Do you like computers and want to have a job related to them? If you are interested in programming, computer languages, or something like that, you should consider an IT professional occupation as a potential job for your future.
This job is on the list of hot jobs, and many people are studying to work in IT.
If you still don’t know where and what to start, stay with us in this post to find all the valuable information to become an IT professional.
Job Description
Since information technology (IT) covers so many fields, we’ll go through the specific job description.
Duties And Responsibilities
IT professionals’ job descriptions will be different from one company to another. You can see some fundamental duties of IT professionals in the list below:
- Meet with potential clients to identify their needs
- Engage with customers to provide the project’s requirements
- Set the project’s timetable and resource requirements
- Visit clients’ locations
- In charge of database management, software development, and network management
- Identify the network, software, and hardware requirements
- Determine and fix project problems
- Build reports of project status
- Setting up and installing the computer software, hardware, networks, systems, scanners, and printers
- Observing and maintaining computer networks and systems
Where does an IT professional work?
First, IT professionals can work in some businesses specializing in IT services, from large corporations to small businesses. For instance, there are software companies, businesses that offer networking and cloud computing services, IT consulting firms, and website agencies.
Additionally, they can work for organizations that create video games and provide online services, such as hosting services, social networks, search engines, instant messaging apps, and email.
An IT specialist can work in businesses of all sizes, both as an employee and as a solo IT advisor.
Education Requirements
If you desire a career in IT, you will need to fulfill the educational prerequisites.
Degree and Certificate
For beginner IT professionals, an associate’s degree may be enough. However, companies favor hiring individuals with a bachelor’s degree or higher.
If you’re an IT professional seeking a four-year degree, you should select to study a Bachelor of Science in Computer Engineering or a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science. You should pursue a master’s or doctoral degree in information technology if you are interested in managerial employment.
Depending on the position, IT employees have different job training. Most businesses offer new hires or those entering the on-the-job profession training.
Although they are not a condition for employment, certifications can give applicants a competitive advantage.
Professional certifications, such as the Microsoft Certified IT Professional certification, are necessary for employees who want to showcase their skills.
Online Courses
Here we provide you with seven free online courses for IT professionals. Have a look at the list below for references:
1. Introduction to Information Technology
This course is free, but they do not give you a certificate. You will need up to 60 days to complete the course.
2. CS50’s Introduction to Computer Science
Offered by Harvard University via edX, this course lasts for 12 weeks. You do not have to pay the tuition fee, but you need to spend money to have the certificate.
3. Free Technology Courses
Offered by Free Code Camp, this course lasts for 300 hours (about 13 days). It also provides you with a certificate after finishing the course.
4. Information Technology Foundations
You will have a certificate by paying the money at the end of the course. The time range for this course is 12 weeks.
5. Free Tech Training
Like the other courses, you do not have to pay for this class. There will be a certificate after passing the course. You will learn from the introduction to advanced knowledge about the IT field.
6. Business Technology Management Specialization
This course provides you with essential information about the IT field.
Like the second course in this list, you will have to pay money if you want to have a certificate. You will need three months to complete this class.
7. Software Testing
There is no certificate provided at the end of this course. A month is enough time to finish the class. It is for the intermediate level.
Essential Skills
Most companies look for the following skills in their IT specialists:
Hard Skills
Below is the list of necessary hard skills for an IT professional:
1. Coding
Coding is an ordinary and fundamental skill set that a business looks for in an IT expert. Most IT occupations involve developing software, writing code, and creating websites.
The ability to code in different computer languages, including Java, Python, C++, and Ruby, is also advantageous. To finish projects for software development and handle quality assurance, one must be familiar with code.
2. Social platform management
Employers may find that you have an additional valuable talent if you know how social media networks operate. Many organizations find it highly beneficial to be able to assist clients with their content administration system, keyword optimization, and internet analytics.
3. Operating system understanding
An essential IT skill is knowing how to operate and repair different operating systems. While a single company might only use an operating system, being skilled in multiple-system software might help you stand out to potential employers who want to change to a different system soon.
Soft Skills
Besides hard skills, we also have some soft skills for IT professionals:
1. Communication
The IT industry demands a lot of communication. You can work as a developer or a crew in IT security, and you’ll have to communicate with your coworkers and superiors to assist them with technical problems.
Writing and speaking are primary forms of communication, especially when giving instructions over the phone or in emails. You must be able to actively listen, consider, and provide insightful input on complex topics.
2. Creativity
Because creativity produces ground-breaking concepts and solutions, it is a valuable ability for IT careers. You may have to develop a novel idea to enhance a procedure or resolve a technical problem.
3. Leadership
You may have to lead a group on a project throughout your IT career, which will need you to demonstrate significant leadership abilities. Understanding how to assign jobs, define goals, and settle disputes will be beneficial.
Essential Tools
You should be competent with all the main tools required for the smooth operation of IT infrastructure to qualify as an IT expert.
You might or might not need to utilize all the tools based on your profession. However, you need to understand which tool can assist you with whatever duty as an IT specialist.
Many of these tools are free and can assist you in reducing your volume of work and streamlining operations. Below is the list of ten essential tools that every IT professional should know:
- Performance Monitoring Software
- Network Security
- Capacity Planning
- Asset Management
- Deployment
- Remote Administration
- Helpdesk Ticketing
- Log Analysis
- Data Storage/Management
- Data Recovery
These tools should be in the toolkit of any IT professional because they offer practical solutions to problems that IT professionals deal with on regular days.
Job Outlook
Let’s find out the income range, expected benefits, and prospects for advancement in an IT career!
Social media, the Internet, and e-commerce are technological and digital transformations that have revolutionized our ordinary lives.
It is an industry on the cutting edge of innovation, where information quickly becomes outdated, and people always ask for new skills. Because of this truth, firms frequently struggle to locate skilled candidates.
However, considering the enormous development of new IT applications in different fields, such as automation, wearable technology, cloud computing, augmented reality, virtual reality, and artificial intelligence (AI), the job prospects in the IT world are excellent.
Salary
The average yearly salary for an IT professional in the US is $69,191.
In addition, freelance IT professionals are in high demand. IT experts should try freelancing to earn some more money.
List of Top Companies Hiring IT Professionals
Below is the list of the top 9 companies hiring IT professionals:
- ManTech
- Nokia
- RingCentral
- TEKsystems
- Citi
- FedEx
- Costco
- Amazon
- Walmart
The list above will be a good reference if you don’t know what companies to apply to. You can find the company that fits you.
Advantages and Disadvantages
Being an IT professional brings you some advantages below:
1. Fantastic career opportunities,
The IT revolution has impacted this modern society so much that we can see its effect on almost all aspects of life. The need for knowledgeable IT professionals will only increase over time.
In addition, the constant growth of Information Technologies guarantees that ambitious individuals will always find a wide range of employment alternatives and opportunities available to apply.
2. Benefits and employment security
The IT sector is expanding at an increasing rate, making it harder and harder to attract enough qualified candidates to fill all open positions.
As a result, employers are trying to maintain employee loyalty by offering many benefits, from office perks to sponsored family trips and scheduling flexibility.
Every job has its disadvantages, so IT professionals do. Here is the list of cons this job may have:
1. Lonely feeling
Normal individuals frequently lack patience for the IT business’s challenges because they are ignorant of programming techniques. A software engineer’s profession contains abstract technical jargon.
This aspect may seem unimportant, but over time, it can isolate IT professionals and force them into exclusive industry circles. While these things aren’t always the case, it’s often a solitary job.
2. High degree of stress
Imagine creating the software for a significant airline corporation where even a small error could result in a tragedy. Anyone wishing to establish a position in the IT market must possess the capacity to handle this kind of tension.
FAQs
What precisely do IT experts perform?
Professionals in information technology research, build, deploy, manage, and maintain computer-based data systems, including software and hardware.
Is it hard to be an IT?
Information technology might be challenging depending on your area of study and level of skill in the field. However, it is more than achievable if you are confident in your mathematical and statistical abilities and are eager to invest the time and effort necessary to study and absorb the material.
Is it possible to work in the IT field without a degree?
Numerous high-paying IT jobs don’t ask for a college degree. Whatever one’s academic credentials are, hiring managers are finding job prospects who can do the task effectively.
Your road to a successful computer profession may be self-education, training courses, and certifications.
What qualifications are necessary for IT professionals?
A bachelor’s degree is the minimum qualification for most IT jobs. This area includes the majors such as information technology, computer science, computer engineering, and information technology management.
Why is it necessary to study IT?
Studying IT is necessary because you can develop your career in various ways thanks to information technology (IT).
Are IT jobs hard to find?
No, getting an IT job is not difficult. Many businesses are looking for skilled IT professionals. However, it’s possible to get entry-level work with no experience.
How do I become an IT tech without college?
Join a boot camp for technology. People design boot camps to help career changers get the occupation they want more quickly.
With instructor assistance and career guidance, boot camps provide intensive instruction in the most current computer skills.
Which is better, IT or computer science?
Since they have different jobs and various subfields and specializations, there is nothing called “better.” Both IT and computer science are excellent options for your studies, provided you have a strong interest in technology and know what each academic option entails.
Career Advice
The first advice we want to give you is to stay patient with your original purpose. All jobs are hard to succeed in, so you should try your best to chase your dream.
Researching in the IT field can be an excellent first step. You need to understand who IT professionals are and what they do in their job.
After identifying some leading factors in this field, you should plan a step-by-step map to become an IT professional. You can join a 4-year college or participate in online courses and boot camps to have enough certificates.
Joining IT forums to have experiences with skilled IT professionals will also assist you significantly. Moreover, you can start freelance projects to build up your CV and make employers.
Hopefully, you can gain some general background of this job after reading our article and understand how to have a room in this field.