Ringing in the new year is always a good time to evaluate where you are and where you want to be in your career. For many, 2021 was a year of dramatic change, whether it was a new home, location or career, people made life changing transformations. This new year will be focused on personal and professional development to improve the overall foundation for these life changes. We’ve compiled four New Year’s resolutions for IT professionals to enhance their careers in 2022.
1: Upskill with Online Education
With companies turning to modern and open source technologies, it’s important to stay educated and informed with the latest trends, languages and tools. Whether your employer is seeking to implement modern tools or you’re wanting to become more marketable in your job search, learning a new technology should be top of your list.
Learn a new tool like Apache servers, SQL, or RDi or a new language like Python, Node.js or ILE RPG to stay current with modern technologies. Many employers will invest funds into professional development, especially if the new skills will improve their business. Additionally, there are courses at local colleges, online education and tutorials for learning new coding languages. Look for ways to upgrade your skills in 2022.
2: Attend User Group Sessions
The IBM i community is quite small, so being involved is highly important and beneficial to your career. Getting involved in user groups is a great way to network, learn new technologies and stay connected to others in your field.
Most user groups have monthly virtual training sessions on topics important to IT professionals on IBM i. We recommend attending at least one of these sessions and if your bandwidth allows, get involved in a user group.
Look for user group in-person events and conferences to attend in 2022 as well. Whether you are chatting between sessions, over dinner or at the bar, in-person events allow professionals to collaborate, gather innovative ideas, learn the pros and cons of softwares and new technologies, and get insight into solutions. This information is invaluable, especially if your company only has one or two developers on staff.
Check out this list of user groups from around the world to find one near you.
3: Attend an In-Person Conference
In addition to user group events, larger conferences are a great way to network and learn about new technologies. Conferences also have training sessions to expand your skill set. The last couple years have kept us from in-person events, but with the new year, many organizations are offering either hybrid or completely in-person conferences.
It’s time to get back out there and meet others from the IT community. Conferences attract worldwide attendees with unique insight into solving problems with innovation solutions, testing new technologies, and more. Get a chance to meet and connect with experts in areas you need assistance or further training. You never know what you might learn and how these relationships can open doors for future opportunities.
Keep checking back for in-person conferences, though here’s a short list of 2022 IBM i conferences:
4: Job Seeking? Update Your Resume
If you are looking for a job, the new year is a good time to review and update your resume. Make updates that align with job postings and include any new skills you have obtained recently. Add experience with internal business operations like accounting systems and modern skills like RDi or modular programming. Updating your resume to become more attractive to hiring managers will set you apart from other candidates.
If you get turned down for a job, try asking the hiring manager to provide you with feedback for how you could improve your resume and skill set. Oftentimes, hiring managers will give you much needed insight into what you should include on your resume or what skills you should upgrade.
These four New Year’s resolutions will get you on track for a successful career for years to come. A little investment in yourself and your career will have a lasting impact for both you and your employer.
If you are looking to break into the IBM i field, imPower Technologies offers an IBM i concepts and operations course that will give you basic knowledge of computer programming and some operating system experience. This foundational knowledge paired with our ILE RPG course will get you ready to work for any IBM i shop. Visit our website at www.impowertechnologies.com to learn more.