Soft Skills & Getting the Job You Want

Durango

I started out in IT many years ago and was quiet and pretty shy. I enjoyed just sitting at my desk and working. I found it hard to speak up in meetings or give a presentation. I avoided being in the spotlight. I learned to overcome that later on but I know it held me back professionally in my first job in IT. After being there for 10 years, I had a chance to step up to a position with more responsibility. I am sure I didn’t get the job because they still saw me as quiet and shy. I had to move on to another company to get a job with more responsibility and better pay.

Now I do training professionally and enjoy public speaking. I think there’s a lot of intelligent, capable IT professionals like me that would like to move up but feel that they’re missing out.

I’ve been thinking of putting together a training/coaching program to help other IT pros to develop the social skills they need to step into something more rewarding and meaningful. Before I starting to build something I’d like to get feedback.

• Can you think of someone who could benefit from this training?
• What types of soft skills training do they need?
• What kinds new roles are these people looking to move into?

Thanks in advance!

sillymcnasty

Durango wrote: »

I started out in IT many years ago and was quiet and pretty shy. I enjoyed just sitting at my desk and working. I found it hard to speak up in meetings or give a presentation. I avoided being in the spotlight. I learned to overcome that later on but I know it held me back professionally in my first job in IT. After being there for 10 years, I had a chance to step up to a position with more responsibility. I am sure I didn’t get the job because they still saw me as quiet and shy. I had to move on to another company to get a job with more responsibility and better pay.

Now I do training professionally and enjoy public speaking. I think there’s a lot of intelligent, capable IT professionals like me that would like to move up but feel that they’re missing out.

I’ve been thinking of putting together a training/coaching program to help other IT pros to develop the social skills they need to step into something more rewarding and meaningful. Before I starting to build something I’d like to get feedback.

• Can you think of someone who could benefit from this training?
• What types of soft skills training do they need?
• What kinds new roles are these people looking to move into?

Thanks in advance!

Tooting your own horn. It's a skill I've never done. Silly me thinking work enough will get you recognized. Person at my other job got a raise just by emailing what she did every day.

Nyblizzard

It's not necessarily tooting your own horn as much as it is having good communication

NetworkNewb

• .
• Can you think of someone who could benefit from this training? Anyone looking to get ahead

• What kinds new roles are these people looking to move into? Any role really

• What types of soft skills training do they need? Isn't that where you come in to play?

NetworkingStudent

@OP

I think the compassionate geek covers these topics pretty well.

Here is the link to his You Tube Channel:

IT Customer Service Training
2,931 views 2 years ago
http://www.doncrawley.com Welcome to Don Crawley's YouTube channel with videos including mini-lectures and interviews on customer service, communication, and human relations skills for IT professionals.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgPEL25MBBYcbk1t2nfsjNg

SpetsRepair

OP

You've hit on some big topics here, and this is something I had to learn the hard way. If you have something to say at work might as well bring it up in a meeting and get the discussion going instead of sitting there and thinking everyone else already knows this and you don't need to bring it up every time.

Just don't be the person who repeats other peoples questions in a meeting to stay relevant... That questions was already asked a few times and you feel like bringing it up again? We are past that....

Durango

NetworkNewb wrote: »

• What types of soft skills training do they need? Isn't that where you come in to play?

I don't assume I understand each person's needs. I have an idea of what is needed but I feel like I can learn from getting feedback from others. The more I understand the problem areas people are having the better I'll be able to design the training to meet their needs.

Durango

Nyblizzard wrote: »

It's not necessarily tooting your own horn as much as it is having good communication

I agree. Being a good communicator is a big part of what's needed to succeed. We need to be able to communicate our ideas effectively and not be afraid to speak up. The better communicator you are the more likely you'll have opportunities for advancement.

ITSec14

I know one of my problems I always had in my first year or two in IT was being afraid of not knowing something or being wrong about something.

I think most people fear that if they don't have the right answer, or answer at all, then they are looked down on. This couldn't be further from the truth (in most cases). None of us are true experts on everything. We can all learn something from one another. This is why having diversity on a team is so important. It provides fresh ways of thinking and different perspectives.

We learn by our mistakes. If I don't know something, I'll flat out tell my boss that I have no clue, but I can find the answer. We are not human databases that can pull a solution out of our brains on command. Every environment is different, which means every solution will be different.

Soft skills are imperative to a career in IT. Communication is probably the biggest soft skill in any job. Without that, it's almost certain there will be a breakdown and major consequences.

chickenlicken09

sillymcnasty wrote: »

Tooting your own horn. It's a skill I've never done. Silly me thinking work enough will get you recognized. Person at my other job got a raise just by emailing what she did every day.

Seems a bit much to be emailing everyday, smells of insecurity.

Durango

ITSec14 wrote: »

I know one of my problems I always had in my first year or two in IT was being afraid of not knowing something or being wrong about something.

I think most people fear that if they don't have the right answer, or answer at all, then they are looked down on. This couldn't be further from the truth (in most cases). None of us are true experts on everything. We can all learn something from one another. This is why having diversity on a team is so important. It provides fresh ways of thinking and different perspectives.

We learn by our mistakes. If I don't know something, I'll flat out tell my boss that I have no clue, but I can find the answer. We are not human databases that can pull a solution out of our brains on command. Every environment is different, which means every solution will be different.

Soft skills are imperative to a career in IT. Communication is probably the biggest soft skill in any job. Without that, it's almost certain there will be a breakdown and major consequences.

That's important insight. The world is too complex and there is just too much information for any one person to have all the answers. Often we can research and find an answer. I think teamwork is important too. Being able to brainstorm ideas with others especially for tough to solve problems can make a difference too. To have effective teamwork, it requires each person to have communication skills and be willing to work together for the greater good.