MIS 2: Assignment 1

Think about yourself worthy to be called as IT professional, how you see yourself 10 years from now, what are your strategies to get there? At least 3000 words

After reading the question for our first assignment in this said subject, I really had a hard time on thinking of what would be the best answer for this. Thinking about myself if I would be worthy to be called as an IT professional in the near future and seeing myself 10 years from now is not an easy task because thinking those things will affect my plan for myself and for my future career.

As an Information Technology (IT) student, am also aiming to be a professional someday. When you do your job, you cannot easily say that you’re already professional. As what I have understood about professionalism it is about doing more than just your job. Professionals are responsive. If you are a pure professional you should know your work well and you must satisfy the needs of your costumer, your boss or even your fellow employee. You should master the art of handling more than one customer at a time while giving them the right services that they want. Professionals should be knowledgeable. It’s true! As an IT professional you must know what your field is and in what field you are master with. You should be updated with the latest innovations and the latest news in the world of Information Technology. You should have enough knowledge that would help your company grow and be competitive with the other bigger companies. Another behavior of a Professional is that they care about what they do. Being knowledgeable with your job is not enough you should also be concern with your job. As an IT professional you should be able to give not only the services that your clients want but the right and perfect services that you could ever give. It is a quality that says we maybe individuals that are competing but when certain circumstances exist we must also show that we are united. The behaviors of being a professional maybe simple to think but what’s not simple are the consistent application of it. It takes effort and proper discipline.

If I want to be recognized as an IT professional in the future I must have some qualities that is present to a true professionals. First quality is trustworthiness. Well, it is very significant to gain the trust of your costumer, your company and your fellow worker. Knowing how to talk to one another is more than a mannerism but it is also the ability to motivate one another to create a good result and you and your fellow employee will be in good terms. When trust is present, you can do your work with no conflict and can gain more costumers that will lead your company and yourself to success. Another quality of a professional is that one should be helpful. Being an IT professional you should be knowledgeable with your work and you should know how to help. One great tool to show that you are willing to help is through negotiating. However, be sure that you negotiate fairly because knowing how to make deals is an essential skill to the success of a professional. If those qualities and behaviors that are mentioned are present, with no doubt you are not just a professional but a person that gets paid well and has a balanced life and you stand out from the crowd and grow rewarding and you can have a satisfying careers. Once you’re truly a professional you can just go anywhere and people will appreciate your work.

Information Technology is not only for creating an environment for the benefit of an organization to advance but also helping them to adjust with the enormous changes outside their own boundaries. IT professionals are responsible for keeping databases, computer and security programs for the entire companies. Now, back in the question, am I worthy to be called an IT professional? As of now, am not sure but having those ideas of what would be the best behavior and good qualities of a professional would be a big help in molding myself so that in the future I would be proud to call myself worthy to be called an IT professional. The duties and responsibilities of an IT professional is very vital and difficult (I guess) so therefore, I should know the field of my expertise since organizations nowadays are relying mostly on the technologies.

Ten years from now. What would I be? A simple question but needs an answer that would be part of my plan for my life. There are enormous job available for an Information Technology student like me. Like, lead application developer whose work is to manage software development teams in design, development, coding, testing and debugging of applications, data modeler the one who analyze the organizational data requirements and create models of data flow, Network manager who is responsible for directing the day-to-day operations and maintenance of the firm’s networking technology, IT consultant who works in partnership with clients, advising them how to use information technology in order to meet their business objectives or overcome problems and also work to improve the structure and efficiency and of an organization’s IT systems and they may be involved in a variety of activities, including marketing, project management, client relationship management and systems development, a web designer that are responsible for creating the look and feel of the World Wide Pages for a client’s web site and may take part in the initial planning of a Web site, meeting with the client to discuss ideas for the layout and organization of the site, the types of colors or images to use (photos, illustrations, videos, etc.), and other matters concerning overall graphic design, programmer the usual and primary job for an IT student who work with the user on development of the software specification. Ability to create and document a conceptual and detailed design and write a code based on a conceptual description of the business logic, or a business analyst who plays a key role in Technology Solutions project from an analytical perspective and analyzes plan documentation, defining and documenting project requirements, and business processes. There are numerous profession offered for a graduate in information technology but the questions are, am I capable of doing those kinds of jobs? Do I have the skill? If I dream one of those jobs that I mentioned, what would be the best plan in achieving that goal or how can I make that dream come true?

One of our instructors told us the essence of planning. Sometimes we consider that we fall short into the ground with our dreams or goals in life because we fail to plan but what we actually did was we plan to fail. He told us that we plan but what bothers there is that we plan to fail and that’s the core why we never achieve our goals. We should plan well to hit the goal, to stay focus and to be able to manage ourselves. There are a lot of ways on how to plan your own career what matters most is on how you deal with the fast changing environment and on how you discipline yourself. Everyone can be what they aim to be if and only if he plans properly and effectively. How you see yourself ten years from now is like plotting your upcoming career that you can accomplish in a maximum span of time of ten years or one decade. Ten years from now I would be a Senior Web Designer or if am not lucky enough with that field I’ll try to fit myself as a Business Analyst. As an Information Technology student I aim to be one of the IT professionals here in the Philippines.

If I plan I should also set some strategies or activities that would help me attain my target. Implementing particular strategies would not be simple because we cannot foretell exactly what would happen next. It should be flexible so that if certain circumstances exist we have some alternative tactics that can assist us to surpass and can still led us nearer to our goal. An effective strategy needs proper discipline. Setting up strategies would never be effective if we don’t discipline ourselves. Not only our strategies are flexible but we ourselves should also be flexible enough so that we can face the dilemmas and maybe barriers along the way.

When I think of steps that would be of great help in achieving what I want for my future, it reminds me of the movie “My Big Love”( I hope everyone of us have seen this movie ^_^ ). In the movie the leading actress (Ms. Toni Gonzaga) has 5 steps to make you fit. As I can still remember, the five steps are GOAL SETTING, START TODAY, NO SHORTCUTS, MOTIVATE YOURSELF and lastly BE HAPPY :-D . These steps are intended for those who aim to be slim and physically fit but it can also be applied in molding your future career. Well, these steps could be part of my strategies to attain my target profession. The steps are simple and easy to understand.

First we have goal setting. I have said earlier that ten years from now I would be an IT professional. I aim to be a Senior Web Designer or a Business Analyst for my future career. It may be easy to set up your goals but you have to make sure that when you set your goals you know what are the possible risk and obstacles along the way. You should be patient, focus and disciplined. When we plan we always have to set our vision, mission, goals and objectives. We have to set our priorities.

Second, start today. Absolutely! We should not start tomorrow, next day, next month or next year but TODAY. After you have set your goals you should start right away. In view of the fact that I am still a student, I must study hard and finish schooling. Currently, I am a fourth year college student but third year in standing. Why? Because I fail my subject (Computer programming I) and with that made me realize that I receive a failure grade for the reason that I lack self discipline and though I aim to pass but unfortunately what I did was I plan to fail. When I say finish schooling, it’s not merely about having a diploma. Since I have to extend hopefully a year here in the university, I should make sure that I will pass my grades (get higher grades if ever^_^) and start to motivate and discipline myself. Encouraging myself to work harder with my studies and restraint myself to stay focus and avoid those temptations that would block my way in accomplishing my plan.

The third on the step is no shortcuts. No one takes place on the top without experiencing the bottom. You can never skip one step in acquiring your goal. Every IT professionals always start from the scratch. What I mean here is that in order to progress and become a professional you should perceive all the necessary steps needed. These may serve as a preparation for you to be commendable on what you will attain in the future. Doing shortcuts just to get hold of their ambition are persons who are lazy and dependent person. Nowadays, most of the people depends their luck to those people who are already on the higher position in a certain company for them to have a job. Though you earn your job on that way you still have to show everyone that you deserve and capable with your job. I’m aiming to be a professional so I have to finish my schooling first. Study well and staying focus on it for me to understand all my subjects. When I graduate, I have to gain experiences. I should start looking for a job that would fit my interest and my field of expertise. It would also be recommendable if I took some studies that would enhance my expertise and since I’m aiming to be a senior web designer someday I have to make sure that I fit that position. If I want to be a senior web designer I have to master my field. I ought to have the required skills like outstanding design collections and ability to manage multiple projects. Since Web Design (from the word itself) creates and designs webs therefore there is a great need of having enough fluency in using photoshop and illustrators. I must have a hardcore experience in using flash, Adobe Photoshop, and any related software in graphic design. It is a requisite that I must be proficient and specialized and mostly advance on the different web application or programming software like PHP, MySql, javascript, HTML, XML, XHTML, CSS, ASP, AJAX, Action Scrip and etc. Moreover, I must also experience and learn how to use and create 3D modeling with the use of some tools like Maya, 3DS Max, Blender, etc. And as a web designer I must be informed and familiarize the web designs standards. On the other hand, I also aim to be a business analyst someday. The business analyst plays a key role in Technology Solutions projects from an analytical point of view. In this position, the candidate or applicant will practice the fundamentals of systems analysis, design, and testing of Technology Solutions projects as assigned, acting as a relationship between the clients and the system developers. Business analyst will work with Divisional and National Consultants and Project Managers to investigate, plan, analyze and develop cost effective solutions for e-commerce and Human Resource business issues. A professional Business Analyst will work closely with Technical Leads and System Developers on system development projects to ensure the systems are meeting the clients’ needs and expectations. And he/she should have strong analytical skills and have experience in one or more of the following areas: Health and Welfare Administration, Pension Administration, HR Self-Service, HR Shared Services, or HRIS/Payroll. All of our work is team-based with the focus on delivering the highest levels of client satisfaction, and therefore strong interpersonal skills are required within the team, as well as with the client. One reason why I aim this work because in this field you are also required to have some travel (weeh, that’s interesting) and may include long-term projects of 12 months or more. Those things that I have mentioned will serve as my guide in acquiring my desired goal in the future. I may have to options but if I would be eager I know I can make may dreams happen.

Next step which is the Fourth step is motivation. I already mentioned the different requirements, skills and behaviors of an IT professional and my vision career. Next, I have to motivate myself. Inspire myself to work hard and study well. I have to mold myself to be capable of slowly achieving my dreams by making sure that I have filled all the required applications to be a best and professional web designer or a business analyst. You can have persons to help you motivate yourself. For me, my family is my inspiration. They are my main impulse why I aim high so that I can help them and I know they are the first persons who will appreciate my achievements. I have to stimulate myself so that my plans won’t fail because I don’t want to plan for failure.

And lastly, be happy. A simple step but it means a lot. If you aim something make sure you are happy with it and would be happy for it. Pointing toward your target goal doesn’t mean you would always be serious and focus on it. I should also make some time to enjoy myself and do what I want to do that would make myself happy and in high spirit so that I will be more eager to motivate myself in achieving my goals. A work of an Information Technology professional is a serious task and needs a lot of brainstorming (I guess. Heheh^_^) therefore I have to manage some time to take off all the stress, anxiety and pressure.

There are several steps you can do in achieving your goal. We have different idea on what would be the best thing to do first and next. We often times change our mind. Just make sure that you know and love what you are doing. Because of the fast evolving technology, people and our environment change. No one knows what will happen in the future therefore we should be flexible with the coming changes in our self and in our surroundings. These changes may affect our plan that’s why you must adapt those changes and motivate yourself so that you will not be tired in aiming your goal. In the future, if you already have your jobs learn to love it and appreciate what you have achieved. But for now, learn to love your course and don’t hesitate to explore new things that would be helpful for you in the coming future and don’t be limited on what you know. Think Big and Dream Big. Who knows? You will be more than what you think you will be. Just don’t forget to pray. Pray not because you want something but pray for thanking the Lord for giving you time to do what to you want to do and pray for enlightenment and patience. That is the number one tool that will help us all the way. And if ever you have achieved what you desired learn to say thanks to the people who help you and to the almighty one. Hopefully, soon I would be worthy in what I wanted to be.

References:
http://www.careerbuilder.com/Article/CB-774-Who-is-Hiring-Top-10-Jobs-in-Information-Technology/?ArticleID=774&cbRecursionCnt=1&cbsid=b9da424f3cbe4fd3ae85d1c9fd8576ef-312003463-RS-4&ns_siteid=ns_us_g_jobs_for_information__
http://www.jobsdb.com/PH/EN/Job.asp?R=JDBP130524799
http://www.prospects.ac.uk/p/types_of_job/it_consultant_job_description.jsp
http://careers.stateuniversity.com/pages/142/Web-Designer.html
http://www.iqrc.com/ProgrammerJobDescription02nobenefits.htm