Even though technology is one of the fastest-evolving fields at the moment, working in it can sometimes feel quite slow and uneventful, especially for those without a clear plan for their career development. If you’ve got a knack for technology and know what you’re trying to accomplish with that career, that can help you identify the right path to follow. But if you don’t, you might want to take some time to figure out what you’re doing, take a look at the various career paths for IT support analysts and other possible career pathways, and how you can reach your preferred goal faster. There are some factors you should pay attention to if you want to make your growth as fast as possible.
Specialise as Early as Possible
Finding a specialisation is important if you want to move up quickly. General tech specialists can find new jobs relatively easily, but those with a deep specialisation can also enjoy a better variety of offers on top of that. You should figure out what types of tech work you enjoy doing and learn how you can brush up your portfolio on that front. It’s going to take some time, during which you’ll likely have more tasks to handle than you normally do. But it will be worth it in the end, especially once you start sending out some new applications and see the change in the feedback you’ll get.
Know the Important People in Your Sector
Moving up in pretty much any field requires a good deal of networking. There’s no way around that, which can be unfortunate for those who don’t enjoy small talk and getting to know new people. If you want to maximise your chances in the future, you must put some effort into introducing yourself to every important person in your field and figure out which of those connections are most likely to go somewhere productive. From then, just focus on them and try to stay in touch with those people. You never know when one of those cards is going to come into play, and it’s always better to have more contacts than you can use than the other way around. Sometimes knowing just one person can make all the difference in the opportunities you get.
Learn About Business Management
If you want to reach the top of any company, you’re going to need to learn about business management, at least to some degree. This is an invaluable skill that every business leader can benefit from, and ideally, you should try to get a degree related to it. A master’s in business management from Aston University is a perfect example of something that can help you progress through your career faster and expand your range of opportunities. Sure, it’s an extra challenge for you to tackle, but there will be no shortage of those on your way to the top anyway.
What Problem Is Your Company Trying to Solve?
Understanding your company on a more fundamental level is another key to moving up through the ranks as fast as possible. Don’t just focus on your day-to-day work and immediate problems. Try to figure out what this company is trying to accomplish in the first place and see how you fit into that picture. Taking the time for this kind of introspection can sometimes lead to surprising revelations. For example, you might realise that you’ve had the wrong idea about your position in the organisation all along, and you could change how you align yourself to the company’s overall model as a result.
You Don’t Need to Stay in the Same Organisation Forever
As an addendum to the above, remember that you don’t necessarily need to stay in the same company forever if your goal is to simply get to a high-ranking position in tech. There are plenty of companies on the market where you could make that happen. And sometimes, changing your workplace can have a positive impact on your career growth and performance on the market. In some cases, it will turn out that this was the change you’ve needed all along. Some companies will recognise your potential better than others, so look around the job market if you’re feeling unhappy with how things are going.
Keep Your Eyes Open for Future Developments in Your Field
Knowing how your specific corner of the tech industry is evolving is important too. Pay attention to any changes coming up on the horizon and know how those impact your own goals for progressing. For example, if a new tech stack is about to come out, it can be worthwhile to take the time and study it in more detail. If there are good indications that this tech will be adopted by many important companies on the market, you should probably try to make some room for learning it in your schedule.
Be Careful with Burnout
Burnout is a problem that doesn’t get talked about enough in this field. You have to be careful, because it can creep up on you unexpectedly, and it can take over your life before you realise it. Suffering from burnout can significantly change your perspective about your career and your place in your industry, and it can make even the most qualified experts give up prematurely. There are many things you can do to control this and prevent it from being a major factor in your life, but that’s a skill of its own. And it will take some time to learn it to a good enough level – so make sure to watch out until then and be careful not to fall into that trap.
If you’re not satisfied with how fast your career in tech is growing, there are many things you could potentially do about that. In any case, it’s important to take the time to see things from a zoomed-out perspective and consider all factors that are affecting your current growth rate. Sometimes you’ll realise that you only need to make minimal changes in order to get things running at a speed that works better for you. Or if that doesn’t happen, maybe you’ll at least realise that this field is not the perfect one for you.
