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[title]There are lots of good reasons to learn IT skills. They are needed in many industries, and they frequently top the list of the most sought-after skills in the current job market. By becoming an IT professional, you’re likely to have access to many job options, and there’s a good chance you’ll earn a comfortable salary, too. However, as an aspiring IT professional, you might find it challenging to know where to start in order to get into this field. Below are some of the steps that you can follow if you want to become an IT professional.
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How to break into the IT industry as a beginner
While it can seem intimidating to try and break into the IT industry as someone new to the field, taking the time to understand the core areas of specialization and skills that employers often require can help this process feel more approachable. Careers in IT consist of a wide range of roles that span areas from technical support to cybersecurity, which means each one needs a different toolkit of skills for success. Having a strong grasp of the fundamentals of this specialty, such as how networks work and how to troubleshoot the most common problems, makes it easier to move on to more complex subjects and secure a new career. Once you become comfortable with the basics, it becomes easier to figure out which direction to take and what kind of training will help you meet your professional goals.
Narrow down your options
IT is a broad field. It includes software development, technical support, data science, cybersecurity, web development, cloud computing, computer hardware, artificial intelligence, and many more areas of specialization. Before you start learning anything, you need to think about where your interests lie. If you’re unsure about what you want to do, you can explore free online resources to help you better understand the various options. Talking to IT professionals is another great way to get insight into what various IT jobs involve and whether they will be a good fit for you. This initial research is important since there are likely to be many IT jobs out there that you’ve never even considered.
Enroll in an IT class
In most cases, taking a formal IT class is the best way to become an IT professional. IT is a technical field, and you’ll need guidance on what to learn and how to learn it. Colleges and specialized tech schools are the two most popular learning options. There are advantages and disadvantages associated with each one. A college program has the advantage of being extremely comprehensive. In addition, college degrees are valued by many employers. However, it will take you years to earn a degree, and college tuition can be tens of thousands of dollars a year. In addition, a degree program usually includes prerequisite classes that are not directly related to your area of focus.
A specialized tech school is usually a faster and less expensive way to learn IT. You can finish an IT bootcamp or certificate course within months, not years, and you’ll graduate prepared to work in an entry-level IT job. Unlike colleges, tech schools don’t usually make students take any broad prerequisite classes. Instead, these schools focus on covering the specific knowledge and skills that students will need to work in a professional IT role. Some tech classes, like bootcamps, run in an accelerated format, letting you learn a lot in a relatively short amount of time. If you’re a veteran who wants to learn IT, you might be eligible for government aid that could cover some or all of the cost.
Top skills you’ll learn during IT training
The field of IT encompasses a lot, so the skills you’ll learn in an IT class depend in part on the specific type of IT that you’re learning about. Some common skills include:
- Programming
- Networking
- Cybersecurity
- Database management
- DevOps
- Cloud computing
Soft skills are also important for IT professionals. These include:
- Critical thinking
- Problem-solving
- Adaptability
- Communication
Practice your IT skills
School is important, but it’s only the beginning of the IT learning process. It’s also critically important to practice your skills. Practice has multiple functions. It’s a way to apply your skills to the real world, which is essential if you want to work professionally in IT. It builds muscle memory for many IT-related tasks, like coding or using specific applications, so that you can work efficiently in the future. Practice also helps you figure out where you need to improve.
Find a mentor
If you’re new to IT, a mentor can provide insight that you won’t be able to find on your own. For instance, they can help you learn about best practices for working in IT and common mistakes to avoid. They can also offer tips for improving your work process. In addition, a mentor can share insider knowledge on the IT industry that might take years to learn otherwise. Teachers can be mentors. So can other IT industry experts.
Consider an IT certification
Not all IT jobs require certification, but if you have the time and money to pursue a professional IT certification, it is likely to benefit you. Certification is a way to prove that you have mastered a particular set of skills. Surveys of employers consistently show that they take more notice of resumes that include certifications and are more likely to pay more for these qualifications. CompTIA provides many of the most popular IT certifications. Two examples are the CompTIA Security+ Certification and the CompTIA Cloud+ Certification.
Build a portfolio of your work
While not as essential as it is in some other fields, you may want to consider collecting some of the work you’ve done (particularly if it involves building infrastructure) into a professional portfolio that you can use to demonstrate your proficiency and skills. This process will help you by giving prospective employers an easy way to see the kinds of work you have done and the kinds of work you have the training to do, which can be especially helpful for early career professionals looking to gain work experience.
Get work experience
You can’t become an IT professional without experience. This is because education alone is unlikely to completely prepare you to work in an IT role. In addition to education, you need to learn to apply and adapt your theoretical skills to real situations. An internship is one way to start gaining experience while you’re still in school. You probably won’t earn money through an internship, but in addition to getting experience, you’ll make valuable networking connections that you can use throughout your professional career. After you finish your schooling, you can look for an entry-level IT job, where you can also start getting experience. Ultimately, if you want to become an IT professional, you’ll need to amass years of experience.