Title: CIO and executive vice president for customer operations
Company: Direct Energy, Toronto
Kalia is this month's , answering questions about education, mentoring, skills, ethics and more. If you have a question you'd like to pose to one of our Premier 100 IT Leaders, send it to and watch for this column each month.
Throughout my 18-year career, I've always been aggressive in furthering my education, learning new technologies and generally staying up to date. I think I have a breadth of knowledge that surpasses anything those 10 or 15 years my junior have. But when new projects like virtualization come up, I'm not being tapped for either the initial evaluation or the implementation. How can I broadcast my abilities without coming off as a braggart? I'm afraid of being typecast as old school and not making the cut in some future round of layoffs. You can draw attention to your accumulated knowledge and wisdom in many ways. For example, writing a blog or commenting on online tech boards will show that you have contributions to make. Volunteer your services as a helping hand on projects where you know you can add something, but start by doing this during lunchtimes or after hours so that people see you as someone who is passionate, interested and willing to go the extra mile. Take on mentoring or coaching duties for your younger and less-experienced colleagues so that you are seen as a go-to person for advice. There are numerous ways to establish yourself without having to resort to shameless self-promotion!
With the economy in deep trouble, what can you say to encourage me to ? At 26, I'm thinking about returning to school and studying accounting, but it's technology I really love. Better knowledge of finance is good for IT professionals who want to make significant contributions to business success, especially if you aspire to be an IT manager. So studying accounting doesn't have to mean leaving the technology field, but you do have to think about what you love about technology and how you want to contribute. Tech professionals are always in demand, even in recessions, but you may have to relocate to find suitable opportunities. If that is not attractive or possible, then spending time at school to improve your marketability to companies could also be a productive use of your time. But don't let your tech skills get too rusty!
What's the one skill that could best help an IT pro weather this economic downturn? Adaptability! Be prepared to change your role and either use new skills or reuse old ones. Companies will be restructuring and asking people to do different things. Keep an open mind and an enthusiastic attitude, and employers will be grateful to have you around. And whatever happens, make sure you stay current -- keep your certifications up to date and keep reading tech sites, participating in online tech forums, etc., even if it's on your own time.
What are good things to look for in a potential mentor, and how should I approach someone about taking on that role? I'm interested in assuming more leadership responsibilities, and a mentor is one of the things I think could help. come in all shapes and sizes, and what will work for one person won't work for another. Also, you may need different mentors to help you with different aspects. Firstly, you need to figure out what your ideal career path will be, and look for mentors who have taken a similar path. They don't have to be people you already know, or even in your immediate circle -- in fact, it's often better if they aren't. If you don't know what your preferred career path is and whether it's feasible, your initial mentor might be someone who can help you figure that out. If you determine you want to take on more leadership responsibility, you should seek out mentors who are respected leaders in your field. Initially, ask for advice, then see how the chemistry works before you make a mentoring request. If you don't know anyone suitable, ask around. Maybe a vendor could suggest someone at another company, or you might locate someone through friends of friends or a social network.
I'm looking into getting a master's degree. Are online schools gaining respect in the eyes of hiring managers? Do it because you want to, not because of what hiring managers will think. There are many ways to gather knowledge, and hiring managers are impressed with people who have and can apply that knowledge -- less so by academic qualifications. Experience of current technologies is always more valuable, so certifications in , , and other technologies might be more relevant in this economy than broader academic education, which may be personally enriching but less commercially valuable.
I found out that a co-worker has been . I'm pretty sure he had no legitimate reason to do so, and I don't think anyone else knows about it. What should I do about this? I feel funny about ratting someone out, but I wouldn't want someone poking around in my files. Many companies have established whistle-blower policies to allow confidential and often anonymous reporting in situations such as this. I suggest that you seek out your company's policy through its intranet or published policy statements. If that doesn't exist, you can use anonymous e-mail sites or have someone else make a phone call for you to tip people off in your HR or legal/compliance departments, and they can initiate the appropriate investigation.