There is no surprise that the IT industry has been on the rise in the past couple of decades. With revenues surpassing traditional industries such as auto and services, the IT industry is one of the best options for people looking for a career. This is why IT jobs have become so sought after. More and more students attend and graduate IT profiled universities in order to have a better chance at a job in the field. Another expanding category of jobs are the project manager jobs. This type of job offers the possibility of quickly ascending the corporate ladder. Either way one would choose, these jobs are in high demand and promise big rewards if done properly.
How to Understand IT Jobs
IT jobs don’t just refer to the people that create a piece of software. Yes, those jobs are important but they are not the only ones. You don’t have to be a world-class coder in order to get a job in IT. There are many people in IT that don’t know how to use Stack Overflow or don’t speak fluent C++. What everybody has to understand is that IT is an industry, and as any industry, it is made up of a lot of different people doing a lot of different things. Although one person can do more than one thing, it takes more than that to make a company grow.
Although some of the most well-paying IT jobs are in software development, hardware has its place among the top aspects of the industry. A simple Google search will show you how much hardware has evolved over the years and how it can influence a system’s performance. Custom made gaming systems, for example, are some of the most expensive pieces of hardware out there. From the design of the keyboard to the liquid cooling system, everything is thought out in order for the machine to run at maximum efficiency and for the gamer to have the best experience possible.
Another big paying job in IT is that of the designer. Designers don’t necessarily have to know how to code, but they do make their living by creating things according to client specifications. From graphic designers to animators and from 2 and 3D modelers to UI/UX developers, designers are like the artistic branch of the industry. They give a face to whatever the coders do and make sure that that face is always smiling for every visitor.
How to Understand Project Manager Jobs
Project manager jobs have become indispensible in today’s economy. If you’re looking for a quick definition, a project manager is a person that makes sure that a project is done on time and without exciding any of the resources given to said project. That being said, a project manager is more than just a glorified factory foreman. A project manager doesn’t just walk around with a clipboard all day, although sometimes a clipboard might be required, checking if people are working or not.
Modern project manager jobs are complex positions of both power and responsibility. Today’s project manager is someone that will lead a team of people through a project in the shortest amount of time, with minimal intervention. The ideal project manager is more than a colleague but less than a boss. He understands what the project is about and can bring the right people in to work on it. This means that he has to know who is right to do what firstly.
Most project manager jobs will describe the perfect candidate as having communication and negotiation skills. These are almost vital for the success of any project. Firstly, communicating with both the team and the upper-management and clients is essential to understanding one another. Transmitting clear messages is one of the most important features of any manager. Also, knowing how to negotiate in favor of both the team and the project with whoever they need is also a very important skill to have in order to maintain calm and deliver results.
All in all, the job market has changed dramatically in the past few decades. With new technologies emerging almost on a daily basis, and new and exciting projects being launched, there is no telling what the future holds. One thing is certain though, jobs such as those in the IT industry and project management are here to stay and have become almost synonymous with change and upgrade.
