Cracking the code: 10 IT job misconceptions

Just like any other job out there, careers in IT have a lot of misconceptions. For instance, people not in the know might think that it’s an industry filled with geeks and introverts, or that it’s incredibly inaccessible or difficult. Well, these (and other) misconceptions simply aren’t true, so I’m here to set the record straight so that anyone looking to join the brother (or sisterhood) of IT won’t be dissuaded.

1.???There’s too much competition

It’s easy to think that everyone is trying to get in tech, and while it’s an incredibly popular career path, there are plenty of jobs out there. We are living in the digital revolution, surrounded by data, AI, dashboards, websites, apps and so much more. There are so many companies who care about their digital security, data analysis, UX and other areas, meaning that there’s no shortage of opportunities for someone looking to get involved.

2.???Jobs in tech aren’t creative

Quite a few people perceive working in IT as something rigid, cold and calculated. This is actually completely wrong, as tech jobs can be incredibly dynamic, and are all about finding solutions to problems – often taking quite a bit of creative thinking. In fact, a job in IT is about creating solutions, products, services, workflows and improvements, so it’s right there in the word!

3.???You need to be a computer whizz

If you’re a complete beginner, looking at lines of code such as HTML, CSS and Python may seem daunting, but when you think about it, it’s just like learning another language. Knowing how to code doesn’t take deep technical knowledge, and nobody is born knowing programming languages – they just learn them! By taking courses or teaching yourself, you’ll be surprised at accessible it all is.

4.???You need special education

Is the thought of having to get a fancy degree stopping you from pursuing a career in IT? Well, don’t! You’d be surprised at how many IT professionals in great jobs are self-taught and received no formal education in computer science or related topics. There is an absolute wealth of information and lessons online about learning code and related disciplines – both paid and free. If you want to learn, just go for it.

5.???You need to be good at maths

Not everyone is good with numbers, and when a layman looks at code it does kind of look like a bunch of figures and letters smashed together. While some programming languages take problem solving and logic to understand, soft skills can go a long way. You don’t need to be a mathematics expert to understand working in IT – and if coding is not your thing, there are many tech jobs that keep that side of things to minimum.

6.???You’ll never see the sun again

Ah, yes – people who work with and on computers are locked away all day, eye’s glued to a screen that resembles something from The Matrix.

Working in IT doesn’t mean that you’ll have spend your entire day hunched over a computer screen writing code. Rather than spending the entire day coding, the tech sector is much more dynamic. There are many professions and technical abilities that don't even require coding. Design, data analysis, system and process setup, project management, technical writing, etc. are a few examples. Plus, if your company allows it, you can work remotely from anywhere you want, including a sunny café.

7.???There are more women than you think

It may have been truer in the 90’s that most people working in IT were men, but if you look at the demographics today, you’ll see a whole different picture. There are more women than ever joining the tech industry, bringing their skills and building their careers. Some of the biggest tech companies in the world are headed and founded by women, including Bumble, Clue, Eventbrite and Elvie.

8.???Most tech job are outsourced

Outsourcing is a pretty common practice for any company, and anyone thinking about working in IT may be put off by the notion that their job can be done much cheaper by someone thousands of miles away. Today, companies prefer to have someone on demand and available within a normal workday, without having to worry about slow community and time zones.

9.???It’s hard work

This is a myth that can be applied to many industries, but there’s something about working on a computer that makes people think that they will have to go above and beyond normal working hours. Of course, this depends on your particular role, but in general this just isn’t true. In fact, working in IT and tech means that its more likely that you can work from home, or remotely.

10.???Your soft skills will still matter

Soft skills are personality traits and social abilities that define a person's interactions with others. They are considered an essential addition to hard skills in the workplace, which are made up o knowledge and practical abilities. Soft skills are just as important in tech as they are anywhere else, as you’ll have to work with other people, resolve disputes and navigate issues. Whatever your background was before exploring employment in tech, they will still matter.