Published: Oct 26, 2019 by Ivana Žemberi
Most people think that jobs in IT are just answering phones and giving people instructions on how to fix their IT related problems, but that’s just the tip of the iceberg. IT offers a whole range of career paths to choose from.
Some of the most popular job titles, besides already mentioned tech support, are:
- Programmers
- Web Developers
- Computer System Analyst
- IT Security
- and more…
Before I start explaining what skills each of these jobs mentioned above require, it is important to say that the IT industry is still expanding due to rapid development of technology.
In this video below, you can hear, and see, the IT Job description recorded a few decades ago.
It is almost scary how much technology has advanced since then, but all that was said in the video remains true to this day:
- You still need the mental agility and flexibility to move with a fast-changing industry if you want to pursue a career in IT.
- A background in science, math or engineering is good preparation for a career in Information Technology services.
- To keep up with this fast-growing sector, in-depth training is required on specific software or equipment every year.
Popular types of jobs in IT
1) Programmers
What programmers do is, they write and test the code that makes up software programs. What kind of skills do you need for doing that? Well, that depends on which area you’re programming in, but the most important skills a programmer needs are:
- logical thinking
- attention to detail
- teamwork
2) Technical Support
These type of IT experts can be known by a variety of titles, but all in all their main job is to provide expert troubleshooting advice to clients. Skills a tech support employee needs:
- well-rounded tech knowledge
- communication skills
- problem-solving
3) Web Developers
Their job is to build websites and the infrastructures behind them. Skills needed:
- creativity
- technical prowess
4) IT Security
They are in charge of keeping organizations safe from malicious digital attacks. For doing that they need these skills:
- a lot of problem-solving
- crisis management
- effective communication between team members and higher-ups
5) Computer Systems Analyst
“The multitaskers of information technology”, their job is to understand computer hardware, software and networks, and based on that knowledge, make recommendations to their company for which systems are best to use. Skills needed for this type of job:
- ability to analyze information quickly and effectively
- communication skills
- ability to persuade when necessary
Again, there are many more career paths in IT, but these are just the most common and popular ones at the moment.
Conclusion
To pursue a career in IT you need to be ready for constant challenges that come with the job. You will need patience for dealing with people that are not rich with IT knowledge, and that are sometimes frustrated by problems that can be easily solved by an IT expert. You also need to be ready for on-going education, IT is a competitive industry and is constantly changing.
If you have those skills, congratulations! You can become a new member of the IT Crowd.
