Advanced computer science skills can lead to better-fitting jobs and improved employment compensation packages, Shravan Goli, president of career site Dice, writes in a blog posting on Baseline, a sister site of eWEEK. “I’ve always looked at my career as more than as series of steps up a ladder,” Goli said. “I’ve viewed my career as a set of puzzle pieces that need to be fitted together.”
Goli said that by “stitching” together various skills beneficial to employers following his graduation from the University of Maryland with a master’s degree in computer science 20 years ago, he’s established a high ROI on his tuition, and ultimately, his skill set.
He provides several tips for quantifying that ROI.
–Gauge the relevance and impact of your skill set by searching through job postings and associated pay on sites like dice.com. Use the company’s annual technology salary survey to research current compensation numbers.
–Ascertain what the value of projects you work on is to companies. Estimate the benchmark salary for your skills and experience by a percentage that reflects the value of those projects. “Whoever has the expertise to work on the most valuable projects inevitably earns the best ROI on the cost of building those skills,” he said.
–Visualize how the skills that you have today can be expanded to drive you into new career experiences tomorrow. Begin to gain new skills on a +1 basis. “Essentially, [this] represents your current skills plus one,” he said.
In short, Goli sees the value in these “premium” skill sets as being the basic components necessary to carry out projects and implement new visions. Skills that are appropriately applied to fit business and personal needs can multiply an employee’s ROI, he says.
Click here to read the full article on Baseline.