6 Easy Steps to Building a Successful IT Career in 2021
One of the most lucrative careers that you can find nowadays is in the IT sector. There are numerous specialties that the individuals can explore and many opportunities abound for each of them. The organizations want to remain competitive in the market and are always on the lookout for the ways to leverage technology. With the significant growth in its adoption, the demand for the highly skilled IT professionals has continued to grow. This means that if your goal is to build a successful career in the field of IT, you have to choose the right path. To be completely sure about your choice, you may want to get career counseling online.
When you have made up your mind, the next thing is to know how to start and grow a successful career and probably create a niche for yourself.
6 Steps to Building Your Prestigious Career
Many advantages come with choosing an IT career. For a good start, you are assured of job stability. It is a fact that an IT career has more stability than many other paths. This is mostly due to the fact that the demand for the skilled IT professionals is more than the available specialists who can fill those positions. Additionally, there are many affordable training opportunities to validate any related skills and knowledge, unlike many other career paths. This is another important reason why choosing a career in the field of Information Technology makes a lot of sense.
You don’t need a four-year degree to work in the IT industry. This means that the cost of education in gaining the required skills and validation in the field is low compared to traditional education. Irrespective of your current career path and level of education, you can build a career in IT and succeed in it. However, it is recommended to seek career counseling, especially if you are changing your path. You have to be sure that it is the right one for you. If you have decided to build your career in the IT sector, the steps below will guide you through the whole process:
- Decide on Your Area of Specialty
The first step towards starting a career in this sphere is to choose an area of specialization. The IT field is huge with numerous specialties, job roles, and positions. You can take up the following titles: a Systems Administrator, a Software Developer, a Network Engineer, and a DevOps Engineer, among others. You need to spend some time researching these positions in order to find the one that best suits your abilities, skills and interests. You can talk to an employment counselor to help you make the right decision. Please note that there are some Microsoft certifications that can help you land a rewarding job. For example, you can obtain Microsoft Certified: Azure Security Engineer Associate or Microsoft Certified: DevOps Engineer Expert.
- Develop a Job List
There is a high chance that you will have multiple job options after your initial brainstorming and research. The next step is to create a list. You can arrange the specialties on a scale of strong interest and skills. Make sure that this list is as short as possible to avoid wasting time on making a choice. Look at each position and look up the expertise and education that are necessary to pursue each of them. Take the time to go over the requirements for each option and see if there are any you currently meet. You can also decide on the specific skills and education you need to gain and how long does it take.
- Develop Skills in Coding
To improve your potential in the IT industry, it is recommended to learn how to code. You can start with HTML. It is the first coding language that most people try to learn. It is relatively easy and quite common. You do not require any formal training to start coding with HTML. From this point, you can pick up some other coding languages, including C++, Java, JavaScript, Ruby, and Python. They are more advanced, so you may have to go through formal training to learn these languages. You can find some tutorials and classes online, which makes it easier to learn and develop your skills quickly. Moreover, you can obtain one or two certificates such as Oracle Certified Associate Java SE 8 Programmer or Oracle Certified Professional: Java SE 11 Developer to confirm your expertise.
- Enroll for Some Training
When you have decided on the career path to explore, you need to solidify your experience and knowledge. You can achieve this by taking formal training in coding. You can also enroll for a formal school to get a bachelor’s degree or at least an associate degree. Your choice of the course depends on the career path you have chosen. You may also consider going through vocational counseling to help you chart the right course. It is not a strict requirement to gain the validation you need to create the edge for yourself. You can also opt to take some certification courses and pass the associated exams to earn the certificates that validate your skills. You can speak with your career guidance and counseling department in school to guide you on the right path.
- Gain Experience through Freelancing
The fact is that you may not get your desired job role immediately you are job-ready. While you wait to land your dream position, you can start to gather experience by taking up freelance projects. For instance, if you want to take up the Web Designer role, you can provide freelance web services to people. With this, you can build your portfolio and your resume while getting paid at the same time.
- Build Your Professional Network
Your professional network can make a significant impact in helping you land your first IT job. Try to explore as many opportunities as possible to connect with other IT professionals. You can attend networking events to help you build relationships. With the right associations, you’re sure to meet people who work in IT departments and can recommend you to their organizations. Networking is a great way to revitalize your IT career.
Conclusion
Finally, one much-underemphasized tip in building a career in any industry is developing your soft skills. Although you may not need them to complete technical projects, they can come in handy when you have to advance your career. Therefore, invest time in developing these skills while building your technical ones and you will surely succeed.