How to Start a Career in IT
Every business needs information technology (IT) to stay in the competition. Moreover, it’s required to offer ideal products and services. Likewise, more companies see new ways to employ technology for their organization. As such, there’s a growing need for specialized and trained IT professionals. With such high demand, more people are trying to get into the industry and become IT experts.
Aside from the numerous career opportunities, individuals have varied reasons for wanting to become an IT professional. For instance, others want to become IT experts because it is an ideal source of income. Moreover, most IT experts can work on flexible schedules; some even have the option to do tasks in an office or at home.
As being an IT expert in TechBrain IT and other reputable companies has its benefits, it’s helpful to know how to start a career in such a field. If that’s what’s on your mind, keep reading as this article discusses ways you can start a career in IT.
Different IT Career Paths You Can Choose
Before delving more into how to start a career in IT, it’s helpful to know the job paths available. Each career path depends on your interests and skills. That said, here are two examples of IT jobs that you can follow:
Technical Support Specialists
Technical support specialists offer technical assistance to companies by maintaining, handling, and troubleshooting IT systems. These IT experts need to have plenty of knowledge regarding the company’s services that they specialize in. Such is required to help customers with their inquiries and address complaints effectively.
IT Technicians
There’s a growing need for IT technicians nowadays. It’s a high-paying job you can consider if you want to start a career in IT. These experts diagnose, fix, and maintain hardware and software parts to allow computer systems to work correctly.
Moreover, they do the following tasks:
- Examining if the computer hardware is working correctly
- Installing and configuring the right software and functions based on their specifications
- Laying up workstations with computers and the required peripheral devices
Overall, this job requires you to have enough knowledge and skills. Earning an associate's or bachelor’s degree can be ideal for such a matter.
Ways to Start a Career in IT
As one of the fastest-growing industries worldwide providing numerous job opportunities that may lead to career success, there’s no doubt that many professionals would want to enter the industry. However, like any other industry, starting your career may be daunting and confusing.
To help you, here are some ways to start a career in IT:
Learn the Basics of Coding and Networking
The first step to becoming an IT expert is to learn coding and networking. These two skills are crucial to any IT job. For one, coding is vital in this digital age. Every website, phone app, computer program, and appliance depends on coding to function correctly. Likewise, networking is vital for every business. Email, internet, live-streaming, audio and video sharing, online search, and social networks came because of computer networks.
As coding and networking are necessary for this present period, the demand for IT professionals with these two skills is high. And so, knowing coding and networking helps you further your IT career.
Obtain Experience by Interning or Working in a Related Field
Employers often look at a candidate’s experience before being hired to become an IT expert. As such, one step you can take to gain experience is to be an intern or work in a job related to the IT industry.
If you’re going to become an IT intern, the three examples of tasks that you’ll usually face are:
- Installing computer software applications and operating systems on new computers
- Analyzing, collecting, and storing data that’ll be used in reports
- Offering assistance to IT staff by answering user requests, responding to phone calls, and processing paperwork
Likewise, you can also work in a related field before becoming an IT professional. Some related non-IT jobs you can apply for include:
- Technical Support: If you have this job, your main task is to give registered users support and advice regarding a hardware or software company’s products.
As understanding software and hardware is needed, it can also help you in an IT job. IT jobs require a solid understanding of software and hardware systems. For instance, configuring these two components is needed if you want to become an IT technician.
- Customer Service Professional: This related job often involves providing clients with support either online, in-person, or by phone. As part of this job field, you’ll assist clients in having that purchasing decision. Moreover, you’ll be the one who’ll give support post-purchase to allow them to become aware of and use their products. You must do this while also providing an excellent customer experience.
This job contributes to your experience because, as a customer service professional, you must have the proper technical knowledge and skills to support and help customers make informed decisions and troubleshoot any issues.
Overall, getting work experience will help improve your knowledge and skills and contribute to your credentials. So, consider these two examples if you desire to work in a job related to IT.
Attend Events and Networking
Networking and events allow you to interact with new people and create relationships that can benefit your future career. Moreover, it’s an opportunity to connect with people with varied backgrounds in different fields. Communicating with these individuals can offer new insight and educate you on things that are unfamiliar to you but might be proven essential.
Get Certifications
If you want to be an IT professional, getting a certificate may come in handy. The most well-known certifications can increase your confidence, reliability, and performance. Also, it can provide you with more knowledge. That said, here are some steps to earn an IT certification:
- Decide on the proper IT certification.
- Get acquainted with your IT certification exam.
- Start studying and training for your certification exam.
- Choose your ideal IT certification training. Some examples of IT certification training are online and exam preparation, video training, instructor-led programs, and traditional study guides.
- Register and answer the exam.
As mentioned, getting a certification is crucial in boosting your experience and credentials. By following these steps, you can take advantage of the benefits of getting certifications to prepare for an IT job.
Stay Updated on New Technological Trends in the IT Industry
Technology is crucial in businesses nowadays. Regardless of the industry, the technology every organization uses continuously evolves as time goes by. Some technological advancements that are now trending include:
- 5G Technological Adoption
- Clean Technology
- Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning
- Blockchain Technology
- AI-Powered Cybersecurity
To continue your IT career, you must remain updated with the latest technological trends. This way, you’ll know the right tech skills that can benefit a business.
Final Thoughts
There’s a growing need for IT experts today, and almost more and more are aiming to become part of the IT industry. If you’re one of those people who want to venture into this field, it’s crucial to know the ways to kick off your career. So, consider applying the tips above and start your career in IT today!
Author’s Bio
John C. Morgan has been an IT professional for over eight years. He shares his knowledge and expertise through articles and social media posts. He loves to swim on beaches and hike with his dog when time permits.