Don't Limit Studies To Just Technical Skills Suggests Tech Director
Reagan Johnson is the director of technology operations for MRINetwork. The company was founded in 1965 and is considered to be one of the biggest recruitment agencies worldwide. The company consists of over 2,500 recruiters who specialize in various fields, many of which who came from the field they now specialize.
What sort of education is needed to successfully do your job?
"I have a B.S. in telecommunications management, but in my leadership role, technology is more than just programming and hardware. It really focuses more on how to use technology as a tool to make my customers, and MRINetwork offices more efficient in their day-to-day operations. I have to be connected with what is going on both inside and outside of technology to keep up with the rapidly changing market."
What is the most relevant aspect of your education that applies to your day-to-day job?
"From my formal education, I still feel the hard skills such as writing and verbal communication skills are the most important to me day-to-day. Other than the base concepts such as application design, project management, and networking, most of the technological models that I learned are no longer relevant. It is the skills and concepts to write and communicate exceptionally that I believe have helped me stand out and become as successful as I have today. You can be the best developer or system architect there is, but unless you can communicate ideas to your executives and customers effectively you can't be successful."
What is the most fun aspect of your job?
"By far the most fun aspect of my job is interacting with MRINetwork franchise owners. Headquartered in Philadelphia, MRINetwork is one of the largest executive search and recruitment organizations in the world, with approximately 600 global franchise offices in 40 countries. I've been a part of this Network for 17 years, and I still enjoy traveling, meeting with and discussing ideas with these entrepreneurs. There are challenges sometimes, of course, but when I can bring forth a tool or a concept that helps them run their businesses more effectively, I feel good."
What advice would you give someone just starting out in the field of technology?
"For someone just starting out, I'd say while it is vital to learn as many technical skills as possible, don't neglect the non-technology skills such as communications, finance, and business administration. Having some maneuverability to make judgment calls outside of your technical domain will really let your value shine through, and help you build your career."
Christina Thompson is a freelance writer living in Philadelphia. She reports on various topics such as: Social Media, Local Events, Entertainment, Food and Drink and more. Her work can be found at http://firstsendmedia.com/