As IT professionals, staying up-to-date on the latest information in your field isn’t just critical; it’s an integral part of your career success. In this article, we’ll look at four of the best ways to stay up-to-date on the latest IT news. One of these techniques should be able to help you find the information you need to keep your skills sharp and give you an edge in the marketplace.
Subscribe to a News Aggregator
If you have an Android or iOS phone, consider downloading a news reader app. These give you access to hundreds of free and paid news sources that can help keep you up-to-date with tech trends. This can be a great way to stay on top of developing technologies, market shifts, and other industry trends. With so many choices available, there are a few things worth considering before choosing an aggregator: What types of content will it provide? Are its articles written by professionals? What’s included in each subscription price? Is there a limit to how many times I can read an individual story? What kind of stories will I find useful as an entrepreneur? If your answer is I don’t know, that’s okay—it just means you should try more than one.
Be Aware of Conflicts of Interest
When you receive a free product, service or offer from an affiliate partner, you have a conflict of interest. That’s because it’s in your best interest to promote only what benefits you. So just be aware of these potential conflicts and do your best to avoid them when writing about companies that are affiliate partners. In other words, if an affiliate is paying for a review, don’t write about it (or turn down payment for that review). Also, be sure to disclose any affiliations with companies or products at some point in your content. For example, John Smith is an employee of ABC Company who will talk about their product.
Subscribe to Email Lists
One of the easiest ways to stay up-to-date with what’s happening in your field is to sign up for email lists. Email is still an effective way to reach customers because people get over 100 emails a day. Even if you only check your email once or twice a day, that’s plenty of time for you to miss some important business intelligence. To keep from missing anything important, subscribe to newsletters and other updates that interest you. For example, The Verge offers daily news coverage on technology and gadgets; by subscribing, you’ll get access not only to reviews but also to an in-depth look at how companies are marketing their products.
Use RSS Feeds
Before you start subscribing to magazines, downloading iPhone apps or even turning your TV on for that matter, start with a humble RSS feed. RSS feeds will let you know when there are new posts on specific websites and blogs that might interest you. This is especially helpful if there’s a particular topic or industry you’re interested in following; most news organizations will have an RSS feed that lets their readers know when they’ve posted something new.
Follow People You Trust
With so much out there, it can be hard ข่าวIT know what’s important and what’s not. That’s why we say your best bet is to find people whose judgment you trust and follow them. If you don’t have anyone like that in your life yet, check out sites like Techmeme or Hacker News for lists of influencers in different categories. You can also search for hashtags or browse Twitter; just make sure you pay attention to who people are following and try to avoid getting sucked into rabbit holes that lead nowhere.
Use Twitter Lists or Facebook Groups
We all have different interests, and if you’re a techie with a job in IT, chances are you have several favorite news sources that deliver stories tailored to your interests. Of course, staying up-to-date with every technology publication is time-consuming and it can be hard to know which articles are actually worth your time. When it comes to cutting through the clutter and deciding what’s important, there are two tools that can help: Twitter lists and Facebook groups.
Attend Conferences in Person
It’s pretty easy to stay up-to-date when you’re in your local industry, but it can be hard if you spend most of your time at home. Attending conferences in person is a good way to keep up with news and trends—and, sometimes, if you get in early enough (or wait until late), you can even score free swag from vendors or discounted rates for workshops and seminars. It’s a good idea to attend at least one major conference every year so that you don’t fall behind. To help with your budget, look into student pricing or employee pricing if your company is affiliated with an industry organization.