Technology offers a variety of career options – but how can you ensure your job application lands on the top of the pile?
The computing industry employs 621,000 people in the UK, according to the latest Labour Market Statistics.
The sector offers many career options for the technically minded – from programming and consultancy to data processing. And renumeration packages are relatively high: 2013 graduates can expect to earn approxiamateky £26, 250 as their starting salary.
But, as with many other industries, ensuring you land at the top of the application pile is no mean feat. Here are some positive steps you can take to impress potential employers:
Learn to code
If you want a job in IT then learn Java. But if you want a career, then be prepared to learn something new next year. This is why learning to code is more useful than learning how to use applications: with an application mindset you can become locked into a single way of doing things, but with a coding mindset you can build new worlds. It's not expensive to learn basic code and the skills you acquire will pay off in the long term.
Seek out support networks
If you're a final year student, or recent graduate, find out if there is an alumni network that you can tap into, or a university initiative to help you find work in IT. There may be hackathons or developer days that you can attend. Yous should also investigate online communities or LinkedIn groups that can help you learn skills and engage with like-minded people.
Be aware of challenges in the sector
Big data is a very hot topic in the IT world right now, and one of the key challenges is finding a way to make sense of the vast amounts of data we generate. If you're aware of technology trends and challenges such as these – and consider the issues, share ideas and even propose solutions – this will help you to stand out from the crowd.
Open up to open source
Open source is exciting and disruptive. When something is open source it means what is usually intellectual property (for example, source code) is made public. A company can benefit from having the IT community improving and adding to source code, and the public has access to free software. This offers a great opportunity for those who want to join the IT industry to contribute to the profession.
An open-source business will make its money from adding value to its software, for example, by providing support or a user-friendly interface.
Skill up in e-commerce
Computer Weekly recently reported that retailers are prioritising investment in e-commerce platforms above in-store IT systems. Choosing a career in e-commerce could lead to high rewards for those looking to specialise in this area: it's unlikely we'll stop buying things online anytime soon.
Refine your communication skills
Experience of coding and other technology skills aren't the only essentials. Candidates must be able to explain concisely what they do and what they want to achieve. Technology is no longer separate from the rest of our lives: it isn't a silo inhabited by geeks and gamers, but rather a central part of our world.
Consider applying for schemes
You don't need a degree in IT to get onto a graduate scheme at a technology company. So, if you decide you would like a career in technology after graduating but your degree is in business or communications, it may not be a problem – you just need to look for a job that would suit your background. The technology industry offers many roles, from developers and technical architects, to marketing directors and business development directors.
Be ambitious
If you choose a career in technology, you're choosing to work in one of the most exciting and fastest moving industries. There is so much opportunity for those prepared to work hard and think creatively, so why not aim high?
Tej Kohli is the chief executive and founder or Grafix Softech.
This content is brought to you by Guardian Professional. To get more content and advice like this direct to your inbox, sign up for our weekly update and careers ebook.
Career choices
Technology careers
guardian.co.uk © 2013 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds