IT Professional Skills: 3 Must-Have Abilities

IT professional skills decide whether clients stay or leave: in this day and age, clients rely on IT teams more than ever and bring much larger demands. After all, we’re the IT people, the experts. We must provide a one-stop shop for all of our clients. If clients had the technical know-how, we wouldn’t be needed. We must not only possess core IT professional skills, but also the ability to communicate effectively with our clients, both internal and external. Why must we have great communication skills in our arsenal? We didn’t go into IT to deal with customer service concerns. The reality of today’s IT market is that we’re not only expected to be on top of the latest technological advances, but we must also be able to clearly convey the 5 “W’s” for our customers to perceive that we’ve not only addressed their concerns; but to make them feel as if they’ve received some value-added benefit. Let’s face it, while we all have different skill sets and talents, at the end of the day the result is tantamount to any developer.

IT Professional Skills That Win Clients

What sets one IT company apart from another is in the how we present the information to the client, and if they feel that the benefit they’re receiving is worth writing our paycheck. Delivering results is no longer what impresses a client, anyone can do that, it’s the expectation, not a luxury.

This article will reveal several tips that are incredibly easy to implement and will not only earn a client’s business but retain it throughout the years. With little to no expense, you can wow your clients and cut down on unnecessary time spent making corrections.

We hope you enjoy these tips and will consider implementing them into your daily routine to make a positive impact.

How does this affect me?

If you’re not getting great reviews from your clients and repeat business, something’s getting lost in translation.

A Harris Poll of hiring managers shows that 77 percent of employers consider soft skills to be as important as technical skills.

Now that we’ve properly identified the issues it’s time to find a solution. Which IT professional skills exactly are we needing to work on?

It’s no secret that IT professionals embrace jargon. After all speaking in “code” keeps us relevant and makes us sound intelligent. The problem is that we sometimes forget that we need to put away the jargon. Translate the information into “plain” language. If this seems to be quite a challenge, consider re-evaluating the information as if you were going to teach it to a high school or junior college class. Check for understanding. Ask your client if he or she is following what you’re saying. Another great way to check for understanding is to ask the client what he or she thinks or how it sounds so far. This tip will go a long way. If they don’t understand, they’ll most likely tell you, after all, they’re paying you a generous fee for your services, not to hear the alphabet in incorrect order. “The people who will thrive are the strong technologists who are capable of translating their expertise into terms that nontechnical people can understand.” -Ben Gaucherin, Harvard University

Build IT Professional Skills With Daily Practice

Role play meetings and presentations with co-workers

You wouldn’t state that a project was complete without testing it, right? It’s a great idea to do a “dry run” with co-workers or even your family if permitted. Have them ask questions you may anticipate, or if they have any questions. Choose the most brutally honest co-worker to throw you some questions or concerns, also ask them what they liked about the presentation.

Take a public speaking class and join a meetup group

Chances are you’re not the only person that is interested in personal and professional growth. Classes and groups that build IT professional skills provide a great opportunity to brainstorm with other professionals groups will often provide you with a wealth of networking opportunities and are localized and even specialized, so you can discuss any matters relevant to the area you work in.

Keep your skills sharp

We’ve established that communication can be a problem in the IT world. Communicating outdated information ineffectively can only lead to impending doom. Be certain to stay ahead of the curve to avoid the pitfall(s) of being (or becoming) irreverent.

Next Steps

Your call to action

Effective communication in the workplace is essential to success, and sharpened IT professional skills compound that advantage every quarter. Communication success between whether a client chooses to become a valuable repeat customer, or whether they continue on riding the price wave; giving their loyalty to the lowest bid. Today’s consumers have a far greater advantage than they did even a few years ago. Not only do they expect quantity, but they’re expecting quality as well. You’d probably expect the same if you were in the same boat. Taking simple steps to improve communication will not only provide an immediate benefit in the quality of work performed but in the quantity as well. The productivity factor will most likely increase as a result of not having to fix problems caused by miscommunication. Not only will your clients be happy, but you’ll be making the business climate and revenue charts happier as well.

Who Needs These Skills Most

Support specialists, junior developers, and systems admins facing clients daily gain the fastest returns. Freelance IT professional skills also sharpen proposals and discovery calls, lifting win rates without extra ad spend.

Verdict: pick one tip above, practice it for two weeks, then add the next. Small sequential upgrades beat occasional overhauls.

Related: essential soft skills for project managers and SETA skills development programs. For official outlook data, see Bureau of Labor Statistics computer and IT outlook.

See also best technical resume writing services.