For tech students and professionals, something that may be as important as knowing how to use functions and classes in programming and how to correctly normalize a database table is being geeky and obsessed with technology. In an article by Mitchell Ashley entitled, “CS Degree? Constant Learners and Self-Sysadmins Required” earlier this year, Ashley states how knowing more than what is required for a CS degree is desirable and one of the only things that can set you apart.  It seems that tech learners and even professionals need to diversify.

For what? Someone else can do that.

Ashley’s argument is that if you are a programmer and you want to be a great programmer, understanding networking, hardware, software, operating systems, and even having your own home network is almost mandatory to stick out in the tech industry. With Computer Science, MIS, and other tech degrees valued at so little nowadays, to be a pro you have to make yourself standout with added skills that you have learned yourself.

Knowing how to fix your own PC and how to fix common hardware problems should be considered part of most tech job descriptions. Knowing anything beyond what you are applying for is a definite plus.

How far does this go?

Ashley seems to concentrate on how geeky and enthusiastic about tech that potential programmers and IT people need to be to stand out. What about other things that can be combined with with skills like programming, hardware, software, and general information technology management?

Other skills that you could pick up along your tech journey would be the use of social networking and media, blogging, creating websites, marketing, Photoshop and design, etc. The list is endless; there are many different combinations in the tech industry that need explored. If you want to ONLY program computers or ONLY normalize databases, I will say that there isn’t as much value in that as their is in a hybrid type of specialization and a broader range of interest.

The integration of tech concepts and other topics may never be exhausted and that’s a good thing. That means that anyone in the tech industry can be somewhat unique, have their own niche, and create their own value in the industry. It’s time to get to work.

Suggested readings:

• ProBlogger: Secrets for Blogging Your Way to a Six-Figure Income
• Wireless Home Networking For Dummies
• Socialnomics: How social media transforms the way we live and do business
• Trust Agents: Using the Web to Build Influence, Improve Reputation, and Earn Trust