Issue #4: Building a career in IT

Before I started working at Tek Experts , I didn’t know that the technical support industry could be worth $80 billion by 2030. When Adam mentioned “computer helper,” I didn’t understand how important it was. I’ve also talked to many IT students who don’t seem to know how big this industry is. When they cannot figure out code, they feel like it is the end of the world. If they knew how many opportunities are out there, they would not worry so much. I always say, “Technology is not just about AI; AI is only a small part of it.”

My advice is always to understand what career in IT you want to pursue, learn about it, and go for it. But when you ask someone to list careers available in IT, they can only list surface careers everyone knows. We seem to understand the fundamental fact that technology is here to solve problems and make work smoother; and being a technologist means being able to spot problems and address them with your skills.

If you want to build a career in IT, here are skills and things I belive you need to do to build your career.

Research

Research is very important. When I first owned a computer, I could not afford to pay a technician whenever it had a problem. This meant I had to learn how to fix every issue myself. It was not always easy, but it worked, and over time I got better at solving computer problems. This experience taught me an important lesson: most problems are not new. There is almost always an answer out there. You can find what you need by searching online, and you can connect with communities of knowledgeable people who are willing to help and share their experience.

Research do not only help you to learn new things, it maximizes your options and opens more opportunities for you. It informs you, and supports your decision making.

Do not focus on the surface

I once heard the saying, "America innovates, China manufactures, and Europe regulates." When we think about entering the tech market, we often only consider surface-level careers and ideas. However, we should try to look deeper. For example, have you heard of Scale AI? It is a company valued at over $7 billion. What is interesting is that it operates in the AI space but does not focus on building models. Technology is not just about AI; AI is only a small piece of a much bigger picture. Building in the tech industry is more than just creating a chatbot or an app. We need to ask deeper questions: What makes this technology function? What are the building blocks of this complete machine? How can we contribute to and support this larger movement?

Understanding the value chain is crucial. It helps you spot opportunities that others might overlook. Instead of simply following trends, we need to look at foundations of those trends and think about how we can build the tools and solutions that support the existence of others.

Resourceful and Creativity

The outsourcing industry is a perfect example of how being resourceful and creative can lead to success. You might have only 10 employees, but your work could involve over 1,000 people. This approach helps you avoid the challenge of managing a large team while still getting the work done efficiently. You can then use some of the earnings to pay those who contribute. Examples like affiliate marketing, commission-based sales roles, and value-based IT support contracts show how important it is to understand people’s problems and find creative ways to solve them. It is also essential to be resourceful in making others recognize your value, even when they don’t see it right away.

If you believe that your skill is valuable, get it to produce value. How can you creatively save people some burden, and boost value for them. I believe that it is very easy to do this in IT industry than it is anywhere else.

You don't need school to Relearn

I was once told that to stay up to date in this industry, you would need to go back to school every so often. I now say that is bullshit. You can learn anything, anywhere, without taking weeks off work. While some people do need guidance from an instructor, there is an abundance of content online to help you learn whatever you need. With the right resources, you can keep up with new trends and skills without going back to school.

I had a friend who would always say he would learn a new skill once he got a computer. He already had a smartphone, and my response was, "If you haven’t started now, don’t expect to start just because you get another device." I remember when I began learning to code, I only had a phone and used it to write HTML.

Start with whatever you have, learn, and create something. If you’re getting into IT and want to stay informed, it is easier than ever to start now with any resource you have.

Build your network

I have probably talked about the importance of your network many times. While I do not have a very large network, I have greatly benefited from the quality of connections I have made. I truly believe that the greatest benefit we get from school is not the diploma or even the skills, but the network of classmates and professors who are valuable in the future. Do not worry about knowing a large number of people—what matters most is creating genuine relationships within a circle of quality individuals.

I know some people are confused and unsure about how to choose or what to choose. However, it is important to make a decision on the career you want to pursue. Be specific about it, do your research, and go deep. If no one is hiring you, be creative. And remember, you do not need school to learn new things. If you are competent and have a valuable network, the universe will reward you for it.

Cheers!