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10 Essential Career Rules for IT Professionals: Lessons Learned from Real Experience
Two months ago, I got a call from one of my previous students in Malaysia who was facing a tough career decision. He had quit his job impulsively after a disagreement with his manager, and now he wasn’t sure if he should try to mend things or move on to a new company. While we discussed his options, the conversation got me thinking about the advice I’d offer to someone early or mid-career in IT. So, I put together these ten rules that have served me well over the years.
1. Climbing the Ladder: It Takes More Than Just Being a Good Employee
You don’t become an executive by simply being the best employee. As Robert Kiyosaki highlights in his book Before You Quit Your Job, people tend to gravitate toward being employees or entrepreneurs. The education system, especially in places like Asia or the U.S., is designed to create employees who follow the rules, maximize existing resources, and work under someone’s direction. But if you’re aiming for the executive level, you need to think more like an entrepreneur who creates resources out of nothing and drives their own path. To break through to the executive ranks, you must move beyond being a good employee.
