Taking on a career in IT can be a great idea. There are endless opportunities and you can thrive in your role. Alongside IT Roles comes a number of myths, that seem to divert or push candidates away from roles. Let’s discuss some IT Roles Myths…
You Need a Degree
To achieve a career in tech, an IT specific degree may not be needed. There can be employers that specifically ask for degrees, but this is not always the case. Skills and Experience are becoming more valuable to employers, demonstrating the ability to take on the role they are advertising for. Applicants that are self-educated and use their initiative to learn new skills through books and online classes, can be viewed just as highly in the field. If you are not educated in IT, take a look at some online classes that you can learn to improve your tech skills at home.
Tech Roles are for Males
There is a stigma attached to the number of males compared to females in the tech industry. Women are encouraged to get involved in STEM careers as they are under-represented. Statista states that since 2016, female graduates in STEM subjects remain the lowest, sitting at around 15% from overall graduates. This demonstrates a gap in the market, full of opportunities for females to get involved. However, both boys and girls are beginning to pick up computer skills at young ages and can use this to thrive throughout their teens and into a full-time career.
You Must Live in Silicon Valley
With the booming tech industry in Silicon Valley, home to industry leading powerhouses such as Apple and Google, you would believe that you must work there to be successful in tech. This is not the case. Tech roles are rising around the world, with new tech hotspots forming including the Tech Triangle (Raleigh, Durham & Chapel Hill in North Carolina) and Silicon Docks in Dublin.
Furthermore, Working from Home/Hybrid trends continue to rise, allowing for applicants to work from any location. According to the Office for National Statistics, data collected from Census 2021 states that there has been an increase of 11% in the amount of workers choosing to hybrid work from February 2022 to May 2022.
You Need to Code
Despite the growing roles for programmers, there are tech roles out there that do not require coding. For example, Graphic Designers. Technical Writers and Project Managers do not require the need for coding, but they are still classified as a tech career. However, you can choose to take up online classes to learn tech skills and learn coding online, if you would like to go down the coding career route.
Furthermore, you can use skills that you have picked up in your current role to relate to the role that you are applying for. For example, to be a Project Manager you will need to be able to think strategically and be organised. Therefore, someone who is a Small Business Owner could take their previous skills and make use of them in a Project Manager role.
Opportunities
There are endless opportunities in technology. For example, according to Statista, technology is expected to gradually replace a large number of retail jobs as soon as 2030. Furthermore, the idea of having tech jobs being outsourced overseas gives the impression that there will be no opportunities left. This is not the case as there will always be demand for talented employees, regardless of location. The role may even take you to new locations.
Not only that, but you are able to bounce from tech area to area. There are many tech skills that overlap with each other, allowing for you to change path whenever suits. For example, transferrable skills such as problem solving, critical thinking, teamwork and communication can be brought from one tech role and used to benefit you in another.
To conclude, although there are many myths to consider when taking on an IT career, they are not always true. If you are passionate about working in tech, anything is possible. If you are searching for a new tech role, take a look at the roles we are hiring for and get in touch with our consultants today.
Written by: Emma Mitchell