Skills for Success at Different Stages of an IT Professional's Career

SKILLED INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (IT) professionals are scarce and costly. IT managers must not only ensure they hire the right entry-level capabilities and skills but also understand how to acquire, nurture, retain, and develop an evolving and diverse set of employee skills throughout the IT hierarchy. They must also ensure they develop their own skills to achieve the career progression they desire.14 Much has been written about the skills needed for success in the IT field. The appropriate set of skills for entry-level new hires is of great interest to scholars, as well as to employers.1,2,4,7,15,24,25 However, less attention has gone toward identifying skills required for the success of mid-level IT managers and CIOs beyond calls for excellent communication skills, strong business acumen, and strategic thinking.6-9 Although these qualities are important, a more comprehensive set of skills is increasingly important, as organizations grapple with the costs of hiring, training, retention, and turnover.