4 answers
5
Questions
Updated
244 views
How to focus on a particular path in the IT world ?
How to focus on a particular path in the IT world
Login to comment
4 answers
Updated
Arpit’s Answer
Hi Paul! It's a great idea to connect with folks who are already working in the IT area that catches your eye. Sometimes, the reality of a job can be quite different from what we picture in our heads. LinkedIn is a fantastic tool for this, or you could also take advantage of any networking events your school might host.
Once you've pinpointed the IT career path you'd like to follow, a smart first step could be to earn relevant certifications. Pursuing a master's degree is another option, but keep in mind that it can be both pricey and time-intensive. Look for internships in your chosen field, too. Experiencing a range of internships can really help you grasp what a day in the life of your chosen career might look like.
If you shine during your internships, there's a good chance the company might invite you to join their team or perhaps a different department. That's actually how I landed in my current field. I interned at two different companies in the same role (IBM and another firm), and in the end, IBM offered me a full-time position.
Once you've pinpointed the IT career path you'd like to follow, a smart first step could be to earn relevant certifications. Pursuing a master's degree is another option, but keep in mind that it can be both pricey and time-intensive. Look for internships in your chosen field, too. Experiencing a range of internships can really help you grasp what a day in the life of your chosen career might look like.
If you shine during your internships, there's a good chance the company might invite you to join their team or perhaps a different department. That's actually how I landed in my current field. I interned at two different companies in the same role (IBM and another firm), and in the end, IBM offered me a full-time position.
Updated
Benjamin’s Answer
That's a really good question. One thing I know from expierence is that it often helps to actually work "for real" in a certain path to get a feel of what it means to be working on this. It's usually often a mix of things you like and things that may just be part of the job but not neccessarly what you're looking for. Dependign your goals or focus, you may want to think about how you can try this out on your own. Using software engineering example, I think there are various ways how you get get more involved and depends a bit on your preferred learning style. I often prefer a mix of learning by reading (e.g. a book) but often mixed together with working on a real project. While it helps some people to work on a simple snippet of code to get a feel for a language, I prefer diving into an existing project and see if I can fix a bug or change a behaviour. That helps me to not focus on just the syntax or some primitives from the standard library but I get to learn the surrounding ecosystem as well.
A straightforward way to accomplish this is by contributing to open source projects. This not only provides a chance to connect with fellow developers, but also offers a valuable opportunity to explore intricate code structures and tackle real-world challenges. Remember, every journey begins with a single step - even a minor documentation amendment or resolving an issue labeled as a "good first issue" can be a rewarding learning experience for the day. So, dive in and let your learning journey begin!
A straightforward way to accomplish this is by contributing to open source projects. This not only provides a chance to connect with fellow developers, but also offers a valuable opportunity to explore intricate code structures and tackle real-world challenges. Remember, every journey begins with a single step - even a minor documentation amendment or resolving an issue labeled as a "good first issue" can be a rewarding learning experience for the day. So, dive in and let your learning journey begin!
Updated
Joe’s Answer
Absolutely, concentrating on your tasks is crucial, but don't worry if you're unsure about the details. Remember, you won't gain knowledge or learn anything new if you don't ask questions. I've always found joy in the field of Sales and interacting with clients. Therefore, a role that blends both sales and account management has always been attractive to me!
Updated
Randi’s Answer
A great place to start is by focusing on what excites you about technology. Technology touches almost everything in our lives, and behind it all is a programmer, designer, story writer, content creator, project manager, automation engineer, etc.
You can also explore different areas to find what you really enjoy, like programming, design or cybersecurity. Once you find your interest, learn as much as you can about it through online courses, YouTube videos and by practicing what you learn. Join communities or clubs where you can meet others with similar interests, which can help you learn faster, stay motivated and ensure you enjoy that type of work.
It's also helpful to set specific goals and work on projects that excite you, as this will make your learning journey more enjoyable and rewarding.
Good Luck!
You can also explore different areas to find what you really enjoy, like programming, design or cybersecurity. Once you find your interest, learn as much as you can about it through online courses, YouTube videos and by practicing what you learn. Join communities or clubs where you can meet others with similar interests, which can help you learn faster, stay motivated and ensure you enjoy that type of work.
It's also helpful to set specific goals and work on projects that excite you, as this will make your learning journey more enjoyable and rewarding.
Good Luck!