You've faced a setback in your IT career. How can you bounce back stronger than ever?

You should have an open mind to deliberate, learn and improve - pretty standard steps. However the key tenet of resiliency is best described by Roger Federer in his Dartmouth Graduation ceremony - "You won't win every point , keep moving forward". Worth listening - how to put dedicated mental focus on winning the 'next point'. We can treat our next-role, next-project, next-mvp as 'next-point'

1) Reflect and Learn Figure out what went wrong and learn from it. Tip: Keep a journal of lessons learned. 2)Network Actively Build a strong professional network. Tip: Attend events and connect on LinkedIn. 3)Upskill and Reskill IT evolves fast. Learn new skills. Tip: Try courses on Coursera, Udemy, or LinkedIn Learning.

If you face a setback in your IT Career, face it with a positive attitude. Do a retrospective of your career up to that point. See what you can do differently now and set up yourself for future success by using the time you have available now to plan where you would like to move forward. Take courses, a certification or just study on your own toward new goals. What is gone is gone, see this moment in your life as a way to rebound even stronger, maybe in a different career direction, but don't think about what is gone. It provided lessons learned and grow professionally from this event in your professional life, Set yourself toward better circumstance's and professional opportunities. You can do it, keep moving forward.

Setbacks in the IT world aren't just obstacles - they're rocket fuel for your next breakthrough! Here's how to ignite that momentum and blast off to new heights: 1. Embrace the failure as your greatest teacher. 2. Up-skill like your career depends on it - because it does! 3.Network like a boss. Your connections are your greatest asset. 4. Rebrand yourself as a phoenix rising from the ashes. 5. Start a side project or contribute to open source. 6. Seek mentorship from industry veterans 7. Consider a strategic pivot. 8. Cultivate unshakeable self-belief. Your setback isn't the end of your story; it's the explosive beginning of your most impressive chapter yet. Now go out there and show the tech world what you're made of!

Reflect on your past achievements, but don’t get stuck there. Gather what you’ve accomplished and use it to position for future opportunities. Focus on a winning strategy when new chances arise—actively seek them out and seize them. Stay engaged, think creatively, and use analogies to connect new ideas with what you already know. Always have the value proposition understood well and exemplified. With this approach, you can advance and succeed in change management as well. Go conquer!

Feedback acts as a mirror for reflection. One may come across feedback that seems superfluous or even out of place, however feedback needs to be considered openly and with provocation for self consideration.

asking dependable mentors or coworkers for their candid opinions Asking for detailed input on the areas you've considered during introspection Having candid discussions about your performance with managers Asking your teammates for feedback on your collaboration abilities asking customers or end users for input on the outcomes of your project whenever possible, taking part in 360-degree feedback procedures requesting helpful critiques about your technical abilities and expertise Asking for guidance on how to enhance your methods for addressing problems requesting evaluations of your interpersonal and communication abilities attentively taking in criticism without getting defensive

Identify the causes of setbacks is essential to chalk out future roadmap of success. Then map out the available skills in demand that aligns to your career growth direction. Once the preliminary steps are taken care of then there are ample resources online to upgrade your skills. Apart from online LMS platforms such as Udemy, CourseEra and others you can attend physical courses available in good institutions with good mentors. Thereafter project work or internship work in the segment can be further beneficial to gain practical experience. Once you're confident enough then networking further and diving into the market will help you to overcome the setbacks and gain control.

For years, my routine has been to arrive at the office an hour early to study new subjects. I maintain subscriptions to platforms like Pluralsight and Udemy, learning at least one new technology every month. I continuously upskill and obtain certifications whenever I feel the need to validate my proficiency in that technology. Working on proofs of concept (PoC) for the new technologies you're learning can help solidify your understanding. Additionally, you can apply the new technology to your current projects to see how it can enhance your work.

To build confidence in the new technologies I am pursuing, I focus on obtaining relevant certifications and developing proof of concepts. This approach helps me validate my skills and ensures I have a solid grasp of the technology. Additionally, I believe that teaching these new technologies to college students or within my professional circle is an excellent way to reinforce my understanding and gain an upper edge. Teaching not only helps me solidify my own knowledge but also allows me to share insights and foster a collaborative learning environment. This dual approach of continuous learning and teaching ensures that I stay ahead in my career and remain confident in my technical abilities.

Mentoring by experienced IT professionals can help you in rebuilding your career. There are many professional societies of IT professionals - try to join one of them and stay connected with the professionals.

One loses confidence when self-centeredness takes the driver's seat in your thinking. In your career, your confidence is a direct translation of your capacity to provide value, and for that, you will need to take pauses and think about how you are practically planning to deliver value. Be it your employer, your client, your colleague or even your family. If in your eyes, you are a net value receiver, your confidence reserves will begin to fall. So a simple strategy is to identify your areas to deliver value, make a vision of where you want to go, realize where you are, and then, get back to work. Your confidence will follow as an inevitable result. (Because that's what it is)

Through all my career as a Digital and Tech executive, I learned that a continued and proactive networking can be critical for bouncing back stronger in the career after a setback. First, I see that an active #networking can provide first hand access to opportunities that may not be open publicly. A strong network will bring valuable advices, and related industry trends, leading also to opportunities for skill development #lifelonglearning . More important, connecting with others who have experienced similar setbacks can provide us emotional support, and motivation to go forward #humanity Finally, an active networking helps you to build and maintain a #personalbrand , making you more visible to peers, employers, and industry influencers.

Know the reason. Always be clear on that. Most of the cases you can blame others, your surroundings, etc. It won’t get you anywhere. When you know what you yourself can do about it, how you should change to make things better, you get to the right path. You might need to change a little, you might need to rethink your career path. It’s all fine until you do it with the right mindset. You know that you are responsible for how you react, how you solve the challenges, how you change.

The first step was embracing a mindset shift, seeing the setback as a learning opportunity rather than a failure. I sought feedback to understand what went wrong and identified areas for improvement. Networking with peers and mentors provided support and opened doors to new opportunities. I also focused on building a robust personal brand by sharing insights and engaging in industry forums. Reflecting on my journey, I realised that resilience, continuous learning, and a proactive approach to challenges are vital in bouncing back stronger and achieving long-term success.

First of all: don't get discouraged. Second: objectively evaluate what might have been the main reasons for the setback (personal, organizational, toxic environment/managers, etc.). Third: identify areas where you can find opportunities for growth and further deepen your knowledge in those areas. Lastly: if possible, change companies! If you've reached that situation, it is highly difficult to rise again in the same place where a negative perception has already been established, and the effort to reverse the trend would be too great.