The complete guide for breaking into tech

Are you looking for entry level tech jobs? Have you been seeking answers for the question of how to get into tech without much luck? Irrespective of whether it is your chosen field or area of interest, a career in information technology (IT) promises to be rewarding in more ways than one. 

Your motives for getting into the industry could be wide ranging. You might be a fresher or junior looking out for opportunities with a degree in hand. You could be someone who has years of experience, but is now looking to change careers after knowing about the mouth watering salaries that even freshers in the tech world tend to draw. You might be a bootcamp student who has just picked up some valuable IT skills. Your objective could be to switch to a role that allows you to work remotely after tasting the comforts of working from home during the pandemic, opportunities for which are a dime a dozen in the tech world. If you wish to jump on the startup bandwagon, then again the IT industry might be your best bet.

The reason for this is that computers and the network they form with other local computers and the internet as a whole is now ubiquitous. Technology is omnipresent and the booming industry keeps finding new ways to influence our lives. 

All of this implies that the urge to join this industry is only natural. Irrespective of whether you’re looking for roles for beginners or the best way to switch your career, there are plenty of tips that will help you along the way. While these positions, regardless of whether they are full time or part time, tend to always be in demand, you will still be able to land yourself a well paid entry level tech job with enough skill and effort.

Why should you pursue a career in IT?

It is highly unlikely in today’s world that someone is questioned like “why work in tech industry” or “why pursue a career in information technology”. This is not only because the IT industry offers careers with good starting salaries, but also due to the fact that the tech world allows you to explore numerous dimensions in your career and hone your skills, both technical and interpersonal, to another level. These facts about IT jobs are well established and bandied about at any given opportunity.

In case someone is still not convinced, then you can tell them that entry-level jobs that have a good salary are at a premium and that the better ones are largely in the IT industry. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), a unit of the United States Department of Labor, reports that the median annual salary for IT jobs was $91,250 in 2020. This is nearly 2.2 times the median annual wage of all occupations, which is $41,950. 

Career possibilities in the tech world

Even though the remuneration one gets from their job is important, it isn’t the only reason why IT jobs are in demand. The benefits include, but are not limited to, working remotely, working either full time or part time and still earning handsomely, and striking the perfect work life balance.

Apart from providing some of the highest paying entry level remote jobs, the IT industry has tech jobs from home at every level in the organizational hierarchy. This means that if you are after those trending job titles that allow the comfort of working from home, then the IT industry provides the perfect window for the most profitable remote jobs.

Additionally, the IT career roadmap is such that it has a place in it for everyone. Regardless of whether one is a fresh graduate in the field, someone who has done a different course before completing IT certification programs, or a person who is switching careers and looking for jobs after a bootcamp, the IT industry has a role to offer for everyone.

The endless growth of the industry in terms of products and tech,  and the myriad career possibilities and career opportunities in information technology implies that picking IT as a career path is a great choice, regardless of which stage of your career you find yourself in.

Tech job statistics back the truth

We have already mentioned what the BLS reports in terms of median salaries in the IT industry and those in other career paths. Unlike mean salary, which would be the simple average of different salary figures, the median salary represents the middle value in a set of salaries. This means that half the salaries in the BLS dataset were more than $91,250, while the other half was less than this median salary value. The fact that the median annual wage of all occupations is $41,950 speaks volumes about the gulf in salaries between the tech world and the rest of the world. Technology jobs statistics thus convey the truth that these jobs are definitely well paid.

Additionally, the future prospects of information technology as an industry are shining bright at the moment. According to the BLS, employment of professionals in computer and IT occupations is expected to grow at a rate of 13% from 2020 through to 2030. This is faster than the average growth rate projected for almost every other career path.

What’s more, the 13% growth rate is for the industry as a whole. There are sections within the tech world that will grow even fast. Software engineering jobs, for instance, were projected to grow at the rate of 22% between 2019 and 2029 by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

These numbers from the technology job growth statistics definitely paints a rosy picture for the tech world as a whole. Irrespective of how we see it, the fact that this industry is here to stay and growing faster than probably ever before has been established beyond any doubt.

This naturally has led to a generation of computer science grads looking to change the world while living the easy highlife. Apart from tech-savvy students and a growing number of people from Gen Z gravitating towards the IT industry, there is also a steady stream of millennials who are trying to change their career so that they can reap the benefits of the tech world. Everyone definitely wants a slice of this pie.

Switching to tech is not now or never

Unlike some of the traditional fields like construction, finance, or electronics, the tech world allows you to flourish even if you take to it at a later stage in your career. While it is nearly impossible to, say, get into the construction, finance, or electronics industry unless you have studied it and possess a degree, it is possible to implement a career change to information technology even without a bachelor degree in computer science.

Regardless of whether you are switching from finance to tech, electronics to tech, construction to tech, or any other field to tech, all you need to do is develop the necessary skill sets, and maybe back it up with some online training, internships, diplomas, bootcamps or even certificate courses.

If you are wondering how to change careers without a degree, then you must remember that the tech world is among the most accepting in this regard. While many people believe that a relevant degree is a must to break into the IT industry, this is far from the truth. The tech world not only places importance on academic prowess and tech know how but also fosters innovation and skills. 

This means that if someone is intelligent, has a quick mind, a diverse skill set, and is willing to learn fast, then they are likely to be accepted in the IT industry, regardless of which degree they hold. You might find it hard to believe, but nearly two thirds of successful programmers in the world are self-trained and had no formal education in the field. We will be going into greater detail later on as to how graduates with no experience can align themselves for the innumerable tech opportunities that are out there.

The best ways to start a career in IT

Once you are convinced that the switch to the tech world would prove to be beneficial in your case, you then want to find the best way to do it. While it might be tempting to choose those paths that seem easy, it is important to remember that there is no fast track to success.

Rather than resorting to web searches like “easiest way to get into IT” or “best way to find entry level jobs in the tech world”, it might be prudent to put your thoughts and efforts to make yourself better, and equip yourself to break into the IT industry and make a mark for yourself.

At this point, you might be inclined to feel that it is easy to say what we are saying and that your focus currently is on how to start a career in IT and getting a job in IT. When we called this article as the complete guide for breaking into the tech world, we really did mean it. 

In the sections that follow, we will delineate on how to choose a career in IT field, list IT fields that are hot and are in demand, provide a career path within the IT industry and the requirements to work in it, before listing the opportunities for both graduates with no experience and those without a degree. So sit back, take a deep breath, and delve into the depths of this article. 

Choosing a career in the IT field

When you are talking about your career, you need to ensure that you are well prepared. By chalking out your expectations and planning everything based on research, you put yourself in a better position to handle the hurdles that are bound to come in your way.

In case you are wondering where you have to start, here are a few questions that would egg you along in the right direction.

• Do I have any IT skills already?
• How much time can I allocate each day to improve my IT skills?
• Am I a student at any college that would train and improve my IT skills?
• Do I already have any tech degrees?
• Do I have any tech certifications that will help me in my job hunt?

• Do I prefer working remotely? 
• Do I want to work full time? Or would I be happy with a part time gig in IT?
• Do I have any experience in tech?

• Do I prefer non technical jobs or technical IT jobs?
• Have I chosen the right IT field?

It is necessary that you dwell on each of these 10 questions and have a clear idea on where you stand. We have bunched them into three different sets as they cater to three specific areas.

Take the first set of five questions for instance. Getting specific answers to these questions will not only help you identify your area of interest in the IT field, but would also enable you to chart out on how to choose a career in the tech world.

It might come as a surprise to you, but most of us possess some level of IT skills already. When you are thinking about answering the first question, you need to be specific in re-examining your past experience and applying it to the IT industry. You might be of the opinion that those countless hours spent gaming on the computers, configuring the router for your house network, or helping your parents with office suite tools might all amount to nothing. When viewed from the perspective of IT skills that you possess already, all these are certainly valuable, and might even come in handy in your job.

By reassessing the certifications and degrees that you hold, you will be able to recalibrate your job expectations. While degrees, certifications, or diplomas in the tech field are obvious advantages when looking for the types of roles we associate with the tech world, one’s experience in another field might also prove to be a huge asset.

It’s easy to fret about a degree in another field when you are trying to change careers and switch to the tech world. It might feel as if you wasted a lot of time and money on a degree that is now of no avail in your life. Employers in the IT industry, however, have a much more nuanced outlook about the issue and simply the feat of earning a degree might put you in good stead when compared to your competition.

Additionally, it is vital to realize the importance of crossovers in the IT industry. Evolution of the IT world has led to a huge demand for individuals from diverse backgrounds and different perspectives. It is not unheard of that an IT job that requires a creative approach, problem solving ability, superior writing and communication skills is awarded to someone who studied literature for their undergrad. Similarly, someone with a philosophy degree has an advantage for an IT role that demands a strong understanding of logic and requires unique ways of attacking challenging situations. When competing with others who only have computer or tech experience, a degree in another field along with tech certifications or experience goes a long way in landing a dream job in the IT world.

The second set of three questions helps one identify what kind of tech job they should get. Remember that the type of job that one gets is not only about the field within the IT industry, but also about how one looks to work on an everyday basis. By looking at your own experience, both in terms of education and in terms of work experience, you will be able to evaluate which fields within the IT industry would work best for you.

These questions also help you identify your choices for certain everyday affairs. While some might want to start with part time opportunities in the IT field while they work simultaneously on other things, others could be focused on taking a full time job in the tech world. Similarly, the ability to work remotely from home all the time might be what draws certain people towards the industry. Having clear cut answers to the questions in the second batch allows for clarity on these regards.

The final batch of two questions lets you shortlist the IT field in which you wish to work and grow. Keeping in mind that there are both technical and non technical jobs in the tech world, answering these questions enables you to zero in on the correct field and even change fields within the IT industry if things are not going as per expectations.

In case you are wondering if it is hard to get a job in information technology, then the answer is both a yes and a no. While the tech world is accommodating, allowing you to find your niche in it even if you don’t have an educational background in the subject or you are a fresher, you have to note that no job in the world is delivered to anyone on a silver plate. The answers to the 10 questions that we have listed at the start of the section is just a reminder that regardless of where we stand currently, there is some amount of work that we need to put in to figure out ourselves better, upgrade and upskill if necessary, and land that job that has been a dream. This need not always be easy and might even be hard for some, but the fruits of the labor will definitely be sweet.

Top IT fields in demand

In the following section, we will be looking at the top IT fields in demand. While some of these might be more glamorous and the trending jobs in IT sector, the others are also equally relevant and might even be a harbinger of future jobs in IT sector. The following passages will illustrate and highlight the fastest growing tech jobs and also what tech jobs are in demand, both now and always. Staying true to the objective of this article, we will be explaining in detail numerous fields and positions in the tech world.

Database Administrators and Architects

Database administrators, also commonly referred to as DBAs, and database architects are a class of employees who are involved in storing, organizing, and safeguarding data. This group of employees dabble with sophisticated software on an everyday basis and are tasked with the operational side of database management. Their functions include, but are not limited to, managing permissions, testing modifications, and improving performance of the overall system. Collaboration is crucial to success in the field and someone in this role will likely be working alongside information system managers and application development teams in order to meet the overall needs of the organization.

It is worth noting that companies hire database administrators and architects when their business handles a lot of data. Most of these positions are likely full time and companies usually expect a bachelor’s degree or an associate’s degree in information or computer technology to be considered for this position. The education certainly is rewarding as the median income for this position as of 2019 is $93,750 per annum.

While this role is among the fastest growing in the tech world, it might be hard to find entry level database jobs as most organizations are not open to the idea of inexperienced staff working with their production databases. Even though a degree will be helpful to find a job in this role, it might not be sufficient. Pursuing recognised qualifications, from the likes of Microsoft or Oracle, and demonstrating a command over SQL and enterprise database environments will surely help you get started as a database administrator and architect.

Information Security Analysts

Information security analysts are, as the name suggests, tasked with the security of all information pertaining to the organization. This means that they will be responsible for the information stored in an individual system, the local area network, and the organization’s cloud. If you wish to get on the cyber security career path, then this one’s for you.

This is a specialized area of technical study and a certification therefore goes a long way in landing a job in this field. Keep in mind that the certification that you choose has to be vendor neutral and not specific to one company’s requirement. Industry certifications not only tell you the best security practices to be implemented, but also cover other key concepts in IT security. 

IT security is a blanket term that is used to refer to any of networks, data and host security, access and identity control, compliance with the network architecture, threats and vulnerability that might be posed, and cryptography. A well rounded program will also provide tips for troubleshooting, infrastructure, and operations, apart from covering networking concepts and security. While these certifications are certainly not the be all and end all, they definitely lay the foundation for a role in cyber security and might even help you branch out to a career in the networking part of the tech world later on.

On the lower end of the spectrum an information security analyst might be earning around $40,000 per year. The willingness to learn quickly and move forward fast will help you master this role and move up in the hierarchy. With relevant experience and a couple of cybersecurity certifications, for instance, that $40,000 might become $65,000 in less than five years.

IT Support Specialists

IT support specialists, also referred to as help desk technicians or PC technicians, provide businesses and the people in it assistance with computers and their networks. Offering hands-on technical support in an enterprise environment, the majority of IT support specialists work on a full time basis. Installing hardware and software, diagnosing problems, and coordinating repairs, a help desk technician is often expected to work irregular hours, as this kind of help is needed around the clock in most businesses. Apart from working on large scale setups in huge offices, the pandemic has pushed IT support specialists to up their game and work effectively even when providing support in a remote first set up.

This is among the best entry level IT careers as it is possible to land junior IT helpdesk jobs quite easily. If you have always enjoyed taking things apart and putting them back together, and also possess a solid knowledge of PC hardware, networking, and operating systems, then this might be your best starting point in the tech world.

Even though some businesses expect a bachelor’s degree or associate’s degree, certain others might be content if you have few college classes or credentials to show as experience. A technician certificate, which is relatively affordable and can be achieved in a few months time, would also boost your resume in most circumstances.

IT support specialists earn about $52,000 according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Since this kind of support will be required for all businesses, big or small, the role of a help desk technician will always be in vogue.

Computer Network Architects

A niche, high paying job in the computer networking field, computer network architects design and build data communication networks. These include local area networks (LANs), wide area networks (WANs) and intranets. 

With a median annual wage of $116,780 in May 2020, most computer network architect roles are filled by candidates who have a bachelor’s degree in a related subject. These types of employees not only work largely on a full time basis, but might also be expected to clock more than 40 hours per week on occasions.

Employment of computer network architects is projected to grow slower than the average for all occupations. This isn’t a surprise because this role often demands five years or more work experience in a related occupation such as network and computer system administrators, which we will see later on.

Computer Programmers

Computer programmers are like the rockstars of the tech world and their roles are the most trending jobs in the IT sector. Writing, modifying, verifying, and testing codes and scripts that ensure that computer software and applications function smoothly, computer programmers are at the core of the IT industry. 

With a median salary that is over $40 an hour, computer programmers are well paid and also have the luxury of both working from home and working remotely on most occasions. 

While the most wanted programming jobs are likely with the tech giants like Google, Microsoft and Amazon, smaller firms also provide exciting opportunities at times. Apart from needing a bachelor’s degree to enter the occupation, computer programmers also need to constantly update themselves, sometimes specializing in several programming languages at the same time.

Web Developers

Every website that we access each and every day is developed by a group of web developers. Web developers are often clubbed with digital designers as they often work in tandem to bring out the finished product. While the web developers create and maintain websites, it is the digital designers who develop, create, and test a website or interface layout, along with its functions, navigation and usability.

The educational requirements for this role vary from a high school diploma to a bachelor’s degree. An ideal candidate is often someone who can be both a web developer and a digital designer at the same time. When someone is able to combine an understanding of design and usability and implement it using web related languages to bring out an attractive website, then it is hard to look beyond such a candidate.

The median salary for web developers and digital designers was $77,200 in May 2020. While the outlook for the role is positive as it is growing faster than average for all occupations, it is also becoming more complex in recent years as end users are now accessing websites in a myriad number of ways – from mobile based browsers to large wide screen TVs and everything in between. The growth rate, however, implies that there will be web developer jobs at entry level and for every level of experience as well.

Software Developers

A job profile that is high in demand, software developers construct apps or systems using compiled languages like Java and C++, patch bugs that have been identified in this software that has been developed, and successfully deploy them to run on other devices. Generally working with large teams through the development cycle of a project, software developers work both from offices and homes.

Typically, company’s expect an IT related degree and good computer programming skills from a software developer. Engaging with the development community through hackathons, open source projects and making your code available online are good ways to earn an edge over your rivals, even if you don’t have a degree. If you wish to work from home even at the entry level, then the software developer role is a good fit.

Employment in this field is expected to grow rather fast in the current decade when compared with the national average. Add to it the fact that the median income for this position was $107,510, and it makes it one of the best entry level tech jobs around.

Network and Computer Systems Administrators

Monitoring an organization’s network and communication technologies and ensuring that they are installed and supported properly, network and computer systems administrators are responsible for the everyday operation of computer networks of businesses worldwide. 

While most companies expect a bachelor’s degree in a related subject, some might be open to those with an associate’s degree or even a post secondary certificate. The role serves as a gateway to a computer systems career.

The median annual income for network and computer systems administrators was $83,510 in 2019. Like we had mentioned earlier, if becoming a computer network architect and landing jobs in the computer networking field is your dream, then this is where you get started.

Computer System Analysts

Studying a company’s current computer system and designing ways to improve its efficiency, computer system analysts work full time on most occasions. The median wage for this job profile was $93,730 in May 2020 and the outlook for this position is as good as the national average for all occupations.

While studying in an IT related field might help you, it isn’t always a requirement. Even though work experience in a related occupation is generally not expected, prospective employers usually want candidates with at least a bachelor’s degree for this role. Some companies, however, are open to candidates who have relevant skills and back it up with a degree in other fields, like business or liberal arts. This makes an entry level system analyst the ideal job profile for those who are looking to switch over to the tech world right after graduation.

Computer and Information Research Scientists

Computer and information research scientists are responsible for designing innovative uses both for existing and new computing technologies. The role demands full time involvement on most occasions.

With a median annual wage of $126,830 per year, which is over $60 an hour, this is one of the most sought after beginner computer science jobs. The high pay, however, naturally comes with high expectations, and most companies only hire candidates with at least a master’s degree in computer science or a related field. Roles with the government could be a little different, as a bachelor’s degree might suffice in that case.

The growth projection for this role is 22% from 2020 to 2030. If you really want to become a computer and information research scientist, then it is important to focus on the objective and work towards the necessary master’s degree.

Career paths in the IT industry

Having gone through the list of top IT fields in demand, you would have realized by now that computer technology career paths can mean working in computer support, cybersecurity, cloud computing, data, and other areas.

Even though many make the mistake of assuming that IT positions tend to revolve around tech offices in big cities, this isn’t the entire truth. Burning Glass Technologies revealed that over 90% of the roles in IT industry are actually outside of the tech sector in the US. Additionally, this gap is set to widen further as non-tech IT jobs are growing at a rate that is faster than tech-sector IT jobs. The fact that every hospital, bank and university are treading the path of digitization implies that IT skills are more relevant than ever before.

The tech world offers different career paths in diverse industries. The paths include computer support, cybersecurity, cloud computing, data, software development, networks and systems, and web development, to name a few. By understanding what paths are available, you can traverse them better as you begin your career in IT.

When starting out in the tech world, you will likely be beginning in junior roles or entry level positions. Juniors are generally those with less than three years experience in that particular path within the tech world and are therefore entrusted with less complicated tasks that would eventually help them to solve more complicated ones later on in their career. The main challenge for someone taking up an entry level position is to learn the technology, seeking the seniors’ advice whenever required.

Seniors are tasked with the entire domain and are likely masters of their chosen technologies. Apart from guiding and mentoring juniors, seniors are also expected to come up with simple, elegant solutions for both simple and complex problems alike. There’s no hard and fast rule as to how many years you need to spend in a path to gain a senior role in it. While you can become a senior in some roles in 5-7 years, others might require you to spend over 10 years before you are considered a senior or an expert in the field.

While picking your path and trying to work your way up to mid-career senior roles works when you clearly know what you are after, it might not be the case for everyone. It is worth noting that many IT professionals start out in generalist roles that cover a variety of topics like an IT support specialist. By getting hands-on experience in the entire industry, it is then possible to choose what particular area you want to specialize in, be it data, cybersecurity, web development, or any other field. Once you begin specializing, it is much easier to continue in that path and land attractive mid-career or senior jobs.

Requirements to work in IT

By now, having gone through the top IT fields in demand, you must have a fair idea of the requirements to work in the IT industry. The listing that we have provided above not only tells you the jobs you can get with an IT degree, but also the level of IT skills that is expected for roles where a degree might not be mandatory. Technical skills are absolutely key for hiring managers, and if you don’t have the full degree qualifications, or if you’re not a self-learner who’s hacked stuff and can code on your own, you can leverage MOOCs and online education courses to gain credentials, as well as bootcamps. Above all, showcase your portfolio of work, relevant interests that clearly exemplify your coding and technical skills, and discuss it freely in technical and coding interviews. 

If you want a quick recap of the jobs and what qualifications you need for each of them, then a master’s degree in a field in computer science will push you to the top of the pile for almost any role in the tech world. Most job profiles in the IT industry, however, are attainable with a bachelor’s degree, be it in computer science or sometimes even in other fields. At times, even an associate’s degree is enough to get your journey started in the tech world. What’s more, there are times when even that isn’t needed if you back up your IT skills and abilities with a diploma or certifications. There are very many jobs that you can land yourself just with minimal formal qualifications and even starting from jobs with IT certification could eventually lead to a flourishing career in the sector..

While it might be easy to get lost in all this and obsess over all the IT related degrees and certification talk, it is crucial to remember the role of soft skills in the tech world. Your reasoning ability, problem solving skills and the skill to apply sound logic to any challenge that you confront are invaluable. You can test your reasoning ability using Gyfted’s free online assessment and learn more about your logical thinking and non-verbal reasoning skills.

Job opportunities for IT grads with no experience

If you are currently a student in computer science or a fresher with a brand new degree in the field, you must have been heartened by what you have read till now as you would have realized that getting a tech job with no experience is indeed possible. Not only are jobs for IT graduates with no experience found in plenty, but there is also no real limit to the question of what can you can do with an IT degree. If you are willing to put in the hard yards, then the possibilities are endless.

Having said that, not everyone will be able to land a job and there might be times when you feel that your job hunt is completely hopeless. Keep in mind that attending more interviews and going through the process of recruitment only makes you stronger in the longer run as every failure also provides some learning. 

Land entry level program in tech companies

You might want to intern with a startup, volunteer your IT services for the use of local organizations in your community, or maybe even start a side gig on your own. Try your hand at these gigs and short projects, and above all, work on stuff yourself. Ideally, work on things that motivate you intrinsically, because you’ll be able to do better work and shine when discussing this and showing your work to prospective employers. 

It is absolutely crucial that you build yourself a portfolio of projects based on your chosen field. If you’re looking for dev jobs, then having a GitHub repo to showcase to your prospective employers will be like a gold mine. By being on Stack Overflow, you can not only get your programming questions answered by other programmers and enthusiasts, but your activity might also enable your networking in the field. Similarly, if you are after data science roles, then you could probably check out Kaggle or other similar services that let you create your own projects and analyses. Rising higher on the Kaggle leaderboard not only gives you more confidence, but people will also start taking notice as you are getting better as a data scientist. 

These activities might seem to drain your time with little or no monetary benefits to show, but you pick up invaluable experience that is rated highly by prospective employers. Apart from the fact that these show that you are invested in growing professionally, you also display your passion and the yearning to learn through these activities. As a beginner working on projects of your liking, you will be able to explain to future employers how exactly you handled particular challenges, which might go a long way towards landing that dream job.

Companies offering jobs for freshers value such candidates and are more keen to hire someone who is driven to learn. Companies with entry level programs generally have plenty of junior roles that are conducive to learning and possess an environment where each and every new recruit can feed off each other’s strengths and grow together. Landing an entry level program in a tech company is probably the best way to start your career in tech.

Get started, even when you’re studying

We cannot stress enough the importance of starting early. This means that you should start preparing yourself for your IT career even when you are studying, as there are information technology jobs for college students as well. The best jobs for high school students with no experience and those who are still in college tend to focus on the fact that these candidates are far from a finished product. By providing a platform where young students can approach real world tech problems, these jobs prove to be win-win situations for both the employers and those employed. While employers dip into raw talent without denting their budgets, young learners gain the experience of solving real problems in the IT industry.

Non-technical career options in the IT industry

It’s worth noting that working in the tech industry is not all about coding and programming and that there are many non technical jobs in tech as well. There are a variety of roles like customer success specialists, user interferes researchers, sales development executives, technical writers and more in the IT industry that offer alternate careers in tech without coding. 

These crossover positions in the IT industry are equally well paid and in demand and can be attained after pursuing non coding IT courses. These jobs might not be as glamorous as the ones that are directly related to tech, but excelling in them will make the individuals indispensable parts of the industry.

Entering the tech world without a degree

We have reiterated a number of times already that getting into IT without a degree is possible. Not only are there alternate ways of breaking into the tech world through certification courses and bootcamps, but there are also very many companies that will train you to work for them after hiring in the first place.

Companies that don’t require a degree

In the section where we looked at the top IT fields in demand, you might have been surprised at the numerous career options without college degrees that are available in this industry. Tech companies that hire without a degree hone the individuals into industry capable recruits with the ability to thrive, despite the absence of proper college education in a related subject. Thus, IT jobs that don’t require a college degree might be the ideal springboard for freshers from other fields and those looking to change careers and make a mark in the tech world.

Get an internship

We mentioned in passing before the answer to the question of how can you get an internship with no experience and go on to get information technology trainee jobs based on the learning from this internship. Irrespective of whether the internships are paid gigs with a young startup or a voluntary effort with a local community organization, the fact that you are driven enough to pursue such a course of action by yourself speaks volumes about you. When you structure your resume such that it highlights such efforts in the tech world, then you are likely to be rewarded, as employers do take notice and give weightage to these experiences.

Company training and apprenticeships

There are a number of companies that don’t require a degree as they offer their own training and apprentice programs for their recruits. If you do make your way into one of those entry level IT jobs with training, then it is absolutely vital that you approach the training with the intent of making the most out of it.

Get an IT certification

If you are someone who likes to prepare ahead and are looking for resources for what to learn for IT jobs, then there are plenty of quick tech certifications and IT courses for non IT background that you can get started with. The IT certifications for those without a degree can usually be earned within a few weeks, as opposed to the degree, which takes at least a year. The best IT certifications for those with no experience tend to be vendor neutral and approved by the industry as a whole. 

Find your bootcamp

Bootcamps have also become a boon for those looking to enter the IT industry without a college degree. While the word bootcamp might have military origins, these short, intensive, rigorous courses of training in the tech world are now proven methods of both upskilling and reskilling people. What’s more, their efficiency and attractiveness is so good that many expect these bootcamps to fill the gap between what employers want and what they usually get.

With the growing number of players entering the bootcamp space, there is no dearth for good programs. The plethora of options that are now available has led to specialization in tech bootcamps. There are coding bootcamps for those who wish to learn coding and cybersecurity bootcamps for others who want to get into the security space. If designing user interfaces is what you are after, then you can take to a ux bootcamp. If, however, you are drawn towards data, then you should probably attend a data science bootcamp. You get the drift, don’t you? You name it. You get it. That’s how the bootcamp space has evolved into. 

A report on bootcamps showed that over 44,000 people attended or graduated from bootcamps in 2020. In case you are worried about how to get a job after bootcamp, then you can be rest assured that that is also sorted. Thousands of these bootcamp graduates managed to obtain employment and some even went on to provide their skills as a self-employed freelancer. According to this report, companies that hire bootcamp grads include Amazon, Google, Facebook, Microsoft, and JPMorgan Chase. The good news is not only that these big guns hire from the bootcamp space, but also that they have been hiring more and more in recent years – a marker for the success of bootcamps. 

Join our program for bootcamp grads

There are services that provide a career program for bootcamp grads, including our very own. Knowing that many companies love hiring bootcamp grads, our service makes job placement for bootcamp students easier. 

Join Gyfted’s new job matching program for bootcamp students now. Enrolling in our service right away allows you to apply just once and be considered for every company out there in the tech world. We have also looked into the question of how to get a job after bootcamp in greater detail in this post, which is a seven minute read. 

To summarize

You might be a junior with a degree in computer science, a career changer at a bootcamp looking to break into the IT world, or even someone with experience in the tech industry who is now keen on changing roles within. In this ultimate guide, there is something in it for everyone as we have delved in depth about various facets of the industry, from getting in to growing to the top, without leaving out anything in between.

Irrespective of whether you are after bank jobs for computer engineers or coding roles at top end companies, there are information technology job sites that serve as the answer to the question of where to find tech jobs. We have offered plenty of tips and options that will improve your prospects once you enter a job search for turning into a technology professional.

Your reasons for wanting to get into the tech world are personal and your own. But regardless of whatever those might be, a world full of opportunities, growth and rewards beckons you. This article is our attempt to equip you in the best way possible for breaking into the tech world and shining once inside. Good luck!