The reason so many of us find the technology sector so fascinating is down to the fact that it never stands still. Constantly changing and evolving, it is capable of surprising and delighting us on an almost daily basis.
Even non tech-heads can get excited about certain launches. From the first PC through to 3D printing, there are points in the technological timeline that spring out and capture everyone’s imagination. But, it is the speed of change that can so often mean that if you stand still you’ll get left behind.
So, what can we do to keep up? Well, probably the first lesson to learn is that you can’t keep abreast of every tiny change in a sector like this. It’s impossible even for the ubergeeks among us to know the ins-and-outs of every new thing to happen in such a vast field. However, there are a few ways to help maintain your knowledge, some are obvious, and some are not. Let’s take a look at a few:
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Incorporate new ideas into your work – As you begin a new project, try and use something that you have no prior knowledge of to help make that project better. This can be something tiny or huge; it really depends on how confident you are in getting things done. If you feel that it is holding you back you can always revert back to your old techniques to complete the job, but you will have learned something along the way, and you’ll have been paid to do so.
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Take a class – Before you start screaming and running for the hills let me tell you that it may not be as bad as you think. For starters it doesn’t have to be a bricks-and-mortar classroom anymore. There are numerous ways to learn from your office or home and the breadth of IT courses online is staggering nowadays so there really are no excuses.
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Go to meetups – Engaging with other like-minded souls can be a great way to pick up on the latest trends and news either within your niche area, or in a broader technological sense. These often result in you becoming connected with others via social media so your learning can continue way past the meet-up date.
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Read – Books are great for getting to grips with established techniques or software, but blogs are better for those who are on the cutting edge. By the time a book has got through the publisher, been printed and reached the shelves the chances are that a good chunk of the material will be out of date. Find a blogger who writes about what you’re interested in, who has a style that will keep you entertained and you will be on your way to greater knowledge.
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While these may not be rocket science they will help you to keep on top of what is happening in the tech world today, and remember – the more you put in, the more you take out.
