Thinking of pivoting into the IT field? Join the club. IT job growth is leading the pack in both demand and volume, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. And based on the fire hose I’ve been drinking out of in 2017, I’d say they’re spot on. The Greenville market is hot for everything from entry-level help desk to senior developers, and you don’t need a four-year degree to get started. Keep reading and learn how to land a lead role.
What if I don’t have a degree or job history?
Unlike most other high-paying jobs, IT can be a bit loosey-goosey on college degrees and job tenures. You may be familiar with intensive programs like The Iron Yard, SC Codes, and Free Code Camp. Using these resources, everyone from opera singers to accountants can learn to code. If you’re thinking about development, start there. For the budding network engineers and system administrators, an official degree and certifications (e.g., A+, NET+, MCSE, CISSP) are typically required. Most brick-and-mortar technical colleges and universities have part-time and online programs for working professionals.
A lot of developers work freelance contracts, and accordingly IT can be less stringent about your job hops; however, if you are just starting out, you’re better off spending three years or more learning the ropes. This isn’t Silicon Valley — yet.
How can I show off my skills with limited working experience?
Once you’ve finished your associate or bachelor’s degree or officially graduated from an intensive training program, your next challenge is to package your experience in a compelling and straightforward way. You can start by contributing to sites like Github or building a portfolio that details any projects and professional experience you have. Without the benchmark of career length, technical portfolios can be helpful in gauging skill level and prevent you from being screened out on your years alone.
What else do I need to know?
Hiring managers and other techy people can gain a lot from the aforementioned portfolios, but keep in mind that most recruiters and HR professionals are novices and we all have a say in the hiring process. I have a PDF of “Coding for Dummies” downloaded on my desktop, but try as I might, I will never know as much as you do — which brings me to my next point: Though persistent, the trope of IT experts wearing headphones and having limited social skills is vanishing quickly.
Very rarely do I work with a client who just needs someone to bang out code all day. Instead, you’ll be communicating with and setting expectations for clients, establishing project timelines and budgets, coordinating with departments on upgrades/rollouts, and more. For that reason, I beg you to let your personality shine. And also to be gracious when you’re interacting with people in the hiring process who might not know what a Linux command line is. You attract a lot more bees with honey than vinegar, get what I’m saying?
Am I going to get rich sitting in my home office?
Finally, although IT positions usually offer competitive salaries, you don’t actually start out making $75,000 per year working from home. You can use tools like Glassdoor.com and Payscale.com to see real data about salary ranges for companies in your area. Also, though many companies are adopting flexible work environments that include working from home, many in the Greenville area are not. As you’re building those first years of your resume, resign yourself to the fact that you’ll likely have to go into an office from 8 a.m.–5 p.m. and work with an awesome team that will ultimately make you a better employee.
Congrats – you’re hired!
I’ll be in touch again through LinkedIn in about two years. Don’t forget me when you’re famous.
