7 Effective Steps One Must Consider For Career In IT
A career in Information Technology (IT) entails the use of computers and network support services to create, store, transmit, manipulate, and retrieve electronic data, delivering value to the end-users. The tech industry is quite flexible and allows you to work with a diverse workforce. Besides the above-average paychecks and many great perks, an IT career offers you a fantastic work-life balance.
IT services are on high demand across all industries, with a revolutionary impact on the economy and society. For a person that is constantly looking to learn the new innovative field, a career in IT would offer them that since the field is constantly evolving and changing. IT professionals need to keep updating their skills through training and pursue must-have certifications that may enhance the quality of their services; like the ITIL certification for the service and project management professionals.
The job titles in the IT career could be Systems Administrator, Unix Systems Administrator, Microsoft Administrator, Chief Information Officer, Database Programmer, Desktop Support Engineer, Programme Analyst, Computer Consultant, LAN Engineer, Network Security Consultant, WAN Engineer. However, to pursue a successful career in any of the above roles in the technology field, you need to have a set of skills, which we will share with you.
7 Skills That Are a Must Have to Pursue a Career in Information Technology
1. Technical skills
To join the Information Technology field, first and foremost, you need to be excited about learning new things, and a desire to excel in the IT field. You will require technical skills, which you can gain through training, hands-on experience, and certification. These technical skills are:
Hardware deployment- Involves knowing how to disconnect, pack, unpack, and re-assemble technical equipment.
Coding- Writing code is a basic skill set that is necessary for managing quality assurance and completing software development projects.
Technical writing– The IT job may require that you produce web content or technical documentation, speak with staff and clients and explain complex information and processes in layman’s language.
Social media management- The ability to understand how social media works so as to be able to help the company with content management and web analytics.
Network configuration- A more than average knowledge in IP setup, coding, cloud services, and wireless routers sees you become a network administrator, with a responsibility of setting up and managing networks.
Database management- Database stores and manages data. An IT job might include data entry and database use, which requires accuracy and detail; hence you need to be knowledgeable on the basics.
Operating systems knowledge- Being proficient in the use and fixing of multiple systems increases your appeal to the employers.
2. Communication Skills
Communications skills are essential in every industry, Information Technology included. This is important because IT professionals work with teams and groups, presenting reports and ideas to people that are not necessarily tech-savvy. They are expected to show leadership, work well with the teams, and have good oral and written communication with the team. Communicating effectively with colleagues and clients is necessary for the sharing of information and the solving of everyday life problems.
3. Curiosity and creativity
An IT professional ought to enjoy learning new things and being curious about the workings of devices. An innate sense of curiosity brings creativity that they can apply to security controls on company processes, leading to revolutionary solutions. Being curious about things pushes you towards a deeper understanding of the concept and processes behind it, which helps refine your ideas and keep your mind sharp, all admirable in an IT person.
4. Organization
There is a lot of multi-tasking in IT jobs, and keeping your workspace and computer clean and organized helps you stay productive and efficient. Prioritizing tasks and observing timelines bring out the time systematic and time management values. An IT professional should be able to assess the length of the projects and guide the team towards observing the timelines and manage workloads, and in turn, manage the projects within timelines.
5. Analytical abilities
An IT job may entail identifying problems long before they arise and generating actionable insights. By extracting information from analyzed data, important information like trend reviews and performance indicators can be generated.
6. Problem-Solving
IT operations are core in business operations, and solving IT-related problems in various departments is one of the main functions of an IT person. The technical issues can range from fixing software to operating systems and equipment, to answering calls and emails for technical inquiries. You should show exceptional skills in resolving conflict and leading the team on any projects.
7. Resourcefulness
As an IT professional, you may not always know how to answer a question, but you need to be knowledgeable about how to get an answer, a resourceful skill in IT. The technology stems out of creativity. Helping team members find software and product solutions help increase their productivity at work, and business success in the long term. You also need to be able to give guidance towards the set organizational goals.