Many industries seek those who can combine technical expertise, ability to explain complex issues
08:43 AM CDT on Monday, July 24, 2006
By NOBLE SPRAYBERRY / Special Contributor to The Dallas Morning News
One computer whiz could rattle off the answer to nearly any technical question, but clients never wanted to work with him, said Eriq Neale, who spent 16 years in business technology departments before starting Eon Consulting.
The employee didn't realize he came off as arrogant and off-putting, said Mr. Neale, who believes technical workers often fall into one of two categories. Some people are wizards with undeveloped social skills and others manage to marry technical acumen with the ability to communicate.
Not all people can fit every job, and it's important to understand the realities of an individual's skills and put them in the appropriate role, said Mr. Neale, who started his one-person consulting firm in Denton two years ago.
In fact, many industries cherish someone capable of combining technical skills with the ability to explain complex issues because confusion between a technical expert and a client or in-house user can quickly dump a project into a quagmire. With challenges, though, come opportunities.
"If I have two engineers competing for the same job, the one with good communications skills will win out because they can do so much more," said Kelly Guy, vice president of recruiting services for HumCap LP in Dallas.
As demand for people with technical skills rises, many companies simply need highly trained workers who can develop computer code in jobs with limited interaction with others.
But for workers who wish to combine their expertise with the ability to understand the needs of a customer, opportunities exist to move into marketing and product development roles, Ms. Guy said.
For example, a senior engineer who earns a master's degree in business administration can realize an 8 percent or 10 percent salary bump, Ms. Guy said.
Often people enter a technical field to work on cool products, but they don't always understand that the path to innovative work extends beyond the computer, said Rob Butler, director of software development for Fidelity Investments.
"The thing they need to realize is that the people who get to do the really cool technical things are in the higher design functions," he said. "You can't get to be a senior technologist without those social interaction skills. You have to have someone who can interact and influence others."
Although it seems obvious, the initial job interview is critical. Candidates must be able to express themselves without overt effort from the potential employer, Mr. Butler said.
"I shouldn't have to draw it out of you," he said.
Of the job candidates eliminated from contention at Fidelity, a large percentage are cut because of an inability to communicate, Mr. Butler said.
Companies with large technical staffs such as Fidelity's aren't the only ones that consider communication critical.
At Dallas Semiconductor, Adam Warner's eight-person team oversees the software that tracks and controls the flow of material through the company's Farmers Branch production plant.
"I think communication skills are as important as technical skills, at least in my shop," Mr. Warner said. "You must be able to get to the point where the boss can give loosely defined requirements and then you just run with the project."
Finding someone with that ability is rare and welcomed. Bigger technical shops might take on a different mix, with the size allowing some people to adopt purely technical roles, Mr. Warner said.
In technical shops where someone can specialize, the weight given communication skills varies. For an analyst, the importance of working with and understanding others might climb to 80 percent but represent only 20 percent of the importance of a pure programmer's role.
For his team, though, Mr. Warner seeks people who can produce good technical results and also manage projects in conjunction with other company divisions.
And an employee with the right mix is often someone who combines an inherent knack with a willingness to grow.
"There's a natural ability of being able to communicate, but some of it is learned," Mr. Warner said. "Learn the lingo and what the process is and what the business is trying to do. If you can do that, you've got a big leg up."
A manager for the last five years, Mr. Warner realized he needed to prepare a good analogy before going to meetings with those who do not specialize in technology.
Consider a debate over buying one of two software packages, one with limited customization options but capable of doing much of the job right out of the box and a second that's highly flexible but requires more work to get running.
Mr. Warner said he compared the decision to homebuying, with one house having only the foundation and main supports. Pick the paint, appliances and other custom options. The other home is complete down to the wallpaper, ready to move in but with little room for personal style.
When it comes to technical support jobs, a good bedside manner is critical.
"You're really supporting people, not the technology," Mr. Neale said. "The ability to work with people is more important than having someone who is an absolute technical genius."