but how to get the old ones out.
Dee Hock
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Do Something

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DIFFERENT!
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If: A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z is represented as: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26. Then: HARDWORK 8 1 18 4 23 15 18 11 = 98% KNOWLEDGE 11 14 15 23 12 5 4 7 5 = 96% But, ATTITUDE 1 20 20 9 20 21 4 5 = 100%
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