I recently interviewed a professional who works in the technology field at Infor Global Solutions, Jennifer Christy. Infor is a US software company that specializes in enterprise software. Christy is a Professional Services Account Executive who is responsible for growing Professional Services business via new and existing accounts for the entire US and Canada region for Infor’s Enterprise Asset Management product line. She is responsible for fulfilling a $4 million dollar quota of new business each fiscal year. She is a graduate of Bob Jones University, where she double majored in Graphic Design and Art Education.
She first started working in the technology field 11 years ago. She started at Infor in 1999 as a consultant. This job later transitioned into a sales position within the last two years.
She provides the following advice for any college student who is planning to pursue a career in the technology industry:
1. Think like a professional- Get out of the “I’m just a student” mentality and realize that the minute you walk out the door, people don’t think of you as a student. Get out of it now … even before you graduate. Ask yourself “what do professionals do?” Answer: They network. Build relationships. When someone comes in as a guest lecturer, think about how to develop a professional relationship with them. Same thing goes for professors … who should (hopefully) have industry contacts.
2. Figure out your marketing material (AKA your resume)- What makes you marketable? What makes you special? And what makes you the right person for the position?
3. Help Others- Help. Help. Help. When you give leads, make introductions, etc. There is more value for you in helping others than in helping yourself. It’s personally rewarding, and it will come back to you. This is also a means of getting yourself out there – tattooing some grounds
4. Realize you are going to be in career management mode for the rest of your career- You already know this, pergaps, but just to hammer it home. Umemployment and job search cannot be treated as the pink elephant that you only face when you are looking for a job. Always, always always do career management stuff. Always nurture professional realtionships.
5. Stay sharp! Quite possible one of the most important pieces of advice, especially for someone pursuing a career in IT is to STAY SHARP, STAY CURRENT. Technology is ever-changing … and while your resume may be impressive today – one year from now it won't be as impressive if there is nothing to update. The more current your resume is as it relates to today’s technology, the more valuable you are.
I found her advice very helpful to not only to students pursuing technolog careers, but to all college students in general. I also asked Christy if she followed any technology blogs. Her response was "never." She believes that she can learn better by exposure, and blogging can sometimes be quite opinionated and "geared toward specific verticals." Therefore, some blogs are misleading. Christy agrees that technology blogs can be beneficial in some circumstances, but she wouldn't use them as a source to get the truth on the latest innovations in technology.
