Tech Careers

Different people will have different preferences, tastes, and likes. In the same breath, there isn’t one tech career that’s suitable for everyone. While one person may be excited about pursuing a role as a database administrator, another may find themselves more comfortable with a position in web development.

That said, all tech careers aren’t created equal. Certain roles will score higher in terms of remuneration, job opportunities, and career growth. IT occupations in the US are expected to see job growth of 12 percent through 2028 and are projected to add nearly 550,000 new jobs. This is well ahead of the average for all occupations. Here’s a look at the best tech careers today.

Best Tech Careers

1. Best in Median Pay – Computer and Information Research Scientists

Persons appointed to this role are tasked with inventing and designing new approaches to computing, as well as exploring the innovative applications of existing technology. Computer and information research scientists had a median annual pay of $118,370 in 2018.

As a research role, most organizations will require that applicants have at least a Master’s degree. This is in contrast to all other IT occupations tracked by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, where a Bachelor’s or Associate degree will suffice. With just 31,700 jobs, this is also currently the IT occupation with the least number of jobs.

2. Best in Job Growth Rate – Information Security Analysts

There’s no other IT profession that suffers from as great a shortage of qualified personnel as cybersecurity. So it’s only logical that information security analysts will experience the fastest job growth through 2028.

While the 32% increase is coming from a relatively low base (112,300 jobs as of 2018), it’s indicative of the enormous room for growth the IT security industry is bound to experience. The fear of hacking and data loss is driving organizations to create or expand security roles.

With a median pay of $98,350, the remuneration for information security analysts is one of the highest among IT occupations.

3. Best in Absolute Number of Existing and New Jobs – Software Developers

Software development comprises dozens of distinct disciplines, so it’s perhaps not too surprising that this role will be responsible for the largest absolute growth in IT jobs by 2028.

The occupation is expected to add just over 280,000 new jobs. That together, with the current 1,365,500 software developer jobs in the market as of 2018, would make it the IT segment with, by far, the largest workforce. Impressively, the rate of job growth for software developers would make it only second to information security analysts despite coming from a high base.

Median pay stood at $105,590, which is nearly three times the median wage of all occupations in the US.

Tools and Resources to Get You a Tech Job

1. Resume Tools

You may be the candidate who is the most suitable for the position you’ve applied for. But, while you might know or suspect that, there’s no way for the hiring manager to perceive you as an exceptional candidate if your resume doesn’t show it. A resume is your ticket to an interview.

Among all professions, tech applicants should make the most of digital tools to polish their resume. That ranges from offline applications like Microsoft Word and Adobe InDesign to online resume makers such as ResumeBuild and ResumeGenius. Use pre-designed professional templates to get you moving quickly through the process.

2. LinkedIn

It’s by far the largest professional networking site in the world, so having a profile on LinkedIn is essential. For certain IT roles, employers will prefer to headhunt a viable candidate, as opposed to inviting applications. Your LinkedIn profile will be the first thing they look at. So, make sure it stands out by adding a stunning background image, summary that stands out and title that captures the attention. If you need help, you can always contact Linkedin professionals to do all the heavy lifting for you.

Upload a professional photo, indicate event dates, list relevant achievements and strive to make a lasting impact on anyone who stumbles on it.

3. Job Boards

Save for senior-level tech roles, most IT jobs will be advertised on online job boards. Unfortunately, that doesn’t do much to help, given that there are thousands of job boards out there.

It’s alright for you to start off with the largest boards such as Indeed and Monster. There are, however, certain more tech-leaning boards, including Dice, GitHub Jobs, and WITI Career Center, where you’ll find a much higher density of advertised IT positions.

Possessing the right qualifications, skills and experience are essential to getting a job in the tech industry. However, your chances of landing a position also depend on knowing where to look for vacancies and leveraging the right tools to make your application stand out.