Careers in Technology: Where Could You End Up?

Technology is an extremely exciting and rewarding field with an abundance of options available for professionals of varying backgrounds and experience levels.

If you’d like to learn more about careers in technology that might be a fit for you and your career aspirations, whether you’re looking to get your start or searching for your next position, read on for some information about where you may end up in the world of tech.

Different Fields in Technology

There are many types of technology careers available to those interested in beginning or furthering their career in the field. The broad nature of the sector means there’s plenty of opportunity that can fit with your interests, skills, and goals. Here are just a few:

• Software Development: You’ll work with a set of computer science activities dedicated to the process of creating, designing, deploying, and supporting software. 
   
• Web Development: You’ll work to create, build, and maintain websites and web applications that run on various online browsers.
   
• Data Science: You’ll study data to extract meaningful insights for businesses, using principles and practices from the fields of mathematics, statistics, artificial intelligence, and computer engineering to analyze large amounts of data.
   
• Cyber Security: You’ll take on the responsibility of every aspect of protecting an organization and its employees and assets against cyber threats.
   
• Network Engineering: You’ll plan, implement, and manage business-critical systems like an organization’s computers, phones, routers, intranet, and extranet to ensure efficiency and security.
   
• Cloud Computing: You’ll specialize in enabling users to utilize infrastructures and applications via the internet, so they can perform their tasks from wherever they may be without them being installed or maintained on premises.

Browse Jobs In These Fields and More

Technology Career Paths and Job Opportunities

Once you’ve decided on a field to pursue, there are different positions and career paths available within them, with plenty of job opportunities available no matter what level of experience you have.

For example, you may want to become a specialist in your chosen field, which would make you one of the go-to resources for an organization or company within the field you’ve been honing your skills. 

At a certain point, you may also push for opportunities to become a manager in your field, which means you’d be tasked with managing a team and delegating responsibilities and tasks to ensure productivity, efficiency, profitability, and security.

If you’d like to climb up even higher on the ladder beyond manager, you can work to become an executive, where you’ll be managing and overseeing several teams, with managers of those teams reporting directly to you.

Education and Certifications

Education and certifications are important factors in building a career in technology. When you’re interested in the field, you’ll likely need a degree that fits within the realm of technology and the types of jobs you’re searching for.

Some of the most popular degrees include one in computer science or information technology. You can build on those degrees by accruing certain certifications that will help qualify you for specified jobs. These include Microsoft Certified Solutions Expert (MCSE) or Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP), among many others.

One way to discover certifications that might be beneficial for you to work toward is by checking out job descriptions in the field that most appeals to you. These postings often have required or preferred certifications listed for potential candidates and will help guide you toward educational opportunities that can give you an advantage over the job-seeking competition. 

Salary and Benefits

Salaries in technology vary depending on the field, job, organization, location, and your experience level. But in any case, a career in tech can be very lucrative. Many if not most positions begin, on average, in a six-figure range. If you’re entry level, you may end up shy of six figures at the start, but it may be worth it to begin your career in a role that has substantial growth potential. If you can move up within a company, the compensation will grow with you.

There are also the robust benefits packages that can come with an offer, which are worth their own proverbial weight in gold. Many companies offer health care, retirement packages, plenty of PTO, equity, and monetary bonuses in addition to your annual salary. In an interview or negotiation process, it’s important to keep these variables in mind, as they might make a certain position more appealing than others.

For more information on average salaries by tech position and location, and for benefits often offered, check out our technology salary guide. It’ll help you gauge what kind of compensation you should be aiming for based on the position you’re seeking.

The Future of Technology

You’ll find as you explore career fields in technology, and when you begin to work within the sector, that the field has a very bright future and is constantly evolving. It’s important you stay up to date on the trends that are likely to shape the industry now and in the years to come.

Variables like artificial intelligence, block chain, and the Internet of Things are already making headway, and are likely to continue to do so well beyond 2023. The more you stay on top of these burgeoning technologies, the more opportunities will open up for you, and the more appealing you’ll be to hiring managers and organizations.

If you’re looking for a career in technology, start your search with our live tech jobs listings, where you can find and easily apply to a wide selection of openings. You can also submit your resume and one of our expert consultants will reach out with relevant opportunities.