Your Next Best Job Opportunity Is In Technology
At the Kroger Co., headhunters are going bananas for technology majors.
So are talent seekers at Nordstrom, Best Buy, Home Depot and others. Traditional retail positions, such as cashiers, are increasingly being shelved as major brands reduce store numbers and invest in digital integration. And with that shift comes an escalating demand for the technology talent to lead their efforts.
Most retailers have little choice if they want to remain competitive. In the next 10 years, up to 60% of retail jobs will involve new roles or duties, Craig Rowley, senior client partner at human resources firm Korn Ferry Hay Group, recently told the Chicago Tribune.
In short, if retail is going to sell in a virtual handbasket, then this years most promising jobs will involve insights, not inventories. For consumers, it means what was once considered a low-paying job is evolving into a long-term career with the potential to determine the fate of many major brands.
Retail Institutes of Technology: Kroger, Nordstrom, Home Depot
The evidence of retails tech embrace was tellingly on display at the 2018 National Retail Federations annual trade show in New York. The New York Times described the January event as a conference about shopping that looked more like an expo for tech.
A sampling of retailers investing in technology positions hints that many may be trying to catch up after not recognizing the need soon enough:
Tomorrows Jobs, Today
What It Means for Retail and Consumers
It Career Growth: The Hottest Areas Of Technology For Career Changers
No matter where you start in IT or in which capacity, there are countless opportunities for career growth. IT provides some of the best careers for moving up the ladder and expanding professionally. If you want to benefit from the growth opportunities that careers in information technology offer, the key is committing yourself to expanding your knowledge, reaching your career goals and contributing to the success of your company. In IT careers, oftentimes, the more versatile you are, the more valuable you’re viewed as by your employer. If you’re in the process of transitioning into a career in IT from another industry, you may be curious about what you can do to set yourself up for IT career growth and promotions once you’re hired.
Can You Get A Technology Job With Just A Certificate
There are definitely employment opportunities in technology that do not require a degree since this field is largely skill-based. For instance, Mark Zuckerberg and Bill Gates never graduated from college, and yet they run multi-billion dollar tech companies. That said, if you are looking to be employed in their companies or some other, proof of expertise will still be necessary. This may come in form of portfolios or certifications. If you want a more guided process of career exploration and advancement, you may opt for the more traditional path of going to college.
Don’t Miss: How To Start Devops Career
How Can I Advance My Technology Career
The average technology careers salary can be quite competitive, especially for those with a masterâs degree or a doctorate degree. Individuals who are aiming for leadership or management roles should also consider pursuing continuing higher education. Not only will it make them more likely to prosper economically, but it will also be of high value to their personal and professional growth.
How To Upskill In It
Learning, training and experience can take you to new places and allow you to expand your horizon to open the doors to new jobs. And, throughout your career in IT, you may gain experience in a variety of areas. If you start out as a help desk technician, you may end up a network specialist. Or, a network specialist may ultimately become a programmer after gaining certain skills on the job. Opportunities to find your niche abound once you get your foot in the door.
First, before you even start applying to jobs, it’s a great idea to look into self-study options to begin acquainting yourself with the essentials of how computers work. Look into computer science MOOCs from major universities, which are free on sites like edX.
Once you’ve explored education options on your own and have picked up key skills, you may want to get certifications that validate the skills you have in key areas, like hardware, security or network architecture. For most IT professionals, having networking and cybersecurity knowledge are a must, even if typical job duties don’t include hands-on work with networks and keeping systems secure on a regular basis. Foundational knowledge of how to prevent and combat cyber-attacks and how to best use wired and wireless networks makes you more versatile and valuable to employers.
Information Security Analyst
Read Also: Career Center Grand Junction Co
General Skills For Technology Careers
- Communication. Good oral and written communication skills are expected of every professional and those in the technology sector are no exception. Early on in their careers, they will have to work in teams with other IT professionals. They must know how to speak and write well to demonstrate their expertise and value to their teams.
- Innovative Thinking. Technology professionals must know how to think independently and differently. As in most careers, what sets successful people in this field apart from others are their innovative thinking skills. Innovative people are the ones getting new ideas out into the world and setting things in motion. Professionals who have mastered this skill have a huge potential of becoming leaders in the technology industry.
- Organization. IT professionals may have to work with several projects with different people at once. They must be detail-oriented and good with time management. If they are in leadership positions, they must also know how to delegate tasks, set goals, and work efficiently to accomplish them in a timely manner.
What Is A Good It Career
The top information technology careers offer six-figure salaries and strong projected job growth. Tech professionals work as computer systems analysts, information security analysts, systems administrators, and database architects.
Unless otherwise noted, salary and job growth data is drawn from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and is current as of June 17, 2022.
ZDNET Recommends
Recommended Reading: List The Five Health Care Career Pathways
Tech Job Salary: What Do Technology Jobs Pay
The salary for IT jobs is usually close to a six figure. However, salaries for technology careers vary based on specialty, industry, location, and experience. A computer programmer has a median salary of $93,000 according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. However, more specialized careers, such as software developers and systems engineers, can command higher salaries.
Just knowing a single programming language, such as Java, C, C++, or Python is often enough to land a coding job with an annual salary of over $100,000. Gaining a few years of experience and perfecting your skills will increase your IT job salary outlook.
What Are The Digital Technology Merit Badge Requirements
Recommended Reading: Career Paths For Business Administration
The Rise Of The Computer Science Field
Since its inception during the Industrial Revolution, computer science has become essential to everyday life and changed nearly every part of society: Cybersecurity experts protect companies from foreign and domestic interference, while everyday people stream movies and connect with video conferencing technology.
The BLS projects jobs for information security analysts will grow 33% from 2020 to 2030. Web developers, who use digital design tools to create and update online sites, navigation systems, and search engines, can also expect faster-than-average job growth, according to the BLS.
The federal government has become one of the biggest employers of computer scientists and analysts thanks to the relationship between computer science and national security. The field is highly profitable and likely to stay profitable for the foreseeable future. Plus, computer science is strategically necessary to the world today. Computer science degrees open doors to exciting and lucrative professional opportunities, making the investment worthwhile.
Computer Science Salary By Location
Location plays a major part in salary potential for computer science graduates. For computer and information research scientists, top-paying states include California, Virginia, and Washington. In Virginia, computer and information research scientists earn an average annual salary of $ 136,770, while Texas employees make $ 146,180
For computer network architects, New Jersey offers the highest average annual salary at $ 139,990. States like Rhode Island, Virginia, and Maryland also offer high salaries. Software developers earn the highest average annual salaries in Washington, California, and New York.
Also Check: Personality Test And Career Choice
It Jobs: Career Options Job Titles And Descriptions
Alison Doyle is a job search expert and one of the industry’s most highly-regarded job search and career experts. Alison brings extensive experience in corporate human resources, management, and career development, which she has adapted for her freelance work. She is also the founder of CareerToolBelt.com, which provides simple and straightforward advice for every step of your career.
If you love technology and youre looking for a job with high pay and a robust occupational outlook, youre in luck. The tech sector is booming, and IT occupations are expected to continue to grow over the next decade. These jobs also pay far more than the median wage for all occupations.
Why Pursue A Career In Technology
1. Technology careers will give you a chance to be a leader in an industry in dire need of good ones.
One of the great challenges in the technology sector is the problem of access inequality. We live in a time when all aspects of our lives are touched by technology. And yet, 40% of the human population still has no internet access . If only we could bring modern technology into the lives of our fellow human beings who are not as privileged as 60% of us are, then the world will significantly be a better place.
We need leaders in the technology sector to bridge the digital divide. We need people who will think not only of advancing technology but of spreading it and making it accessible to everyone. Choosing a technology career may mean choosing a path to leadership. More than power and fame, this can mean contributing to a cause for humanity.
2. Technology careers can empower you to create and become anything you want.
Technology can inform your life decisions. You can choose the most economical and efficient devices for personal use with knowledge of technology. You will also be in the know of the best software to help you with every task, including increasing your productivity and reaching your career goals in technology. If you are innovative, you may even come up with technological solutions to the problems you encounter in everyday life.
3. Technology careers are future-proof.
You May Like: Career For Business Administration Degree
How Do I Start A Career In It
Most tech professionals launch their information technology careers by enrolling in an educational program. Colleges and bootcamps prepare learners for technology jobs.
Most IT jobs require a bachelor’s degree with coursework in systems analysis, database management, and computer operations. Many IT professionals also study business to diversify their skills.
It Career Paths And How To Get Started In 2022
Working in IT can mean a variety of different things. You can work in computer support, cybersecurity, data, cloud computing, and other areas.
It might be easy to assume that working in information technology means working in a tech office in a big city. But thatâs not the whole truth. Burning Glass Technologies found that over 90 percent of IT skills and jobs are housed outside of the tech sector in the US. Non-tech IT jobs are also growing faster than tech-sector IT jobs by over 50 percentâmeaning that that gap is on trend to widen . Plus, IT skills are needed in places like hospitals, local governments, banks, and universities in smaller cities across the country.
That said, the world of IT offers a variety of career paths in diverse industries. An IT professional can specialize in cybersecurity to keep computers safe, cloud computing to make information easier to access, or in help desk roles to assist in the everyday functions of an organization.
You May Like: Career Horoscope By Date Of Birth
Is It Right For You
Careers in IT offer high salaries and growth opportunities. But IT does not appeal to everyone. Before pursuing a career in IT, think carefully about your strengths and weaknesses. IT professionals need more than technical skills. Then, consider your career goals. This section looks at the pros and cons of a career in IT.
SEE: IT jobs: Five key skills you’ll need to make it to the top
Something They Havent Seen Before
When an employer has to decide between a dozen or so equally qualified candidates they will want to see something to help them make a decision, something unique that a candidate can bring to the team. It might be work on an emerging technology or something completely out of left field. Our programs provide this element of uniqueness with each participant on our Professional Certificate programs gaining experience working in international cross-functional teams to develop a prototype of a digital product. Experience working in international cross-functional teams is highly sought after by tech companies worldwide. Communicating clearly to team members around the world and across multiple time zones helps organisations to operate more effectively and efficiently.
The project provides participants with an open-ended challenge in an international, cross-functional team setting. Participants will learn the processes and methodologies needed to address the uncertainty of a high-level digital project brief and to successfully develop a prototype that demonstrates an understanding of user-driven design, user experience, and lean user experience methodologies.This experience is invaluable for your CV and will be a major bonus in any interview situation.
Learn more about our unique learning experience from our graduates.
– Samson Soeso, Digital Skills Graduate
Recommended Reading: Switch Career To Data Science
Job Responsibilities Of A Software Architect
- Good programming skills and knowledge of how software is put together
- Good analytical skills
The average yearly salary of a software architect is over $114,000. In India, the demand of software architects is at an all time high, and the salaries can range from 24 Lakhs to over 40 Lakhs Rupees annually.
Skill-up with our Masters Program in Mobile and Software Development
Jobs For Digital And Creative Pros
As the digital world sharpens its focus on customer service, user experience and seamless interaction, companies must adjust their workforces to get the necessary skills. So, what are the most in-demand roles in this new, consumer-focused, digital era? Product designer tops the list of top 16 most in-demand positions for 2016, compiled by digital and creative recruiting, search and staffing firm Onward Search based on data from their 10 U.S. offices and the hiring needs of their clients.
In 2016, businesses are focused on going beyond the bare-bones digital offering working to update their products, provide better customer service through nontraditional channels, and create the latest and most useful applications for their consumers. This data is a great example of how the market is continuing to evolve towards user experience, interaction and the creation of new products, says Mike Ondocin, president of Onward Search.
Recommended Reading: 5.4.6 Career Site Separate The Content
How To Protect Your Digital Devices And The Information Stored On Them
Users can protect their digital devices and the information stored on them by being careful and smart about what they interact with online. While that may sound difficult at first, here are helpful 7 internet safety tips that should stop almost all types of malware youll encounter:
By following the above tips, Ive personally never had any really bad experiences with computer viruses or malware. However, I always make sure to back up my important files, and you should too. You never know when something unexpected could happen to your device, so its best to always be prepared with a file backup!
