It’s really great that you’re reading this article! A fraction of the population say they enjoy their work, but most of us just bitch about it and do nothing. The fact that you’re here means we have a hunch that you’re at least considering retraining, which means you’re already ahead of the pack. Now you just need to research and follow-through.
Prior to considering any career courses, look for an advisor who can talk you through which area will be right for you. Someone who can get to know your personality, and find out the best career for you to work towards:
* Do you like to work collaborating with people? Would you prefer to work with a small team or with a lot of new people? Perhaps working alone in a task-based situation would be more your thing?
* What do you need from the market sector you work in? (Things do change – look at the building trade, or banks for example.)
* How long a career do you hope to have once retrained, and can the industry you choose provide you with that possibility?
* Are you worried about the possibility of getting new work, and being in demand in the employment market right up to retirement?
We ask you to find out more about the computer industry – there are more jobs than employees, and it’s one of the few choices of career where the sector is expanding. In contrast to what some people believe, it isn’t just geeks gazing at their computer screens the whole day (if you like the sound of that though, they do exist.) The vast majority of roles are done by ordinary men and women who want to earn a very good living.
One useful service that several companies offer is a Job Placement Assistance program. The service is put in place to steer you into your first IT role. The fact of the matter is it’s not as difficult as you may be led to believe to secure a job – as long as you’ve got the necessary skills and qualifications; the shortage of IT personnel in Britain looks after that.
Get your CV updated straight-away though – look to your training company for advice on how to do this. Don’t wait until you’ve qualified.
Getting onto the ‘maybe’ pile of CV’s is better than being rejected. A surprising amount of junior support jobs are got by people who are still at an early stage in their studies.
You’ll normally experience better results from a specialist independent regional employment service than you’ll experience from any course provider’s centralised service, as they’ll know local industry and the area better.
Many trainees, apparently, conscientiously work through their course materials (for years sometimes), only to give up at the first hurdle when looking for the right position. Promote yourself… Make an effort to put yourself out there. Good jobs don’t just knock on your door.
Often, individuals don’t really get what IT can do for us. It’s thrilling, changing, and puts you at the fore-front of developments in technology affecting everyones lives in the 21st century.
We’re only just starting to get an inclination of how technology will influence everything we do. Computers and the Internet will massively revolutionise how we see and interact with the world as a whole over the years to come.
And don’t forget salaries moreover – the income on average in the UK for an average IT worker is a lot higher than in the rest of the economy. Odds are you’ll make a much better deal than you would in most other jobs.
Due to the technological sector emerging nationally and internationally, it’s likely that demand for appropriately qualified IT professionals will remain buoyant for years to come.
Students looking to build an IT career often don’t know what path is best, or even which market to get certified in.
As with no commercial background in the IT industry, how could any of us know what anyone doing a particular job actually does?
To come through this, we need to discuss a variety of definitive areas:
* Our personalities play a significant role – what kind of areas spark your interest, and what are the areas that get you down.
* Are you hoping to get certified for a particular reason – for example, do you aim to work from home (self-employment possibly?)?
* Is the money you make further up on your wish list than some other areas.
* When taking into account all that Information Technology encapsulates, it’s obvious you’ll need to be able to absorb what is different.
* It’s wise to spend some time thinking about the amount of time and effort you’ll put into gaining your certifications.
For the majority of us, considering all these ideas will require meeting with an experienced pro who can investigate each area with you. And we’re not only talking about the accreditations – but the commercial requirements and expectations also.
Make sure that all your certifications are what employers want – forget programs that lead to in-house certificates.
Only properly recognised examinations from the major players like Microsoft, Cisco, CompTIA and Adobe will have any meaning to employers.
(C) 2009 Scott Edwards. Try Comptia Certification or CLICK HERE.