In the world of IT it is very important to be flexible, to learn new skills and to be willing and able to move from project to project. The IT industry is one that is constantly evolving. New languages, software, hardware and protocols are constantly coming on stream, so the people who work within the industry have to be willing and able to learn new skills on an ongoing basis, and to be able to do so quickly.
Whilst there is never a shortage of IT work, much of the work is offered on a freelance or short-term contract basis. Firms and organisations usually overhaul their systems every decade or so, or make periodic incremental changes as new technologies become available. This means that they often only need IT specialists to complete specific projects, which is the main reason the majority of IT jobs only last for a couple of years.
This means that most technology professionals are regularly looking for work on IT job boards like the one at http://www.cwjobs.co.uk. They often find themselves searching for work whilst involved in the implementation of their current project, so use online job boards because they are a quick and easy way to find work. In fact, they move jobs so regularly, that a recent survey found that over half of IT professionals interviewed were planning to change jobs in the next 12 months.
Flexibility is Also Important for Career Progression
The same survey found that 89% of IT professionals believed that they would have to change careers in order to progress within their chosen field. This is largely driven by the fact that very few firms run their own full-blown IT teams anymore. Therefore, there is rarely a defined career path for an IT professional. Typically, their next big break only comes about if they create it for themselves, or are head hunted by another firm.
Learning New Skills keeps IT Professionals Marketable
As we already mentioned the IT environment is a fast moving one. As an example, less than a decade ago, no one had even heard of mobile IT. The idea of people working on the move and from remote locations and accessing their files via the cloud was a pipedream. Today, it is normal, a completely new IT sector has emerged, and there is huge demand for workers with mobile IT skills. The industry has literally emerged and mushroomed in less than five years.
IT professionals who spotted the trend early and learnt skills like Ruby, CSS3, HTML5, and JavaScript when there was relatively little demand are now in a strong position. They are earning big money, and being head hunted. Surveys show that most experienced mobile IT professionals are offered four or five jobs each year.
Spotting the next big thing and incorporating the acquisition of those skills into your ongoing personal training is essential for anyone working within the industry. It is the difference between staying current, relevant and marketable or finding it practically impossible to find work.