With the job market in high demand for computer and information technology (IT) workers, it is time to consider how to advance your career if you are already in the field but are looking for more growth opportunities. Here are four ways you can help advance yourself in the computer and IT fields so you can earn your next raise or promotion or ensure you are competitive as you start looking for a new position.
Earn Your Master’s Degree in Computer Engineering
While you can find a great job with only a bachelor’s degree, there are a lot of helpful things about gaining more education through a master’s degree in your field or a related field. While going back to school might feel intimidating, the truth is the rate of technology change and advancement is so high you really cannot stand to sit back and let so much valuable information go by and not have access to it. If you are wondering about how you will fit an advanced degree into your already busy life, consider a computer engineering online masters degree where you take all of your courses online and take them during the times you are most able to devote to learning. The courses contain the same information and rigor as traditional on-campus programs with access to high quality professors and instructors.
Earn Your Master’s Degree in Leadership or Your MBA
If you have advanced through the technical side of your field but desire to be given additional responsibilities and promotions, then consider moving into a supervisory or management position. One way to help yourself stand out from the crowd of applicants for a supervisory position is to ensure you have education and experience in leadership or other business administration. Earning a master’s degree in leadership or business administration will give you direct experience with all of the organizational and human leadership skills you will need to succeed as a supervisor or manager. While being talented and a standout in technical work is key to rising to the top of a computer or IT department or business, there is a high need for people who are well-rounded and can manage the intricacies and delicacies of managing the human beings who are working on the technical side.
Network Your Way Up
Never underestimate the power and importance of networking in any career. Computer Business and IT fields are no different. Whether you attend a local networking group or event for your industry on a regular basis or you even take the initiative andstart organizing your own networking group, being part of the larger industry and knowing people will help you advance in your field. The connections you make and others make about you will help you have name recognition, allow you more access to current and future career opportunities, and keep you on the cutting edge of new trends or resources within your field.
Increase Your Skills
If you already have a master’s degree or are not looking to start an advanced degree but you still want options for increasing your marketability and advancing your career, consider making sure you brush up or take specific courses on coding and make sure you can switch and utilize multiple programming languages. Another area information technology professionals need to be on the cutting edge of is security skills. Look for both entry-level and advance-level certifications in IT security skill sets. Other developments which will help you stay on top of rapidly changing technology is artificial intelligence and cloud computing. If you are not familiar or only have a cursory knowledge of either, look for professional development opportunities to increase your knowledge and comfortability conversing and troubleshooting current issues within those sub-fields.
By choosing a career in the computer business or IT fields you already made an excellent choice as the fields have high demand and great pay for your skills. Nonetheless, technology is developing at such a rapid rate that keeping your education and skills relevant and up to date means investing in yourself so you can advance in your field.
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