Do you have a passion for technology? If so, you may want to pursue a career in technology and, these days, you are spoilt for choice. Tech is playing a key role in the business world nowadays, and this will only get larger as the tech continues to develop.
Computer science, data analytics, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and cloud computing are just a few prime examples of technology that is being used in various different industries and all areas that can provide a secure, rewarding, lucrative, and interesting career path. Read on for a career guide for those with a passion for tech that will hopefully help.
Choose A Field
First, you need to choose an area. As mentioned in the intro, there are all kinds of different fields to choose from when it comes to a career in tech and these all differ from one another.
This means that you will want to choose a field that interests you, such as software engineering, and then find out what you need to do to pursue a career in this field. Careers in technology will require strong technical skills, so often you will need to spend time studying and learning, and the earlier that you can do this, the better.
Start Developing Your Technical Skills
Following on from this, once you have chosen your tech-related career field, you will then want to begin developing your technical skills.
You can often first start doing this by teaching yourself with information online, but when you want to start applying for jobs, you will need to have some qualifications and experience that you can use, so you should look into the best entry-level course options.
Create A Professional Website
Having a resume is certainly important, but these days you should also have a professional website. This website can expand on your resume and include detailed information on your skills, background, experience, qualifications and contain a portfolio of examples of your work.
This is particularly useful when applying for tech-related roles as it is a way for you to show your tech work and impress potential employers.
Develop Your Professional Skills
In addition to technical skills, you will also need strong professional skills with any tech-related role. These roles often require a range of professional skills and will require you to work with others, communicate with clients, take the lead on projects, and more.
This will require a range of professional skills, so you should look to improve on these if you have any weaknesses. A few of the key skills that you will need include:
- Communication skills
- Leadership skills
- Ability to work as part of a team
- Ability to work independently
- Critical thinking skills
- Professionalism
- Workload management skills
Find Entry-Level Work to Learn On The Job
Once you have developed basic skills, you should then look to find entry-level work or any other relevant experience you can find. It can be hard to get your foot in the door, but entry-level roles are available and will help you to kickstart your tech career.
You may need to work on your interview skills in order to stand out from the crowd, especially if this is an area that you struggle with.
Then, when you have found entry-level work in your chosen field, you need to view this as a learning opportunity.
You should give it your all each and every day, ask questions when you are not sure and try to learn from those in more senior positions – finding a mentor can be incredibly useful if you are able to. You should also seek and pay attention to feedback in order to identify and improve on any weaknesses that you have.
Further Qualifications
Once you have your feet under the desk in your new role and you are developing new skills, it is a good time to get ready to take the next step by taking further qualifications.
Using the earlier example of a software engineer, this would involve taking an online masters in software engineering. This will help to elevate your career ceiling, bolster your resume and portfolio and develop the key skills and knowledge that are required to find success in software engineering.Â
Stay Current With Developments & Trends
One of the trickiest aspects of a career in tech is that it is constantly changing and developing. While qualifications like a master’s will provide a solid foundation, you still need to commit to continuous learning so that you are able to stay current with the latest trends, developments, and changes in your chosen field.
Often, the best ways to do this are by attending industry events, reading respected publications, and doing online research (blogs, podcasts, and social media are great sources). This will help you to stay current, show your commitment to the industry and improve your personal performance.
Grow Your Professional Network
As with any field, you also need to take time to grow your professional network over time. A professional network can help to open new doors, improve your professional reputation and help you to stand out from the crowd.
Networking in person is important for forming strong connections, so you should make the effort to network at every opportunity and have business cards that you can give to people to make a lasting impression.
As you might imagine, networking online is common in tech industries, so you should be active in online communities and use social media as a way to keep in touch with your network.
Hopefully, this guide will come in useful to anyone looking to pursue a career in a tech-related field. Technology jobs are on the rise, with many fields going through significant growth in recent times, so now is a good time to pursue a career in tech.
However, these can also be challenging fields to succeed in and stand out from the crowd. Technical skills are obviously key and will take some time to develop, but this is not the only challenge, and it is important to be prepared when it comes to a career in technology. Make sure to take note of the above advice to ensure you succeed with a tech career.Â