If All Else Fails, IT's the "Other Duties as Assigned"

One phrase I've been hearing a lot from colleagues lately "Other duties as assigned" has me thinking about one of my favorite "other duties": serving on search committees. I love meeting new people and having the opportunity to make the right connection between a person looking for a position and the organization looking for the right warm body to fill it.

That said, from the organizational perspective, and that of the technology training perspective (and previous IT support hats I've worn), there's something else I like to see as we evaluate incoming new hires: their technological skill and willingness to learn.

Let's face it.  There are very few roles left at Penn State that don't touch a computer anymore, even if it's just to do an SRDP.  If securing our machines is important, ensuring that we hire people who can operate them is key to this security.  The key to future success is good hiring.  Or conversely, as Geek Squad Founder Robert Stephens is apt to say, "Training is a tax you pay for a lousy hiring environment."

Now, I'm certainly not saying that training could ever replaced (or that I agree with all of his tactics), but there is some truth to the insight that with the right kind of people--those with "curiosity, ethics, and drive"--teaching is less an act of tracking people down and force-feeding and more of a partnership.

If hiring will help in the future, what about people in existing positions?  Where is your technological skill?  Do you have the skills necessary to do your job today? To explore how you may be doing your job in 18 months?  Are you willing to learn?  Are you willing to teach yourself?

There are many IT and training people out there who are willing to help you, but you must also make that leap to help yourself.  Because you can't say IT's not you job anymore.  If all else fails, IT's the "other duties as assigned."