Good for you! As you’re reading this article it’s likely you’re thinking about learning new skills to change career – so already you’ve made a start. Only one in ten of us are satisfied with our careers, but no action is ever taken. You could join a select group who take responsibility for their future.
We recommend you seek advice first – find someone who knows the industry; an advisor who can discover your ideal job, and then show you the courses you may be suited to:
* Is working with other people your thing? Are you better with new people or those you know well? Maybe you like to deal with tasks that you deal with by yourself?
* What ideas are fundamental with regard to the sector of industry you hope to work in?
* Do you want this to be the only time you’ll have to retrain?
* Would it be useful for the course you’re re-training in to be in an area where you believe your chances of gainful employment are high up to retirement age?
We would advise you to consider the IT industry – there are greater numbers of jobs than staff to fill them, because it’s a rare career choice where the sector is expanding. Contrary to the opinions of certain people, IT isn’t all techie people lost in their PC’s the whole day (though those jobs exist.) The majority of jobs are taken by people like you and me who like receiving larger than average salaries.
Starting with the idea that it’s good to home-in on the market that sounds most inviting first and foremost, before we’re even able to contemplate which method of training ticks the right boxes, how can we choose the way that suits us?
Scanning lists of IT career possibilities is no use whatsoever. The majority of us don’t really appreciate what our next-door neighbours do at work each day – so we have no hope of understanding the subtleties of a specific IT job.
Getting to a well-informed resolution really only appears through a systematic analysis covering many different key points:
* Personality factors plus what interests you – what work-related things you like and dislike.
* Why you want to consider moving into the IT industry – maybe you want to overcome a long-held goal like being your own boss maybe.
* Where is the salary on a scale of importance – is an increase your main motivator, or is day-to-day enjoyment further up on your list of priorities?
* Learning what the normal IT roles and markets are – and what differentiates them.
* How much time you’re prepared to spend on the training program.
For most people, getting to the bottom of so much data needs a long talk with an advisor who can explain things properly. Not only the qualifications – but also the commercial expectations and needs besides.
Kick out the typical salesman that pushes one particular program without a decent chat to gain understanding of your current abilities and also your experience level. Always check they have access to a large array of training so they’re actually equipped to give you an appropriate solution.
With a strong background, or even a touch of work-based experience (some industry qualifications maybe?) then it could be that your starting point will be quite dissimilar from someone who is just starting out.
Where this will be your first attempt at studying for an IT examination then you should consider whether to start out with some basic Microsoft package and Windows skills first.
Students often end up having issues because of a single courseware aspect very rarely considered: The method used to ‘segment’ the courseware before being delivered to your home.
You may think that it makes sense (with most training taking 1-3 years to gain full certified status,) that a training provider will issue the courseware in stages, as you complete each part. Although:
Many students find that their training company’s standard order of study isn’t as suitable as another. It’s often the case that a slightly different order suits them better. Could it cause problems if you don’t get everything done in the allotted time?
Truth be told, the best solution is to obtain their recommendation on the best possible order of study, but to receive all the materials up-front. You’re then in possession of everything should you not complete it at their required pace.
Some training providers supply a practical Job Placement Assistance service, to help you into your first commercial role. Sometimes, there is more emphasis than is necessary on this service, as it’s really not that difficult for a well trained and motivated person to get work in the IT industry – because companies everywhere are seeking qualified personnel.
Get your CV updated straight-away though – look to your training company for advice on how to do this. Don’t put it off till you’ve finished your exams.
Various junior support jobs have been bagged by students who are in the process of training and haven’t got any qualifications yet. This will at least get you on your way.
Normally you’ll get quicker results from an independent and specialised local recruitment consultancy than you’ll get from a training course provider’s centralised service, as they’ll know the area better.
A regular grievance of many course providers is how hard people are focused on studying to become certified, but how un-prepared they are to work on getting the position they’re acquired skills for. Get out there and hustle – you might find it’s fun.
Copyright 2009 S. Edwards. Try IT Training UK or Click HERE.
March 9, 2010 by Jason Kendall