Top Tips for Starting an IT Career

If you’re looking for a fresh start in an IT career, there are lots of possible paths to choose from. As an industry, there are endless opportunities if you’re looking for a new challenge. But with any IT career, this requires commitment, dedication and technical ability. For our top tips for starting an IT career, continue reading below. Identify Your Interests Information Technology is a huge industry, with lots of possible career paths. So when searching for an IT career, consider your interests. If you’re passionate for computer gaming, then perhaps game testing and coding is a good route for you? If you have creative talents, a career in web design perhaps? You also need to consider your skills. An IT career will require someone with technical abilities, problem solving skills and is able to work accurately and independently. Depending on your line of work, you may need to meet strict deadlines and communicate with clients. Networking Connecting with people already in the IT industry can help advise and guide you in the right direction. Getting involved with the industry earlier can give you a taste of your future career, before fully committing. Talking to the right people can help you decide which IT sector interests you, if you have a few you are choosing between. Company Research Before accepting a job, ensure you have completed your company research. Find out their values, mission, types of clients they work with and their support system for employees. See who will be in your team, their role in the company and how you will fit in with them. But most of all, ensure the role you are accepting is focused on the career you wish to pursue. Education Browse our vacancy pages to research the qualifications many IT careers are asking for. Some may require a university degree, whereas others may accept interns, apprentices or related certificates. When searching for education opportunities, consider which programme will best fit around your life and teach you the skills required for your desired IT career. Keeping in mind that independent learning can be a great help for particular routes, such as learning to code. Practice makes perfect, so you need to ensure you are motivated and committed to learn. Portfolio For an IT career, one of the best ways to introduce yourself can be by creating your own website. As well as demonstrating your IT skills, you can fill and organise it with all the necessary details. Even if you have no interest in web development, IT employers will likely Google you. Therefore, having a professional website pop up could work well in your favour. Find an IT Recruitment Agency At Certes our dedicated recruitment specialists are here to support job hunters with the next step of their career. If you are currently searching for an IT career, our team can pair you with the right contacts and opportunities to find your ideal vacancy. For more information, contact our team on +44(0)1675 468968