Recently I wrote a post for Solarwinds Thwack discussing “How to Work in IT Without Losing your mind”.  If you work in IT which I suspect you do this topic may hit you close to home.  From deciding what to learn, to long hours, this topic really could have gone anywhere, but in the end I found that for me it really is about what to work on next.   You may be tempted to volunteer for everything, but at the end of the day that is just not the right way to be successful with a career in IT.  If you feel that you are losing your mind then you will enjoy what I share with you.

how to work in IT without losing your mind

 

Here is a glimse..

If you love technology and enjoy learning, then working in IT without losing your mind will be a breeze. In my past 20 years of working in IT, I’ve personally found that if you are willing to keep learning, this will lead you down a very interesting journey—and one of great success.

How to choose what to learn

In IT, there is so much to choose from that it can leave your head spinning if you don’t know where to focus. I recently became part of a mentoring program, and my mentee struggled with this very problem. She is committed to virtualization, but the emergence of cloud left her feeling confused. Every virtualization provider is moving to some form of cloud, but in my experience, not all virtualization platforms in the cloud are created equal. She’s also not from the U.S., which is another factor—some technologies are just more geographically adopted in some regions on the world than others. So how did we decide what she will learn next? We knew for certain it would be a cloud-related technology. That being said, there was much to consider.  So, we talked through some key questions, which I would also recommend you consider.

  • Which cloud providers meet the security requirements of your region in the world? Yes, this may take some research, but remember: you are looking to learn a new technology that will help you advance your career. This requires understanding which cloud providers are being adopted successfully in your area. The choice you make here should align with industry trends, as well as what will be of most value to your current employer and any potential future employers.

Want to hear what else I have to say.  Click here for the rest of the article on How to Work in IT without Losing your Mind.  Cheers!