10 Tips for Making a Career Choice in IT

1. Do not let money be the only reason.

Financial situations are always considered when one thinks over his or her career, it shouldn’t be the sole determining factor. You have to be practical. Money will come, but look at it as an eventuality rather than an immediacy.

2. Don’t move just because “everyone else is doing it”.

Remember, a mob has many heads, but no brains! Everybody seems to rush into what others regard as a “hot” career choice.

You have to be careful because often, you are not guided correctly (regarding your career), or a bunch of people you know (doesn’t matter even if you don’t!) rush into a particular career direction (in some cases, even the same company!), as it seems the easy way out.

3. Don’t get into IT simply because it is the “in thing”.

When you talk about the scope of IT, you will find it to be pretty wide. The monumental growth of the Internet, technology and increasing global dependence on IT, has expanded the scope of IT furthermore.

4. What are your skills and do they fit into the IT industry?

What is it that interests you? What are your abilities? What do you aspire to be? Self -awareness is key to making wise career choices. Knowing yourself and what you thrive on is half the battle won.

5. Specifically pertaining to the IT industry, what is it that interests you?

Do you wish to be more of a creator, provider or user of IT products? Are you the sort of person who wants to know how IT itself works, i.e. the inner workings and how you can be an creator, or you are more interested in how to get results using IT? How much do you know about the different IT career options, such as Networking, Database Administration, etc?

6. IT is fun.

What may be fun to you may be boring to another. Maybe the idea of an IT career excites you? You think it is ‘fun’. This has more to do with the nature of work and the professionals. What kind of a profile in IT excites you? What does the job require? What is your background? What are the skills required? Is it managerial or team oriented? Answers to these questions should indicate the area that suits you. Mind you, while every job may require hard-work and skills, I know of several IT professionals who have spent days together at work, without minimum rest and sleep, to get a project over with.

7. IT is a respected and much adopted profession.

But can you handle the challenges and of IT? Does working with advanced technology interest you? Are you fascinated by the very idea or concepts of Internet or technology and similar trends? You may like being on the cutting edge of technology.

8. IT is different.

The nature of IT offers professionals the opportunity to work in diverse areas over time, and sometimes even on an ongoing basis. It is not unusual to find IT professionals carrying out Tech support, Computer Networking, Training and Troubleshooting all in one job.

9. IT is knowledge driven field.

Does knowledge or the will to learn more drive you? Aspiring professionals must learn as much as possible about IT (or any career direction they plan to move towards) and its sections. A good way to acquire knowledge would be via the Internet (Google and Wikipedia), books and practice. Read IT magazines such as CHIP, Digit and Computers @ home and the IT sections of most newspapers and magazines.

10. Passion is what should be the most important reason.

You need to have passion for IT and how it works. . All areas of IT have opportunities and challenges.