Career in Technology – Enriching, Rewarding, and Exciting!

“Every business is a digital business” – we have all heard this statement. And it’s true. Tech plays a key part in the functioning of several businesses. As per a McKinsey report, the COVID-19 pandemic has advanced the pace of digitization by several years. Given these shifts, one can only imagine the opportunities available for tech professionals now and in the near future. While tech jobs have always enjoyed a certain level of glamour given the high pay, lavish offices, and a chance to do cutting-edge work, anyone who is considering a long-term career in the field must be aware of key trends associated with this sector.

This guide explores why choose IT as a career, what makes it so rewarding, and how you can get started on a career in technology.

Why Consider a Career in Technology?

The tech industry is one of the fastest-growing sectors, with high demand for skilled professionals across various domains. Here’s why to choose information technology as a career and why it can be one of the best decisions you make.

Constant Learning and Growth

All technology becomes obsolete, and the pace of obsolescence has accelerated in the last few years. Changes across tech areas, whether they are hardware, software, or business models, have been occurring at breakneck speed. New tech areas that did not exist just a few years ago may become the next big thing in the next five. Big data boomed in the second half of the last decade, and Artificial Intelligence is just beginning to take off. Hence, one of the biggest advantages of a career in technology is that it never gets boring.

To keep up with these shifts, you must learn to embrace change and learn continuously. To be sure, you will have plenty of options to learn both formally and informally. Most organisations offer internal training and external certification opportunities, so make the most of them.

Work in Diverse Tech Areas

This is closely related to the first point. Be ready to explore different areas within tech. Rapid advancements in the field may cause roles to be redundant. You may need to retrain to find and fit in a new role. That does not mean your experience and exposure from the previous jobs are no longer worth it. In most cases, you will be able to bank on your experience and problem-solving abilities to be successful in the new role. Keeping abreast of trends to get a good understanding of sunrise and sunset technologies would help. For example, Big Data, AI, Cloud, Web 3.0, and the Metaverse are gaining much traction today, and the skills required in these areas will be in hot demand. The diversity of opportunities answers your question of why chose IT as a career path.

Be Prepared for Disruption

Right at this moment, a high schooler might be building the next big app, one that may pose a new threat to your established enterprise application overnight. Your success and achievements are only as good as your last satisfied user. Don’t get complacent. Embracing a career in technology means staying at the forefront of change.

And remember to stay humble because tech can level the playing field in a matter of weeks. The mantra—faster, better, and cheaper—is pertinent in the tech field as well in terms of new products/solutions replacing the incumbents.

Tech Jobs Tend to be Well-Paid Jobs

A huge reason for why to choose information technology as a career is the lucrative salaries. However, you will need to prove your technical expertise through multiple rounds of interviews and tests. This is true for tech roles across the board, whether you are looking for a job as a solution architect, data engineer, or cloud automation engineer. That means you need to practice, practice, and practice to ace these rounds. You should participate in industry events to showcase your expertise, use professional networking platforms, and also contribute to the field by sharing your tech knowledge. These activities will help in building a stronger talent profile and help attract even better remuneration.

Develop Communication

A successful career in technology requires more than just technical expertise. Communication plays a crucial role, whether it’s explaining complex ideas to non-technical stakeholders or collaborating with teams across different functions. Tech professionals with strong communication skills are always in demand.

For example, as a software engineer, you might have to work with other coders. As an RPA Technical lead, you might have to work with other business/functional heads to understand the business processes that need to be automated and design a solution aligned with vision.

Critical Thinking

Tech jobs often require analytical thinking. For example, as a data analytics consultant, you might be tasked with developing a data and insights platform. For this, you will need to understand the business operations thoroughly. Therefore, whether you’re debugging code, optimising algorithms, or designing systems, the ability to think critically is a highly valuable skill. For individuals who enjoy intellectual challenges, this becomes one of the reasons to be a software engineer.

Collaboration

As you grow senior in your career in technology, you need to be an ace problem solver. Whether it’s a tech problem, a team problem, or a business problem, people will look up to you for solutions. Keep honing your critical thinking and problem-solving skills.

Hybrid Work Model Jobs

If you are still wondering why to choose a career in technology, the answer is the flexibility it offers. For many organisations, the practice of remote work might have been triggered by the pandemic. But for the tech sector, it’s not new. With many organisations across the board offering this flexible model, it looks like WFH is the new normal across industries. So, prepare yourself to optimise your collaboration skills across virtual and physical work environments. Tech is a field where new and exciting things happen every moment. It’s a great tool for a change at an individual and societal level. If you think you are the kind of person to enjoy this process, get ready to jump on the bandwagon of artificial intelligence, analytics, automation, and cloud. Who knows? You might be the architect of the next big breakthrough the world needs.

How to Start a Career in Technology?

Now that you know why do toyou choose IT as a career, let’s explore how to start a career in technology and what steps you need to take.

Identify Your Area of Interest

Tech is a vast field, so the first step is understanding what excites you. Do you enjoy coding? Cybersecurity? Data science? Game development? AI? Finding your niche will help you focus on the right skills and career path.

Educational Foundations

A formal degree in computer science, IT, or related fields can be beneficial. However, many successful tech professionals are self-taught or have taken alternative education paths, such as boot camps and online courses. The key is acquiring the right knowledge and skills.

Hands-On Experience

Learning by doing is crucial in tech. Whether through personal projects, internships, freelancing, or open-source contributions, hands-on experience is invaluable. Employers look for practical skills, so start building real-world projects as soon as possible.

Networking

Networking is crucial when starting a career in technology. Connect with professionals through LinkedIn, attend tech meetups, participate in hackathons, and join coding communities. Engaging with industry experts can open doors to opportunities and mentorship.

Build Your Portfolio

A strong portfolio showcases your skills and projects. Whether it’s GitHub repositories, a personal website, or case studies of your work, having a portfolio gives you an edge in job applications.

Apply for Jobs

Once you’ve built your skills and portfolio, start applying for jobs. Entry-level positions like software developer, IT support specialist, QA tester, or data analyst are great starting points. Check out this beginner guide to getting a job in tech for more insights.

Conclusion

A career in technology is an exciting, enriching, and rewarding choice. It offers high salaries, endless learning opportunities, flexibility, and the chance to be at the forefront of innovation. If you’re wondering why pursue a career in IT, the reasons are compelling: financial stability, job security, and the ability to work on groundbreaking technologies.

Whether you’re just starting or looking to switch careers, tech is an industry full of possibilities. Follow the steps outlined in this guide on how to start a career in information technology, and you’ll be well on your way to a successful future in tech.

If you’re looking for opportunities in this sector, check out a career in IT at HGS India and take the first step toward your dream job!