If I proposed the idea of an IT career to you, what would your initial response be?
No doubt you’d think about some nerdy guy hunched over a computer screen all day, slowly boring himself to death.
I’m sure there are plenty of IT guys and gals that do live like this, but did you know that careers in the IT industry are kind of…cool? It sounds crazy to say, but there’s one massive reason these jobs have started being very popular - and not just amongst the geeky population!
That’s right, they pay top dollar. IT careers are super cool if you want to make a lot of money. Yes, yes, “money can’t buy happiness” we all know that cliche. But, money can buy your family a nice place to live, and food to eat; it can pay your bills and give you a more comfortable and stress-free life.
So, if you want to make a lot of money for your family, perhaps it’s time to consider an IT career? The next question is obvious: how the hell do you get started?
Go on some courses
The best thing about IT careers (other than the sweet wage packages) is that you rarely need university degrees to find good jobs. Sure, they might help, but you can find loads of different courses that give you all the key qualifications employers are looking for.
You can take a PRINCE2 Certification exam and gain qualifications to handle IT project management. There are cybersecurity courses you can take to get qualifications in that domain - and so on. All of these can be done online, at home, making them perfect to do in your spare time while still working your current job.
Pick an area to specialise in
Okay, how do you want to spend most of your time? Do you want to sit at your computer dealing with common IT support questions? If you like this, then go for it. Or, would you rather do something cool - like be an ethical hacker and try to take down security systems? Sounds pretty awesome, right?
My point is; you need to find an area to specialise in, so you can pick the right jobs that appeal to you. Actually, I should’ve put this before the first point as you’ll find your area of specialisation and then pick the right courses.
Gain a bit of experience
If you’re starting out in IT for the first time, the best thing you can do is get some experience. Offer IT services as a freelancer, to begin with, generating some clients and showing off your skills. Then, you can use this as a springboard to apply for jobs at other companies.
Volunteering is also a good idea, or you could do some work for free. Regardless, you need to get some experience to show that you’re great at what you do.
The life of an IT worker can be much more exciting than you think. Gone are the days when these jobs were seen as uncool and nerdy. Now, they’re some of the most popular and important jobs on the planet - and you can earn a lot of money!
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