What Paths Can I Take Within An IT Career?

According to data from CV-Library, vacancies within the IT sector increased by almost 22% this year and the Robert Half 2018 Salary Guide demonstrated how technology salaries had risen the most out of nearly every industry in the UK. This can only be good news for those currently in the field, or those looking to pursue a career in IT.

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Finding The Right IT Career For You

Field Service And Support

Despite the fact that a lot of companies tend to be moving their data to cloud-based technology, almost every company still requires an IT service desk, support, and maintenance. This means that qualified IT technicians are always in high demand, even if the demand for the type of technician begins to change.

To gain employment in this field, you usually need to have a qualification that demonstrates your understanding of both the fundamental hardware and software used in the majority of businesses and preferably a specialization in other areas such as networking and security.

Cybersecurity

Again, most businesses will require some form of network or data security, particularly if it is a business that deals with customer data or intellectual property. It is a career path that tends to require a lot of out-of-the-box thinking, an analytical skill set and a high level of intelligence overall.

Most people who pursue this type of career have an undergraduate degree in IT, mathematics or engineering but it’s still possible to gain a role in cybersecurity even if you don’t have such a qualification.

Education

There needs to be someone that teaches those IT professionals who are pursuing qualifications. Plenty of universities offer undergraduate and postgraduate degrees or training programs in subjects including computer science, programming, systems analysis and more which is why IT education is a worthwhile career path in itself.

Reputable companies such as Dell, HP, and Microsoft even offer the relevant training for those who wish to pursue this path.

Business Consulting

Gaining experience and knowledge in a specific industry alongside an extensive knowledge of IT will stand you in good stead for a career in business consulting. Within this field, you’ll have the opportunity to work either as part of an IT department in a company or independently, offering your services on a freelance basis.

There are plenty of industries in which business consulting is in high demand including healthcare, retail and telecommunications and so by keeping up to date with the advancements of an industry you’ll always be in high demand.

Management

[pullquote]A career in IT will usually give you two options: staying in a technical role or moving upwards to a managerial role.[/pullquote] While it’s true that management isn’t for everyone, those who want to take more of a leadership role might want to consider it. Gaining more experience in project management is usually a good starting point for a role where you can oversee a larger department.

Most large companies will have management roles across key areas such as application development, vendor management and infrastructure meaning that you’ll have to develop knowledge not only of IT but of the business too.

IT is an industry that both grows and changes rapidly meaning that it’s becoming increasingly difficult to know which career path is going to bring you the most success over the next few years. However, no matter which of these career paths you go for, IT jobs are always in high demand.

If you are interested in even more career-related stories and information from us here at Bit Rebels then we have a lot to choose from.

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