Keep Learning, Get Creative to Jump Start an IT Career

Building an IT career requires focus, hard work and sometimes creativity, but the opportunities are vast, even for those who don't currently hold a four-year computer science degree or aren't currently in the IT workforce.

That was the message of the Nov. 7 webinar "IT Careers: The Inside Scoop," produced by CompTIA's Advancing Women in Technology (AWIT) community.

"The information technology industry is the fastest growing industry in the world," said Ginger Moore, senior staffing consultant for Unisys' global managed services, as she addressed opportunities in IT. "Technology is power and it's changing the world, but our behavior is also changing technology."

Moore identified five key areas in which emerging social patterns and emerging technology are fueling job growth and job opportunities:

• Security – a high skill, high demand, high wage sector. "Roles focusing on security systems across people, data, infrastructure, processes and facilities will be in demand," Moore contends. In-demand security roles include data security analysts, network security engineers, network security architects and virtualization specialists.

• The Cloud – the Internet's massive intercommunication network offering on-demand, application-based services and information anytime, anywhere. Moore quoted a Forbes.com blog article by NetApp's Matthew Butter, stating that "The cloud is projected to create 14 million new jobs by 2015 – not all in IT or in US." In-demand cloud roles include software creators and developers, as well as infrastructure design, development and integration professionals. Moore said, "Folks are going to have to work across silos and be able to relate integrated IT understanding with business requirements."

• Mobility – Mobile computing is evolving with the consumerization of IT, social computing and cybersecurity concerns. With the increased frequency of BYOD (bring your own device) to work initiatives, "There's more emphasis on securing users and devices," said Moore. In-demand mobility roles include application developers, system analysts, architects and security.

• Big Data — Stored and transactional data from social media, retail, mobile phone usage, etc. has to be housed and supported. Walmart alone has more than 1 million customer transactions an hour. In addition, competitive success increasingly depends on how quickly companies can aggregate and analyze its data and get it to the people who use it. Citing the work of ComputerWorld journalist Tam Harbert, Moore noted that Big Data has created new types of jobs: data scientists, data architects, data visualizers, data change agents, data engineers, data engineers/operators, data virtualization/cloud specialists, and data stewards.

• Projectization — Moore describes this as "project management on steroids." Given globalization of business amid time, money and resource constraints, she noted that "Program and transition management expertise and experience are very much in demand."

The IT Sales Opportunity

IT sales gives an IT professional "the opportunity to become a trusted adviser to the customer," says Sally Brause, director of human resources consulting for GreatAmerica Leasing Corporation in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

Sales roles are hot in IT, but "A lot of people are scared off from IT sales because they don't think they're technical enough," noted Inside Scoop Panelist Sandra Ashworth, global director of channel relations and warranty at Unisys and chair of CompTIA's AWIT community.

IT sales professionals don't have to be technical gurus because they usually work in teams, paired with sales engineers, for example, says Brause. "It's critical that you know and like technology, but you don't have to be the sole person who knows what everything does and how it works."

Characteristics Brause looks for in an IT sales professional include:

1. Comfort with and effectiveness in a collaborative, team sales approach and ability to interact with all levels of an organization — from a CFO to end-users.
2. Proactive problem solving, being able to "connect the dots" between client problems and potential solutions.
3. A consultative sales approach.
4. Affinity for technology and learning about technology.
5. A competitive, tenacious and goal-driven mindset. "A vast majority of these roles have a budget that you have to achieve," says Brause. "Feeling comfortable with and motivated by that budget is critical."
6. Exceptional listening skills.
7. Knowledge and trustworthiness.
8. Sincerity.

IT Operations: Beyond Tech & Sales

Ashworth encouraged participants to fully consider the opportunities available in the IT industry's operations roles. She estimated that operational jobs comprise roughly 65 percent of the IT industry business, with overlaps in other areas, including technical areas, and noted that operational functions within IT can include: finance/accounting, procurement, supply chain, logistics, accounting, business processes, quality, distribution, operational consulting, facilities, customer service, project management, management, and human resources.

"There are a lot of really broad paths within IT operations," Ashworth said. "Depending upon your company, they may have some of these (job roles), all of these and probably more. "

From Point A to Point B

"Inside Scoop" webinar participants wanted to know how best to secure or jump-start their IT careers.

A college education can be an entry point, particularly if it includes computer science courses, says Moore, adding that internships, co-op programs and basic certifications such as the CompTIA A+ or CompTIA Network+ can also give an advantage. Ashworth emphasized the value of operations-centric certifications, including risk management, project management, Six Sigma, property management, accounting and supply chain credentials.

Beyond a degree and specific credentials, Brause added that there are some job opportunities that would recognize knowledge and skills gained from hobbies—how to repair, install and sunset computers, for example.

Knowledge and skills gained through on-the-job training, military training programs, and volunteering can also help win IT jobs, says Ashworth "Bring it up in the interview process and when filling out applications for positions."

Domestic life has its skill sets as well. For example, Ashworth recognized one woman's experience managing a household with children as a skill when the woman applied for a project management position. The woman held a four-year degree, and worked for worked for several years before raising her family. But Ashworth noted that if you can manage a household with children, "You can manage anything."

Alternate Routes

The Inside Scoop panelists encouraged participants to stay focused on their talents and skills, and to get creative in surmounting any obstacles in their career path.

One participant, a 40-year-old woman, was concerned about her age as she sought an IT career, but Moore advised, "I wouldn't focus on your age as much as I would the tool sets you have. Oftentimes, experienced people have a real value-add."

To the person who was 15 years out of the IT industry and seeking to re-enter, but couldn't get references, Ashworth suggested looking within local small-to-medium sized, IT-centric firms for a mentor. "Or join the CompTIA AWIT mentoring program, and sign up to be a mentee."

Answering a participant who asked what was the best certifications to obtain for re-entering the IT workforce after a hiatus, and a participant who was "stuck" in a dead-end job with no opportunities for advancement, the panelists encouraged each to identify the specific area of IT that interested them and focus on the specific certifications that address that segment.

"We see many resumes with many certifications," said Moore. "As we go to fill specific roles, we're looking for those certifications that really relate to those (positions) we have open."

Some participants were looking for work/life flexibility—to work from home, for example. "I work from a home office, and I have for five years," says Ashworth. "The trend in the IT industry especially, with more and more companies, small and large, is to sending people to work virtually from home." Some roles work solely from home; others use the home office as a base of operation for travel to the employer's campus and/or client sites, she noted.

Moore urged webinar participants to control their own destiny. "Get the right education. Keep learning. Reinvest your skills. Influence others and make your presence known," she advised. "Mentor those people who can benefit from your insights."

"Emerging technology is creating a lot of new roles, and you will have to anticipate the changes that are coming about," she said. "Embrace the change. If you do, you will enjoy the journey of discovery and build a very successful career for yourself."