Does The Ideal ITAM Person Exist?
I have listed some qualities that might be useful in IT Asset Management professionals. This list is by no means exhaustive – but it covers some of the main roles and responsibilities based on both what is advertised and in my conversations and experiences.
If you think about the growing number of platforms and asset types and their corresponding license types and agreements – I see the spindle getting more spokes in the future not less.
On that basis, you’d have to be some kind of bionic superhero to have all of these bases covered. Some of the roles are not exactly complimentary either. So maybe you need to be super human with a split personality!
I can see things getting a lot more niche in the future. Maybe you are a guru on a particular licensing vendor, maybe you have working knowledge of a few, maybe your role is better suited to being a lynchpin between all the spokes, maybe you are an awesome process person, but whatever you are you can’t be all things to all men.
What do you think? Does the ideal ITAM person exist?
Does The Ideal ITAM Person Exist?
About Martin Thompson
Martin is also the founder of ITAM Forum, a not-for-profit trade body for the ITAM industry created to raise the profile of the profession and bring an organisational certification to market. On a voluntary basis Martin is a contributor to ISO WG21 which develops the ITAM International Standard ISO/IEC 19770.
He is also the author of the book "Practical ITAM - The essential guide for IT Asset Managers", a book that describes how to get started and make a difference in the field of IT Asset Management. In addition, Martin developed the PITAM training course and certification.
Prior to founding the ITAM Review in 2008 Martin worked for Centennial Software (Ivanti), Silicon Graphics, CA Technologies and Computer 2000 (Tech Data).
When not working, Martin likes to Ski, Hike, Motorbike and spend time with his young family.
Connect with Martin on LinkedIn.
You’re right, you need to have someone who actually has a few qualities
that are typically not seen in the same person, but we’re out there! I usually suggest someone with accounting skills and strong
administrative capabilities, with the knowledge, desire and ability to learn the technical side of things.
I regularly wonder if
we should be pulling from administrative roles rather than from technical roles
Hi Sandi,
I also have the same debate of the admin. role vs the technical role. I believe that it should be the more
technical role but when hiring I look for a mix of both. Not easy, but I struggle when hiring a person who is strong with admin. but
cannot discern technically because of they’re lack of knowledge in that space and vice versa for a strong technical role who is then not
interested in the admin-related work.
So most often we decide to hire people locally who have not managed to complete they’re IT
degrees perhaps due to funds or other reasons. So we have an accounting skill, technical skill and and admin-type of skill in the team
and everyone teams to hep the other. This has worked well in the past, but now I’m in a new company and it should work there to.
Happy to see that someone is also ‘feeling’ what I’m having to face.
All the best on your journey
Regards, Lebo
You forgot Bush Lawyer and Access/ SQL as skills. We need to be able to make sense of license
agreements, and even if someone else runs data extracts, you need to be able to see how they are doing the queries.
think about the spokes that lead into our role. We need to know:
Warehouse/facilities/central supply
Network
Server
Desktop
Accounting
procurement
Finance
Legal
HR
Security
seriously, you tell me of another role that has to include all of these considerations in every action taken! Then again this is why I love the job. Challenges and rewards are there and I guess I like the abuse LOL.