Sarah Lean

There are times when you have to work late, or do extra hours, or even spend some personal time on your learning. But make sure you set boundaries such as Monday evening is your learning time, but Tuesday's are always evenings when you dedicate time to spending with friends or family. Setting those expectations with your work and your family will set you up for success and ensure you aren't always on and keep working all the time.

Be active within your local tech community, attend local conferences or user groups. Even those that aren't necessarily in your area of expertise. Meet new people and connect with them on LinkedIn. You never know who you will meet and who you will click with for long term friendships. I've managed to secure at least two jobs in my career through networking at local events to me.

To ensure success when defining roles and responsibilities in an IT Consulting team, start by clearly outlining the project's objectives and requirements. Next, identify team members' strengths, expertise, and preferences to allocate roles effectively, ensuring alignment with individual skill sets and project needs. Regularly communicate and revisit role expectations to maintain clarity, address any challenges, and adapt as necessary to ensure smooth collaboration and project success.

To improve communication with your IT Consulting team, consider implementing collaborative tools such as project management platforms or communication apps like Slack or Microsoft Teams. These tools allow for real-time messaging, file sharing, and project tracking, facilitating smoother interactions and ensuring everyone stays informed and aligned. Additionally, scheduling regular virtual meetings or check-ins can provide a structured forum for discussing progress, challenges, and priorities, fostering better understanding and teamwork.

Supporting legacy products offers valuable learning opportunities. While these products may be considered outdated, gaining knowledge about their functionalities and performance equips you with insights into potential replacement or migration strategies. By understanding both legacy and newer products, you can contribute to guiding your organization towards transitioning away from legacy systems more effectively.

Private cloud skills will often offer professionals the chance to learn a lot of different skills. The skills learnt here can be used in a variety of other jobs within the IT industry.