Tech positions make for a good career path most especially these days. Further, this career is perfect for those who want to land a high-paying job while avoiding the time and money constraints of entering college to get a degree. True enough, the tech field lets you build your IT career without a degree.
While you may have higher chances of getting better pay and a better position if you have a formal education, you can enter the tech industry without a degree! Of course, it’ll be better if you already have the skills and working knowledge through self-study and internships.
To further guide you on how to build a fast-track IT career without a degree in IT, here are some steps you can take.
Take free or paid courses and certifications.
Going into college may take longer to finish than taking specialist courses that are aligned to what you really want to pursue in the field of tech. So, if money and time constraints are your biggest challenges, you can still get the education and training you need through taking entry-level certifications.
Hone your transferable skills.
Aside from having the most relevant technical skills you need in your chosen area of expertise, you also have to be armed with skills and traits that can be applicable and handy even across jobs and industries. These include communication skills. creativity, problem-solving, and attention to detail.
Build your resume and portfolio.
While you’re self-studying and earning certifications here and there, it’ll also help you better if you apply for paid or unpaid internships. Most employers now are looking at a candidate’s practical background, so it’s going to boost your competitive edge if you have hands-on experience even if you don’t have an IT degree.
You may consider applying for positions with tangent fields like one in outside technology sales or in a retail technology store. This opens the door for you to have the chance to ask and get transferred into the IT role within the organization as you gain skills and experience along the way. Even if your first positions don’t directly align with the ideal IT career path you want to build, adding tech experience to your resume will help make your career trajectory more impressive. Further, you can also learn the skills and technical knowledge you need in your focus area and apply them in your personal or internship projects. These may then serve as a great addition to your portfolio.
Land your first “real” IT job.
Requiring your best effort, do your best to land your first IT-related job. Update your resume, ensuring that your relevant skills and experiences are mentioned. Highlight your certifications, projects, internships, and other work successes.
Further, be willing to accept an entry-level role in your chosen specialty if the opportunities for career advancement are attainable.
Top 10 IT Jobs That Don’t Require a College Degree
Tech is one of the industries where a lot of professionals are self-taught. Along the way, they gain an impressive educational background even while they’re already working as an IT expert. Most of the time, they do this when they’re ready to take on a higher role or a related career path that may fit their skills and personal interests better. Since tech continues to evolve, IT professionals need to keep up with the trends. Hence, the most successful ones continue learning about their craft and honing their skills through various certification programs, special courses, or passion projects.
Now, let’s list the various IT jobs you can get even if you don’t have a degree in IT.
Help Desk Analyst
Providing technical support over the phone or via email to users, help desk analysts maintain records of common issues and build directions to help users resolve them. Further, they work with senior staff and IT support on other major technology solutions.
Junior Data Analyst
The main roles of junior data analysts include assisting upper-level analysts with retrieving, cleaning, and organizing data. They also perform various data entry tasks in databases and help in processing these data for customers.
Cybersecurity Specialist
Responsible for monitoring networks for any vulnerabilities or potential threats to an organization’s data. cybersecurity specialists build firewalls and manage any attacks on the network infrastructures. They are tasked to develop and implement strategies for data protection.
Computer Support Specialist
Computer support specialists help with troubleshooting computers and monitoring the networks. They ask questions to gain clarity on a customer’s issue then help to walk them through solutions. Also, they work directly with customers to install and use new hardware and software. From time to time, these specialists may also perform computer repairs.
Web Developer
Depending on their expertise, web developers have different roles to perform. Front-end developers design the part of the websites that users will see. Back-end developers, on the other hand, make sure that the site’s infrastructure is working well. Lastly, full-stack developers do all of these.
Computer Programmer
Tasked to use various computer languages to write, update, and troubleshoot existing programs, computer programmers also debug code, develop computer infrastructure, and maintain operating systems.
IT Manager
IT managers are the ones who oversee the general operations of IT staff and the technology of a business. They analyze and install computing networks, maintain an organization’s software and hardware, and assess their electronic infrastructure needs.
DevOps Engineer
Tasked to develop, upgrade, and implement software solutions for internal systems, DevOps engineers monitor the health of servers while working with software developers and other system operators.
Software Engineer
Developing software solutions for organizational functionality in various business departments, software engineers document their software through flowcharts, layouts, instructions, and coding.
Software Architect
Designing whole systems based on client requirements, software architects use their technical and analytical skills to collaborate with business leaders, engineers, and other developers to ensure that custom software is clear and intuitive. Further, they are tasked to oversee the code, build development standards, and keep projects going in a timely manner.
Now, are you ready to take that big leap of entering the tech field even without a college degree in IT? Make sure you apply the practical tips in this guide to be prepared for your job search! You may also check out more available IT jobs listed in Bossjob to find the best fit for you.
