There comes a time in everyone’s technology career when a mistake gets made – even the top performers in the industry aren’t immune. If (or when) this happens to you, how you react to the issue is likely more important than the actual damage caused by the error itself. In essence, this isn’t the time to try and hide from the problem and hope nobody notices who’s at fault.
Here are a few insights on how to best handle a mistake in your IT career. Hopefully, you won’t have to refer to these concepts too often, but make sure to keep them in mind whenever problems arise. Good luck!
Own up to Your Error – Immediately!
The last thing you want to do when making a mistake is try to sweep it under the table. Depending on your specific job role, there are likely logs and other usage information to identify all system activity, so playing possum only makes you look worse. Own up to the problem as quickly as possible to help facilitate the fix – your company’s operations are more important than your ego!
As noted earlier, you are likely to be judged more for your reaction to an error than the mistake itself.
Take the Lead Role on Fixing the Problem
Depending on the nature of your mistake, fixing the issue might be rather complex. Formulate a plan of action to rectify the situation while ensuring your boss and the rest of the management team are kept in the loop. Taking ownership for the problem – and its fix – is simply a must if you want to keep your technology career on the right path.
This includes working any extra hours – on your own dime – to lessen the impact of the problem. In short, forego going out for lunch until the problem is fixed.
Never Point Fingers at Anyone but Yourself
Even if others contributed to the mistake happening – perhaps you weren’t aware of a recent system change that led to the error – never blame anyone but yourself for the problem. Not to belabor the point, but your reaction to the problem combined with the fix itself are what you need to get right. Don’t waste any energy pointing fingers at your co-workers.
When you need additional advice on building a rewarding career in the IT industry, talk to the expert team at Synerfac. As one of the top technology staffing agencies in Langhorne, PA, we know the companies looking for talented pros like yourself. Connect with us as soon as possible!