As you become more senior in your career, you might look back at the road you’ve taken and consider how you may have done things differently: little tips to save you time or big awakenings that helped you get where you are today. Hindsight is a wonderful thing. Here are 5 pieces of advice all Dynamics professionals wish they’d had 5 years ago.

1. Be present

Dynamics CRM and ERP technology updates are released at an increased speed. Dynamics CRM 2016 is already preparing for its Spring update, while NAV 2016 is on its 6^th cumulative update already! It would be easy to get comfortable with the technology that you trained with, but experienced developers know that the way to real success is to be a fast adopter of new updates and platforms. Being proficient with new software before anyone else will always put you ahead of the pack.

2. Be polymathic

Who would have thought 5 years ago that the cloud, Internet of Things and artificial intelligence would be so central to Microsoft’s agenda for Dynamics? Whether it’s Cortana voice commands in CRM for phones, or Azure machine learning in Dynamics AX for near real-time analytics through Power BI, the real skill of any modern Dynamics professional is predicting the innovations that will power the next wave of creations, and then absorbing them all. Learn broad, and you’ll be irreplaceable.

3. Be certified

Last week we wrote about upskilling in Microsoft Dynamics. Certification remains a large part of that. It demonstrates commitment, depth of knowledge and authority, and it’s something that all good Dynamics developers should strive. The Microsoft Dynamics customer portal is a good place to start. Here, you have access to all the learning materials you need to make a success of your certification exams. Once you’ve passed, you’ll be a target to top recruiters, you can increase your salary expectation, and your peers will have increased respect for you.

4. Be prepared

You never know when the next opportunity is around the corner. If you want to be at the top of the pile when the next fantastic role comes knocking, make sure your portfolio is up to date. We wrote last year about 5 new ways you can present your Microsoft Dynamics portfolio, so read up and choose your favourite. Many of the options we presented didn’t even exist 5 years ago, so using one will help to differentiate you.

5. Be connected

Your recruiter should be somebody who knows you and your goals in life. When you’re first starting out in the Dynamics arena, you may work with the first recruiter who approaches you. A better solution is to get a sense of the industry, follow recruitment consultants on LinkedIn and figure out who’s right for you. Message them online, call them and ask for a chat. If you like them, it might be an idea to meet up and talk through some of your goals. Remember, bad recruiters will put their own targets first, and good ones will always have your best interests in mind. Conspicuous’ consultants are experts in their field. If you want a recruiter who’ll always put you first, please get in touch with one of our expert UK and US consultants today on +44(0)1483 233000 or +1 646 878 6426. If you’re a candidate looking for that next role, upload your CV today.