Top Three (3) Ways to Build Your IT Community
September 6th, 2011
By Ricardo Wilkins
As IT Professionals, we spend many years developing our crafts and investing in our careers. Along the way, we have all been fortunate enough to get help from many sources, including colleagues and mentors who decided to take the time to share their knowledge and experience with us.
As a result, we grow in our profession. Most of us inevitably ask the question – what can I do to give back and make the same investment in others someone made in me? Fortunately, there are many ways in which we can ‘return the favor’ in the IT Community while making a positive impact on our industry.
Talk
For some, the thought of public speaking is frightening. Ironically, the best way to get over that fear is to do more of it. When you overcome your reservations about public speaking, you’ll find that it’s both a great way to share what you know with others and an effective way to demonstrate your own level of expertise. You can speak at local events relevant to your field and talk about topics you’ve dealt with on your job which may resonate with others in your line of work.
In addition to sharing your expertise, you can also share your experience. There are many local organizations who would love to have someone come speak to them about the positive and negative aspects of your career or industry. You could speak to high school groups with students who are considering going into the IT field, or speak to members of non-profit organizations interested in facilitating knowledge-share session on IT topics. Perhaps even your own religious or social groups would be interested in having you speak on a topic.
Teach
Giving away your knowledge may seem counter-intuitive, but it’s actually a great way to gain a relevant perspective on what you’ve learned over the years. Studies show your own understanding on a subject increases when you attempt to teach it to someone else. Many schools and youth organizations, like TechCorps or BDPA HSCC, look for technical professionals to serve as instructors and volunteers to help their students develop computer skills they can use to pursue careers in technology.
Text
No, I don’t mean pull out your phone and mentor someone via SMS. By sharing our expertise and experience through writing, we can find another avenue in which to give back. In today’s world, one of the easiest ways to do this is by starting a blog.
Some IT Pros simply want to keep an online ‘journal’ of their saga as an IT Professional. Others may share technology-specific information about problems they've solved, and how they did it. Both have value to those who read your blog and you may soon find your writings followed by those interested in your perspective.
Writing can also come by way of 'micro-blogging' through social media. Learn to stay involved on social forums like Twitter, LinkedIn Groups or any other online platform where other IT professionals come together to discuss issues and challenges in your industry. Not only do you learn from these forums, but your participation and contributions are helpful to others following a similar career path.
There’s no limit to the number of creative ways you can find to give back to the IT Community. Pick any one, get started and you’ll find it not only gives you a better perspective on your own experiences, but helps strengthen and grow Our IT Community as well.
-Graphic art courtesy of http://gilbertyoungart.com/
Ricardo Wilkins
