The heart of the matter is that life continues to change, and it brought a friend – challenges. The changes we see in the workplace today are “unlike” those of previous years (e.g., in IT we work in “virtual spaces;” off-site/off-shore video conferencing is common place; from years of long hardware environment setups to minutes/seconds of cloud interfaces; … and what is a Block Chain; crypo what? Psst, if you blink, you may become extinct, replaced by a bot – #automation is no joke! The bottom line is change is alive, well and constant. The next line is: ARE YOU UP FOR THE CHANGE/CHALLENGE?
1) Don’t just sharpen “some tools,” figure out: what the trends are, which tools to sharpen and which do you want/need to retire or upgrade? Hint: If you hear about a change, learn about it (e.g., internet research; take all the On The Job Training you can get; if it’s free, do it twice)!
2) Remember: change is constant; retirement, may be by choice or force! If you see a change coming, the victim is the one that doesn’t move until it’s too late. Plan to change in advance; when it comes or after, may be to late.
3) OJT: I spent more than 20 years in IT, mostly as a manual tester. Can you say “Dino-sour (Dinosaur, if you still have a job)?” Remember item #1 – Are you in or out of sync with your industry?
4) Keep your passion: If you got in it for “the love of it,” you may naturally keep growing in it; if you got in for the paycheck, you may need to invest a bit more effort. In any case, sharpen, sharpen, sharpen! Life long education is a reality to be productive, efficient and relevant! Learning what “automation” can do (or whatever the change in your industry) may be an awakening you need.
5) ROI: Your company is after profit and Return On Investment. If your company can cut cost, become more “agile,” productive or efficient, they will; wouldn’t you! Ready or not? Be ready, as sharp as you can be.
In closing, the school of hard knocks teaches us some tough, but valuable lessons. Chief of those is “be prepared!” It wasn’t until I read “Who Moved My Cheese” that I realized some of the things I experienced on the job. The “cheese” was moving! If you haven’t read the book, read it (it’s quick read). It’s priceless “common sense,” to say the least! Finally, who knows what the dinosaur saw in its time? To you, don’t be afraid of changes or challenges. Be prepared to meet them head on; build a bridge and get over it!
– Notes From The School of Hard Knocks, Gibbism