IT CAREER

Options and How to shape them

by
Ramachandra Parashar
 IT CAREER
Options and How to shape them

Objectives

Review strategies to launch and sustain a success career.

Discuss the leadership competency model.

Analyze the market and career opportunities in Information

Technology and Technology Management.

Review career advice provided by successful senior

executives from the industry.
 IT CAREER
Options and How to shape them

Engineering as a Career

What is your Goal in life ?

Why did you join Engineering ?
Why did you choose IT?
 IT CAREER
Options and How to shape them

Reasons..

Parents wanted me to be an engineer

After 12th either you become doctor or
Engineer I was not cut out for doctor so I
choose engineering . Nor did I want to do BSc.
Challenges, Curiosity, Excitement
Money, Travel, Status
 IT CAREER
Options and How to shape them

Reasons..

To make a difference in the world, to change the way

things work
Want a job in big company
I want to start something of my own (entrepreneurship)
 IT CAREER
Options and How to shape them

How do you define Success..

Do you want to get rich ?

Do you just want a job with decent pay ?
Do you want to change the world ?
You may go 10-20 years without answering these
questions but eventually you have to
Set yourself for Success according to your own
metrics from the start
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Options and How to shape them

No one formula for Success..

Engineering is a field that requires many people with

different skills to work together to solve complex problems
in a simple way.
Like best engineering problems, theres no single
algorithm to follow
But there are Best Practices
There are Things To Avoid

Do not make all mistakes yourself

Learning from others errors is much better

IT is about constant learning and keeping us relevant

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Options and How to shape them

Choosing a Career..

What are you interested in?

What are you good at?

Where are the opportunities? What are the hot

areas?

What skills, competencies and knowledge are

21st organizations looking for?
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Options and How to shape them
Poor reasons to Choose a Career

You can make lots of money!

It seems like a cool job.

Its easy.
 IT CAREER
Options and How to shape them
Entering a Field

Find a mentor

Get education and training

Get experience by working for a company or institution

Start your own business (No Pain, No Gain)

 IT CAREER
Options and How to shape them
Getting Started

What are you passionate about? Do that.

Mere competence will never trump real passion
Match your skills, interest to what world wants

Your answers will change with time

Let career evolve
You can find career value in any job
Just do outstanding work no matter the task
It is mostly the choice you make not talent or IQ
 IT CAREER
Options and How to shape them
Soft Skills Required for All Jobs

Communication skills

Interpersonal skills

Technical skills

People skills

Self Confidence is critical

 IT CAREER
Options and How to shape them

Career Choices Which Road is for You ?

Create wealth (be a successful entrepreneur like

Bill Gates, Ozires Silva, Ratan Tata, etc.)
Live well (become a successful corporate
executive Jack Welch, former Chairman, GE)
Work as a professional (e.g. engineer, lawyer,
accountant, programmer, teacher, IT, etc.)
Work for the government (as a civil servant),
Things have changed here!!! for better
 IT CAREER
Options and How to shape them

Inter-Disciplinary Leadership, Technology &

Business/Functional/ Process Competencies

Business,
Leadership, Industry,
People & Team Knowledge,
Building Skills Functional
& Process Skills

Technical/
Engineering
Skills
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Options and How to shape them

Leadership Competency Model

Market/ Achieving
Critical Functional
Leadership Customer Results & Cont.
Thinking Expertise*
Focus Improvement

Partnering/ Customer Financial Quality Focus Marketing

Teamwork Focus Acumen Operations
Leveraging
Create a Vision Business/ Ability to Technology HR
Achieve Results Industry Learn
Interpersonal Insight Management IT/Technology
Relations & Entrepreneurial/ Creativity & Processes R&D/Engineer
Skills Intrapreneurial Innovation
Change Management Public Affairs
Communications Orientation Adaptability
Environmental Take Initiative Cust. Service
Coaching & Problem
Development Trends & Decisiveness Treasury
Solving
Cultural Implications Stress Management International
Adeptness Relationship Decision
Team Building Building Making/ Risk Management Sales
Judgment Common Sense Finance/Account.
Analytical Flawless Execution Product Dev./Mgt
Conceptual Legal
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Options and How to shape them

Management, Professional and Technical

Career Choices Partial List
Specialists (Professionals)
IT/ Software Developers/DBMS
Business/System Analysts/Process Analysts/Engineer
Consultants/Functional/Application/Industry Specialists

Analysts/Infrastructure/Telecommunications/Outsourcing
New Product Development/ Marketing/Sales/Entrepreneurship
LEADERSHIP/MANAGEMENT/PEOPLE SKILLS
Leadership, Customer focus, Critical Thinking, Results Oriented
Interpersonal Skills, Consensus Building, Mentor, Team Building

Change Agent and Excellent Communication Skills

Project Manager/Functional Manager
CIO, CTO, Director, COO, CMO, CEO
Generalists
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Options and How to shape them

Which skill to take

Recent Developments:
SMAC Social, Mobile,
Analytics, Cloud
Mobile and Cloud- Game
Changers
BIG Data
Cognitive Systems, Machine
learning
ERP- SAP, Oracle
Infrastructure Management
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Options and How to shape them

Startups v/s Big Corporates

Good idea to do both over course of your career

Startups are easier when youre young
More time, more energy, less to lose
Startups can sometimes change world explosively
But most fail
Less overall stability

Big companies have more opportunities to change world

incrementally
Remember that those increments can add up over time
More stable, but sometimes that also means boring

Both can be exhilarating, and both can be very frustrating

 IT CAREER
Options and How to shape them

Understand IT Industry

IT industry model is simple

Mostly labor and Intellectual capital oriented
Never plan to retire in IT industry !!!!
Never do the same job and skill set more than 3 years
Works in the West not in India
Free lancing as an option
Top Coder
Your answers will change with time
Let career evolve
You can find career value in any job
Just do outstanding work no matter the task
It is mostly the choice you make not talent or IQ
 IT CAREER
Options and How to shape them

Field of Technology Management is Broad

Bio-Medical/Bio-Technology and Management

Business and Information Technology Continuity and
Security
Environment and Energy Management and Technology
(including Green and Sustainability)
Entrepreneurship, Intrapreneurship & New Venture
Creation
Creating & Sustaining High Performance Global Leaders
and Teams
New Product/Service Development and
Commercialization
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Options and How to shape them

Field of Technology Management is Broad

Outsourcing and Strategic Sourcing

Quality Management and Lean Process
Management
Global Program and Project Management
Supply Chain Management & Logistics
Corporate and Information Technology
Strategy, Execution & Governance
Manufacturing and Operations
Management
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Options and How to shape them

Field of Technology Management is Broad

Service Management
Sports Technology and Management
Engineering and Science Management
Strategic Marketing, Demand Creation, Growth and
Innovation
Mobile, Immersive Virtual Presence, Machine Learning,
Cognitive systems etc
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Options and How to shape them

Career Advise from Successful Executives

Six Critical Components

Performance Focus on current job performance. Do everything with a sense of

urgency and drive to win. Make a difference on every job. Develop a reputation for
delivering results above and beyond. Its ok to think and talk about your career, but
secondary to job performance and better when you are hitting the ball out of the park
in your current job.

Expertise Become proficient in one business/technical area. Build a strong

functional expertise in a broader business context: multi-functional teams, process
initiatives. Learn finance its the language of business. Manage your career so that you
can evolve (rather than leap) into a cross-functional assignment.

Ownership Dont whine about your career. Others can provide advice, but, in the end
you are responsible. Get in the habit of constantly developing yourselfLike a
professional athlete. Commit to continuous learning and adapt to constant and frequent
change (Deeper/Broader). Develop skills as opposed to titles.
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Options and How to shape them

Career Advise from Successful Executives

Six Critical Components (Contd)

Challenge and Visibility Take the hard job. Err on the side of the bigger
challenge. Take on the work that the business considers important. Seek out the
assignments with visibility recognizing the upside and downside potential.
Play offense with your career.

Mentors/Supporters/Role Models Broaden your base of support. Take

jobs with different managers/clients. Work for people who will challenge you.
Seek out constructive input on a regular basis and dont be defensive when
you get it. Surround yourself with great people and learn from them. Be
persistent.

Global Experience/Cultural Depth Expose yourself and your family to

different cultures early. Seek out positions which require interaction across
countries and cultures. Consider assignments outside your home country, but
prepare by become an expert in something, by developing teaching (as well as
functional) skills and by committing to get a specific job done.
 IT CAREER
Options and How to shape them

Critical Success Factors for Managing

Your Career
Have a plan
Set career objectives (profession, company, industry, type of job, salary &
compensation goals, entrepreneur, corporate person, life style, etc.)
Fill gaps, learn skills and demonstrate your competencies demonstrate
your value sooner than later
Adopt the US Army motto, Be all that you can be.
Establish your credibility early through results and not talk on the job
Take risks (no pain, no gain)
Take the hard jobs stretch your mind and capabilities
Have the right attitude (can do)
Develop functional and people skills
Make friends and build relationships (dont burn bridges)
Manage your life; do not let others manage it for you
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Options and How to shape them

Getting Hired

Where to work
Weigh these factors heavily:
Do you believe in the mission
How outstanding is the team
How well-run is the company
Would this position leverage your strengths yet demand
intellectual growth
Geography, local culture, educational opportunities

Then consider salary, bonuses, stock, benefits

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Options and How to shape them

Your First Job

No matter what it is, become best in world at it

Plan on 6 months to get really comfortable & productive
Move to next skill/ role/ job in next 2 to 3 years

Work as hard as you can

You are setting your own reputation & trajectory
Only Top Performers have choice of options for next project
Find mentors & role models (dont struggle in silence)

Dont Let Your Team Down

Know when to stand your ground v/s which battles arent worth fighting

Settle for nothing less than outstanding work.

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Options and How to shape them

Building your Career

Focus on YOU
Know your career path
Individual Contributor v/s Management
Technology changes rapidly, keep yourself
updated
Look for trainings, attend workshops
Focus on the Company
Align your career to what the company cares
about
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Options and How to shape them

Getting Ahead in Your Job

Communications = Influence = Promotions

Writing
Presentations

Corporate/team culture
Overpromising v/s over delivering
Team play v/s getting whats yours
Detecting /avoiding burnout
Use existing solutions where possible, innovate where necessary

Legal Stuff
Take patents, IP very seriously; wording matters
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Options and How to shape them

Getting Ahead in Your Career

Do outstanding work and trust that rewards

will follow
How ?Work with people who do outstanding work
Be visible outside your own company
Good for company, good for industry, good for you
Write papers, attend conferences, do peer
reviews
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Options and How to shape them

Technical Leadership

Take on hard challenging problems at work

Be a go-to person
Gain depth in technology / business domain at
your job
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Options and How to shape them

Leadership

360 degree Leadership

Leading above, below and at your level

Know your strengths and weakness

Leverage strengths
Fill in weaknesses
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Options and How to shape them

Dealing with Failures

If you never fail you arent trying hard enough

Not all failures equally forgivable
Well-conceived risks: good
Learn from your failures
Do not blame others
Own up and take responsibility
Be little spiritual if possible
 IT CAREER
Options and How to shape them

Dealing with Failures

If you never fail you arent trying hard enough

Not all failures equally forgivable
Well-conceived risks: good
Learn from your failures
Do not blame others
Own up and take responsibility
Be little spiritual if possible
parashar@nlcindia.com