Your Job Motivation and Expectations - the Foundations of Success or Failure
Your success, wealth and job satisfaction will be directly affected by your job motivation. Get this right and the rest will fall in to place.
Beware of Opportunistic Thinking
Too many times now I’ve seen forum posts asking ‘which is the most lucrative field of computing to get into?’ I see people basing one of the most important decisions of their life - job motivation - based on where they hope the money is. They say things like:
“I’m thinking of going into IT but I just have a couple of questions, which field is better paid – network admin or programming? I’ve been told by a training company that if I do their MCSE course I will be earning ‘x’ amount in ‘y’ timescale”
This is opportunistic thinking which will not yield any desirable results in the long or short term. Like with many ventures in life if you focus on the money you won’t get very far, you’ll get out what you put in, - bottom line:
There is no particular field of IT that pays better than any other!
Become Valuable and in-Demand
How much you earn will directly relate to how well you do your job and how in demand your skills become. This is true whether you are a network admin, a field engineer, a project manager, an ASP developer or whatever direction you choose.
What will make the difference is how much you enjoy doing and learning what you do, your job motivation and how valuable you make yourself to your employers.
If you choose something that you are passionately interested in and naturally disposed to, the chances are you will rise to the very top of your field and enjoy great success and the living that comes with it. Your job motivation fuels your performance which fuels your income.
What makes YOU tick?
Here's a little exercise you might find helpful. Ask yourself the following questions:
What has drawn you to the field of computing?
What technologies interest you?
If you had to research and write a 4000 word dissertation on any particular field of computing what would it be?
If you could jump ahead several years to being an independent consultant who implements IT solutions for clients - what types of solution would you specialise in?
Here are a few technologies just to give you an idea of the sheer scope:
Software development
Hardware troubleshooting and development
Network Administration and Design
Security
Wireless Technology
Telecommunications and Voice over IP
Web Development and Design
Artificial Intelligence
Database Administration, Development and Design
This is just a small list of a few different technologies to get you thinking about what interests you about the field of computing. Its purpose is to make you ask yourself what you could see yourself enjoying a long and lucrative career doing and will bring you job motivation.
It’s not a decision to be made lightly so please take some time over it and really give it some thought.
Your most important decision
Choosing the right direction for you should not be that hard when you approach it with the right mindset.
Everyone has natural strengths and passions that when harnessed properly bring very desirable results for them in terms of job satisfaction, shining good work for their employers/clients, career advancement and of course financial rewards.
If you are doing what you love, with flair and enthusiasm your efforts will be appreciated and your ‘pricetag’ will reflect this.
Think about the different technologies and what kind of skills they use, for example are you creatively inclined? If so could you see yourself creating software or graphic designing? Maybe you are fascinated by networking and communications – the way all that complex data travels between computers through wires and across the air in 1’s and 0’s and disassembles/reassembles itself at each end.
Perhaps you’re an avid gamer and could see yourself designing and creating computer games or project managing a team of developers to make your ultimate game.
Continuing with the gaming theme you might be captivated by graphic card technologies and one day would like to design your own modules or some other facet that makes up cutting edge gaming experiences.
Do you take pride in your organisational skills or streamlining of certain tasks and processes?
Maybe you just love figuring out and fixing people’s computer problems.
The natural strengths you already have should have a lot to do with the direction you choose. Are you analytical and good at problem solving? Are you creative? Are you talented when it comes to managing a team of people to achieve a particular task?
Job motivation = job satisfaction = good work = good recognition.
Conclusion
To conclude, the answer to – “what is the most lucrative field of IT?” is – “the field that interests you and utilises your natural abilities the most!”
When you have figured out the right path for you not only will you excel in everything you do but you will also differentiate yourself from your competition when it comes to your resume and job interviews. Enthusiasm, passion and job motivation shows through, even on paper.
“I’m thinking of going into IT but I just have a couple of questions, which field is better paid – network admin or programming? I’ve been told by a training company that if I do their MCSE course I will be earning ‘x’ amount in ‘y’ timescale”
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