Name: Kelly Borbon
Title/Employer: VP, Information Services at Russ Reid Company
Age: 47
Education: Bachelor in Science
Tenure In IT industry: Eight years
First Tech Job: Director of Info Services
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Current Role: I manage information services for a large direct response agency that helps non-profit organizations. My group puts phones and computers on everyone's desks, but they also provide business intelligence tools and databases that drive the business forward.
What's been your best job and why?
The job I have today of course! It's a job where I am constantly learning and constantly challenged.
What do you think is the number one non-IT skill IT professionals need today?
The art if influence. You need to know when to persuade, when to bridge and listen, and sometimes when to disengage to be an effective IT leader.
What do you credit your career success to?
I have had the blessings of many great mentors who have encouraged me to be courageous and to believe in my own ability to succeed. In my IT role, it is the knowledge of the non profit fundraising business itself that has been my greatest asset. I can translate what end users need to programmers, and help programmers explain how systems work.
What are the top three skills a high-level IT manager needs today?
The ability to grasp the business application of IT, communication skills and financial acumen.
What's your favorite IT resource site and why?
Probably Tech Republic as it has a wide range of expertise from layman's information to hi-tech docs.
What is the best career advice you've ever received?
"Take permission to fail; mistakes are ok, learn from your mistakes and the mistakes of others."
What's the top advice you'd give to a new IT staffer?
Learn the business and how your part can influence and improve it.
What would you advise someone looking to find the type of role you currently have?
Be well rounded in management technical and have some specific business knowledge in the area you are pursuing.
What is the one career decision you would change if you could?
I went from a graphics department manager to a customer service manager to a client service manager in too short a time. I wish I had spent more time working with and learning to grow clients.
If you had the choice to jump into any other job, tech or non-tech, what would it be?
Teaching as I love the excitement one gets when they finally "get it"!
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