Up Your Game – Merge Business and IT Skills

(Content sponsored by Capella University)

Not long ago, technical skills were all that IT and analytics professionals needed to grow their careers. Not anymore. Over the past few decades, technology has become key to executing business strategy. The challenge, however, was that some IT professionals didn’t understand the business—they understood IT.

Mad technical skills alone no longer cut it for IT experts. Merging IT expertise with business acumen is necessary to bring you to the intersection of IT and business. You’ll need to know how to collaborate—play nice with people who have different perspectives—to deliver cross-functional, high-quality results. In other words, you’ll need to speak both languages (business and technology) to bridge the gaps and advance your career.

Where will I need to update my skills?

Big Data and analytics, for example, require people who understand complex business problems, the nature of tech and data, and how to frame IT and analytics projects to serve business objectives. Great potential exists to harness the power of analytics and business when IT professionals understand how business works.

Another area to beef up your skills is in cybersecurity. It’s more than changing passwords or adding firewalls. Developing a comprehensive cybersecurity program requires IT professionals who understand organizational behavior. They’ll need to work with business pros to develop and manage organizational policies and procedures.

IT implementation and project management is another example. You’ll need to understand the organization’s business processes to install new technologies and manage change. Businesses need IT professionals who can help shape the vision for their technologies and collaborate to implement them in their organizations.

Take the next step

IT professionals who can straddle both worlds and address common challenges will expand their career options. If you want to step up your game, build on your knowledge and skills. At Capella University, you have choices. Think IT certifications, badges, or microcredentials; an MBA or graduate degree in IT, and a host of other professional development opportunities. Bring your tech and soft skills in line with what businesses need. Capella University IT programs can help with that.

Do you know your business-skills savvy? We have a challenge for that.

Game on.

Learn more about earning a degree in Information Technology >