How can you make yourself stand out as a System Architect?

There are four key focus areas that can literally guarantee your success as an expert systems or a solutions architect: 1. Acquire technical knowledge and cultivate the mindset of a systems or solutions architect. This could be done through focused training programs. 2. Develop hands-on skill set through through deliberate and intensive practice 3. Build a portfolio of projects and POCs to showcase the depth of uour experience and expertise 4. Hone in your communication and collaboration skills

This is a never-ending journey, so think of it as "the more you know about your domain, the more you discover that there is to learn". You do that by a humility that makes you willing to learn from everyone, not just the most seasoned SMEs in that domain, but from the newest people as well. When working on a complex technical standard, I had a peer state something profound as we were building an "onboarding" approach to bring in new young engineers to learn the technical standard: "You are only new ONCE!" This created an atmosphere from the small group of us that were polishing this complex topic to prioritize the importance of learning from the newest members - their questions shaped our understanding of what we took for granted!

Here are some strategies to help you differentiate yourself in this role: Stay Updated with Technology Trends Acquire Certifications Build a Strong Technical Skill Set Demonstrate Problem-Solving Abilities Effective Communication Leadership & Collaboration Showcase Experience with Scalable Architectures Continuous Learning & Adaptability Proactive Problem Prevention Build a Professional Network Contributions to Open Source or Technical Communities Remember, standing out is not just about technical prowess but also about your ability to communicate effectively, lead teams & adapt to evolving challenges in the field.

Know your domain and know the business cirqumstances of the company you're working for. The situation inside the company can be a game-changer.

Keep learning and keep thinking. A good thing to think about - how to solve already solved problem by the techonologies of present time. Maybe something changed?

Usually you can show real portfolio as it is under NDA. And without technical details portfolio is useless. But some common or syntetic cases - must have for the potfolio

To stand out as a systems architect, it is important to not only have solid technical skills, but also develop other skills and qualities that will allow you to excel in the role and emerge as a leading professional in the field. A quality that I would like to add to those already identified is professional ethics. To stand out, a systems architect should act ethically and professionally in all of his or her work interactions. Trust and respect from other team members and stakeholders will allow him to distinguish himself as a systems architect.