5 Ways to Land a Good Job in IT this 2024
By Lumify Learn Team | August 20, 2024
Today, Australia’s information technology (IT) field stands as one of the country’s most critical sectors. In February of last year, in fact, Australia experienced an 8% increase in technology jobs, bringing the workforce to a total of 935,000. This development makes the country’s government on track to meet its goal of 1.2 million tech jobs by 2030.
If you aspire to be a part of this exciting industry, now is the best time for you to take the first step. Below, we outline five steps to landing a quality, well-paid job in IT, and how training with Lumify Learn can help.
How to Land a Good Job in IT in 2024
Do Your Research
Before diving head-first into the IT field, it pays to do a little digging. According to a recent report by the Australian Government’s Department of Home Affairs, ICT Business and Systems Analysts, Software and Applications Programmers, and ICT Security Specialists are among the most sought-after roles in the industry this 2024. These may vary depending on the year, but keeping in touch with the current market can help you pinpoint rising sectors and lucrative opportunities.
However, make sure to consider your specific interests, passions, and strengths, and map out your career goals accordingly. For instance, while cloud computing may be ripe with job prospects, your flair for visual creativity may be better suited to the field of web development. Or maybe your analytical skills would be good for a career in cyber security, but you may fare better on the programming side of things, rather than customer-facing, consultancy roles.
An understanding of the ICT sector and its current skills gaps, demands, and key companies can help in effectively planning your next steps and ideal career path.
Pursue a Qualification
An exciting, lucrative job in IT requires quality skills, knowledge, and experience. Should you find yourself lacking in any of these, it may be worth considering further training.
Plenty of qualifications are now available across every area of IT, with many accessible online. Lumify Learn, for example, offers a wide selection of tech courses from general IT practice to specialised areas of data science, cloud computing, artificial intelligence, and cyber security. All programs are delivered online, which allows students to access their training when and where they choose. It also provides current professionals with the flexibility of studying around their busy schedules.
Taking a course can help you build a comprehensive understanding of your chosen field, touching on the theoretical concepts and principles as well as the technical, practical skills. This adds to your value as a job market candidate, as it verifies your expertise for potential employers.
Take Up an Internship
Internships can help put your newfound skills to practice in an actual, real-life workplace. Upon completing a qualification, consider bolstering your experience through these opportunities.
Some companies even offer fully-fledged internship programs, providing students an in-depth, thorough experience of the sector while completing their training. Motorola’s program, for example, offers interns a chance to provide high quality technical and operational support for mission critical IT systems.
Internships are valuable in providing an accurate “test-drive” of your chosen field so you can gain an understanding of common practices, expectations, and what your typical schedule may look like. They also help in building your business network, as you’ll likely be learning from industry veterans and collaborating with others on specific projects or regular tasks.
Depending on their performance and unique contributions, some interns may even find themselves offered a full-time position at their company.
Did you know that Lumify Learn offers internship programs through our Lumify Edge initiative? Through our partnership with Study and Work, we will connect you with internship opportunities that can help you hone your skills and knowledge. Study and Work places over 400 interns in Australia yearly, with more than 50% turning their internship into permanent employment.
Hone Your Skills Through Personal Projects
While qualifications and work experience are a must, it’s also important to pursue your own passions and interests the field. Take the time to work on your own personal projects or ventures, as this will build your portfolio for future employment opportunities. These give you a chance to demonstrate your initiative and creativity to potential employers, while also building further experience and exercising your skills.
It may also be worth seeking out collaborations or partnerships with other IT professionals. Various online communities are now available to help you connect with other rising or long-time talents in the field. Such networks may be as small as a Facebook or LinkedIn group – or may take the form of other platforms, such as GitHub, Stack Overflow, or Dev. Whichever you choose, these communities can help you expand your industry network, expose yourself to new ideas, and learn from those with greater skills and experience. You may even form professional partnerships for the long haul!
Focusing on your own projects not only challenges and advances your current skillset, as this also helps determine your strengths, your areas for improvement, and where your true interests lie.
Craft An Engaging Online Resume
It goes without saying that an up-to-date CV is necessary for any job hunt. To truly stand out in the IT field, however, it pays to work on your online resume, too.
This involves – though is not limited to – polishing your LinkedIn profile. Statistics show that three people are hired through LinkedIn every minute, making it one of the most effective platforms for recruiters and job-seekers alike. Take advantage of LinkedIn’s tools to highlight your relevant experiences, unique skills, and the ideas you have to offer.
As a social network, however, don’t forget to reach out to potential contacts and share relevant content on your feed from time to time. This can help effectively grow your online network while demonstrating passion and engagement for your industry.
But LinkedIn isn’t the only tool for helping build your online portfolio. You may also choose to invest in your own website, as this grants you the freedom of showcasing your personal brand in a style, structure, and aesthetic of your choice. This can be especially valuable for aspiring web developers, as it offers them a platform for flaunting past projects while demonstrating their skills in coding, visual design, and general website development.
In a field that embraces the digital realm, online portfolios and resumes are a necessity for landing you that ideal IT career.
Build Your Skills for the IT Field Today!
Lumify Learn offers a wide selection of industry-aligned and nationally accredited courses, as well as a range of vendor-endorsed boot camp programs in the following categories:
Because our qualifications are delivered online, you can easily tailor your study schedule according to your specific needs. And with our Lumify Edge program, we can help you jumpstart your IT journey through various career support services.
Enter the exciting, ever-evolving world of ICT, and enquire with us on a course today.