Myth #9 - IT Training Should Be Concentrated
on a Single Discipline
Most people who seek advice from me on training are usually
focused on a single realm of IT. "What courses do I need to
take to become a web developer (or network engineer, or database
administrator)?" is a common question. My answer, while not
pleasing to some individuals, reflects the attitudes of most
employers. My standard response is, "Learn as much as you can
about as many areas of IT as you have time to study."
Much like the Pontiac Grand Prix television commercial, "Wider
is Better" in IT. As an IT professional you will work with a
wide range of individuals. Even though you may be a network
engineer, you will have to interact with programmers, web developers,
systems analysts, help desk specialists and business managers.
Having a passing familiarity with computer programming will
make it much easier for you to interact with a programmer. You
don't need to have the skill level required for the programmer's
job, but being familiar with basic programming syntax and structure
will make it easier to converse with him.
Also, there is a great deal of mobility in computer science
careers. Corporate needs shift, as do your career goals. Having
a wide range of skills makes you more valuable to a corporation
since they may be able to utilize you in a variety of roles
as their business needs change. Training yourself in new areas
of technology can help you advance your career by moving on
to other departments or corporations.
So as part of your life-long learning process, be prepared
to study many topics that are not directly related to your current
job. Just consider it an investment in your future.
Cheer Up and Take a Deep Breath
Now that we have dispelled the common myths, you may be feeling
a bit less enthusiastic about your choice of an IT career. Don't
worry, there are still many positive aspects to working in IT,
even if some of your original reasons were based on myths. In
the next section, we'll discuss the positive aspects of working
in IT, examine some of the negative aspects and guide you in
performing a self-assessment to determine if an IT career is
truly for you.
i How to Find the Work You Love, Laurence
G. Boldt, Penguin Books, NY, 1996, p. 28.
ii Rising in Riches, Mary Brandel,
Computerworld, September 11, 2000.
iiiOccupational Outlook Handbook 2000 - 2001,
US Department of Labor - Bureau of Labor Statistics, page 112,
URL: www.bls.gov/oco/ocos042.htm.
iv When Can You Start? Building Better Information
Technology Skills and Careers, Bob Cohen and Tinabeth
Burton, URL: www.itaa.org/workforce/studies/01execsumm.htm.
v Getting That First Job, Jamie Fabian,
JobCircle.com, URL: www.jobcircle.com/career/coach/jf_1999_11.html.
vi Taking The Business Elsewhere,
Judith Mottl, Information Week, December 11, 2000.
vii Getting That First Job, Jamie
Fabian, JobCircle.com, URL: www.jobcircle.com/career/coach/jf_1999_11.html.
viii Occupational Outlook Handbook 2000 -
2001, US Department of Labor - Bureau of Labor Statistics,
page 111, URL: www.bls.gov/oco/ocos042.htm.
ix Occupational Outlook Handbook 2000 - 2001,
US Department of Labor - Bureau of Labor Statistics, page 115,
URL: www.bls.gov/oco/ocos110.htm.
x IT's a Girl Thing, Donna Woodka,
Network Computing, August 6, 2001, URL: www.networkcomputing.com/1216/1216colwoodka.html.
xi Working on the Pay Gap: He clicked, she
clicked, Larry Keller, CNN.com, URL: www.cnn.com/2001/CAREER/trends/01/17/techies/index.html.
xii Working on the Pay Gap: He clicked, she
clicked, Larry Keller, CNN.com, URL: www.cnn.com/2001/CAREER/trends/01/17/techies/index.html.
xiii Women in High-Tech Careers Disenchanted,
Andrea Kay, USA Today, August 2, 2001, URL: www.usatoday.com/careers/news/2001-08-02-women.htm.
xiv Reality Check for New Grads, Jeff Sweat, Informationweek.com,
June 11, 2001, URL: www.informationweek.com/841/grads.htm.
xv IT Lifestyles: Balance (Transcript of Roundtable
Discussion, Information Week, September 25, 2001, pp
74-78.
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