Career in Information Technology

IT permeates every aspect of our lives and our lives literally depend on it. In this era of Information Technology, which has revolutionized the whole world, there are numerous employment opportunities for skilled IT Professionals.

Various fields in IT include quality management and standards, education and training, research, software testing, database design, configuration and change management, systems development, web design and so on.

Following are the career areas in this industry.

• SOFTWARE: This industry offers vast range of employment opportunities in fields starting from data entry, computer operations, programming, and system analysis to system designing, system engineering and operation management. Today, this industry is one of the most sought after industry as far as returns are concerned.
             
• HARDWARE: The key areas that can be taken up as career includes hardware designing, research and development, assembling, manufacturing and maintenance of computer components.
             
• TELECOM: Telecommunications is a growing industry and has created ample scope for people joining telecommunication engineering. The various fields that can be pursued as career in this industry include voice processing units, telephone technology, wireless technology, cellular technology, touchtone telephones, microwave and satellite communication systems.
                   
• SALES & MARKETING: Sales and marketing in IT industry is a specialist task and requires a thorough study of products and their competition. Marketing covers selling of both hardware and software products. This job is both competitive and challenging.
              
• E-COMMERCE AND WEB DEVELOPMENT: The coming together of computers and telecommunication technologies has led to the emergence of electronic commerce. Most of the future jobs anticipated in IT industry include developing and managing Web-portals, creation of Internet market, customer management, consulting etc.
                 
• ENTERPRISE RESOURCE PLANNING: ERP is planning the resources of entire network of an enterprise. Various fields like purchase, production, marketing, distribution, sales, service, inventory, finance, accounts, and human resource are integrated on single software through ERP, to facilitate better coordination. Professionals with engineering background in mechanical, civil, manufacturing, textile as well as MBAs, chartered accountants, cost accountants can join technical ERP.
               
• COMPUTER OPERATOR: A computer operator's job is to run both the computer and its peripheral equipment. An operator usually works on instructions issued by programmers or operation managers.
              
• DATA ENTRY: Data entry operators are needed in almost every organization using computers. People with good typing skills are best suited for these jobs.

There is no universally accepted way to prepare for a job as an IT professional. Although a bachelor's degree is often required, and relevant work experience is very important, many people develop their computer skills while working in other fields. Technical or professional certification is becoming a common way to measure competency in prospective employees. The continual study of new technologies is necessary to keep computer skills current.

You need to have passion for IT and how it works. It is your love for the profession that can withstand pressure and tension when you come across obstacles. All areas of IT have opportunities and challenges. It is your interest in your chosen field that can make it work for you. When you have the right amount of passion, you become deft at handling opportunities and challenges.

Rapid advances in technology are changing our world every day. The world of software and IT is a world of exploding possibilities that almost defy definition. Change in the ways and means in which information is created, stored, shared and used affects virtually every other industry in the economy. As the software developers and hardware manufacturers come up with even more products, they exponentially increase the possibilities of IT.