Proactive mind is necessary

With increasing use of automation and related technology in IT, PRADIPTO CHAKRABARTY says why interested candidates should opt for it

The real sense of development has taken place, with earlier business practices fading out in favor of emerging technologies and processes. This is slowly creating a new dimension to conduct business in, where organisations are increasing their dependence on the new wave of technologies such as artificial intelligence and the Internet of Things, with positive results. With the addition of such technology, the data that businesses gather is more goal-oriented, while operations are more streamlined.

With increasing use of automation and related technology, there remains a possibility that some job roles will go through the path of either extinction or shape up in a different avatar requiring radically different skillsets.  Especially for professionals in the Information Technology — where automation looks to become the  of business function functioning, AI, machine learning and other disruptive technologiesare creating a bracing impact. So, should aspiring individuals and IT professionals bow down and whittle away? No, they can secure relevance through the following ways:

• Interpretation of data: It is completely fair to state that today data that rules the world. Hyper-personalisation is taking customer experience to a whole new dimension and all this is possible because of data driven analytics. Digital  interactions and transactions that users are doing every second leaves its trail for big corporations to harness and create experiences, unique for all.  Yet, processing the mountain of data into something useful (and profitable) isn’t easy, hence the requirement of individuals who hold proficiency over data interpretation will be extremely valuable. nCreate value: Stagnancy is what kills progress, be it in jobs or personal life. To expect that your job will remain circumstances-proof, without you putting in efforts to develop new skills, is impossible.  It is natural that with technology, the interaction between the target audience and the organisation will evolve. You need to figure out new ways to display the drive to create progressive impact. You can be the person who acquires new skills, or provides new methods to implement automation, this guarantees your space as an orchestration genius who knows his/her way around newer additions, in order to contribute to the future goals of the organisation.
• Develop the insight muscle: Here is a simple yet critical fact that one needs to reckon with — all this automation is taking place at a steady pace. This isn’t an overnight development and one doesn’t face a loss of relevance immediately, it is taking it’s time to synthesise and synchronise things. Therefore, a proactive presence of mind, with a critical eye towards insight, is necessary to develop value. The message is clear-enmesh yourself into higher value areas, to prove grit and merit. nEmbrace the opportunity to transform:  It is often seen that with extended tenure over a particular position, one loses his/her ability to transform to changing times.  Yet, in the field of IT, an aversion to change brings nothing but dismay.  IT professionals have long experienced the disruptive forces of automation and technology transformation and it is noted that those who are willing to embrace and incorporate, provide the most value to the whole industry. With the change in business practices, it is important to keep the onus to transform alive, in order to fuel in change while maintain progress throughout.
• Fill the skill gap, through IT certifications: The requirement to learn should never witness a stalemate — it should empower your decisions and create a conduit of valuable knowledge within you-via certifications. They are a fail-proof medium to get new skill sets while adding the possibility of a new position to their already robust role.

The writer is Regional Director, CompTIA India