What Skills Do You Need to Get into the World of IT?

The IT industry is one of the fastest-growing industries and it also pays handsomely. However, the job market has become increasingly competitive and this means that landing a job has become even more challenging as compared to a few years ago. Whether you already belong to the IT industry or are looking to enter it, there are several key skills that you need to possess.

This article has been designed to familiarize you with key skills and capabilities that can get you into the world of IT.

Key Skills to Enter the IT Industry

Various skills are relative to every industry. Similarly, if you are looking to enter the IT industry, you will need to acquire a certain set of skills that won’t only get you a job, but also ensure that you can perform your tasks and duties efficiently. Let’s have a look at some of those skills.

1. Security

You might be aware of the fact that cybersecurity is one of the most serious issues in IT right now. In today’s world, nearly every business functions with the input of IT and all of them have lots of valuable data, such as customer information, financial details, personally identifiable information, etc. Even though cybersecurity has evolved in the past few decades, instances of hacking and data breaches have also grown exponentially.

Therefore, security is one key skill that all organizations and IT teams require. If you are looking to enter the world of IT, you can acquire these skills by getting an entry-level job at a help desk, or in the network or system administration departments. This way, you can learn about various terminology and concepts, as well as the following skills:

• Learning about hardware, software, and network security
• Installing routers, firewalls, and networking devices
• Encrypting data
• Threat analysis and risk mitigation 
• Understanding of compliance regulations, i.e. PCI-DSS, HIPAA, etc.
• Penetration testing and ethical hacking

2. Programming

If you are interested in software and web development and want to enter the IT industry, then it is obvious that you need to learn to program. By learning how to program in different languages and frameworks, you can start working with teams that develop software, web applications, mobile applications, websites, and much more

Programming isn’t just for developing apps and websites. It can also be used by data scientists or data security experts for automation purposes, as well as other testing and deployment operations. If you want to start with programming, you need to start with these languages:

• C++
• JavaScript
• PowerShell
• Python
• Ruby

3. Systems and Networks

Apart from IT security, the understanding and management of systems and networks in an organization is another valuable skill that every company is looking for. After all, all businesses require administrators and experts to ensure that their systems and networks are properly implemented, maintained, and secure. If you possess or want to acquire this skill, you would typically become a system or network administrator in an organization, or get an entry-level job assisting these professionals.

System and network management skills are also crucial in the cloud security and administration sphere, and some of the key skills in this regard include:

• Administration of key operating systems, i.e. Windows, macOS, Linux
• Installing and configuring hardware and software
• Cloud management and applications
• Maintaining and managing different types of networks, i.e. LAN, WAN, VPN, etc.
• Troubleshooting systems or networks
• Resolving technical issues for employees

4. Data Analysis

Data is one of the most valuable commodities in the world right now, and it is the backbone of all businesses, ranging from startups to billion-dollar corporations. Storing and gathering data in itself isn’t what makes it useful. Rather, data analysis is what uncovers valuable insights and key information from different types of data, and a professional who has this skill can leverage the data to earn huge amounts of money for their company.

Therefore, data analysis is one of the most sought-after skills for the IT industry right now. Every company is looking to hire the best data analysts and scientists to manage their operations and make data-driven decisions. If you are looking to enter the industry with a skill that gets you numerous job offers, then data analysis is what you need. It is also used for monitoring the company’s performance and identifying any threats or loopholes in its system. 

By acquiring this skill, you can work as a data engineer, data analyst, or database administrator, and you will need the following tools and languages:

• Python
• Statistics
• SQL

5. DevOps

DevOps is a term derived by combining the words “development” and “operations”. This discipline or skill serves as a bridge between the IT and software development teams. It is one of the most valuable skills out there, and it also functions as a full-fledged field right now. If you acquire and polish DevOps skills, you can become a DevOps engineer or work in any other capacity in the DevOps team. 

Since DevOps encompasses both software development and IT, you will need to possess the following skills to do work related to it:

• Understanding continuous delivery theory
• Gaining knowledge of container technologies, i.e. Docker, Kubernetes, etc.
• Learning scripting languages, i.e. C, Python, Ruby, etc.
• Understanding and managing cloud operations

6. Cloud Computing

Cloud computing is one of the biggest breakthroughs in the world of IT, and it has penetrated nearly every industry. Therefore, it is a key asset for IT teams, especially in organizations that host their data, applications, and processes on the cloud. Cloud computing skills are incredibly vast and they include the development and maintenance of cloud infrastructure. 

Furthermore, cloud computing skills can get you a job in the IT industry as a developer, cloud administrator, cloud architect, etc. Plus, you will need to brush up on the following cloud platforms:

• AWS
• Google Cloud
• Microsoft Azure
• Oracle

This brings us to the end of our article. Hopefully, you have a much clearer understanding of the key skills that can land you a job in the IT industry. There are various ways in which you can obtain these skills, including degrees, certifications, self-learning, etc. Also, it is important to remember that even when you do enter the IT industry, keep learning.