Vision and Opportunity
Obtaining a higher education in IT business management is a long-standing goal of mine, which I have been striving for for a long time. Getting a degree in this sphere can help me realize my career ambitions to the fullest. After graduation, I want to find a job in a company engaged in the production or supply of IT products for large participants in the global market and, at the same time, continue to study innovation in entrepreneurship on my own. I understand that knowledge is limitless and can always be replenished. Therefore, I do not plan to stop there, and perhaps in the future, I will take part in additional educational programs that can help me develop my professional potential more deeply.
The choice of the future path is largely based on my personal goals, values, and mission. While reflecting on these criteria, I have come to the conclusion that three questions can help me choose them correctly. Do I want to achieve the highest possible professional results and be recognized as one of the qualified specialists in my field? Am I ready to overcome any difficulties in my development path, be they educational challenges or operational barriers? Should I focus on only one area of IT business management or pay attention to related areas where my skills can be useful?
My goal is to prove to myself and my future colleagues that I can conduct professional management activities with a full understanding of the range of tasks and current market interests. I do not set myself the challenge of becoming CEO or head of the board of directors by all means. However, I want my efforts to be worthwhile so that I can realize my skills to the extent that I deserve. I know that I have already passed a long path, but in the future, my knowledge will be the background that will help me realize my managerial ambitions to the fullest. Thus, I see my goal in proving not only to others but also to myself that I am capable of constant development and not inclined to professional stagnation.
As the values to pursue, I see hard work and constant self-development. I am sure that being satisfied with what has already been achieved is not an indicator of professionalism. At the same time, I understand that overwork is fraught with burnout and accumulated fatigue, which explains the need to allocate strengths and available resources rationally. Educational aims are easier to meet if the end goals are clear and reasonable. Therefore, I intend to follow the plan without being distracted by secondary tasks and focus on what can help me achieve my goals without interfering with my professional reputation.
At the same time, my mission is to contribute to the field of IT business management as much as possible. This means that I cannot work exclusively in one direction and study those materials that relate to narrow specialization. In this regard, I intend to choose relevant paths to develop professional potential, for instance, change management, project planning, and some other areas, to develop skills in them. They are not secondary because, with their help, I can forecast effectively and use the available resources rationally, thereby achieving high results in the main area. Thus, in planning my goal, values, and mission, I intend to devote as much attention to working development as possible. This will help me become a multidisciplinary specialist and, at the same time, be able to address those objectives that can help me grow professionally.
With my goals in mind, I am aware of the aspects and conventions of my target market. According to Trantopoulos et al., many companies involved in the IT industry “should coordinate strategies for sourcing external knowledge with specific IT investments in order to improve their innovation performance” (287). In other words, the rational use of the intellectual base can be the key to productive work and sustainable innovation, which is important for the IT field. Professional opportunities for me lie in the possibilities of utilizing my potential to help my company use available resources and gain leadership in a competitive market. In addition, due to the dynamic development of this industry, I believe that in the future, I will be able to operate with more advanced materials and digital projects since technology does not stand still. Participation in various projects can become a background for new and useful acquaintances and build my individual image. Thus, given the aforementioned goals, my current specialization is promising for my professional growth and may contribute to expanding my social circle due to constant communication with various specialists and participation in numerous IT projects.
Marketing and Implementation Strategy
When applying for a job as a specialist in the field of IT business management, I know what I can offer my future employers. Having an extensive academic background, I will be able to prove my professional suitability since the possession of theoretical knowledge shapes a significant share of success. Despite my lack of practical skills, I know which strategies I will promote as operational approaches designed to enhance the company’s performance and, consequently, improve its competitiveness. As a participant in various individual and team projects, I am aware of the different development and growth scenarios that modern IT firms pursue. In addition, this knowledge is a valuable resource to address not only corporate interests but also social needs. I plan to continue to engage in self-education and individual research, including in the field of integrating modern digital developments into different aspects of life. Such an initiative can help address some pressing issues, for instance, optimizing infrastructure facilities or establishing internal databases in municipal facilities. Therefore, I believe that I can be useful both to my future employers and to society.
This is not easy for me to compare myself with other UAE students and talk about my merits compared to their ones. Nonetheless, I am aware that my productivity and diligence may help me distinguish myself and show my readiness for active work and career building. What I can use for my own purposes is the accumulated theoretical experience, which, supplemented by the desire for success, can contribute to my professional growth. With regard to the broader populace, I can confidently say that I have enough information to develop business management in the IT industry and offer relevant ideas for optimizing this field. I intend to interact with different companies to submit my candidacy for consideration and acquire professional contacts. This will help me declare myself more effectively and will become an effective tool to distinguish my role against the background of other young professionals hoping to get positions in prestigious firms.
Risks and Mitigation
To achieve my goals successfully, I have identified the key checkpoints to reach. To begin with, I need to obtain a degree in my current specialization to become a certified applicant and be able to get the desired position. After that, I view getting a job as an important aspect of my future life. I consider each subsequent promotion up the career ladder a reasonable confirmation of the invested effort and time, and for me, one of the significant checkpoints will be getting a leadership position. As a potential prospect, I am thinking about further training and taking additional courses or programs in related industries, which will also be valuable steps toward building my career.
Success indicators are the markers demonstrating that all the goals set have been achieved comprehensively and with the maximum possible result. For instance, obtaining an academic degree with good references is an important prospect to which I aspire. Getting a position in a successful company with ambitious goals and sufficient assets to achieve the assigned tasks is another indicator that may prove my successful employment. Effective communication with colleagues who support my candidacy for a management position is the result of high-performance work in the team, which also emphasizes the effect of the effort invested. All these markers reflect my vision of what a successful career path can be.
Despite my best efforts, some external factors may affect my success and become circumstances that cannot be influenced. For instance, if my employment in the desired company coincides with the period of active recruitment of new employees by its HR department, this will be a plus for me. Another example of the positive influence of external aspects is the rapid finding of a common language with colleagues through psychological connection and similar thinking. However, there are some factors beyond my control, which can prevent me from being successful. For instance, in the absence of effective management and disregard for modern principles of building diverse teams, I, as a young female employee, may face bias and gender discrimination. Another example of negative externalities may be associated with the financial difficulties of my future firm, which can go bankrupt if unable to repay bank loans or address debt obligations. Nevertheless, I plan to be careful when choosing a job to avoid interference from external factors.
To be on the safe side, I need to have contingency and risk mitigation strategies. Firstly, I will monitor the situation in the labor market to have an idea of other companies’ activities. This will help me leave my current job timely if I encounter bias or other unethical principles of professional interaction and apply them to a new firm. I also intend to establish working relationships with representatives of different IT fields to know their areas of interest and be aware of what I can be useful as a specialist with my background. This is also true if, for some reason, I do not find a common language with colleagues and do not manage to realize my full potential. Completing additional educational courses is an alternative form of a risk mitigation strategy since, having proven knowledge in a new field for me, I will be able to expand the range of my employment opportunities. These plans are essential to have to protect me from unforeseen situations.
Entrepreneurial Ethics, Personal “Board of Directors,” and the Six-Word Summary
Working in my industry requires collaborating with other people because the IT industry is dynamic and constantly evolving, and without regular interaction, I can miss important trends. Thus, to maintain productive communication, this is crucial to follow generally accepted ethical standards so as not to disturb the favorable microclimate in the team. For instance, I intend to treat my colleagues with respect and impartiality and not humiliate people’s personal dignity by openly pointing out their weaknesses. In addition, I plan to be honest with managers and other employees, which is also a show of respect. I will not break the law for my own benefit, and I will not participate in projects that may harm the reputation of my company. I fear that I will not live up to the responsibility entrusted to me; therefore, I will do my best to keep workload promises and approach each task responsibly.
For me, following ethical principles is a critical condition, especially after one incident in my past. As a high school student, I took the initiative to prepare a talk on the IT topic for the city conference. My scientific advisor explained to me all the terms and requirements, but since there was much time left, I decided to postpone this task. However, being puzzled by other things, I forgot about the upcoming conference and only remembered about it the day before it after an email from my supervisor. I had to prepare a report urgently, and the next day, it was one of the worst performances. I was ashamed of myself but even more ashamed of my scientific advisor, who had vouched for me. With this failure in mind, I try to justify the responsibility entrusted to me and respect time frames.
In pursuing one’s own path, this is essential to not only focus on personal ambitions but also remember others’ experiences. If I faced the choice to interact with specific people, be they alive or from past eras, and receive advice and mentoring from them, I would have three candidates. One of them would be Alexander the Great, the honored commander and conqueror who, due to his courage and ambition, was able to create one of the largest empires of all time. His strong character and sharp mind inspire me, and I would like to know how he managed to unite entire nations at his young age. Another person I would trust is Woodrow Wilson, the President of the United States during World War I. Due to his composure and clear goals, he managed to develop a plan to get the country out of the crisis. I would like him to give me sound advice on how to best use strategic management approaches.
Finally, another person I would also choose as my mentor is Elon Musk, the world-renowned entrepreneur and CEO of SpaceX. His leadership ambitions have allowed his products to conquer the global market and become flagship brands. I am interested to know exactly how he went to success, what words he chose for his subordinates, and what creative approaches to management he used at the beginning of his career.
To summarize my personal business plan, I want to utilize the six-word rule that can help describe my qualities and aspirations briefly and succinctly. I would describe myself in the following words: “ambitious employee, responsible colleague, loyal manager.” These qualities are important to me in my future career, and I intend to achieve my goals in the coming years to prove to myself that I have not made efforts in vain.
Work Cited
Trantopoulos, Konstantinos, et al. “External Knowledge and Information Technology: Implications for Process Innovation Performance.” MIS Quarterly, vol. 41, no. 1, 2017, pp. 287-300.