For this issue of ComputingEdge, we asked Tom Suder about career opportunities in the field of wearable technology. Suder is the president and founder of Mobilegov, which provides customers with mobile services such as application development. He is also strategic adviser for the University of Central Florida’s Mixed Emerging Technology Integration Lab, which focuses on the R&D of innovative mobile technology and Web 2.0 applications. He coauthored the article “The New Wearable Computing Frontier” in IT Professional’s September/October 2015 issue.
ComputingEdge: What careers in wearable technology will see the most growth in the next several years?
Suder: The careers that will see the most growth include those involving cutting-edge wearable development and device management as a service. I think security will also be huge. People worry that their wearable devices will be hacked, which is a significant risk.
ComputingEdge: What advice would you give college students to provide them with an advantage over the competition?
Suder: You want to select a career that will be hot in the future and to develop expertise in that area. Also, I would check to see what the university I attended was working on. This could help identify up-and-coming fields because some of the latest R&D is done in university labs.
ComputingEdge: What advice would you give people changing careers midstream?
Suder: Do it. You only live once. You have to do something you are passionate about. We are all going to live and work longer. The years of working at IBM for 30 years and getting the gold watch are over.
ComputingEdge: What do you consider to be the best strategies for professional networking?
Suder: I recommend an “all-of-the-above” strategy. You should go to trade shows from industry leaders such as Samsung and Apple. You should go to general technology shows of any kind. There are all sorts of tech meet-up groups in many disciplines. I would also recommend networking in interesting non-tech groups such as those involving wine or art.
ComputingEdge: What should applicants keep in mind when applying for wearable-computing jobs?
Suder: You need to know the tech backward and forward. You need to use the technology and understand it. Wearable technology is an emerging field, and you have the opportunity to be one of the few experts in it.
About Lori Cameron
ComputingEdge’s Lori Cameron interviewed Suder for this article. Contact her at l.cameron@computer.org if you would like to contribute to a future ComputingEdge article on computing careers. Contact Suder at tsuder@mobilegovt.com.
