I can’t keep up with industry changes. What should I do differently?

As a technical or product manager, your company expects you to help it gain and sustain a competitive advantage. One vital way your organization can maintain its competitive edge is by keeping up with and staying ahead of changes in your industry. However, your busy schedule makes keeping up with changes seem daunting. Despite this, here are some things you can start doing today to stay current.

Tune Into Online Forums

Online forums and email lists of associations centered around your industry are gold mines of knowledge about specific topics. You might have to sift through various posts to find the item that catches your eye. However, forums and email lists permit you to take in new information and give your opinion about trends affecting your business. For data science, we like towardsdatascience.com and datasciencecentral.com, and of course chiselanalytics.com.

Subscribe to Online or Print Trade Journals

Subscribing to one or two journals within your field will help you see any forthcoming changes. Besides reading journals related directly to your business, reading a finance and marketing journal will help you understand how changes in those industries can shape your market.

Google Alerts

Google alerts make it easy to have specific information sent to your email. You choose the industry keyword or topic for which you want articles sent to you, and Google will send you publications to your inbox that discuss your keyword. You can also choose how often Google sends you information about your chosen topic.

Expand Your Network

Attending conferences, events, and educational seminars allow you to extend your network of knowledgeable people. Another way to enlarge your network is to talk with your suppliers and customers. Also, speaking with professionals who work in fields connected to your specific market will expand your network. When you grow your network, you will gain a more comprehensive understanding of what is happening in your industry. This kind of network expansion will permit you to anticipate change instead of reacting to change.

Utilize Internet Search Tools

There are several internet search tools you can use to find out what’s happening in your industry. With search tools such as MOZ, BuzzSumo, and Mention, you can see what people are saying about the field in which you work. If your company is looking to move into a specific segment, you can search for terms within that sector and see what people are saying about that sector.

Follow Industry Influencers

Following industry insiders on Twitter and LinkedIn is a great way to gain insightful business news. By following the experts in your market, you will get up-to-the-minute industry news.

Make a List of Industry Resources

As you build out your network of resources, determine which journals, blogs, and whatnot, you got to for information the most. Then bookmark or list those resources. By doing this, you will become more efficient in keeping up, and you will gain a professional competitive advantage.

At Chisel, we get it. We’ve been in the trenches ourselves. Helping you through these challenges is why we exist. Chisel Analytics promises to help you keep up with industry changes.