Whether you're just starting or just in need of some reminders, here are my top tips for IT Professionals
Keep your skills up to date and current. It's good to stick to things that just work, like that old file server that never seems goes down but, sometimes it's important to step out of the norm. Real world example for you, when the pandemic hit, my organization was in the process of migrating to Sharepoint. We got lucky and had Active Directory Connect working, and had moved all our NTFS shares to Sharepoint. This made transitioning staff to Work From Home much easier.
Give users the minimum permissions needed to do their job and nothing more. This protects themselves from themselves, and can make your life easier by not investigating user created issues like files mysteriously being deleted. Having said all of that, you will encounter users that want more priviledges, such as Local Administrator access on their systems. This needs to be dealt with delicatly, but firmly. Security of your infrastructure lies with the IT Department, and the biggest challenge to that security is the end user.
A good backup system is like insurance. It seems like a lot of money until you need it. Then you'll be very glad you have it. Ensure you have great backups, and a method to test those backups. Backups are only good if you can restore them.
Take your time off, and disconnect. No laptops or emails on your phone. Your mental health is important in all aspects of life. This also includes any hobbies you might have. Don't get buried in the Work / Life balance rat race where all you do is work and never have time to enjoy the things you love. Money isn't everything, and as my partner likes to say: "They'll post your job before your obituary"
IT has a bad reputation of being a black hole for budgets. Money just seems to disappear. If you provide good value to your organization, they will be more likely to keep you and your department around when things inevitably get tight financially. If you are ever in a position to learn new skills, determine which skills will provide the most value to your organization and your career.
Nobody likes the grumpy IT person, and they will be less likely to approach you with their issues. Those issues will fester and become a much bigger headache later on, causing you even more grief. Personally, I like to do something enjoyable each day. Even something as small as a really good cup of coffee, a walk in the woods, or some of your favorite music. See #4 if you need more ideas.
Admittedly, this one is personal. Show up on time. If your hours are 8:30 - 4:30 that doesn't mean you're walking in at 8:30. It means you're at your desk ready to work at 8:30. This seems like such a little thing, but it says a lot about your credibility if you can or cannot get something this simple right everyday. This also means doing what you've commited to doing, and being where you said you would be.
In IT you potentially have access to a lot of information that isnt commonly known to your co-workers. Keep this information to yourself, and don't ever go looking for information that does not pertain to your job. This is why we like auditing in IT.
From time to time you may have to send company wide messages. That includes e-mail to senior positions. Messages that are professional, direct and do not overload the reader with jargon will go a long way in career progression. Just don't get too wordy. Short and to the point is your best practice here. This can also help with things such as, writing proposals and training materials.
It can be hard to take the time to show your clients how to fix a common problem, rather than doing it yourself in mere seconds. I'm certainly guilty of this one. Take the time to show them how to fix the problem themselves, like if they can't figure out how to change their print job to color for example. Some people don't want to be bothered to learn, but the ones that are interested can really help you decrease the number of calls you get for something that seem as basic as print job color settings.
This one is important. Your clients should have a basic understanding of internet security fundamentals. Like the reason complex passwords and multi factor authentication are important. Also learning how to determine if an email is legitimate or not. You can do all the security courses and have the most top of the line firewall and security policies available, but if the wrong person provides their login details to a bad actor, all of that is for nothing and you can find yourself in the world of ransomeware hell. Security training while boring, is always important.
I get a lot of questions that I can't provide an answer to, like what computer they should buy for their kids, or how much wood a woodchuck can actually chuck. These are answers I don't have, but I can provide some guidance. I can also research and get back to the person. Same can be said for complex project and problems. I don't know all the ins and outs of Microsoft Excel. But I do have a good base knowledge and the ability to figure it out. This is what makes good IT personnel. You may not know everything, but you do have the ability to find the answer and learn new skills when needed.
I really should have put this one closer to the top, if not the top. If you're preaching security, but are seen leaving your computer unlocked, forgetting your security fob at the coffee machine, and not following best practices or organizational policies, why should your clients? That tacky saying: be the change you want to see in the world rings true. Be the one that shows up on time. The one that cleans their coffee cup instead of leaving it for someone else, the one that is a role model for others to aspire to be. These traits will not go unseen.
Good, legible documentation can be a life saver. From logging common fixes, to external contacts and vendors, your documentation can be a life saver if you happen to go on vacation - see #4 - or win the powerball lottery. Not to mention it's great to look back at what you've achieved come yearly review time.
Yes I know, all those corporate events are boring, tedious, and let's be honest; most of us IT people arent exactly great in large social situations. But this stuff is important. I've ran into people at work that I had to ask who they were as i've never seen them before, only to learn they've been working with my organization for years. That's not a good thing, especially if you want to be noticed, and not overlooked for things like, career progression and even career retention in some cases.