Navigating the IT Skills Evolution for Career Growth
Gartner predicts that hiring of IT professionals would fall by over 5% by 2019. The report further says that by 2021, 40% of IT staff will be responsible for multiple roles, mainly related to business than technology. This clearly indicates that it is not enough to be just a subject matter expert anymore. IT professionals need to learn and develop a broader set of IT skills and business knowledge to survive and thrive in a rapidly evolving digital world.As digital technologies continue to redefine business models, conventional job roles are being replaced by emerging positions with more versatile requirements. This change in dynamics warrants newer and more holistic skill sets. Simply put, IT professionals are at a crossroads that reads, and to quote Marshall Goldsmith, “what got you here won’t get you there”. In order to meet evolving business and workplace requirements and seize newer opportunities, you need to learn and develop broader skill sets.So, what’s driving this need?Increasing geo-sourcing and outsourcing, ushering of new-age automation, intensifying and aggressive competition, emerging channels of marketing and strategies, distributed workforce, technology standardization and growing focus on privacy and IT security — are some of the key driving forces behind this shift.Furthermore, as technology continues to integrate more deeply into everyday business operations, IT professionals are compelled to understand the use of technology from a business perspective. They are required to develop IT strategies to not just meet business requirements but deliver benefits and drive IT-enabled transformation to stay ahead of the game.How do you future-proof your career?The only way to ensure career progression is to bridge the skills gap to keep pace with changing business requirements. In other words, you need to diversify into new areas and upskill. The need of the hour is adaptability, creativity and learnability. As IT professionals the future of our career relies on building on our business knowledge. While core IT skills and certifications are useful, employers are increasingly looking for people with diversified skills and knowledge across multiple disciplines.It is no longer about specific technical skill or knowing a particular language. To be successful in today’s competitive and demanding workplace, you need the ability to understand technology holistically and adapt to it as it evolves. There is no doubt that, specific technical skills such as cloud computing, data science, SQL queries, cybersecurity and machine learning are all incredibly important and in demand. But make no mistake, soft and interpersonal skills such as creative thinking, problem-solving, collaboration, communication and stakeholder management also continue to be in high demand in today’s technology-enabled business environment.Reinvent to stay the courseSeeing how technology is evolving at a breakneck speed and continually redefining the way we communicate and do business — employers are seeking candidates who can embody that ability to learn, adapt and advance. There is a strong demand for people with drive, passion and curiosity to learn new skills and take on new challenges. Tech professionals who can plan for and adapt to uncertainty and embrace continuous learning, with a focus on skill development, have greater potential to improve career longevity, personal growth and success.
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