It is no overstatement to say that technology is a major influence in all our lives now. This has become especially true over the last 20 or 30 years where technology has changed how we live and work a lot. From advances in how we catch up with friends to developments in how we carry out our day-to-day jobs, tech is the one thing that holds it all together.
This is reflected in the tech industry, which is extremely buoyant right now in terms of employment. Pretty much all companies will rely on technology to operate now – even the ones that aren’t tech based in what they actually do. This makes moving into the tech industry a great career choice as your skills will always be in demand. As technology will only continue to become more important for companies in the future, moving into the tech industry is also a good way to gain job security.
The stats around the tech sector and career prospects back this up. In the US alone, there are over 11 million people employed in this industry. With a wide variety of roles to choose from, including IT assistant, IT manager, web developer and front-line IT support worker, it is a sector that gives many opportunities for employment. At an average annual wage of $112,890, it is also a sector that pays well compared to others.
How do you break into tech as a beginner though?
Getting your foot in the tech door
As with all industries, working in tech is largely about getting your foot in the door to find the right opportunities. Here are some great ways to go about it:
- Get the right qualifications – if you are really keen to break into tech and find work easily, then the right qualifications are key. This will normally mean enrolling at a college to study on a course such as an associate degree in networking technology. Bryant and Stratton College is one of the top US colleges that offer tech and IT-related courses to study – you can find out more about Bryant and Stratton on Facebook. Getting the most up-to-date and suitable knowledge under your belt will help you get a tech job and also enter the industry at a higher level.
- Try getting some work experience – one great way to help boost your chances of moving into tech is to pick up some work experience. This will not only look great on your CV for the future but will also give you real-world experience of working in this industry to see if it is for you. The other amazing thing about work experience is that it gives you contacts in the sector to use and may even give you a job opportunity if you do well enough.
- Have a passion for tech – this career path is one of those where you really need to have a love and passion for what you do. If you do not enjoy tech, then you will soon get bored of spending hours typing code or upgrading the suite of computers in a company. Having a passion for tech will also mean that you use it regularly in your daily life and will therefore have a greater understanding of it to use in work.
- Keep up to date with the latest advances – to break into the tech sector, you need to know not only the basics around what you intend to do but also the latest developments. Tech is pretty quick moving and there are always new upgrades coming out for existing systems or new programming languages to know about. As a beginner, it is worth keeping an eye on industry news so that you are abreast of any big changes that have happened lately. While you do not need to know about them all in detail, it is worth knowing about the ones that impact on the niche within tech that you plan to work in.
- Network – many jobs are gained through networking, and tech is certainly an industry where this can be true. Make sure to network online through sites such as LinkedIn and also in the real world at physical events. This will allow you to speak with people inside the sector and hopefully sniff out openings and opportunities.
Working in tech is possible
Maybe the biggest barrier to overcome here is the common perception of what it takes to work in tech. Many people think that you need to be a computer wizard or some kind of genius-level math guru. While this would help, it is not true. A career in tech is open to people from all walks of life and is attainable with the right things in place.
