August 11, 2018
Utilising new technology to its fullest potential - be it design software, analytics tools or AI - is a key ambition for many of us.
Too often, though, talented specialists and tech professionals get stuck working with stagnant old technologies, legacy systems and sub-par software; a far cry from the frontier of 'innovation'. Embracing the new, though, takes vision, passion and (usually) up-front investment.
So how do you ensure your career gives you access to this cutting edge of new tech?
Ambitions: Use The Latest Tech In Your Job
Spoiler Alert! Preliminary results are in from Pentasia #Ambitions2018, our survey of the career goals of professionals in the digital and igaming sector. They suggest that ‘incorporating new tech’ is pretty damn important when it comes to learning and using new tools on the job. And for many people, being able to use cutting-edge tech was a significant factor in choosing a job in the first place.
But how exactly do you achieve the ambition of using tech to further your career? While many of us recognise that exploring new technologies, apps and tools can help us achieve our daily goals, it’s a lot harder to put this into practice.
Here are 5 easy tips to get started today...
01 - Start Experimenting
Do you get the feeling you could be using shortcuts/ hacks to make you more productive? Are there new programmes you think you could use in your role that you’ve not tried out? Talk to other people in your industry or company to see what they find useful, search online for inspiration, and then get stuck in. There’s no time like the present: after all you’ve got nothing to lose.
02 - Mentors are King
Seek mentorship from those in the know. You might know someone whose an InDesign guru, an Excel whiz or a Python champion. Or maybe a colleague has discovered something more niche or industry specific. Either way, (politely) ask if they can share a few tips with you to help you out. People are usually happy to share knowledge, particularly if it’s a technology they are passionate about.
03 - Be a Tech Guinea Pig
If your company is considering installing a new piece of software to help your team, volunteer to test it. If a new programme has already been installed, then offer to be the ‘internal champion’ - ie learn it, immerse yourself in all of its features, and then teach others how to get the most out of it. Not only will this give you an excuse to develop your technical skills, but it will enhance your leadership experience too – plus will probably win you a few favours with your boss.
04 - Create Something
Just for Fun. Learning is fun, right? Yes, you want to use tech to be super productive and excel in your career – but ideally, you want to be using programmes that you actually enjoy spending time on. There’s no better place to start than making something purely for your own enjoyment. No pressure, no deadline, no expectations – whether it’s a writing a piece of software, creating a website or editing a video - just decide what you want to make and then create it. Simple.
05 - Sign up to Learn
Often the easiest way to ensue you develop your technical skills is to actively take a course to learn something specific. If you can get your company to front the cost and give you time to study, then great. But if not, there are many free online courses and demos that you can subscribe to and self-teach your way to success.
Enter the Ambitions 2018 Survey
Using cutting edge tech is just one way that ambitious professionals in the igaming and digital space are fulfilling their career ambitions. For more insight, watch out for updates from us in the Autumn when the results of our survey are published. There’s still time to complete the survey: for the chance to win €500 of Amazon vouchers, then click here.