How can you stay current in IT and avoid becoming obsolete?

Allocate 10% of working time every week to learning, that's around 4-6 hours every week for most of us. Most people don't even do a third of that, so it's easy to be in top quartile on this metric.

Yes! Balancing between job and family responsibilities can be time challenging. To stay relevant, look for a specific new technologies that interests you personally, and/ or can add value to your job. Don't bite more that you can chew, and once you gain one skill, aim to become an expert in it, and then move on to the next one. It helps to surround yourself with like minded individuals who can reduce the learning curve. With the speed of technology advancements, make learning a hobby and practice with it regularly and enjoy it.

I made a mistake that cost me years to recover from. Instead of qualifying my personal interests and inner IT Nerd I focused on what my customers and employer deemed relevant. This choice resulted in the topic of this article, I needed to reflect on my situation in earnest. My passion was lost , innovative & inquisive mind moot and problem solving devolved into neural pathways with few to no offramps. Step 1 - Start reading again, Blogs/Posts/Pods/Books/Whitepapers etc. Find your space again. Step 2 - Ask questions again and nurture an inquisitive mindset in yourself, your own company and clients, Step 3 - The innovative intersects will reveal themselves-look and listen Step 4 - Follow through on a small project Step 5 - Rince & Repeat

It's clear that technology always changes. To keep up, I always knew that, I should read articles and watch or listen to technology podcasts/videos. Also, sharing it with my colleagues helps to get more ideas and resources. Attending tech meetings or workshops is another way to learn new things. Every day, I spend 30 min checking what's new in technology. Doing these things helps me stay updated to avoid being obsoleted. It's like adding new tools to my toolbox, so I’m always ready for new challenges in IT.

If IT is in your blood, its is easy to follow the passion. However sometimes passion gets supressed by other stresses and time. It remains critical to ensure you stay relevant. Be interested, seek knowledge and questions different ways of doing things.

Embark on a remarkable IT journey, fueled by collaborative wisdom. Engage with experts in vibrant online communities, unlocking insights that drive growth. Immerse yourself in webinars, blogs, and forums, discovering the secrets to stay ahead. Don't tread the IT path alone; harness the collective brilliance of the industry. Rewrite the rules, push boundaries, and unleash your full potential. Dive into the ocean of knowledge, emerge as champions of the IT realm, and embark on an exhilarating quest towards unprecedented success. Unleash the power of learning, ignite your passions, and conquer the IT world.

Assembling with other professionals in the industry is must if you wish to gain insights from the lessons others have learned. Face to face meetings are the highest forms of collaboration.

Absolutely agree with this one. Learn from others, but time to time don’t be afraid of innovate and invent. Remember you don’t have to invent the light bulb…just buy one from the store.

One of the best ways to acquire new knowledge is to observe carefully and passionately the world around us. By paying attention to the details, and connections that we might otherwise miss, we can discover new insights and perspectives that enrich our understanding. Observation is not a passive skill, but an active one that requires curiosity, enthusiasm, and dedication. When we observe with passion, we are more likely to learn with joy.

Connect with experts more senior to you and be of value. I learned the most and the fastest when working together in projects with others that were more senior to me. When embarking on a new field, I did as much as I could to be of value with things I could already do, while learning from the experts on the things I was still learning. Earning me new experiences and great professional relationships along the way.

Plan projects using diverse technologies. Sometimes, just the act of "thinking about" can be a significant learning experience. Thinking about the project's architecture, weighing the pros and cons of specific technologies, and even considering factors like investment can provide you with knowledge that most people lack.

Many tools have communities. Use them as your source for questions which don’t get answered by the Docs (RTFM). Also search for online examples, tutorials and howto’s to get upto speed quickly. Git is a great source for example code.

Generative AI is a perfect example of this. Have you tried Tome for presentations? Perplexity or Phind for search? Framer for quick websites? Or Bard vs ChatGPT? It can be code tooling, GAI text and image creation, or even something in your industry that others use. Test the limits of what can help you do your job. And maybe you'll find something fun for you too.

Experimenting with new tools in a virtual machine (VM) sandbox is an excellent approach. It allows you to test and learn without the risk of affecting your primary systems. You can set up different VMs to explore various tools, operating systems, or configurations. This way, you gain practical experience and knowledge without the fear of breaking something critical. Whether you're curious about a new scripting language, a network management tool, or a security application, VMs provide a safe and isolated environment for hands-on learning.

Experimentation is, at least for me, the easiest way to learn and grow. It also has the benefit of helping you to identify which technologies are genuinely impactful to you and the organization, and which ones might be slick marketing or outright snake oil. Of course, experimenting is more than just playing with a shiny new toy. Whenever you're experimenting with something new that you believe could add value, try to use it as a solution to an existing problem, or build new infrastructure with it. This is how I've been teaching myself since High School. If you can solve an existing problem with the new tool, then it's something worthwhile to add to your repertoire.

You've got to learn how to market and advertise yourself. This is difficult because we don't want to be seen as cocky, arrogant, or narcissistic, but we do want to be seen as confident, ready, resilient, relevant, and up to the job. This is a considerable challenge for so many folks I know. Life is a numbers game; you may have to apply to a hundred jobs before you get one interview. You may have to interview ten times and get passed over nine times before you get one offer; then, that offer may differ from what you expected or need. Then, you've got to start the process all over again. Ensure you stay polished, up-to-date, and able to communicate your value in writing and orally. Ensure you look the part you are trying to achieve!

This is your portfolio on LinkedIn but also those from your communities and sources like Git. Referring all of these just to your LinkedIn is of course also an option but that doesn’t index your profile on the given platform.

No matter how long you have been in your role, you need to update your resume. The information in it. The style of it. Run it through a parser. See what the machines see. You should absolutely update your LinkedIn in the same way. And you need to have your work on GitHub if you're a developer. I review both for professionals frequently. And there's always something useful to update. What are you waiting for? Take an hour and get it all done now!

To Level up the game in IT, the essential step is updating your portfolio! It's your powerful tool to showcase your skills, achievements, and untapped potential. By regularly refreshing it, you inspire confidence and impress employers, clients, and peers. Add fresh samples, highlight your remarkable results, and proudly display the feedback you've received. Let your portfolio reflect your growth, recent projects, and boundless aspirations. Show the world your adaptability and versatility, and watch exciting opportunities come your way! Keep evolving, keep shining in the ever-changing IT landscape!

Using GitHub Pages is a cost-effective and efficient approach to building a professional online portfolio. It allows you to create and host a website for free directly from your GitHub repositories. This makes it accessible to a wide audience without the expenses associated with traditional website hosting. Not only does it help you save money, but it also demonstrates your technical proficiency and adaptability as you leverage modern tools for personal and professional development in IT. It's a practical solution that aligns perfectly with an ever-evolving industry like information technology, where resourcefulness and staying current are key.

You will also receive feedback you perhaps don’t always appreciate. Feedback that addresses your fault or neglect on a certain in-depth of a topic. Bear in mind that you can grow personally by being able to deal wil criticism. Remove any sarcasm from your response to this feedback. Embrace the feedback and see it as valuable. Everyone knows that it’s human to make mistake and we often also seek mistake or recognition on superiority on a subject. It shows professional to not take feedback as a personal attack but as a means to lift yourself up. A big person can see his own fault and compliment or thank someone pointing out that fault.

Not every step forward is a technological revolution. Work with your targeted client group. Understand how you can provide an outstanding intuitive user experience. This is not about what a user expects from such technology, as most users don’t yet know how (new) technology will help them. This is about seeing customers enjoy using tech and succeed in ways they had not imagined.

eeking feedback and striving for improvement are vital in the ever-evolving world of IT. It's crucial to let go of assumptions that we know everything or do everything perfectly. Embracing humility and a willingness to learn from mistakes and challenges is key. Actively seek feedback by inviting constructive criticism, analyzing your performance, identifying areas for growth, and setting new goals. Transform feedback into action by making positive changes, measuring progress, and celebrating achievements. Remember, each step towards improvement brings you closer to your goals.

In your journey to stay current in the ever-evolving world of IT, finding a mentor can be a game-changer. If you're in school, don't overlook the opportunity to connect with your professors. Many of them have invaluable real-world experience and can provide guidance, advice, and even potential opportunities in the field. Seeking mentorship from experienced professionals is like having a map through the IT wilderness. It can help you navigate the challenges, learn the shortcuts, and reach your destination more efficiently.

IT professionals should commit to lifelong learning. Stay updated on the latest technologies, trends, and best practices through online courses, webinars, workshops, and conferences. Subscribe to relevant industry publications and blogs to stay informed.

Maintaining a focus on the future is paramount when working in lT. In this fast-evolving world, being proactive and forward-thinking can make the difference between success and falling behind. By keeping your eyes on the future, you can proactively adapt to changes, seize opportunities, and ensure that your IT strategies remain aligned with the ever-evolving landscape of technology and business.

To thrive in the ever-changing field of IT, it's crucial to have a forward-thinking mindset. Avoid becoming stagnant or complacent in your career. Stay informed about the upcoming trends, technologies, and opportunities that will shape the future of the industry. Keep a vigilant eye on what lies ahead by following influential thought leaders, participating in events, and nurturing meaningful connections within your professional network. Moreover, don't forget to anticipate the needs, expectations, and desires of your customers, users, and stakeholders. By doing so, you will be ready to seize every chance for growth and success. Embrace the exciting possibilities that the future holds, and let your passion guide your journey!

IT is an ever evolving field. Keep an eye on the news that the most relevant players in the market publish. Sometimes, a simple newsletter subscrition can bring a precious information about a new technology that is being researched or already in development stage. Other approach is t? participante in communities that have similar interests and that can share valuable information. One thing that I learned is that keeping updated alone in the tech field is almost Impossible, but with the help of the community It is easier to process and get all this massive available information.

By having a philosophy of small, daily improvements in an area, you will quickly find trustworthy source material on your topic of interest. The best way to keep an eye on the future is to map out the material you are studying and identify the path it is taking. Create a mind map with tools like GitMind for your topic of research by reading the source material and figure out the various paths it can take. You will be able to keep track of possibilities and likely scenarios that will help you in your career. Map out the past, identify the present and create branches for every possible future you read about. You will quickly become someone with all the answers.

Be curious! And connect with others. Explore new fields, trends and businesses and be open to learning more. For me it's in being genuinely curious in other people, learning more about them, what they do and the cool new tech and trends they are exploring. This usually comes with a healthy dose of enthusiasm too, sparking interest and eagerness to learn more!

Set aside time each day to see what is going on in the world. IT is ever changing and one can quickly become overwhelmed. Pay attention to the voices you listen to as well, since anyone can become an “authority” these days. Encourage staff to do the same, set agenda items for team meetings to discuss trends. Regardless of position, ensure staff all have an equal voice in bringing up topics.

Maintain your discipline in the basics. We get so distracted by shiny new technology, while neglecting legacy systems. I also recommend having the patience and clarity to understand problems better before jumping to solutions.

Practice a learning mindset: IT is ever-changing, and it’s important to understand how to learn continuously as your career progresses to stay up to date and not be burned out.

Your Network can also help you a lot staying relevant and up to date in the IT industry. Build and maintain a strong professional network. Attend industry events, conferences, and local IT meetups to connect with peers and experts. Networking can lead to valuable insights and opportunities for collaboration.

I.T is ever changing and thus as I.T professionals we too need to continuously evolve. We need to research and study in fields we specialise in and those that influence our field, and business as a whole. We also need to set growth targets that we evaluate every 12 months, due to the ever shifting nature of technology.