| Introduction | | | | every day and awareness of upgraded versions of |
| Although the world economy is trying to come out of | | | | related technologies and what they deliver to the |
| wood and awaiting to witness credible growth, | | | | business is extremely important. Be aware that, |
| demand for competitive skills in IT global world continue | | | | competitive skills in technology area are moving |
| to be at high stake and is intensifying day by day, | | | | towards mobile computing, cloud computing and |
| making it difficult or impossible for any IT professional | | | | virtualization predominantly hence it is essential to |
| worldwide to stay ahead of it. A wide range of | | | | understand what they are and what they offer. The |
| fluctuation in supply and demand of competitive skills is | | | | business enhancements and solutions are going to be |
| making the recruitment process much difficult for hiring | | | | delivered through Virtualization, Innovation and |
| organizations. On the other side those who already | | | | Automation (VIA), hence IT professionals will have to |
| work with the IT organization always carry a fear that | | | | get geared-up in learning and exercising innovative |
| opportunities may cease at any moment of time or | | | | practices, strive for automating business and IT |
| their skills may be obsolete after some time and no | | | | processes at every juncture and finally virtualize them |
| more required to the Organization. In current situation it | | | | for client's user and customers globally. Cloud |
| may be likely that a star performer IT professional in | | | | computing is one of the emerging technology which |
| the Organization can become suddenly a bench | | | | has forced usage of every component of software, |
| warmer and after sometime subscriber of multiple job | | | | hardware and platform on subscription or pay per user |
| portals. The career transitions from one end to other | | | | basis for economies of scale and optimal utilization for |
| end may be so fast; many times it happens overnight. | | | | multiple clients globally.o Learning and De-learning |
| It is a well known fact that, practically it looks | | | | (LDEL): The new challenges posed by world economy, |
| impossible for an average IT professional to get an | | | | service globalization and competition has forced IT |
| opportunity to acquire multiple skills by working in | | | | organizations to change the routes and the manner in |
| multiple projects consecutively, moreover in current | | | | which business was conducted. There is re-engineering |
| trend due to the delayed projects, clients are taking | | | | and in some cases reverse engineering of business |
| their own time to hire IT professionals that too only | | | | and IT practices hence IT professional will have to |
| after rigorous assessment. More you are idle in the IT | | | | acquire skills for learning new routes and de-learning |
| organization more you become suspect to hiring | | | | old routs with which businesses were conducted. |
| organization. Hence it is high time for IT professionals | | | | E-commerce is best example of LDEL.o Service |
| to keep nurturing their existing skills and look for | | | | focus will be on the top: Focus on acquiring and |
| acquiring new skills which market demands. | | | | enhancing skills in the area of service commitment. |
| Competitive skills demand changes faster along with | | | | Every service component and its performance is going |
| changes in technology and business scenario and | | | | to be tied-up with stringent Service Level Agreement |
| every time it may not be just technical skill which | | | | (SLA) which will have to be fulfilled by every IT |
| matters. Clients are increasingly looking at skills of | | | | professional.o Multilingual-Multicultural dilemma: Global |
| those IT professionals who can deliver business value | | | | business scenario expects every IT professional to |
| and virtually eliminate their issues in real time. | | | | walk and talk in Multilingual-Multicultural environment, |
| What are the competitive skills? | | | | hence learning, adopting and demonstrating these |
| Competitive skills are the oriented skills and are built on | | | | cultural and multilingual facets is considered as one of |
| combination of any of the basic skills (such as | | | | the top preferred skill by clients worldwide. Talking and |
| technical, management or behavioral) which on | | | | walking in customer language and culture adds to the |
| demonstration, enables and accelerates the business | | | | comfort level of client tremendously.o Do pilots and |
| outcome of your customer in a positive way. | | | | internal projects to gain confidence: Pilots and internal |
| Competitive skills keeps changing as per business, | | | | projects are the best ways to try out newly learned |
| technology and human needs and they largely depend | | | | skills to gain confidence. Many times it may not be |
| upon the position or role with which you are expected | | | | feasible to get opportunity to work in live client project, |
| to perform. With these performing skills you need to | | | | however IT professionals need to treat internal or pilot |
| accomplish the tasks to meet your client's goal. | | | | projects with the same rigor to get thorough |
| There are multiple ways IT professionals can acquire | | | | experience to build the confidence level.o Adoption to |
| the competitive skills, however choosing, acquiring or | | | | business environment and competition: There could be |
| enhancing the right set of skills is key to the career | | | | impact of environment and people with whom you are |
| advancement. There cannot be a written rule on who | | | | collaborating during your engagements. You may be |
| should acquire which skills however there is a logical | | | | working with clients and vendors in near shoring, |
| need to synchronize between what competitive skills | | | | off-shoring, on shoring arrangement or in co sourcing |
| you are capable of possessing and what market | | | | environment and with competing vendors. Your |
| wants you to possess. Hence it is crystal clear that | | | | competitive skills needs to be at par as compare to |
| one needs to align his or her competitive skills as per | | | | the client or vendor organization while delivering the |
| the business environment they are expected to work | | | | services to create that differentiator.o Get |
| with. | | | | accustomed to Unified Communication: Since the |
| Managing competitive skills with business focus and | | | | business process integration will be on the top of |
| what you need to do. | | | | agenda for every business conglomerate, the real time |
| Selecting competitive skills for acquiring or enhancing, in | | | | communication services will have top preference. IT |
| tune with business demand is a tough task and need | | | | professionals will have to learn how to make cost |
| thorough self assessment. Here are some of the | | | | effective usage of integrated instant messaging, IP |
| useful aspects to remembero Scrutinize and Chart | | | | Telephony, Video conferencing, call control speech |
| career path: It is essential for every IT professional to | | | | recognization etc.o Commitment to CSR and Green |
| chart a career path for next 3 years period based on | | | | Environment: At work, learn the requirements of |
| market projections and aspects such as, what | | | | facilitating green environment and participate in the |
| technologies are getting introduced, what services are | | | | Organizations initiatives. Corporate Social Responsibility |
| going to be used, what are the clients expectations | | | | (CSR) is no more optional service and every |
| from their business towards service providers and also | | | | professional need to contribute his bit towards CSR |
| from the feedback you receive from client at the end | | | | initiatives. Many governments worldwide have |
| of project if you are already in a project environment.o | | | | enforced regulations to organizations and their |
| Learn the business dynamics: Business dynamics is | | | | employees with the mandate to demonstrate visible |
| changing fast due to globalization of services; stiff | | | | outcome. The selection criteria for some of the top |
| competition; accelerated time to market; recession; | | | | jobs include one of the aspects of contribution |
| pressure on cost reduction and to do more with less. | | | | towards CSR and green environment by many |
| These aspects have to be clearly factors in our way | | | | organizations.o Improve communication and |
| of working. IT professionals are required to do | | | | presentation capabilities: Doing presentations, |
| additional learning to demonstrate quick results and | | | | conducting webinars, podcasts, writing articles and |
| expected value (ROI), cost savings, while rendering | | | | whitepapers Mentoring juniors, Blogging, becoming |
| services to the client. This is possible by improving | | | | opinion leader, being a part of social network, provides |
| traction with your client and keeping sensitivity towards | | | | ample opportunities for IT professionals to improve |
| your clients' immediate needs.o Synergizing and | | | | their written and verbal communication and |
| balancing the skills: Making a skill set, business centric is | | | | presentation skills. Many times communication skills |
| very important, for example, you may be good in | | | | supersede the other skills and clients do accept |
| technical skills but lack in soft skills or management | | | | working with professionals who may not be very |
| skills which may be needed in managing the team by | | | | expert but know their job.o Be aware of change |
| your client. The skills with which you do outstanding | | | | management issues: Changes in reporting functions, |
| work need to continue in the same rigor; however the | | | | policies within organization and with client organization |
| skills in which you are weak, may have to be | | | | as well as acquisition and mergers poses lots of |
| strengthen further. Do a SWOT analysis of yourself to | | | | challenges and impacts performing skills. Understanding |
| confirm the areas you need to have improvement | | | | the change management process thoroughly and |
| plan. Remember, competitive skills are going to be | | | | realigning with new organization structure requires |
| used as input as well as output for measuring the | | | | patience, adaptability and lot of flexibility. Sometimes it |
| business performance as well as your own | | | | also creates uncertainty to the profession; this has to |
| performance.o Acquire professional certifications: | | | | be dealt with by demonstrating much better |
| Acquiring Certifications from worldwide recognized | | | | performance in business outcome.o Improve |
| organizations on specific competency skills are | | | | professionalism and be trusted partner: Professionalism |
| extremely useful which provides good Weightage and | | | | is demonstrable application of qualities and |
| credibility to the career charter and they need to be | | | | competencies within the framework of business ethics. |
| planned in a systematic manner based on eligibility | | | | When you work as an IT professional for your client |
| criteria. Too many certifications from totally different | | | | you are ambassador of your Organization and your |
| work stream may not be useful. Certification shall help | | | | professional services shall safe guard interest and |
| individual professional in building-up the career ladder in | | | | expectations of your client. It is necessary to |
| related field and improve learning by gaining knowledge. | | | | demonstrate professionalism in every task and act |
| The examples of certifications in each area are | | | | which can provide outstanding results from your work |
| Technology (Microsoft, Oracle, SAP, Java, Net, | | | | to the client, moreover client look at every hired |
| Virtualization, agile) Project Management (such as | | | | professional as a trusted partner who can delivery |
| PMP, PRINCE-II), Information security (CISSP), Quality | | | | solution to his problems.o Register for national skill |
| (ITIL, CoBIT, CMMI, ISO). Standard tools (such as Ms | | | | database and get your BGRC done: It is desirable for |
| Project, Visio, rational tools, presentations tools or excel | | | | every IT professional to get registered to national |
| based tools).o Improve your knowledge base: Client | | | | database of that country (such as NASSCOM in India) |
| always looks at you as a solution provider or Subject | | | | and get certified and cleared in background check |
| Matter Expert (SME) in the area of his interest; he may | | | | (BGRC) by approved agencies. This is specifically |
| expect you to provide you consultation or professional | | | | check by your client while hiring you for services.o |
| opinion. You need to possess a thorough knowledge in | | | | Referencing and perception: Creating good references |
| those related areas which can always be achieved by, | | | | about yourself is a key requirement of your profession. |
| attending and participating in seminars, webinars, | | | | If you have good reference base from your senior |
| workshops, conversing with your professional | | | | colleagues, client and professional who can talk about |
| colleagues, reading; searching information, reading; | | | | your capabilities and achievements, it provides high |
| writing articles and white papers and by blogging.o | | | | level of comfort to the anyone who wants to refer |
| Prioritization and Reprioritization: There is a need to | | | | you. Also it is imperative to create honest perception |
| have a continuous focus on Prioritization and | | | | about yourself through performance and |
| Reprioritization of competitive skills due to business | | | | achievements to the professional world around you. |
| Prioritization and Reprioritization and its complexities. | | | | In summary |
| Based on changed business dynamic, IT professionals | | | | Competitive skills are influenced by market condition, |
| will have to review periodically those competitive skills | | | | demand for IT services, global view hence it is |
| which were earlier prioritized; some of them may need | | | | imperative to take a stock of current and future state |
| to be reprioritized due to market urgently.o Work on | | | | of global needs while developing the skills and delivering |
| future competencies, tools and technologies: The | | | | the outcome. |
| technologies and tools in IT world are getting upgraded | | | | |