For those in IT or software development, how do you keep your skills up to date? What are some resources you use? Any tips?
I've been working in IT for about 2 years after college and I've been doing fine, but I feel like I'm scraping by sometimes because I don't really hone my skills outside of work.
How can I get better at doing so?
>>51799401
I give your mom some input / output
Bump.
Basically I'm good at picking up skills at work and can do so quickly. But I don't really know what to do outside of work. What to look into, what to practice, how to get better, etc.
I don't really have a mentor at work and my work doesn't really offer training either.
>>51799729
>Basically I'm good at picking up skills at work and can do so quickly. But I don't really know what to do outside of work
It's fucking pathetic that people feel the need to work all fucking day, then go home to study shit so that they can stay "ahead" of some bullshit game that they'll never win anyway.
Go to the goddamn gym. Develop relationships. Go for walks. If you keep this up, you're going to fuck up your body with all this sedentary lack of activity and maintaining a single, shitty posture for 2/3 of your life.
>I don't really have a mentor at work and my work doesn't really offer training either.
Welcome to normal reality.
>>51799748
I feel like I'm doing something wrong. There are guys with wives and kids and they're able to succeed and not fall behind.
I've asked some people at work if they could be a mentor and they had no interest. Training isn't really offered unless you're lucky and get a chance to work on some new technology.
>>51799807
>There are guys with wives and kids and they're able to succeed and not fall behind.
I don't get it, what do you think you're falling behind in?
Sounds like you're either dumb and not understanding what your job actually is, or you're suffering from general anxiety.
>I've asked some people at work if they could be a mentor and they had no interest.
Yeah, who the hell would want responsibility for someone else's career?
Just focus on doing your fucking job. Take a look at the job market occasionally and see what you need to learn to apply to the most jobs. And jump ship every three years or so, since it's the only way to stay relevant and appreciated.
>>51799853
Staying up to date with technology, making sure I've practiced my skills, etc.
I learn by trial and error at my job pretty much, or asking other people. They have enough trust in me to let me do things on my own, but sometimes I can still screw up. Like last week there was a production issue because I fucked something up. I don't fuck something up in production every week or anything (that was probably like the 3rd time in 2 years) but I still feel ashamed because I don't feel adequate enough for the job. I feel like something is missing overall.
And I was diagnosed with clinical depression, GAD, and social anxiety at a hospital, so I'm sure that plays a part in my career overall.
As far as mentors, I'm not asking them to take responsibility for my career, just guidance. I'd like to become as good as them one day but I have no clue how to do it.
>>51799949
>I learn by trial and error at my job pretty much, or asking other people. They have enough trust in me to let me do things on my own, but sometimes I can still screw up.
That's called learning, faggot.
>And I was diagnosed with clinical depression, GAD, and social anxiety at a hospital, so I'm sure that plays a part in my career overall.
Yeah, so go get that treated and stop fretting over stuff that literally everyone experiences.
>As far as mentors, I'm not asking them to take responsibility for my career, just guidance.
That IS taking responsibility for your career, dipshit.
> I'd like to become as good as them one day but I have no clue how to do it.
By learning from mistakes. I don't get it, it's like you think there's some magical advice or course or something you think you're going to take that's going to let you just somehow grasp everything without ever having done it or made mistakes. You're not Neo, you don't get to download Kung Fu.
>>51799401
I reread old cs papers. Seriously everything old becomes new again in this industry.
>>51799401
I participate in various hacker groups and do quite a bit of hacking myself. The challenge helps keep my skills from degenerating.
>>51799401
IT Support Tech III here... On 90% of days at work, I'm working less than 40% of the time. The rest of the time I'm dicking around with different things. Building strange VM configs, playing with a Cisco emulator, writing C# and PowerShell scripts that do things no one asked for. Some of the guys hate me for it. But then once or twice a month, something totally fucked up happens, and I'm the only person that can work through it. That is why management puts up with my shit and pays me more.
>>51799401
lou reed was so cool
>>51800036
>Yeah, so go get that treated
>pay to be fed brainwashing addicting drugs
nice one
It's not a job. If you treat it like a job you'll go nowhere. You need to enjoy and treat it like a hobby. You need to have an actual interest in these technologies and be doing your own research at home and at work if possible. You should be subscribed to forums and tech websites that post about new technologies or products or softwares and security risks. I like etiknix but they shill products a lot. Still post lots of interesting reads though.
