Career Paths are Changing: Here’s What IT Professionals Are Doing
Career paths are changing. We’re taking note of this trend in large part, thanks to LinkedIn. People are pivoting from one field to another based on transferable skills or an intentional re-skill. One discipline that is booming is IT. This field is excellent for analytical thinkers, creative problem solvers, or those inclined towards higher-level synchronicity. IT is changing how we live our lives, enjoy ourselves, and operate our businesses.
On a surface level, here is what types of roles can be expected on an IT job board. The titles can be overwhelming so it’s important to distill roles down to their most basic functions.
IT Support Specialists – are in charge of installing software, setting up computer workspaces, and solving issues that come up on a day to day basis.
IT Networking Specialists – are focused on the internals at a company. This can include anything from computers to infrastructure, and other networked devices.
Cybersecurity Specialists – are on damage control. They monitor for vulnerabilities, catch cyberthreats, and implement changes to protect the company.
Software and Web Developers – These people are the brains behind new applications, systems, and websites that run on computers, tablets, phones, and other devices.
Data Specialists – review data from all levels of the organization and report their findings to the appropriate parties in the organization.
Why is IT booming?
Now more than ever is the ideal time to reskill or upskill in the IT field. There are endless career paths because of the worldwide adoption of the internet. Ten years ago, the baseline for adequate internet access was much different than it is today. Smartphones weren’t ubiquitous, tablets weren’t quite widely adopted, and many people still preferred a desktop computer to a laptop. The need to adapt technology to a range of devices simply wasn’t in demand yet.
The widespread adoption of these devices created a demand for better infrastructure, both on a consumer and commercial level. Businesses now have an unprecedented ability to analyze data for intelligence purposes. With that comes a high level of responsibility to protect their own people and stakeholders. Yes, this wave of tech has also enabled a league of cybercriminals to circumvent systems, creating a demand for more Cybersecurity Specialists, the damage control folks.
For example, fields like e-commerce are especially in need of an able team to handle most digital aspects of the business. The Web Developer and Software Developer build the front and back end of the site, and anything proprietary for the company. After that comes Support Specialists for any issues that come up and Cybersecurity Specialists to protect company and customer data.
Mastering the IT Job Search
Working in the IT field starts with going deep in one area. You need to understand all the ins and outs of your role, especially at the entry tiers of the IT world. Like in the world of marketing, you might start as a copywriter. If you want to move into an editor or creative director role, you need to learn client services and design principles to properly execute all the requirements.
That’s not to say that you need to be an expert in everything in order to advance. You simply need to show that you understand how the pieces work together and that you’re looking at issues from a strategic approach over a tactical one. In order to continue your career path towards the C-Suite, you’ll need to see how the principles of strategy apply to steering the business’s success from an IT perspective.
The C-Suite Career Paths
The C-Suite team is in charge of making sure everyone in their team is doing their jobs. A strong executive will have a deep understanding of how the strategy functions on every layer. They also need some technical skills to understand what everyone is doing without getting too far into the details. The other side of the coin is understanding how their department ties into other parts of the company and working with leaders to steer the business strategy. It’s the marriage of strategic business skills and leadership at work.
How we’re helping
SideSearch is helping IT professionals advance their careers in the field. They can build an anonymous profile based on their top skills and never submit a resume. SideSearch was started by seasoned recruiters and HR Professionals that saw a need to fix the flaws with modern job hunting. People looking for mid-level and higher work in accounting, finance, business development, human resources, and IT are welcomed to build a profile. Showcase what you love to do the most in your field and let companies contact you directly. No resumes, just skill-based matching.