Speed up! Technology is advancing rapidly and you must catch up! No matter if you already have a job or you just came out of school, no matter if you have been in the industry for a long time or you are making a change in your career, the bottom line is the same. You need to stay current with technology in order to be ready to grasp great opportunities that come your way. How do you stay ahead of the game and outshine your competition? Take a look at some of the steps you need to take to keep your technology skills sharp.
Be Familiar with the Market
If you expect to stay current with technology without being aware of the industry trends then you are doomed to be left behind. In order to take the right action towards boosting your technology career, you have to know which fields are undergoing change and be part of that change. Keep an eye on industry news and local headlines, participate in online discussions, follow thought leaders and subscribe to technology magazines to get information first hand. Have a professional online social media presence and interact with your network of contacts to be up-to-date with the market.
Work with a Technology Recruiter
One of the most effective ways to stay current with technology is by reaching out to the people whose job it is to recognize and follow change in technology. Partner with a qualified technology recruiter and take advantage of their insights in the industry to develop your technology skills according to what the market calls for. Where do you fall short and what steps do you need to take to line up with progress? What new technologies are relevant to your career path and how do you make them part of your resume? Your IT recruiter is the person to ask.
Have Plenty of Ammunition
It’s as simple as it sounds. You can’t win a war without the right ammunition. Keep that in mind as you strive to stay current with technology. Attending training classes and online programs, obtaining certifications and licenses and working on refreshing your technology skills, is the best ammunition for your technology career. Additionally, don’t stay stagnant and always earn new qualifications to have the competitive edge among other technology candidates. Keep your technology skills sharp so that you are prepared to grab opportunities the moment they come your way.
Practice Your Skills
The more technology skills you have, the easier it is to stay current with technology; however, simply adding new line items to your resume is only part of the story. Do you have a chance to put your skills to the test? Do you apply your capabilities in order to improve them? What happens if you exit the world of employment for a period of time? It is important that you practice your technology skills to keep them acute. Volunteering for projects is a great way to stay active. Find out if the company you work for or the one you apply to uses new technologies that allow you to enhance your technology career.
Invest in Your Success
Writing code in an online open source once every six months, attending a training program and reaching out to a technology recruiter just for the sake of the matter is not going to help you stay current with technology. Your technology career needs the proper cultivation of your technology skills and that means dedicating enough time and resources towards that goal. Create a solid plan of what you need to do on a regular basis to be up to speed with transformation, and follow it to the letter. The more you invest in your efforts, the more you get out of it.
Key Takeaways to Staying Current with Technology:
1. Use every means to stay in touch with the trends of the market you operate in
2. Work with a technology recruiter, as they know technology trends inside and out
3. Keep your technology skills sharp in order to grab opportunities that come your way
4. Take advantage of any chance to practice your skills and always look for new technologies
5. Create an action plan around your efforts to stay current with technology and be consistent with it
