How To Succeed in Tech
If you’ve found this blog, then you’re likely wondering how to enter the tech world and what skills you need to learn to succeed. And for many, the transition can be an exciting and rewarding one. The benefits of working in the technology industry include:
Industry Growth: Job opportunities in the tech industry are expected to grow 13% by 2030, which is a higher rate than many other industries.
High Salaries: The average salary for tech jobs in 2021 was $104,566, compared to the average US job salary of $70,430.
Remote Work Opportunities: Tech careers, like UX designers and Wordpress developers, rank among the most in-demand jobs with the option to work from anywhere.
Creative Work: A career in tech allows you to exercise your creative problem-solving skills. This can be a welcome change over other careers that require mostly repetitive tasks.
At the Head of Innovation: Tech companies are constantly innovating. Whether you want to help create the latest consumer gadgets or software that makes businesses more efficient, a career in tech allows you to be part of the next big thing.
The benefits are clear, but how do you enter the tech world? And how difficult is it to learn the skills necessary to succeed? In this blog, we’ll answer these questions and more.
How To Break into Tech with No Experience
It’s possible to transition to a career in tech with a formal education or without one.
If you plan on investing in a degree to prepare for a new career, it helps to know which programs have the highest marketability. According to Indeed, the top nine degrees for landing a job in the tech industry are:
Information Technology: Prepares students for positions such as an IT analyst (average salary is $70,935) or IT technician (average salary is $79,147).
Computer Science: Teaches students skills for positions such as a systems analyst (average salary is $71,694) or a data scientist (average salary is $119,604).
Web Development: Prepares students for a career as a web developer (average salary is $70,512) or an application developer (average salary is $82,077).
Web Design: Focuses on the skills needed for a career as a visual designer (average salary is $62,185), user interface designer (average salary is $79,221), or a digital designer ($87,696).
Computer Networking: Prepares students for positions such as a network administrator (average salary is $66,962) or a network engineer (average salary is $88,029).
System Administration: Teaches students what they need to know to pursue a career as a system administrator (average salary is $74,603) or an IT manager (average salary is $85,334).
Database Management: Focuses on the skills needed for a career as a database manager (average salary is $61,978) or database engineer (average salary is $124,130).
Cybersecurity: Teaches students the necessary skills for positions such as a cybersecurity analyst (average salary is $95,570) or a security engineer (average salary is $97,426).
Software Development: Prepares students for careers such as a software engineer (average salary is $101,227) or a full-stack developer (average salary is $106,098).
The benefits of a college degree are that you learn skills from professionals in the field, and there are typically networking events that can help you build connections in the industry. The disadvantages of a college degree come down to time and cost. Earning a degree takes a concentrated effort over two or four years (depending on the degree type), and the average annual cost of tuition is $31,875 for private colleges and ranges from $9,212 to $26,382 for public colleges defending whether the student is from in-state or out-of-state.
Earning certificates and taking on freelance work are other ways to build your resume for a career in tech. With the skills you learn through certification classes, you can complete personal or freelance projects and add them to your portfolio. Relevant skill certifications include:
Google IT Support Professional Certificate: This certification teaches you how to perform day-to-day IT tasks, use systems like Linux and Binary Code, and provide customer support.
Project Management Professional (PMP) Certification: Project management skills are useful in any industry, and tech companies are always looking for ways to become more efficient.
Scrum Master Certification: This project management methodology is especially useful for managing software development projects.
Javascript: JavaScript is the most widely used coding language and can be used for web development, game development, mobile apps, and more.
Python: Another popular coding language, Python is useful for back-end development, data science, and app development.
HTML: Learning HTML can prepare you for a variety of web-based projects like website development and maintenance.
Through freelancing sites like Upwork, you can put your new skills to work, gain practical experience, and build a portfolio.
How To Build a Career in Tech: Continuous Education
Building a career in tech doesn’t stop when you get the job. The world of tech is constantly evolving, and professionals need to stay on top of current innovations. At Moser IT, we believe that continuous education is crucial to success. On our weekly podcast, ASCII Anything, we take a deep dive into all things tech. Jump in with some of our recent episodes:
You can also start your career search by viewing our open positions. We’d love to have you join us!
