| This article is also the topic of a Podcast on "The | | | | things--how your organization uses a given |
| Root Cause" available on iTunes. | | | | technology, such as Websphere, Networking, |
| IT Career Planning is an area that all IT workers must | | | | Servers, Operating Systems or Databases, is indeed |
| take seriously. This article and podcast discuss one | | | | critical. But do you keep current with Best Practices in |
| area of such planning. The difference between | | | | your field? Are you able to say that you know the |
| Horizontal and Vertical growth in your technical | | | | raw technology well enough to walk into a new |
| career. | | | | situation and perform well? Or, are you completely |
| What does it mean to say Vertical or Horizontal in | | | | steeped in your organization's processes and designs? |
| this context? Horizontal Knowledge is to know pure | | | | Be honest with yourself. Have you lost interest in |
| technology while Vertical Knowledge is knowing how | | | | how it "could" be done because that is not the way |
| your organization uses and deploys technology. In | | | | it is done where you work? If so, then you are |
| other words, knowing where all the bodies are buried | | | | growing predominantly Vertically. Failure to grow |
| and how your organization has evolved as a | | | | Horizontally while growing more and more |
| technological organism is Vertical. Product knowledge, | | | | Vertical--leads to trouble. Such workers--if they lose |
| IEEE specifications, protocols and Best Practices--are | | | | their job--have more trouble finding a new one. New |
| Horizontal. | | | | employers want plasticity and a strong foundation in |
| Which is better? That depends on who is asking. If | | | | what is happening now. Someone who is strong in |
| you are an IT manager looking at your | | | | one approach and inexperienced in the rest may be |
| staff--company specific knowledge is far more | | | | less desirable than someone with current raw |
| valuable. If you are an IT manager looking at a | | | | knowledge but less experience. Such people are |
| potential new hire--raw technology wins. The question | | | | moldable--and happy with far less money than you |
| to ask is--where do you see yourself? If you are | | | | are likely to be. |
| confident in your position--then your vertical | | | | Control of your career means conscious decisions |
| knowledge is your security. If you think you may | | | | about these choices--rather than going with the flow. |
| need to seek a new position someday--and you | | | | Do you love the technology itself? Does it challenge |
| most likely will--then you cannot ignore horizontal | | | | you and excite you? Are you really interested in the |
| knowledge. | | | | details of how it works? If so, it may be that you |
| As someone moves into management their range of | | | | need to keep away from management. Not because |
| responsibility broadens to a point where they are | | | | you cannot do it or are unsuited to it. But because |
| managing projects or technologies about which they | | | | you are more suited to the bits and bytes and the |
| have limited pure knowledge. This is natural and | | | | management path will take you away from that. This |
| unavoidable. As you go up through the hierarchy--you | | | | seems like a rather obvious point--but it is not. |
| do so vertically. More and more your skills are about | | | | Management is viewed as "higher" and better. For a |
| how your organization does things--as compared to | | | | person not to move "up"--can seem as if you are |
| "how things are best done." This makes you more | | | | stuck and not growing in your career. That is a |
| valuable to your current organization but less valuable | | | | hurtful and pointless way of thinking. If you know |
| to other organizations--unless you find a new | | | | what makes you happy--keep to that. However--that |
| horizontal. Often that horizontal is management itself. | | | | does not mean that you are through. Manage your |
| Then you become Vertical technologically--but | | | | growth. Keep Horizontal. Try to grow at a 45 degree |
| Horizontal in the field of management. You are still | | | | angle--increasing your knowledge of your |
| keeping a horizontal approach in your chosen | | | | organization's ways--but making equal time for |
| direction. | | | | growing pure knowledge of your technical field. |
| If you are more driven by the bits and bytes of | | | | |