Big Data becomes business as usual: What does it mean for you?
Big Data and business intelligence have been the topic of constant IT conversations for the last few years, but as Hays Chief Information Officer Steve Weston says in a recent blog, we’re now seeing the benefits of big data become commonplace.
“Big data” is more about data analytics than anything else and companies that are at the frontline of this space will see significant benefits in making better strategic decisions based on accurate information and data trends. So what will that mean for your IT career?
We’re seeing increased demand for experience in Hadoop, Python and NoSql as Canadian companies look to organize, find, and analyze the data available. This tech will continue to be in high demand, but increasingly IT professionals will be expected to not just organize and manage databases, but to understand the strategic importance of the information and take a leadership role in establishing good data-drive decision making practices.
As Steve said:
You can’t just drop these technically skilled employees into a silo department and expect them to revolutionize your business. The ability to analyze data and perform the hard, specialized role is obviously important, but they also need to be able to communicate and translate what they have learnt with the rest of the business. Even more crucial, however, is that the wider company is data literate and understands the potential and limits of the technology.
Find out what IT employers want
IT professionals can take a leadership role in that cross-functional evolution, but it requires more than just technical skills. If you want to be at the forefront of the analytics evolution, you will need to develop the soft skills such as problem solving, communication, and team work. I hear consistently from employers that they are willing to pay a premium for IT professionals with the soft skills to complement their technical skills. The growing need for business intelligence expertise means significant opportunities for IT leaders to move beyond the function to become business drivers.
Technology and big data crosses nearly every facet of the business and IT professionals who move into this area now have the potential to help determine the direction and development of the business, beyond the purely technical.
Not sure how to develop those soft skills? Read an earlier blog I wrote, or contact us today to find out what employers are looking for.