Featuring Insights From Rachel Denton, Pedro Martin, & Matt Studdert
IT jobs have a secret: They’re some of the most collaborative and social jobs you can have. Developers work with designers. Product managers team up with data scientists. Data scientists advise marketers and vice versa. In the fast-moving tech industry, no one can afford to be in a silo or work strictly solo.
But which IT role is best suited to your strengths? Which jobs are poised for the most growth? Should you go for a high-paying and demanding position? Or one in which you set your own hours and can take time to explore your creativity? The tech world is expansive enough to include all of these things and more. According to employers, communication and problem-solving skills are the most important qualities to make you successful in an IT career.
More good news: Employers aren’t looking for candidates with a templated background. Computer science degrees are actually becoming very rare in the industry. Successful job seekers come from a broad range of backgrounds, including medicine, education, archaeology, construction, and more. The tech industry needs people at all levels, and in some cases, may not require a bachelor’s degree. It’s all about the skill set, and plenty of companies hire people directly from a bootcamp.
At present, the demand to fill jobs in these fields outpaces the supply of candidates worldwide. It’s a very good time to be looking.
1. Developer
The role of a front-end web developer is to build accessible, responsive, and performing interfaces based on a design and a specification, using web technologies like HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. But the image of the coder working alone all day couldn’t be further from the truth. Delivering software based on the web is a team effort. The developer’s role is integral to building the product, but they work alongside colleagues in other disciplines and will do well to embrace their input.
“Good companies understand that the software delivery process is a team effort,” says Pedro Martin, software engineer and GA instructor. “Developers work with user experience designers, user interface designers, content designers, data analysts, quality assurance developers, delivery leads, and product owners. Each one influences the other’s work, thereby expanding the experience of delivering features.”
Communication is key. “Being able to communicate your ideas and your work to other team members is a key skill that often flies under the radar,” says Matt Studdert, founder of Frontend Mentor.
Front-end web developers can choose from a broad range of places to work, pretty much at any company with a presence on the internet. This is just one of the perks of the job. “If you like music, you could work at Spotify or another music service,” says Studdert. “If you’re passionate about plants, you could work at Patch Plants. Your skills will follow you from industry to industry.”
Unsure where to start? Taking our coding course can get you fluent enough in HTML or CSS so that you can begin using them to create your own projects and see where that leads. You can quickly find a passion to develop into a career. In our 2-hour Understanding the Stack workshop, “people come in with absolutely no understanding and learn so much within such a short timeframe.” Another option is to go all-in with a full-time bootcamp. Coding Immersive graduates leave prepared to jump right into their new developer job.
2. Data Scientist
Data science is having an increasing influence on every company’s marketing plan. There has been a hiring boom in recent years as corporate leaders are eager to harness the power of data for their bottom line. They are fast becoming key partners on every digital marketing team. For that reason, data science is one of the fastest-growing fields.
A data scientist utilizes processes and algorithms to yield insights from large data sets. In Rachel Denton’s Data Analytics course here at GA, the goal is for students to learn how to use data to solve complex business problems. “Data is so important in the world of digital marketing,“ she says. “I am seeing more and more data used alongside digital marketing as technology gets increasingly sophisticated.”
3. Digital Marketer
Digital marketing is a fast-growing field where you can use your skills to excel, whether they are focused on design, data, or strategy. More diverse roles get pulled into digital marketing by the day as the potential value of their contributions is recognized. Practically every tech professional has a place in this burgeoning field.
4. Product Manager
A product manager is integral to helping teams prioritize. They will typically be in charge of what’s getting done next and why. Organization is key in this role. Product managers must be a manager of people. They communicate with developers, designers, and marketers to determine how much time and effort goes into every project. Digital product teams are often quite small, encompassing 8 to 12 people of different disciplines.
All of these jobs have the advantage of being able to work from practically anywhere. Tech workers are essential and can transition seamlessly to an all-remote world. Their work is making our global economy thrive, now more than ever.
Want to learn more about Rachel?
https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachelmdenton/
https://generalassemb.ly/instructors/rachel-d
Want to learn more about Pedro?
https://github.com/pataruco
https://www.linkedin.com/in/pataruco/
https://mobile.twitter.com/pataruco
Want to learn more about Matt?
https://www.frontendmentor.io/
https://twitter.com/_mattstuddert