Technology, especially IT, is one of the most promising and, by far, the most rapidly developing sectors of today’s economy. New IT companies and projects are launched every day, which is why the number of young people who want to join the world of IT is unsurprisingly high. However, starting a career in IT requires a lot of thought, especially if you don’t have any prior experience or necessary education. Here are some steps to bring you closer to your dream career.
Start a career in IT with Jiji
Explore the variety of positions
One of the greatest things about IT is that the diversity of jobs and titles available to workers is nearly endless, and everyone can find a position according to their skills and needs. If you’re a fan of art and graphic design, you can achieve success as an art director, graphic designer, or software engineer. Hardcore gamers will likely enjoy working as video game developers or testers. People with attention for details and an analytical mind can thrive as computer programmers or testers. And if you want to help people and don’t mind doing routine work, start looking for a position as a computer engineer.
Decide which skills you lack
Every type of job in IT requires a very specific set of skills in order to land the position. For example, if you’re interested in graphic design and are already a very talented artist, you’ll need to study digital art, how it is created, and how it is implemented in the web or software environment. If you’ve always been good at noticing errors and bugs in websites and software and now want to land a job in testing, you’ll need a better understanding of how software and websites are built, so that you could be quicker and more effective at eliminating bugs. Plus, there are some universal IT skills that will help you in nearly every IT career, like HTML and the basics of programming.
Learn online
Luckily for you, IT is the type of field where you can successfully learn the necessary skills without attending a university – simply by studying at your home computer. There are thousands of educational courses you can find online; some of them are available for free, while others are paid. The right educational program will equip you with everything you need to start a career in IT and can potentially refer you to IT companies who need new employees. If you’re looking for your first IT courses, try to find the one that gives you feedback and checks your progress, as opposed to simply giving out the lectures, so that you could know how well you’re progressing. Courses that give out certifications are also more preferable to the ones who don’t.
Find your first job
While we realize that this step is easier said than done, you don’t need to think that landing a good position as an IT newbie is impossible. First, make sure you have at least one certificate from an IT course that can prove you have the necessary skills. Second, be proactive – research the companies you’d like to work at and send out your resume even if they don’t have any currently open positions. Don’t forget to attach a cover letter, where you can explain why the IT sector is so attractive and important to you. And, last but not least, try to build your own network of people who are already in IT business and can potentially help you get a job. The best ways to get to know people in IT are professional events, courses, online communities, Facebook, and LinkedIn.
