How To Keep Updated About New Technology

The IT industry always offers something new around the corner, something much better than the previous iteration, something that revolutionizes our way of thinking on how we solve problems. As an IT professional, being up to date with the latest technologies is one of the most challenging yet necessary aspects you would have to face.

In this article, you'll get 8 tips that you can follow, to get yourself up-to-date with the latest technologies.

Tip #1: Read updated research reports for jobs and emerging technologies.

Tech research reports provide very useful insights as to what particular skills and technologies are currently on the rise.

Publications such as The 10th Annual Open Source Jobs Report by the CNCF, conduct surveys and interviews on thousands of companies. They ask hiring managers and professionals what particular skill and technology that is open-source are they after. All information gathered is then compiled in a well-presented report that’s very easy to understand.

Being fully informed of the market demand in IT may give you a sense of direction so you can better plan your next steps. This allows you to focus on the skills that you need to learn to stay on top of the game.

Open-source technologies are often the spearhead of recent innovations, especially in the IT industry. So, learning trending open-source technologies can definitely get you up-to-date with emerging innovations.

Want to learn how to participate in open-source projects? Check out KodeKloud's Open Source for Beginners course.

Open Source for Beginners | KodeKloud

Tip #2: Get up to date with reputable tech news via websites or blogs.

You can also get information on what’s new by reading news from reputable tech sites or blogs.

Subscribe to this blog to stay updated on DevOps news.

Now, these types of content often come out faster, and they also focus on big movements from top IT companies. Be sure to check on multiple sources as well, as a good indication of a trending technology is that multiple sources are covering it, making it possible that it could be the next big thing.

Since these blogs are not as long as full research or reports, you can expect that the content will focus on highlights and surface-level information designed to be easily consumed by the reader.

Tip #3: Join tech conferences, events, and seminars

Whether online or in an actual venue, it is always a good idea to join these types of events. What’s great about this is that many of the speakers who are invited to these events are already experts in their field, and most of them come from big tech companies.

They usually discuss insider information and deep dive into new concepts, as well as try to solve the complex problems they've encountered. They share the steps on how they were able to resolve them using innovative techniques or maybe through the use of new technology.

It’s a great place to learn new things that are being used in the industry and also get fresh ideas that you may be able to apply to your own challenges. These events are often free, and only registration is needed to be part of them.

Tip #4: Check out job descriptions for the role you’re most interested in

One trick I do personally most of the time is to check out the job description of my current role or the role that I’m after, even when I’m not currently actively looking for a new job.

Often, recruiters will provide a detailed list of what skills they’re looking for. If you see a pattern for a particular skill and it keeps popping up, there’s a good chance that there’s a demand for that skill.

Since demand often equates to trending technologies, this can be a good indicator that you should learn that skill or technology if it's in line with your role.

You can also use that information to adopt these new technologies into your current job. These technologies may be the answer you’re looking for to solve a particular problem in your organization.

As the name suggests, Google Trends is a portal where you can identify trending top keywords.

This should give you an insight as to what topics or technologies provide the most interest to people around the world.

For example, if you’re interested in knowing which programming language is trending, you can simply look up “programming language,” and the result should give you an idea of what programming language is emerging in popularity.

Tip #6: Join community forums on certain topics

For example, if you’re interested in what’s happening around DevOps, you can join a community site like Reddit, that particular topic.

Unlike big tech websites or blogs, the content within these forums is often from regular people like you and me and some who are actually in the field, all sharing and collaborating with each other. Whenever a new technology emerges, there’s a high chance that you’ll also get to see it discussed by people within these community forums.

Tip #7: Not all new is good. Focus also on polishing your existing skills.

There’s always going to be something new. While this is great for innovation, there is also a thing called a fad, in which these new technologies may quickly pick up popularity due to the overrated hype floating around them but also fade away just as fast.

Focus on new technologies or skills that are actually helpful to your career or role. Learn about new technologies that actually solve a particular problem for yourself or your organization.

Besides learning about new technologies, you must keep up with how your existing tools evolve. For example, new updates and features may be added to a programming language or application. You need to familiarize yourself with these new additions and changes. Getting caught up with the updates is also a way to “sharpen your axe” and allow you to modernize your skillset.

Tip #8: Be part of an organization that focuses on learning and training

Training institutions usually build a line-up of courses that are well curated and organized in one place, so you don’t have to scour the internet searching for new trends.

All courses are designed to equip you with all the necessary skills, practice, and knowledge of important technologies today and in years to come.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the eight tips provided can help you stay updated with the latest technologies, enabling you to progress in your learning and advance your career. Implementing these tips can make a significant difference in your professional development. Good luck!


You may also be interested in these articles: