David Notik

"What if you fail?", I've been asked by those close to me. They know I'm taking a risk, pushing forward on my ideas, struggling to make it all work.

Well, I certainly ain't going to start flipping burgers. Not that I have anything against that -- my first job was doing just that (I must have been 10 or so) for an informal kosher diner ran out of our small community synagogue in Long Beach, California (might have been worse than Mickey D's in many ways).

So why forgo the security and sanity of a full-time job in the industry?

I'm an impassioned believer in what I'm doing. I believe information technology and the Internet, when applied properly, serve as a catalyst for positive change, and, when combined with the effects of ethical globalization, can radically alter the world for the better. I believe I was given certain skills and blessed with certain experiences for a reason, and that I need to apply them properly. I believe in my mission of empowering people with the tools to work together, regardless of where in the world they are. I believe I have some solid ideas, and I need to take a shot at turning them into reality. And heck, I believe I'll make a lot of money, further enabling me to do the things I believe in.

I can take a risk. I'm not married, no kids (though I intend for that in due time). I've got parents and six siblings that need my support, but they're fully supportive of whatever path I need to take to get to a good point. I can survive off a little, and I'm not killing anyone but myself. I can take that risk now, and the ability to do so might not present itself again.

I've got the gut. Some would say I'm an intense person, able to take a lot. I'm simple, too, not needing alot to survive. What I do is certainly volatile, and I've had my fair share of sweat and tears. It's definitely been tough, and I've agonized over it. Yet, as long as I believe I'm moving forward and that where I'm at (including relative to where that might take me) outweighs where I might otherwise place myself (and I do trust my ability to determine that), I can take it. It's probably safe to say that not alot of people could.

And yet, there's another crucial point: if I fail with this, the alternative really ain't all that bad.

The information technology (IT) sector is booming right now, skills like mine are in high demand, at companies with class A treament and killer perks, with causes I wouldn't mind working towards. I've already established myself in the industry, and I've got a decent resume of experience. Pretty good for failure, eh?

It gets better. The latest eWeek featured an article on the type of IT person that's in demand -- what makes the perfect IT guy. It's spot on, in my opinion, and reflective of the current state of the industry.

There's a bit of confusion when it comes to the state of the IT job market, the article explains. Some reports say salaries are on the rise and the market is booming, and others don't paint nearly as pretty a picture. The source of this confusion is that, indeed, many jobs are being outsourced and, sure, if you're a low-level programmer (a "code monkey" as they've been called) your job will go to India (no, I'm not calling Indians code monkies, though surely some individuals there might be), thus the job market doesn't look so rosy. Yet, the market's never looked brighter for workers who can deal with change, effectively project manage, understand actual business needs, and innovate.

The article very nicely sums up those (as it puts it) certain traits that will help workers navigate the crosscurrents that currently abound in the technology industry (as gleaned from the CIOs surveyed). Here they are:

Can interact with others.

Walking around the workplace and talking to brethren is in. The conversationally challenged, jargon-using guy is out as companies grow increasingly impatient with that model.

[A CIO quoted] attributes the change in personality expectations to a change in business models where technology no longer is a free-standing department. "The old model of IT was hierarchical. Now, it's more Web-style, where all levels interact with all levels. You don't implement systems today that are free-standing, like a mainframe, and your department doesn't function independently."

Isn't addicted to certifications.

The rub with certifications[...] is that they can be viewed as a crutch if you have too many. "If I see someone who has a lot of certifications, I'm not sure that they're proficient in all of them. I'm more interested in the work history, and I'm going to pick the guy with four years' experience over the guy with two years' experience and a Cisco [Systems] certification."

Thinks global.

Numerous CIOs agree that the IT professional who views himself or herself as a potential liaison in the outsourced relationship will find no shortage of career opportunities. "The more commoditized skills sets are more easily outsourced or offshored, but the technology still needs to be applied to the people and the organization. Whether the technology is done in or outside the organization, the liaison role is critical."

Understands the business need.

The IT professional with a good business mind is able to explain technology in terms of savings and productivity rather than in terms of it being "cool" or "exciting." By being able to communicate technology in business terms, an archetypical IT pro will be able to manage projects in a manner that will benefit the organization as a whole. They're able to anticipate where problems may occur and accommodate for them in advance.

Can adapt.

[T]echnology professionals who can work through distractions often can excel through their sheer ability to manage change. "There tends to be a lot of background noise. You need to be able to cut through that and get to the core of the problem and move on."

Am I the perfect tech guy? Call me cocky (it wouldn't be the first or fifth time someone has), but I believe I might at least qualify for consideration if there were such a person.

I know my strengths. One of my defining abilities has been that I can interact with non-geeks -- I can break it down. I certainly have more "street" experience than certifications. I obviously think global -- in fact, my role for some time now has largely been to help my clients go global. I've had a front row seat while working at a few companies, and I've been running my own consulting business, so I have a fair idea of business need and learning more. And, heck, there's a high degree of volatility in what I've been doing, so I've well learned how to adapt. Combined with technical development skills, an in-demand arsenal.

So if I fail to do what I optimally, passionately wish to do, I think I'll manage to do just fine anyway. Heck, I'd also be just fine if I dropped everything and decided to travel the world, really (and I plan on getting to the last part of that, in time and in style). So I guess I mean I'll be rocking and rolling by at least one measure of success.

But I don't plan on failing. In fact, we're only just getting started.