Top 10 Qualities of a Great Computer
Professional
If you’re considering going to
school to become an IT professional, you should learn what the top 10 qualities
of a great computer major are. This will be helpful in deciding whether
computer school is right for you, and it will help you determine what skills
you need to play up or work on more. So without further ado, here are the top
10 qualities of a great computer major:
1. Ability to Multitask: Computer professionals are often involved in many tasks at the same time, which involves time management skills to pull off successfully.
2. Adaptability: If you want to make it in the professional computer/IT world, you have to be versatile. This means bringing skills in other fields, such as business and finance, to the table.
3. Analytical Skills: You should have great analytical skills because you can use them to develop new ideas and solve computer problems.
4. Aptitude for Math: Mathematics is used in many computer applications, so you can’t do well in this career without a few good math skills.
5. Attention to Detail: If your numbers, computations or placements are even slightly off, it can affect how a computer program runs or looks. You must be able to ensure accuracy every time.
6. Commitment to Learning: As a computer professional you will constantly be reeducating yourself in order to keep up with changing technology.
7. Communication Skills: Many IT professionals lack good communication skills, so you can set yourself apart here. This will help you understand clients’ and coworkers’ needs.
8. Memorization Skills: You must be able to learn and memorize programming languages to make it in this professional field.
9. Problem Solving/Troubleshooting Capabilities: If you’re going to be able to solve problems with networks, software and various programs, you have to be able to think on your feet and act fast.
10. Technical Writing Skills: This means being able to explain very complicated concepts on paper in such a way that the layman will understand.
Utilize this list if you are thinking about majoring in computer science or a related field and are looking for ways to stand out in the field of potential competitors.
1. Ability to Multitask: Computer professionals are often involved in many tasks at the same time, which involves time management skills to pull off successfully.
2. Adaptability: If you want to make it in the professional computer/IT world, you have to be versatile. This means bringing skills in other fields, such as business and finance, to the table.
3. Analytical Skills: You should have great analytical skills because you can use them to develop new ideas and solve computer problems.
4. Aptitude for Math: Mathematics is used in many computer applications, so you can’t do well in this career without a few good math skills.
5. Attention to Detail: If your numbers, computations or placements are even slightly off, it can affect how a computer program runs or looks. You must be able to ensure accuracy every time.
6. Commitment to Learning: As a computer professional you will constantly be reeducating yourself in order to keep up with changing technology.
7. Communication Skills: Many IT professionals lack good communication skills, so you can set yourself apart here. This will help you understand clients’ and coworkers’ needs.
8. Memorization Skills: You must be able to learn and memorize programming languages to make it in this professional field.
9. Problem Solving/Troubleshooting Capabilities: If you’re going to be able to solve problems with networks, software and various programs, you have to be able to think on your feet and act fast.
10. Technical Writing Skills: This means being able to explain very complicated concepts on paper in such a way that the layman will understand.
Utilize this list if you are thinking about majoring in computer science or a related field and are looking for ways to stand out in the field of potential competitors.
Qualities of a Good Computer Professional
A successful dancer must love music,
have a good sense of rhythm, and be coordinated. Similarly, computer
professionals must possess certain attributes to thrive in computer careers.
- Solve Problems and Troubleshoot: At the top of the list for most computer careers is not
just the ability to solve problems but also a desire to solve problems.
Whether it’s a software application, or a computer network, or an animated
Web page, troubleshooting is the name of the game. When something doesn’t
work right, a successful computer professional must not give up, but
rather must use every resource at hand to fix the issue. Many times,
looming deadlines add an element of pressure to the situation, so a cool
head is also a useful characteristic.
- Research:
Related to problem solving is the ability to research solutions. Many
resources exist, such as coworkers, discussion groups on the Internet,
journals and magazines, and books. A good problem solver is willing to
delve into all these resources to find the best solution.
- Multitask:
It is a rare luxury for a computer professional to be able to work on only
one project, or one problem, at a time. It is far more common to be
required to work on several different things at once, often with similar
deadlines. To handle this situation, computer professionals must be able
to prioritize projects, switch from one project to another without losing
focus, and plan milestones for each project so that each is completed on
time.
- Be Detail-Oriented, Analytical, and Accurate: In an industry where a single misplaced semicolon can
cause a computer program to crash, or an incorrectly wired network can
allow hackers to compromise corporate communications, attention to detail
is paramount. Computer professionals must also be capable of analyzing a
problem, mapping out a solution, then executing that solution in an
accurate manner.
- See the Big Picture: Computers
are made up of many tiny components. Corporate networks consist of many
computers. Software applications often include hundreds of integrated modules.
Understanding how smaller parts fit into the whole is very important for
all computer professionals. It is not enough to simply focus on a single
part — a computer professional must also understand how all the parts are
integrated.
- Be Adaptable:
If there is one thing that never changes about computers, it is that they
never stop changing. Software requirements change. Communication protocols
change. Hardware changes. Instead of becoming frustrated with this state
of flux, computer professionals must assume that every day something is
going to be different and adapt to the new situation. Part of this
adaptability is the willingness to learn new things. To keep skills from
becoming outdated, a computer professional must constantly read about new
technologies and determine how they might be useful.
- Work Collaboratively: We often hear “No man is an island” and “It takes a
village…” Certainly, most computer professionals must work as members of a
team, collaborating to create solutions. Being team-oriented, willing to
share both responsibility and recognition, is important to success in
almost all computer careers. Increasingly, teams are geographically
diverse. For example, team members may reside in Israel, Ireland, the
United States, and Japan and communicate with each other electronically.
Computer professionals must be aware of differing time zones, cultures,
and languages, and learn to work with people who may have different work
styles and opinions.
- Communicate Well: Although
there are some examples of “geeks” who are notorious for their bad
spelling, reluctance to socialize, and single-syllable conversations, most
computer professionals will find their career paths more successful if
they possess good communication skills. Examples of how computer professionals
can leverage good communication skills include well-commented computer
code (so someone else can figure out how the program works), memos to
management about how a project is progressing, and articles for
professional and trade publications.