Information technology (IT) underscores today’s most exciting innovations, paving the path to progress in nearly every field imaginable. Fueling this progress are IT professionals who are passionate about what they do and eager to usher in advancements that make the digital landscape more convenient, more efficient and more secure. This field has transformed the online world as we know it, but this era of evolution is just beginning, as there still exist many opportunities for IT professionals to make a difference.
Embarking on a career in IT can be compelling, but there are many options available, including different training programs, certifications, and specializations. There is not one singular ideal IT career path; much depends on personal preferences, although market demand can also influence this decision. Not sure where to start? Learn more about entry-level IT jobs and the long-term opportunities they can fuel:
Why Choose a Career in Information Technology?
Information technology is a promising field, offering professional growth and personal satisfaction in an increasingly tech-driven workforce. IT accompanies numerous advantages, not to mention the chance to pursue meaningful work and play a role in driving the most notable advancements of our time.1 There is truly something for everyone in IT, but it’s essential to find your why before you commit to this often challenging field.
Versatility Across Industries
There is a push for technological transformation in nearly every sector or niche imaginable — and often, this progress is driven by hardworking IT teams, which shape everything from digital infrastructure to cybersecurity. Whether your professional interests involve healthcare, telecommunications, finance or logistics, you can find valuable ways to infuse your technical know-how into your purpose-driven work.
Organizations of all sizes (and occupying many sectors) hire IT professionals to handle developing secure network systems, optimizing cloud-based infrastructure and even implementing machine learning algorithms to support automation and data-driven decision-making. Tech-focused competencies are valued across all fields and among today’s most transferable skills, making them highly desirable to a wide array of ambitious professionals.2
Starting Out: Entry-Level IT Careers for Beginners
As you prepare for a future in IT, you will want to be mindful of how job opportunities relate to your long-term career goals. The right position can set you up for success, helping you apply the skills you’ve gained through your IT certificate or degree program while also encouraging you to tailor these skills based on employer-specific opportunities or challenges.
To get a foot in the door as you build your resume and your professional network, consider pursuing one of these entry-level IT jobs:
Help Desk Technician
The modern help desk acts as a centralized service, designed to provide robust support for users dealing with diverse technical concerns. Help desk technicians offer practical assistance, guiding users through the troubleshooting process while helping these often-frustrated individuals pinpoint (and address) root causes. When necessary, these technicians can direct users toward specialized services, where they’ll find additional assistance.3
IT Support Specialist
Similar to help desk roles but with a greater focus on internal infrastructure, IT support specialists troubleshoot complex issues. While this is sometimes regarded as an entry-level role, mid- or senior-level positions are available, too, so IT support makes for an excellent niche among ambitious professionals with a desire for rapid career advancement.4
Key Certifications for Entry-Level Success
Help desk and IT support roles can provide a solid pathway toward more specialized or advanced career opportunities, but often, it takes additional credentials to shift into more targeted areas. These certificates can sometimes be obtained prior to securing entry-level IT jobs, although many professionals seek out certification programs while employed.
CompTIA offers entry-level certifications that should feel well within reach after finishing an IT degree or college certificate program.5 Some help desk or support technicians may also benefit from pursuing the ITIL 4 Foundation certification.6
The Network Path: Becoming a Network Administrator
Organizations depend on robust computer networks to support email, internet access and various other critical functions. Network administrators ensure that these networks run smoothly. They form the foundation for seamless digital communication, which is crucial to the success of contemporary organizations.7
What Does a Network Administrator Do?
Network administrators are involved in all aspects of setting up and maintaining computer networks. This may involve configuring local area networks (LANs) or wide area networks (WANs). Additionally, network administrators closely monitor network performance and, when needed, troubleshoot emerging issues surrounding connectivity.
Skills and Certifications That Help You Stand Out
Network administrators draw heavily on foundational skills developed through IT college programs, which are crucial for configuring routers, setting up firewalls or working with protocols such as the Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP).
Skill verification can help network administrators impress employers while providing a boost of confidence. This typically comes in the form of certifications. The CompTIA Network+ can be valuable, but other options worth exploring include the Cisco Certified Network Associate and, for security-focused administrators, the Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP).8
Advancing in IT: Exploring Specialized Roles
Many specialized roles encourage IT professionals to pursue passion-driven career paths, focusing exclusively on the technological systems and solutions they find most compelling. New specializations are emerging all the time, but the following are currently among the most valued:
Systems Administrator
Responsible for configuring and managing broad-based IT infrastructure, systems administrators work with diverse servers, networks and software solutions. They monitor system performance carefully, installing updates where needed and, in general, supporting robust security solutions. In general, their goal is to support organizations’ operational objectives through the strategic use of technological systems.9
“Information Security Engineer
These days, computing services are largely delivered over the internet, allowing for enhanced flexibility and scalability. Information Security Engineers enhance this by creating and deploying IT, security and cloud-based solutions that support seamless access and extraordinary efficiency. These professionals also support secure IT and cloud environments via encryption protocols, access controls and vulnerability monitoring.10
Database Administrator
In an increasingly data-driven economy, there is great value in well-managed databases, which help organizations leverage advanced analytics to unlock powerful insights. Database administrators ensure that these databases run optimally while promoting database security. Their work could involve optimizing queries, performing backups or handling user permissions.11
Rising Demand in Cybersecurity Careers
Cybersecurity represents one of the fastest-growing specialties in the IT industry. This demand has increased in response to frequent cyberattacks and data breaches, which can prove devastating for organizations and their customers or clients. Cybersecurity professionals safeguard sensitive data by developing and implementing layered strategies that incorporate advanced solutions such as encryption protocols and multi-factor authentication.
What Does a Cybersecurity Specialist Do?
While there are many compelling roles available in the growing cybersecurity space, many IT professionals work as cybersecurity specialists. This role is integral to protecting organizations’ increasingly at-risk systems and networks, with cybersecurity professionals going the extra mile to implement safeguards and proactively identify vulnerabilities. Many are involved in penetration testing and ethical hacking, in which attacks are simulated so that vulnerabilities can be addressed long before hackers exploit them.12
Top Skills for a Career in Cybersecurity
Today’s cybersecurity professionals are expected to showcase a range of deep technical skills that allow them to tackle the ever-increasing array of security challenges facing today’s systems and organizations. Protocols are a key area of focus, with cybersecurity specialists ideally also capable of configuring access control lists (ACLs), troubleshooting virtual private network (VPN) tunnels and interpreting alerts from intrusion detection and prevention system (IDPS).
Additionally, an in-depth understanding of coding is valued and certainly not limited to software developers. Cybersecurity specialists draw on their advanced coding skills to help develop tools for penetration testing or automate repetitive tasks. Familiarity with numerous platforms, systems and environments can prove valuable; cybersecurity professionals are often expected to use security information and event management (SIEM) systems, cloud-native security tools and a variety of pen testing frameworks.
Along with these hard (and, therefore, quantifiable) skills, cybersecurity specialists must also develop soft skills that reflect the quality of their interactions with clients or fellow cybersecurity professionals. Among the most in-demand soft skills are communication and problem-solving — although cybersecurity specialists are expected to demonstrate creativity and attention to detail as well.
Essential Certifications for Cybersecurity Success
Crucial for verifying foundational cybersecurity knowledge, the CompTIA Security+ certification provides broad coverage, encompassing everything from cryptography to risk management. This forms a solid starting point but may eventually be followed by the CompTIA Cybersecurity Analyst, which involves a greater emphasis on threat detection.
At the senior level, cybersecurity leaders tend to pursue the Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP), which represents one of today’s most prestigious IT credentials and can be an excellent opportunity when seeking senior or leadership roles in IT.13
How to Choose the Right IT Path for You
The diversity of the IT path means that you can find a career reflecting your unique abilities and interests, but you may need to commit some time to research and personal reflection before you find a specialization that feels like the ideal fit. As you examine your options, keep these key factors in mind:
Career Support and Continuing Education
Choosing the right IT career path may feel overwhelming, but thankfully, you do not need to tackle this all on your own. As you complete your degree or certificate program, look to career support services for ongoing advice and encouragement. These helpful individuals can point you in the right direction, influencing everything from internship opportunities to resume building to your efforts in preparing for industry-specific certification exams.
Why IT Education Matters
IT college programs set the stage for long-term career success, but the fast pace of this field calls for a spirit of continuous learning. There are numerous ways to continue to learn and grow as an IT professional, but continuing education and attaining additional certifications is uniquely valuable, as they reflect key areas of specialization and can help enhance or distinguish resumes.
This is a great option for validating tailored skill sets, including those tied to the many IT career paths highlighted above: network administration, cloud engineering, cybersecurity and beyond. As new technologies continue to take over, additional certification opportunities will emerge in turn.
Finding the Right Program or Training
The right certificate or degree program can provide a strong foundation in IT, offering an accessible introduction to key concepts and technologies that can later be expanded upon through relevant certification opportunities. When examining various college programs, consider whether they provide sufficient preparation for certification exams or other credentialing opportunities.
Also important is hands-on training that provides direct exposure to the advanced tools and technologies that will prove influential as you enter the workforce. The more opportunities you have to experiment with these solutions, the more confident you will feel as you incorporate them into your everyday IT responsibilities.
Explore IT Career Paths: Train With SJVC to Find Your Place in Today’s Tech-Driven World
Ready to launch your career in tech? Students in SJVC’s Information Technology program take foundational courses in computer hardware, software, help desk, cloud computing, operating systems, networking, and security.. Explore the program today and take the first step toward a future in the IT industry!
Sources:
- CompTIA. “Making a Difference: Top 7 Benefits of Working in the Technology Industry.” https://www.comptia.org/career-change/exploring-it/benefits
- Sovereign Magazine. “The Benefits of Pursuing a Tech-Oriented Degree in Today’s Digital Landscape.” https://www.sovereignmagazine.com/education/the-benefits-of-pursuing-a-tech-oriented-degree-in-todays-digital-landscape/
- Indeed. “How To Become a Help Desk Technician (Plus Salary Info).” https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/finding-a-job/how-to-become-a-help-desk-technician
- Indeed. “What Are Support Technicians?” https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/finding-a-job/support-technicians
- CompTIA. “10 Reasons Why You Should Get CompTIA A+ Certified.” https://www.comptia.org/faq/a/10-reasons-why-you-should-get-comptia-a-certified
- Bharadwaj, A. “What Is ITIL Certification (With Types and Benefits).” Indeed. https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/what-is-itil-certification
- Sarangabany, P. “Your Next Move: Network Administrator.” CompTIA https://www.comptia.org/blog/your-next-move-network-administrator
- Indeed. “11 Top Network Administration Certifications.” https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/top-network-administrator-certifications
- Kevkhishvili, M. “Your Next Move: Systems Administrator.” CompTIA. https://www.comptia.org/blog/your-next-move-systems-administrator
- Chai, W. “What is a cloud engineer? Key skills and how to become one.” TechTarget. https://www.techtarget.com/searchcloudcomputing/definition/cloud-engineer
- Bharadwaj, A. “What Does a Database Administrator Do? (Plus Requirements and Salary).” Indeed. https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/careers/what-does-a-database-administrator-do
- Juma, A. “What Does a Cybersecurity Specialist Do? (A Definitive Guide).” Indeed. https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/finding-a-job/what-does-cyber-security-specialist-do
- High, M. “Top 10: Cybersecurity Certifications.” Cyber Magazine. https://cybermagazine.com/cyber-security/top-10-cybersecurity-certifications
