You’ve been working in IT for a few years and you figure it’s time you got noticed for that promotion. Yes, times are tough and you should be grateful to be gainfully employed. But somehow your co-workers are getting more of the boss’s attention. What can you do to get noticed? A few suggestions:
Go Public
Make a speech at one of your conventions, seminars, or one of the many get-togethers your company sponsors. Making a speech about what’s new in IT—doesn’t really matter what—is a great way to establish your cred as a comer, a go-to pro, someone to watch. It helps build a unique personal brand that says you’re ready for the next rung on the ladder. If you lack the confidence to get up in front of your peers and strangers, practice giving presentations to smaller groups and people you know. You’ll be surprised how supportive they can be. And how quickly your “nerves” will disappear. Think back to all the “rubber chicken” dinners you attended and how bad and boring many of those speakers were. Given that, how bad can your speech be? Jeff Davidson, MBA, CMC offers some advice to novice speakers in Speaking to Groups is Part of Life and Your Career, So You Might As Well Get Good At It!
Go Simple
Every IT person has a horror story of how a needlessly complex process or practice aggravated customers in their industry. Take the time to analyze the process or practice and streamline it, cut the fat out, make it uncomplicated. It may take some late nights at the office, but when customers phone or email your boss and thank him or her for making their life simpler, you’ll go from zero to hero with attaboys. Come time for promotions and you’ll be on the short list. Check out Gerard Blokdijk’s book, Change Management in IT Best Practices, for some useful tips as well as plans and templates to keep things fast and simple.
Go Blog
If you want to establish some serious street cred in IT, blog what you know. Create a professional website and start writing about the latest developments and issues affecting your IT subfield. Allow people to comment and answer your blogs. If your company has a newsletter, mention your blog in that publication. Attach a link to your new website from your LinkedIn profile. Who knows, a headhunter might like what she sees and give you a call about a move-up opportunity with another company.
Go “Siri”
The technology is already here. Personalized customer interaction via a computer assistant. Create a digital persona that can take orders, provide initial tiers of tech support, upsell and offer refunds. There will be some initial resistance from management, and that’s where you can point to the steps you took (mentioned above) to establish your industry cred. If you encounter a brick wall, the “Siri” technology you propose can be implemented in stages and pilot programs. Check out Jeannie, one of the best Siri-like voice assistants currently available.
Want to get noticed and get that promotion? Go at it with the above recommendations.
Image courtesy of Ambro/FreeDigitalPhotos.net
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