IT Pros: Here Today, Gone Tomorrow
Top Skills to Advance Your Career
Asked to choose the three skills and attributes they think most worthwhile for moving their careers forward, respondents answered: Being business savvy: 57%, Influencing others: 50%, Building relationships: 49%, Team leadership: 37%, Critical thinking: 33%
Business Skills Trounce Technical Know-How
If they had to say whether business knowledge or technical knowledge was more important to advancing their career, a whopping 87% of respondents said business knowledge.
Where to Acquire Business Skills
Responses about where to get business skills depend on whether an IT professional works for a hierarchical or flat company. At more hierarchical companies, people look to their managers or to no one. At flat companies, IT professionals look outside for a mentor, executive coach or peer.
Wandering IT Pros
IT professionals are restless. 90% of respondents have been in IT for more than 10 years, but 65% of them have been in their current position for less than five years.
Most IT Pros Expect To Leave Within Two Years
One third of respondents expect to leave their job within the year. Two-thirds say within two years. 16% in the next six months, 19% in the next year ,27% in the next two years, 13% in the next five years, 15% have no timeline, 10% have no plans to leave
Expecting Versus Wanting To Leave
Asked when they want to leave, as opposed to expect to leave, 46% said they wanted to move within the year.
Why the Eagerness to Move?
47% of respondents say they have to leave their current company in order to move up the ladder.
Learning, Not Dollars, Top Priority
Respondents most often named “more opportunities to learn” among the top three choices for what would positively affect their jobs and lives. Second was “more positive feedback from the business side of the organization” and third was “more challenging work opportunities.”
How to Keep Your Talent
If you want to retain IT talent, don’t just nurture their technical side. Help them develop the soft skills usually associated with other parts of the business.
Developing Your Own Career
The report cautions: “Be aware that while your current company may not have specific opportunities for developing soft skills, others may not either.”
