The question: How can I develop business
skills?
I am finishing a three-month contract as a National Network Systems
administrator in Sydney. Before that I worked in the UK for EDS as
a team leader in security and intruder detection.
My business and management skills have been praised and I have a
variety of technical skills but no programming at all. My age and
lack of formal business qualifications are holding me back.
Can you recommend career routes or training courses that would
help?
The solution: Seek Prince2 or PMW training
As an experienced senior support analyst with good business and
team-leading skills, there are a number of possible career routes
open to you. The obvious option is to build on your experience and
seek to lead a support team. This will give you an opportunity to
distance yourself from the technical side of the job and move more
into man-management.
You could try shifting your career focus towards project management
or business analysis. Either of these roles would enable you to
build on your business and management skills, and move you away
from the support pigeonhole you feel you are in.
If you decided to do this, you would be well advised to study for
one of the recognised professional qualifications (Prince2, PMW) or
to attend courses on subjects such as MS Project, SSADM or Rational
Rose. At the very least, you could begin reading about these
areas.
A lack of formal qualifications can hold back your career so I
strongly recommend you begin a course of study. Many companies will
appreciate a good technical background and an evident desire to
learn.
Solution by Richard Herring, Reed
Technology
The panel: MSB International, Best
International, BritishComputer Society, Computer Futures, Computer
People, Elan, Reed Technology, Zarak Technology, E-Skills UK.
E-mail your career questions
to computerweekly@rbi.co.uk