Discussion on:

Don't be the victim in your career

Hi Patrick, thoroughly agree. When I was 30 I assertively took ownership of my life and have been blowing myself away every since. Every year I review where I am against my goals (2 year, 5 year, 20+ year) and then review my plan to redress the gaps. Sometimes I've found I cannot achieve a development goal within my IT role (I'm a Business Analyst), so then I look for other options within my company where I can develop in line with my goals, such as volunteering for organizational citizenship roles (organizing an event or outing, volunteering for a committee no one else can be bothered with and then engaging with its work, etc). This works by getting the attention of management, plus I enjoy the variety and challenge brought to my day.

The frustration with IT stems from an extension of human nature. Research has determined people won't buy what they need, only what they want.

Whether we like it or not, technology is commodity. People feel entitled to all of its benefits without having to pay for it. (And most geeks lack the social skills to migrate in to a more profitable career role.)

Traditional IT as a career choice is not going to be viable much longer, if it even still is.

Refuse to be a body shopped, or under-appreciated house geek.
Uphold your professional ethics. Refuse to work for dirt-bags making dirt-bag products, only work with great people designing and developing great products.
By continuous learning, always strive to be better at what you love to do.
Aim high, as they used to say.

Then good luck finding a qualified and willing employer, or even the occasional respectable free-lance gig.
99.99% of today's execs are apparently dirt-bags who much prefer cheap, easily brow-beaten guest-workers and off-shore labor.

This is just what I needed today. I am feeling like a rat in a maze doing the same IT tasks over and over with no variety in my day. This motivates me to move forward into other areas of IT.

Thanks.

Professor8,
Agreed!
We have a long legacy of slavery.........
They just change the name from time to time...........

This article comes at a perfect time as I am about to begin a new job and am still evaluating my long range goals - training, where I want to go, etc. Thanks for the encouragement and reminder that we really do have the power to choose the direction of our own lives!

A very well thought out and truthful article. At the end of the day we need to like what we do, or make a change.

in my ability, which my employer at the time did their level best to undermine.
Being able to move on, and moving on sucessfully justified it, never seen a need to unlearn that particular lesson, despite protestations to the contrary by various employers.

One thing I will say, the grass on the other side is rarely greener, have a good think first I mean you've worked at worse places haven't you...

Good tips, really makes you think about your career from another angle!

Really a very good article. Thanks a lot