Success Guidelines for an IT Professional Career

What makes an IT Professional stand out above his peers? We have compliled this list from interviewing thousands of IT Professionals over the last 20 years. We would like to invite you to add to this list from your own experiences by commenting on our blog.

1. Be solution-oriented

Look at every task you are given as a product / service delivered by you being the company. Every product has a customer / user that needs to use this and benefit from it. Rather than looking at a job just as a means to an end and being there in working hours. This might require of you to work longer hours than usual at times. Linked to this, every product or service has to be delivered in a reasonable time frame. This definitely also does not mean you have to be a workaholic to be successful, one should live a balanced life so I suggest you should always ensure that you also have enough rest, even if it is between projects delivered.

2. Keep your skills updated

"School is never out for the true professional". This is especially applicable for IT as we have continuously evolving technologies in the IT industry, it is so easy to fall behind. This is also one of the reasons why we have a skills shortage in our industry.

"Rack up those certifications". It is just a fact that employers take IT Certifications seriously. Certified candidates earn higher salaries and are preferred in job interviews. Keep the certifications relevant to your job, updated. (We have a training school in our group - to assist with that : see http://www.getcertified.co.za/ ) .

3. Build relationships.

People are more important than technology, so do not neglect building friendships along the way in your IT career. It is not alone "what you know" - it is also "who you know". Colleagues, bosses, customers / end-users fall into this category. Make sure that while you are delivering the best solutions possible, you are also build strong friendships and remember we are all part of the human race.

4. Specialisation vs. generalisation

Your goal should be to be a specialist in your field, but you should not neglect the basics of a generalist. While being the top guru in your field, do not rely on other people to clean up the basics. For example while being a top Software Developer, it can be very positive to know how to fix your PC (and those of you users in times of need). An end - user looks up to an IT Professional as someone who knows everything.

5. Take responsibility

When choosing tasks on a new project, look at the core skills that will make the project successful. This is not always being a project leader, often a key member in a team plays a critical role when it comes to keeping the customer / users happy. Keep adding happy customers to your list and CV, it will add to you your success.

What does Cloud Computing and Virtualisation mean for the future of IT skills?

One of the most prominent trends in IT nowadays is the move towards Cloud Computing and Virtualisation. In brief this is the concept of business using more IT services on demand via the internet, than in-house.

For Infrastructure needs businesses can now even get hardware functionality by subscribing to such services on the internet. This means they do not have to buy and maintain servers anymore, but can get those and their -operating systems via a Service Provider on the internet. If the capacity gets too small, add some more capacity is done by taking a better subscription.

For Software Applications the model is similar. Businesses can now replace their in-house software packages with subscribed software services from the same vendors. For example an accounting package that was previously used in a company and installed on an in-house server, is now available on the internet by subscription on a monthly or -usage basis by the same company.

This reduces the need for small to medium-sized businesses to maintain their own server and network infra-structure and rather get the same functionality over the internet an a pay-as-you-use basis.

What does this hold for the future of the In-house Techincal Infrastructure Specialist and for the In-house Software Developer ?

Infrastructure specialists will now be needed more to work in vendor environments. Their job skills will be the same as always, although Virtualisation skills and certifications will be more in demand. In such vendor companies, there will be an added need to equip these technicians with people- and sales skills because of the business model of supplying the services to clients.

On the software application side inside a user company, programmers will now need to customise and extract data from such on-line software services. These programmers will need to skill themselves up more on the Front-End side with web and scripting software skills to :


- enable in-house applications with web front-ends 
- use / extract data from on-line software services companies for in-house customisations.

In brief : - technical skills will never become obsolete, there will be more of a shift to where they will be employed. 

At Compuways we are ready to supply the right kind of candidate for every position in an IT environment. Whether it is with an IT vendor or with and IT user. Software Application developers for in-house systems or for vendors supplying web - services. We are able to ensure the right person is matched to the right position in the right company. Our 20 years in the IT Industry has seen many shifts in IT : From Mainframes to PC's, from procedural software programming languages to 4th generation programming languages to Object - Oriented programming languages. From mainframe to mini computers and then to servers. From servers to virtualised servers. There was never a stage where good - solutions-oriented IT skills were not in demand.

Our clients can testify that we are able to provide the right skills at the right time - always!

Contractor available with PHP / Javascript / Classic ASP

One of our contractors is finishing his contract this month and is highly recommended. His skill set include:

• 3 + years of extensive experience in PHP/MySQL development.
• Strong knowledge in Object Oriented Programming and Design.
• Extensive experience in developing web applications using PHP, HTML, Ajax, JavaScript, CSS, XML, MySQL, and Apache in Windows (WAMP) based operating systems.
• Experience in creating a website using Joomla and Drupal 5/6 .
• Extensive experience in RDBMS design, normalization, and management with MySQL, Oracle, MicroSoft Sql Server.
• Well versed with complete Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC) process which includes Designing, Analysis, Developing, Testing and Implementation.
• Good hands on languages like JAVA, C, C++.
• Sound knowledge on Servlets and JSP’s.
• Highly motivated, hardworking and able to meet tight deadlines.
• Excellent analytical, interpersonal and communication skills and very proactive by nature which benefits in working in groups.
• Ability to learn new technologies quickly.

Request the CV of this candidate by clicking here or send us an email on info@compuways.com .

Employ a junior - invest in your team's future

It is part of most long-term employment strategies - to include juniors in strategic teams. Juniors are enthusiastic, motivated, they need experience and are prepared to go the extra mile. Any team should be able to plan tasks for junior people as it is also an investment in the future of the team. Most successful IT Professionals showed their mettle early in their careers already. We are continuously trying to identify the jewels of the future for you.

• We would like to do our bit by offering a full 3 month guarantee on juniors employed from us.
• Have a look at some of the unemployed top scorers on Java and PHP training courses.  Click to see their profiles - we can also send the CV's .

Click here for:

SCJD Scoresheet  and student profiles  35785 and 36263

PHP Scoresheet and student profile  36122

• Juniors continuously apply on our website and you can have a look at their profiles by clicking here :

Junior Skills Category on our website.

• To subscribe to all our interviewed candidates will enable you to get them early (not only juniors), please click on :

Compuways Skills RSS Feed

• And for a nice layout of all our categories, please go to out homepage

www.compuways.co.za   and visit our Press Office by clicking here .

Microsoft E-Learning is cost-effective

Microsoft E-Learning promotion during January 2010:
As a valued member of Compuways, we are able to offer you Microsoft E-learning modules as shown on http://www.getcertified.co.za/ .
Increase your competitive edge - read here :
http://www.getcertified.co.za/microsoft-e-learning
http://www.compuways.co.za/images/E-learningflyer.pdf
This offer is only valid in January 2010.

Our 2009 gift to you : Valuable, Free Microsoft E-Learning Courses!

School is never out for the true professional. In the IT industry this is even more true than in other industries, because of the constantly changing nature of technology. Therefore it is important that an IT Professional continuously keeps up to date with the changing technology.

Microsoft recognised this and developed their E-learning offering to be flexible and convenient. You only need a broadband connection. You can start, stop and continue at anytime from anywhere, work or home. Being official Microsoft Courses, the offering is credible and relevant to you when preparing for your international exams.

Our E-learning offering includes Microsoft's 1400 training courses with different durations, covering training for the Home / Office user, Technical (Infrastructure) Professionals, Developers and ERP Professionals.

We have listed the categorised the E-Learning courses as such on our website http://www.getcertified.co.za/microsoft-e-learning .

Try 40 courses for free!

For you to experience the true value of these courses, we can offer you approximately 40 courses free of charge.

To enroll for a free course, or to to purchase a course / course bundle, please send us an email on elearning@getcertified.co.za .

Centurion - IS Project Manager

Our client, a leading software solutions provider, develops software solutions for various industries. They have developed and maintained systems in the Public Sector, banking sector, financial industry, electronic and gaming industries. They require the services of project managers with good experience of managing multiple projects using internationally recognised standards and methodologies like PRINCE 2, PMBOK, etc. These positions are normally on a year contract basis, renewable