The Australian Computer Society Young Professionals in IT (ACS YIT) conference was held in Sydney, 3-4 September 2009. It aimed to provide a forum for young IT professionals to come together and share their views and outlooks on the future of IT and where they can see themselves in the future. It also allows people to connect with other fellow young professionals from across the country.

The presenters at the conference provided some useful and interesting tips and advice which I believe may be quite useful for you all:

• Always strive to be satisfied and have a passion for the things you do in life. I know it may be challenging to do this but try to put your heart in the work you do and love what you are.
• If you ask simple questions you will only get a simple answer. Try to be more clear and concise and have a purpose of what you are seeking to know, otherwise what you get may not be exactly what you want or need to know.
• Hardiest workers tend to be the luckiest. The harder they work the luckier they get. You make your own luck.
• Always try set goals and objectives in life, and re-evaluate your goal when you have nearly achieved it.
• It is the services rather than products that will continue to grow more specifically. This is something that IBM, as an example, has been successful at doing.
• ‘The stewardship the profession requires from tomorrow's leaders to make a difference’ - Mark Lloyd FACS
• The qualities that an IT professional should strive towards are:

• Patience – being able to wait and be content when necessary.
• Courage – being able to be firm, strong and get out there when required.
• Energy and advice – being enthusiastic and sharing ideas and providing suggestions to others.
• Organisation positioning skills - knowing where you would like to lead your career within an organisation and finding out how to working towards heading there.
• Personal/ intrapersonal skills - being able to communicate and share your knowledge with others.
• Strategic – understanding where you fit in within an organisation

• Here's another list of great qualities that make up a character of a person, not just a professional. See my article on the six pillars of character

I hope these tips and advice may come of some value to you all.
-Vu