Career Growth Strategies in Information Technology

Name: Career Growth Strategies in Information Technology
Rating: 4.7 (23 reviews)

Becoming Deliberate About Your IT Career - Three Alternative Paths

Created byKenneth Igiri

Last updated 1/2025

English

What you'll learn

How to create a long-term career plan as an ambitious IT professional
How to use SWOT and Joharis Window Model to do a candid evaluation of your capabilities
Why you must develop critical soft skills relevant for an exceptional Information Technology career
What it takes to determine a path that suits you best for achieving your long term career goals

Course content

3 sections • 22 lectures • 1h 57m total length

Introduction2:55
Out of School3:34
We begin the course with the instructor's personal experience as a fresh graduate desperately looking for a job but failing to see the importance of a career.
The TDR Intersection6:03
This lecture describes three important factors to consider when making a decision about which path to thread in the complex, dynamic and variegated information technology industry.
The Full Story2:47
In this face-to-face session, the instructor tells the complete story of how he got his earliest jobs and the lessons young people and others embracing an IT career for the first time.
Prelude to SWOT Analysis Demo1:43
In this video, we give a short intro to the SWOT demo in the next lesson. The SWOT demo is business oriented but the principles and technique can still be applied to a career growth context.
SWOT Analysis Example10:17
We use the SWOT Analysis in the Interactive Ideation Session. This demo in this lesson is a clip from a real live SWOT Analysis session conducted for a business owner.
The Joharis Window Model5:01
This lesson is a clip used with permission from UC Samuel who shared her knowledge on the use of the Joharis Window Model for understanding conscious and unconscious bias.
Module 1 - Reflective Questions
Module 1 Quiz
Industry Insights1:08
External video explainng insights from my earliest roles with a startup.

Insights from The First 90 Days4:22
In this video, we discuss te impact of Michael D. Watkins' book, The First 90 Days, and how it can help you achieve career growth through transitions. Watkins argues that the first 90 days of a new job are critical for setting yourself up for success. During this time, you need to focus on three key areas: accelerating your learning, navigating the politics of your new organization, and building relationships. We break down Watkins' advice into actionable steps that you can take to make the most of your first 90 days as highlighted in the book. He also provides tips for dealing with common challenges that new hires face, such as managing up, getting up to speed quickly, and building credibility.
Introduction - Three Principles3:02
This lesson introduces the three principles of career growth identified by the instructor. The first of these is the aggressive consumption of relevant knowledge.
Principles of Career Growth - Learning Hard2:45
In this lesson the instructor shares a true story of how he got an opportunity to extend his hands-on practice of SQL Server administration outside his home country. It is a story of preparation meeting opportunity.
Principles of Career Growth - Branding Yourself4:00
Brand yourself by presenting a focused IT profile across your CV, LinkedIn, and blogs, so recruiters see your capabilities, online first impressions, and a clear career trajectory.
Demo - LinkedIn Profile Tips5:12
This lecture is a quick demo on key elements of a LinkedIn profile and what to take into account when building yours.
Principles of Career Growth - Building Bridges6:08
Soft Skills for Techies7:54
A few external resources that will be helpful in further developing the concepts taught in this lecture.
LinkedIn Growth Hacks from Shadrack Kubyane2:09
Module 2 - Reflective Questions
Module 2 Quiz

Introduction - The Big Picture0:54
This lecture introduces the concept of seeing beyond the next pay cheque. It will help the student capture a picture of the long term future on their career.
Career Plan3:52
This lecture introduces the concept of a career plan and the need to develop one at the beginning of one's career or as soon as one realizes the need to rethink one's life.
Money vs. Meaning5:54
This lecture explore the philosophical conversation around money and purpose. It is a dilemma that is particularly important in developing nations where most life decisions border on economic considerations.
The Three Strategies7:43
There are three strategies observed in the lives of technology veterans who have inspired the instructor. Those three strategies are shared in this lecture.
Module 3 - Reflective Questions
Module 3 Quiz
Epilogue1:20
We close the course here and share parting words. Stay in touch and do explore other resources from the instructor.
Bonus Video: Strategy - Position Yourself to Win28:27
This video is a twenty-eight minute monologue on strategy. I discuss the meaning of strategy from a specific school of thought and how it applies to business and career growth.

Requirements

No technical skills required. Anyone who wants a successful career in IT can take this course.

Description

Career Growth Strategies in Information Technology explores career planning from the point of view of a technology professional. We start out distinguishing between getting a job (quick fix) and pursuing a career (long term). We then delve into the attitudes that make for an advancing Information Technology professional. Finally, we describe three key career growth strategies typical in the information technology industry - The SME Strategy, the Veteran Strategy and the C-Suite Strategy.

During the course, we touch on learning hard, branding yourself and building bridges as critical elements of setting yourself up for career success in the technology space. We differentiate between learning and simply acquiring certifications, we dig into what it means to build a personal brand relevant for professional growth and we break down the key elements of a fruitful professional relationship with the RELATE acronym.

This course is interlaced with demos, examples and personal stories. Also included are personal assessment tools that will aid in career and life planning with focus on professionals with a technology background. Recaps and review questions are also included to help participants think deeper about the content of the course. It promises to be a thought-provoking delivery for anyone starting a career or looking to make a change in his/her path. You will enjoy the ride.

Who this course is for:

You need this course if you are starting a career in Information Technology, reviewing your progress or pivoting to a technology role in the middle of your career.

Career Growth Strategies in Information Technology

What you'll learn

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Course content

My Story8 lectures • 33min

Principles of Career Growth8 lectures • 36min

Developing a Strategic Career Plan6 lectures • 48min

Requirements

Description

Who this course is for: