What Mistakes Can Stall An IT Career? (cio.com)

Quoting snydeq: "In the fast-paced world of technology, complacency can be a career killer," Paul Heltzel writes in an article on 20 ways to kill your IT career without knowing it. "So too can any number of hidden hazards that quietly put your career on shaky ground -- from not knowing your true worth to thinking you've finally made it. Learning new tech skills and networking are obvious ways to solidify your career. But what about accidental ways that could put your career in a slide? Hidden hazards -- silent career killers? Some tech pitfalls may not be obvious."
CIO's reporter "talked to a number of IT pros, recruiters, and developers about how to build a bulletproof career and avoid lesser-known pitfalls," citing hazards like burning bridges and skipping social events. But it also warns of the dangers of staying in your comfort zone too long instead of asking for "stretch" assignments and accepting training opporunities.

The original submission puts the same question to Slashdot readers. "What silent career killers have you witnessed (or fallen prey to) in your years in IT?"

Comments

Hate to say it but...

[TWX]

...not liking sports. Even though these grown men never played anything more than flag-football or a coed softball game they carry on about their favorite teams with the pronoun, "we," like they had something to do with the team's success. Many are huge fans of teams for whom they've never lived in the state that the team is based in and only attend games when that team comes to town for one game against the local one.

The only real carreer killer is complacency

[SuperKendall]

Over time in development and IT, I've seen guys who carreers stalled - but it wasn't from anything like failing to attend social events, it was just being complacent doing one thing, and not even really excelling at it but just being "the guy who does X" for years on end.

You really do have to push to try new things, get training, or try to get some other tasks besides something that is pigeonholing you. In the earlier days of career I would even do things like take vacation and pay for my own conferences, which greatly paid off later (also sometimes I was able to get a company to expense a conference after the fact, so don't give up even if they say no). However key is that you have to try and make use of what training you get, even if it's just prototypes that show alternative ways the company could be doing things. Very often those can spring up into real projects.

Going back around to social events, like I said I don't think they hurt your progression - but that's within a company. The thing talking to people in the company and getting to know them a bit does do, is make it much easier to find jobs later as people move on and disperse to lots of other companies. It's a great help to be thought of well by someone who works at a company you are thinking of working for, and even better having an inside person lets you invite them to lunch and ask real questions about what it is like to work there. So longer term, I don't think you have to go to every event but do make an effort to not only be friendly but also interested in the lives of those around you.

Re:The only real carreer killer is complacency

[Kjella]

I'm not sure how to formulate it properly but it's about provable skills vs actual skills. As in, when you're job hunting it doesn't matter if you're really good at something if nobody knows about it or nobody believes you. You get a stack of resumes and... what does it say really? From and to dates and a title. You probably have referrals, but almost everyone can get someone to speak positively about them. A short test on the interview probably says more about who's a smooth talker and how they handle a quiz than everyday work. Ideally you want tangible proofs that you're an accomplished professional or passionate developer, second best is networks and people who'll vouch for you and third are degrees, certificates and other formal papers.

I think it also depends on how big of a niche you're in, despite living in a >100k city I find that many of the same people are circulating around the same oh, maybe 50-100 jobs. I don't feel the need to really actively "market" myself, people I've worked with in the past either at other companies or have left for other companies means then you've seeded quite a few ex-coworkers who hopefully have a good impression of you. But you have to make that impression, you can't just hide in a corner and do your own little thing. Personally I don't think I could, I got fingers in way too many pies and is actively trying to *not* get caught up in more. Mostly because I'm the one stuck cleaning up the train wrecks when things derail.

Missed some

[ranton]

Two huge ones I feel they missed are sticking with a single company without advancement for too long, and waiting for responsibility to be given to you.

While hopping between jobs every 10 months is a big red flag for most, staying at the same company in the same role for 10 years is even worse (IMHO). Every time I meet a developer who has been at the same company for a decade while staying at a mid-level developer position, I expect mediocrity. Only once have I been wrong. In your mid 20's to mid 30's you need to be moving up in responsibility rapidly, and most of the time a non-enterprise sized company cannot keep up with enough opportunities.

Also most coworkers I have had wait until being formally given responsibility instead of just taking it on themselves. Every time I have gotten a significant promotion my day to day responsibilities were largely unchanged. This was because I was already doing that role and the company was just making it official. I hear many coworkers complaining about how poorly their department is being run without ever finding ways they can improve it themselves without direction. If you have a boss that doesn't like this, get a new boss. But you cannot just wait for opportunities to present themselves; create opportunity.

What mistakes can kill an IT career?

[frank_adrian314159]

Getting old. Although you wouldn't like the alternative to avoiding that.

Politics

[MattRyanUK]

Realising that corporate politics is a load of bullshit and not playing along is the #1 career killer.

Believing your employer

[fahrbot-bot]

When they say, "Our employees are our most valuable asset."

Pro Tip: The more you can relate to Dilbert (in general) the more you need to find somewhere else to work.

The exact same things ...

[Qbertino]

... that stall every other career:

1) Not knowing my worth.

2) Relying on others to advance it.

Which are somewhat two sides of the same coin.

I happen to be in the lucky place of having (at least) two careers in an lifetime. The other being performing arts. (I have a dancing/performing arts diploma) I can assure you the things holding me back in one are the precise same things holding me back in my other career in IT. It boils down to this: All careers, IT and elsewhere, that deserve the name are hand crafted and built on the willingness to have uncomfortable/difficult conversations and make tough decisions. Your current IT lead is just the very same as your current choreograph: Beyond a minimal extent he/she doesn't give a flying fuck where you are at in 20 years from now. And they don't have to. It's not their job or their concern.

It should however be yours.

I'm pretty glad with how my career is going and you can be sure all advancements are based on going through very very tough patches and seeing them through and coming out on top. Eventually.

My two eurocents.

Bosses wife

[jwhyche]

Sleeping with the bosses wife or girlfriend come to mind. Anything involving the words, "officer that isn't my cocaine." Getting drunk and mistaking the main server as a urinal

Fire arms and the disk drives from the corporate san.

posting to facebook while intoxicated.

Top 3 IT Career Mistakes

[GameboyRMH]

1. Being born after 1985 or before 1975
2. Not living in NYC/SF/Austin/Boston
3. Being born without a penis