You May Be Killing Your IT Career Without Even Knowing It

Technology is everchanging. While this means most professionals have the chance to work with new and exciting tech, it also makes it more challenging to map out your IT career. And, along the way, you may even make some choices that actually hold you back, instead of propelling you forward.

To help you avoid certain missteps, here are a few ways you may be killing your IT career without even knowing it.

Panicking

While a particularly dramatic situation may instill a feeling of panic, succumbing to that sensation and allowing it to affect your actions or demeanor can be harmful to your career. People who exhibit an inability to manage difficult situations aren’t as easily trusted by their co-workers, and many will have concerns regarding whether you can come through when under pressure.

Even if you can’t control your feelings, you can control your actions. So, instead of panicking, try to examine the situation and begin looking for solutions, focusing your energy on the task at hand instead of allowing unproductive reactions to be your go-to.

Missing Opportunities

It isn’t uncommon for tech professionals to become extremely focused on how they see their career unfolding. While having a plan is smart, allowing it to blind you to other opportunities is a detriment.

If an expected chance to do something great – like manage other staff, branch out into a new area, or acquire a new skill – happens to arise, don’t be afraid to seize it. Even if it wasn’t part of your original plan, these opportunities could help you forge a strong career, possibly one that is better than you had outlined for yourself.

Not Knowing the Value of Your Skills and Experience

Often, once a person secures a job, they leave their compensation on autopilot, mistakenly assuming the company is going to keep pace with industry norms. However, businesses are rarely going to up your salary, even if competitors are offering new hires a substantially higher pay rate, unless you take action.

Generally, this means you need to know the value of your skills and experience in today’s market. This allows you to be prepared to approach management for an increase, if it is justified.

Abandoning Ship

When you’re seemingly stuck in a horrible work situation, your initial instinct may be to abandon ship. While leaving a terrible job may seem like the right move, you need to determine whether that decision is based on running away from where you are or running to where you hope to be.

If you are faced with a challenging situation, stop for a moment and review what occurred and how things got to this point. Then, create a plan to better address the scenario the next time around to see if you can learn from the negative experience and create an approach that will be more positive, should it occur again.

This isn’t to say that finding a new job isn’t a wise move. However, you want to consider how securing a new role can help you move forward and work toward that goal, and not just run away from where you are today.

If you are interested in finding a new job, the knowledgeable professionals at The Squires Group can connect you with some of the area’s leading employers. Contact us to speak with a member of our staff today and see how our services can help you advance your career.


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