Given how vital information technology is to our way of life, nowadays, it should be no surprise that it’s also a very attractive and lucrative path of work for those who have the aptitude for it. However, even if you have an interest in all things digital, it might be hard to imagine what, exactly, a career in that field might look like. Here, we’re going to take a closer look at some of your options when it comes to careers in the IT world.
Each of these fields has its own diverse range of work opportunities. We’re simply taking an overview of some of the most widely recruiting and most potentially career-building kinds of IT roles that you could look at.
Offering the support needed
If you think of the traditional role of the “techy” type in a standard office, then you might very well think of someone who spends much of their day untangling the knots that users get themselves into with the tech they’re working with. However, there are all kinds of IT support specialist roles that work in various setups. Some of them work as part of an IT team, responding to the needs of end-users that are often employees of the same company. However, there are also those that work with clients of that said company, helping customers solve problems they’re finding with their own software. Some support specialists learn how to provide support for specific software suites, lending support as a freelancer to supplement the solutions provided by the manufacturer.
Managing the IT team
IT support workers tend to make the “meat” of IT sections in most small to medium-sized businesses. While they’re there to help with all manner of troubleshooting, fixes, and security provisions, they often still have someone who is at the head of the team, ready to help organize their efforts to make sure that they meet the business’s needs as effectively as possible. Usually, people in IT reach management level by working within the business and gaining experience of how to best use the resources at their disposal to step into a position of leadership. However, there are management courses that you can take, if you have the pre-requisite understanding of IT, to be a full-fledged IT manager, ready to go.
Developing software solutions
Many of the IT roles beyond those already mentioned start to demand an additional level of specialized skill. That is very much true of programming and development. This usually involves creating or adjusting software applications by way of coding. However, software development can involve a wider range of skills than just that. For instance, working with clients to understand what the application is supposed to do, coming up with the abstract of the solution, and then turning those solutions into real tools are different processes, but heading towards the same aim. That said, a key understanding of coding languages, such as taking C++ lessons, learning Java, or other options is typically a requirement in this field.
Securing digital scope
As much efficiency, organization, and precision as digital technology in the workplace has allowed for, it has also opened up a range of new concerns, as well. Chief among those concerns are the breaches that can lead to data being stolen, deleted, altered, or otherwise misused. Hackers, scams, and malware are all serious issues and there is no shortage of business who are looking for those who can help them defend their systems from this. This field of work requires significant and specific education, such as earning a masters in cyber security online. However, so long as you’re able to keep up with the evolving cybersecurity needs involved, it is one of the most widely in-demand fields of work available and can be very lucrative the more you specialize in specific categories of security.
Designing and developing websites
Though website design and development are, in fact, two different disciplines, we’re bundling them together simply because they work to the same end: helping individuals, business and organizations establish their own sites. Website design typically involves using tools that can help clients put together the website they want from visual assets and user experience perspective, focusing on how the website is to use. Website development goes a little deeper into the backend of it and often involves creating the different components that actually make the website functional. Both of these professionals can use tools to build websites from scratch for clients, but developers tend to be better able to create websites that meet more bespoke needs.
Putting together computer systems
While a lot of organizations are more likely to buy already built computer systems that are already on the market, there are those that have more bespoke needs. When someone needs a system that’s more specifically designed to meet a set purpose, they will work with computer systems analysts. What computer systems analysts do is look through the market (that they likely already have a deep understanding of) to find the be components, systems, hardware, and networks to help create a full IT scope from scratch. This means that not only do they build PCs and other hardware, but they make sure that they’re connected together with a network that meets the needs of the business, and might even source the software it’s likely to need.
Digging into the data
Data science and, in particular, data analysis, are very much in the demand right now. More organizations are collecting more data than ever before, and realize it could often them a major advantage when it comes to decision making. However, reading and making use of that data isn’t easy. Data analysts tend to find ways to collect datasets from various applications into centralized systems. They then look more closely at the greater collection of data in order to help them promote better decision making, develop insights, and to create graphical representations that can be better read by the layperson.
Getting into a career in IT can be highly lucrative. Hopefully, the choices above highlight just that.
