What are current job prospects like in technology?
This will help me think about what careers I might want to focus on. What are some of the areas where job prospects are strong? Are jobs more common in some areas? Where is demand for workers much higher than supply? Thank you!
#technology #it
[This question was updated by an admin for clarity]
6 answers
Bhabani’s Answer
robert’s Answer
It depends on the field that you choose. Artificial Intelligence and others are booming, while some of the old traditional are being replaced.
Bryan’s Answer
They're good. You'll be able to find work, and once you get experience, you'll be able to make make a good salary. There are many different fields in technology, so it can be difficult to figure out how to get started.
A good way to take that first step is to focus on getting experience in a professional setting even if it does not pay initially. Getting the experience was a big hurdle for me when I was searching for my first job, and there are several ways to get it. You can volunteer for a summer or 6 months working at a school or local business. If you have to make money right away, then the volunteer work will have to be limited so you can focus on the necessities, but keep in mind that even volunteer work can look good on a resume, and it will pay off in a different way later on.
Try to get your hands on any technology you can, and the more variety the better initially. Eventually, once you get exposed to many different aspects of technology--software, hardware, electronics--you'll start to find things that you enjoy. When you find something like that keep the variety going but dig in on those things you like. Focusing on what you like will build on itself because you'll learn more about it and probably will like it more (because you know it better). Keeping yourself out of your comfort zone by getting hands-on experience with lots of new things will make sure that you can get a good idea of what your options are.
If you are interested in the job prospects, you're probably looking for steady employment and earning potential over the long term, and you have probably heard on the news and through others that there is a shortage of employees who are skilled in certain areas. This is good news, but one thing I've noticed over the years is that it's a constantly changing list that has more to do with a short-term burst of activity around a few big companies' chosen technologies. They're trends, so they're good things to know, but sometimes they're also fads and will fade quickly in a year or two. My point here is that today's hot jobs might not even exist 2 years from now. If you are interested in longer term employment in technology, get your hands on everything you can, get some experience doing work even if you don't get paid for it, make sure you stay open to new technologies, and don't fight against changes in technology because if you do, you'll be giving your job away to someone who is willing to learn and do something new.
Bryan recommends the following next steps:
Ryan’s Answer
Job prospects are great! We're currently in a very hot economy so that is helpful but IMO the outlook for technology jobs is great, especially compared to some other industries.
Technology is such a broad term and encompasses everything from iPhone app developer to engineering autonomous vehicles.
If we narrow the scope to "IT" there is still a ton of potential. Currently all eyes are on AI (artificial intelligence), IoT (internet of things - think Amazon Alexa), and various cloud V.S on prem infrastructures options, there has never been a better time.
To Roberts point, building computers and performing hardware repairs has become a commodity. Certainly not a bad place to start but tough to make a lucrative career from.
Next steps: I recommend deciding what kind of tech interests you and Investigate tech companies like Cisco (networking), Microsoft (software), VMWare (virtualization software), Dell Tech (end to end infrastructure, etc. Understand at a high level what business they're in and pursue certification if wanted. You can also learn relevant skills and get industry standard certifications from companies like CompTIA (A+, Network +, etc.). You may be more interested in management/process and look at ITIL as a cert.
Billie’s Answer
Job prospects are booming but you are correct, some are booming more than others. My personal recommendation would be to pursue a path with Cyber Security. Find an area of security that interests you and pursue a certification in that field. It is universal that is needed and will continue to grow. It is also one of the few jobs that isn't quickly offshored by larger corporations.
Aleksandar’s Answer
It really depends on what field you are in. If you are looking into what field may have a good future then i would suggest jobs in IT which are related to artificial intelligence, devops, data anayisis ect...
However i would also suggest thinking about what field you may be passionate in, this is important if you want to become succesful in the role.