It’s an exciting time to be a Microsoft professional—new evolutions across the tech landscape are creating prosperous opportunities in every corner of the ecosystem.
But with new opportunities come new challenges, and knowing how to successfully navigate these changes can make all the difference in accelerating your tech career forward.
To help you advance your own career, we sat down with Stefano Demiliani to hear his top tips for overcoming obstacles and seizing opportunities across the Microsoft ecosystem in the coming year.
Stefano is a Microsoft MVP for Business Applications and Azure, a Microsoft Certified Trainer (Regional Lead for Italy), an Azure Certified Solution Architect and a DevOps Engineer.
Currently CTO for Italian Microsoft Partner Lodestar Spa, Stefano is frequently involved in helping customers migrate their solutions to the cloud. He’s also an author of many best-selling IT books and a prolific speaker at many international conferences around the globe, as well as the winner of Tech Star Of The Year at the Digital Revolution Awards (Global) 2023.
In other words: he knows a thing or two about establishing a successful Microsoft career.
Check out the full interview below, and don’t forget to head over to the latest online edition of the Nigel Frank Careers and Hiring Guide to learn more of Stefano’s invaluable insights.
What are the best ways for tech professionals to stay at the cutting edge of the market when the industry is evolving rapidly?
Staying at the cutting edge of the tech industry requires a proactive and multifaceted approach. Here are some effective strategies that I believe tech professionals should adopt:
1. Continuous learning: Regularly update your skills through online training, certifications, and workshops or conferences. Staying up to date in the IT world and being passionate are key factors.
2. Experiment and innovate: Individuals and companies should always dedicate time to experimentation and innovation—this helps them stay at the top.
3. Listen to customer feedback: It’s essential to regularly seek customer feedback to understand their changing needs and preferences. Listening to customer requirements and expectations is fundamental to your ability to create solutions that position you at the forefront of the market.
What challenges are Microsoft professionals facing today that they weren't experiencing five years ago, and what impact is this having on the ecosystem?
The IT world is constantly evolving, meaning Microsoft professionals need to handle several new challenges compared to five years ago. Here are some of the most notable changes and their impacts on the ecosystem:
1. Rapid technological advancements: The pace of innovation has accelerated, with new technologies like cloud services, low-code platforms, and data and AI becoming ever more prevalent. This requires continuous learning and adaptation.
2. AI and automation: The integration of AI and automation into many everyday workflows is transforming job roles and responsibilities. Professionals need to understand and leverage these technologies to stay relevant.
3. Remote and hybrid work models: The shift to remote and hybrid work has introduced challenges in collaboration, communication, and maintaining productivity. Being proficient with these new types of work models is key nowadays.
4. Cybersecurity threats: With the increase in cyber threats comes a greater emphasis on security. Professionals must stay updated on security topics and be ready to adopt and create secure solutions.
5. Cloud migration: The move to cloud-based solutions has accelerated, necessitating cloud architecture, management, and serverless development skills.
6. Sustainability goals: There is a growing focus on sustainability and reducing technology’s environmental impact. Microsoft professionals should start thinking about adopting and developing eco-friendly solutions.
These challenges reshape the Microsoft ecosystem by driving innovation, changing job roles, and influencing company strategies. They also highlight the need for continuous learning and adaptation to remain competitive and effective in the tech industry.
It's fair to say that you have an impressive personal brand. In your experience, what are the hallmarks of an effective personal brand, and how important can this be to professionals on the job market?
I must admit I haven’t done too much to build a personal brand. Things happened naturally simply because I’ve always followed my passion. I believe passion for what you’re doing drives everything—be consistent, present, community-focused, and available to support others.
Having an effective personal brand definitely helps build credibility and trust. A strong online presence and active engagement increases your visibility, making it easier for opportunities to find you. But don’t do things solely with the goal of becoming famous—this will not be a winning choice. Instead, do things because you trust and love what you’re doing.
What are the benefits of a good professional network, and what are the best ways professionals can become more visible in the community?
A strong professional network offers numerous benefits and can significantly impact your career. First of all, it can open up more opportunities for exchanging knowledge and learning and help open the doors to new business opportunities.
But business-related or career-related tasks aside, regularly interacting with other professionals can help improve your confidence and ensure you’re keeping up with the IT world’s ever-evolving demands.
What new opportunities do you expect to arise for tech professionals in the Microsoft ecosystem across the next few years, and what can talent do today to begin future-proofing their skill sets?
Many new opportunities are expected to arise for tech professionals within the Microsoft ecosystem in the next few years.
First, the cloud mindset is crucial. With the new generation of talented managers emerging soon, cloud adoption will continue to grow, which means that cloud experts will be a top choice for many companies.
Then there’s AI. AI is in every Microsoft product and service nowadays (Copilot is everywhere!), so there’s an ever-growing demand for professionals skilled in AI technologies. Embracing the AI and machine learning world will be a great long-term opportunity.
Lastly, I want to emphasize a topic that sometimes seems more hidden but for which the demand is growing tremendously: security. Security issues in an ever-connected world are a growing problem for every business and every company, and finding skilled cybersecurity professionals is difficult. If you invest in this area, you will have a great future.
Find more unmissable top tips and advice from Stefano in our Careers and Hiring Guide, as well as on his blog, LinkedIn and X page.
