Information Technology is not your standard nine-to-five office job. Don’t rely on the the basement boredom of Roy from the IT Crowd as your benchmark: “Hello, IT. Have you tried turning it off and on again?”
No, the life of an IT expert can be far from mundane.
In fact, many students enter this field in the knowledge they are beginning a journey; one inspired by a passion for pioneering computing sciences or motivated by the desire to be part of an industry that is introducing revolutionary tools and technologies that can potentially change the face of society, our environment, sports, gaming . . . the list is almost endless.
It all has to start somewhere, however, and Game On, Level One begins with developing skills through further education, skills that will one day separate a bona fide specialist from the IT Roys of this world.
So you’ve studied, you’ve passed your exams and now you have the force. So far, so good, but . . . complete, once your learning is, young Jedi go, where does, hmm?
Well, getting into the IT job market can often be a daunting thought, but fret not: there are opportunities, and there are good people looking for like-minded individuals to be a part of this year’s IT revolution.
What are the best jobs to go for as a fresh IT graduate, and how do you get them?
There are a host of graduate schemes that look for dedicated, hardworking graduates who want to learn more about the industry and creatively input ideas for projects. There are telecommunication programmes, such as the likes of the BT graduate technology scheme, and engineering and energy schemes from the likes of Centrica, Ford and Shell.
There are also investment banking schemes and even places on programmes run by the NHS, international airlines and administration companies.
Such schemes offer priceless experience and opportunities working with some of the world’s biggest IT operations and companies – organisations looking for the best people for the job; people who are passionate about their individual fields.
There is, of course, also the option of work. Graduates may have to work their way up the IT job ladder, but there are some roles that suit the natural skill sets of individuals combined with those talents gleaned through education.
Analytical thinkers with programming prowess can look to careers in software engineering, persuasive talkers and good communicators could be suitable as business and/or systems analysts and those with good project management skills could be tempted into trying their hand as technical consultants, network engineers, web developers, software testers. There is a raft of opportunities in the world of IT for graduates.
But such is the vastness of IT’s reach, graduates should look to combine their skills with their personality when it comes to finding work. The creative aspect of IT demands both, and it’s this mixture of skill with personality that breeds success in the world of IT.
Those already at large in the big, bad world of IT and who may be looking to move up the career ladder, should not miss Tech Week.
From January 26-30, s1jobs is hosting its inaugural virtual career fair, an event created specifically for IT professionals
Free to attend, this is the perfect chance to engage with a range of recruiters and interact with leading employers, as well as search through a wide range of positions – all via this screen or a tablet and the comfort of your armchair.
So it’s time to fetch the CV from the folder gathering dust in the bottom right corner of your screen. Don’t worry: if it’s been there too long and grown a little fusty, s1jobs can provide a professional CV rewrite.
Simply visit s1jobs.com for more information.