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Are you working in a non-IT field and considering making a career move within the IT industry? You’re not the only one - lots of people have done this before, but it’s not easy. It requires planning, patience, and perhaps some further education to make the career move successful. The concept for this post originated from a comment - a reader of my site named James has asked a question on how to make a career transition into IT: “I have no experience and am currently in marketing but want to make the career switch. I’m considering going for a Masters in Information Systems while working as a network support person. Does anyone have tips on how to make that kind of career switch when your undergrad degree was not in an IT-related field?” I’ve decided I would write an entire post on this topic, as it’s a procedure that is worth focusing on. Be Sure That You Want To Change Careers The first task to confirm is that you actually want to make the career move into IT. You'll have to take some time to actually take into consideration why you’re making this change. If you simply don’t like your current job, there’s more you're able to do than change careers. The reason why I say you'll want to be sure, is that it’s not a quick and easy process to change careers. You don’t simply go straight to the job boards and start trying to find “it jobs”. If you’re unclear you want to change, then you might quit along the way. When you are sure, however, then it’s easier to stay dedicated to your decision and you’ll be much better at it in the long run. Create A Plan To Change Careers Into IT You’ve made a decision to make the transfer to IT - fantastic! I’m clearly biased, but working in IT is a fantastic career choice! The next thing I would recommend is for you to develop a plan. This means you should list out all the actions you need to take between your current position and the position where you have your desired IT job. This can include steps similar to: Deciding the sort of role you would want to do - There are plenty of roles in IT and each demand different skills. I’ve detailed this below. Assessing your current skills - You should figure out what your existing skills are and how they can be used to get an IT job. This isn’t necessarily just IT skills - other skills such as communication are valuable in the industry. Looking at what education or knowledge is required, if any, for the new role - Different roles may need different prerequisites or certifications to get into. Searching out the new role to start in - This involves searching for the actual job - job websites, LinkedIn, recruitment agencies. What Kind Of IT Role Do You Want? There are various roles in the IT industry - and each of them have different skill requirements. You will need to figure out which kind of role in the IT field you'd like to do. There are many factors that can contribute to this: Are you engaging in any IT-related work at the moment? For instance, you may be doing some Excel VBA/Macro programming in your finance occupation, or you may be doing some IT support work in your marketing career. This is often a good way to see what sort of role you would like - do you like these areas, or do you desire to do something else? What area in IT would you picture yourself most enjoying? If you imagine yourself working in IT, and enjoying it, what would you be doing? Will it involve speaking with people, dealing with hardware, developing software, or anything else? These types of questions and analysis can assist you select which kind of role you want to do. If you’re not sure, have a look on some job sites to see what job specifications are mentioned. These can assist you settle on certain roles. Speak To Others Who Have Made The Career Change Before You’re not the first man or woman to want to change from another career into IT. You will discover people who have done this before. You may know someone, or know someone who does. It’s wise to find and speak to a person who has made this change before. When I was in university, there were a few people in the course that had switched careers and wanted to work in the IT industry. They had other sorts of roles before that and had made a decision to change their career. It can be useful to talk with these kind of people to find out what assisted them, what mistakes they have made and what you can try to make it easier. Do I Need To Get A Degree? Plenty of jobs in the IT field need degrees to begin in. The reason being they are targeted towards graduate-level opportunities who have no job experience with IT or any other industry. You are in a different situation, though - you have work experience already, despite the fact that it’s in another industry. The solution to this question depends on which role you intend to move into and what your experience is. The reason for a degree is to supply you with the knowledge and skills that you need for a job. If you already have the skills, or similar skills, then this might be adequate to get you a job in the IT field. For instance, it may be hard to get a role as a Java developer if you don’t at least have a degree or certification relating to Java development. Obtaining a degree in computer science, or a certification in Java development could be a great way to start a career in this area. If you’re trying to find a less technical role, it might be easier to do with no degree. A team manager role will be ideal if you possess the skills of people management. If you originate from a sales or marketing background, it could be simpler for you to transfer into an account manager or business development position in an IT business, letting you get the IT experience and even transition into a more technical IT role (if that’s what you’re after). Organise Your Finances Moving careers is a difficult process. Among the toughest parts about moving is the toll it takes on your budget. Depending on your present job and your financial circumstances, you may face a shortfall in income for a little while. This is one thing you’ll most likely need to prepare for, particularly if you’re taking a pay cut from your current role, or if you’re returning to university to study. Update Your Resume The last part of making a change of career into IT is to enhance your resume. Depending on the length of time you’ve been employed by, you could be able to update a recent one, or you may need to create it from scratch. This is the time you need to be focusing on your strengths. Naturally, lack of IT experience is one thing that is not going to be a positive for an IT resume. However, referencing your other skills and how they relate to an IT role is a good idea. If you originate from an accounting background, you will likely have an analytical attitude and an focus on detail. Should you come from a sales background, speaking with people and negotiating are some skills you will likely have. Incorporating these into your resume is advisable. For more tips and information on how YOU can improve YOUR IT career, visit Complete IT Professional
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