Certification Magazine - October 2007 - (Page 21)

To learn the language of business, IT pros might find it beneficial to look for assistance outside their career field, said Matthew Moran, author of “The IT Career Builder’s Toolkit,” because partnering with a nontechnical person with strong business skills can help you determine how your work can best help your company achieve its objectives. “The IT person who wants to advance their career the fastest will say, ‘I’ll learn their language, not force them to learn mine,’” he said. “So, I tell IT people, ‘Your mentors really should not be only people within your given career field.’” These individuals can be sought through interdepartmental projects, professional organizations or even community groups, Moran explained. If they’ve had success in their own careers, they will have good advice to give, regardless of their area of expertise. Within their organizations, newer employees should solicit the assistance of experienced professionals to better understand the leadership and technological opportunities available to them. Some compa- nies have formal mentoring programs that partner junior workers with senior leaders, but those that don’t are often willing to help facilitate mentoring relationships for employees who show an active interest. First-line supervisors often can put individuals in touch with more-experienced workers who can help them develop and define their target skills. Volunteering to work on interdepartmental projects and task forces is another great way for lower-ranking workers to connect with company veterans and learn more about their organization’s goals, Flynn said. Putting in this extra effort makes you more visible to the senior leaders who can offer the best advice and opportunities. “By having more exposure with your supervisor and other people in the organization, you’re going to hear a lot more about what’s going on, and you’ll have access to a lot more opportunities,” she said. “But it will also help you understand what’s happening in the company as a whole and really think about what you’re doing and how it affects the organization.” October 2007 CERTIFICATION MAGAZINE 21

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Certification Magazine - October 2007

Editor's Letter Contents Data Stream Tech Careers Dear Techie Academic Connection Virtual Village Rebooting Your Career Development Inside Certification Forensics Investigators: Cybercrime Fighters Interface Building Your Skills Through Security Tools Ad Index Endtag

Certification Magazine - October 2007

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