When it comes to planning your training in the IT field – whether it’s business data analyst or project management training, or specific software training courses – it is obviously important to maintain sharp focus on the current status of your career and how that measures up against your long-term goals. But it’s also important to look beyond your own dreams and ideals and expectations, and to give some attention to the surrounding circumstances, as well.
If you’re not currently employed in the IT field, that means developing industry contacts, reading trade magazines and blogs, and generally trying to gain a firm understanding of what types of IT jobs are going to be in demand a few months or a few years from now – whenever you expect to be done with your education or relevant training. And of course a vivid snapshot of the industry will also help you in understanding just which online IT training courses and other professional development ventures are the most relevant.
If you are already employed as an IT technician or business data analyst or anything else that’s closely related to your desired field, your job isn’t over when it comes to keeping an eye on the industry. For the sake of long-term job security and the best possible range of options, you should still have an idea of what positions and what types of institutional or online IT training courses are on the upswing, and which ones are losing relevance in today’s business conditions.
More than that, as someone who’s already secured a place in a company you like, you have the extra challenge of keeping tabs on changes in the business conditions and technical needs of that particular firm. Perhaps you’re working as a programmer analyst now, but there doesn’t seem to be any obvious step up from your current position, at your current company. It’s safe to say that your programmer analyst certification has already paid off, but the next stage of your career may look elsewhere.
To figure that out, and to figure out which online IT training courses and certifications might suit you best in the future, you’ll have to put yourself in the mindset of your employers and your human resources department. Think about your company as a whole and try to understand its strengths and weaknesses, and the opportunities and threats it faces.
Would the company or one of its departments benefit from a major technological renovation? If so, you can bet that the department heads have noticed the same thing, in which case they might soon be on the hunt for a project manager who’s knowledgeable about in-house operations. Then PMP training and certification might be the way for you to advance yourself ahead of the forthcoming changes.
This is only one general example of the sorts of clues that you might look out for to determine what professional development or IT training and certification would suit you best in your unique career position. If you need help thinking through what the state of your company means for the future of your career, call us to talk to our online IT training experts.