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.
When looking at training, it’s vital that you have in mind what you want and don’t want from the position you’re looking to get into. It’s important to discover if a new career would suit you better before you put a lot of energy into re-directing your life. It’s good sense to regard the big picture first, to make an informed decision:
* Do you hope for interaction with others? If the answer’s yes, would you enjoy being part of a team or are you hoping to meet new people? Maybe you’d rather be left alone to get on with things?
* Do you have a preference which market sector you could be employed in? (In this economy, it’s vital to choose carefully.)
* Is this the final time you envisage re-training, and if so, do you believe this career choice will allow you to do that?
* Do you feel uncomfortable about the chance of finding new employment, and being gainfully employed until you plan to retire?
It’s important that you don’t overlook the IT industry - everyone knows that it’s getting bigger. It’s not all nerdy people looking at computer screens all day - it’s true some IT jobs demand that, but most jobs are carried out by people like you and me who are earning rather well.
Usually, the normal person doesn’t know in what direction to head in IT, or what area they should be considering getting trained in.
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.
To get to the bottom of this, we need to discuss a number of definitive areas:
* Your personality can play an important part - what gets you ‘up and running’, and what are the activities that really turn you off.
* Are you hoping to get certified because of a particular motive - for example, do you aim to work at home (self-employment possibly?)?
* Is the money you make further up on your list of priorities than other factors.
* There are many markets to choose from in the IT industry - there’s a need to get some key facts on what sets them apart.
* You need to understand the differences across all the training areas.
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.
An advisor that doesn’t ask many questions - it’s likely they’re just a salesperson. If they’re pushing towards a particular product before learning about your history and current experience level, then it’s definitely the case.
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.
For those students embarking on IT studies for the first time, it’s often a good idea to start out slowly, kicking off with some basic Microsoft package and Windows skills first. Usually this is packaged with most training programs.
An important area that is sometimes not even considered by trainees considering a training program is ‘training segmentation’. Essentially, this is the method used to break up the program for drop-shipping to you, which vastly changes what you end up with.
Normally, you will join a program that takes between and 1 and 3 years and get posted one section at a time - from one exam to the next. This sounds logical on one level, until you consider this:
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?
The ideal circumstances are to get all the training materials sent to your address right at the beginning; the entire thing! This way, nothing can happen down the line which could affect your progress.
A useful feature that many training companies provide is a programme of Job Placement assistance. This is designed to steer you into your first IT role. Ultimately it isn’t a complex operation to get a job - as long as you’re correctly trained and certified; because there’s still a great need for IT skills in the UK today.
Nevertheless, don’t wait till you have completed your exams before getting your CV updated. Right at the beginning of your training, list what you’re working on and get promoting!
It’s possible that you won’t have even qualified when you will get your initial junior support role; yet this isn’t going to happen if interviewers don’t get sight of your CV.
The most efficient companies to help get you placed are usually local IT focused employment agencies. As they’re keen to place you to receive their commission, they’re perhaps more focused on results.
In a nutshell, if you put as much hard work into landing your first job as into studying, you’re not likely to experience problems. A number of people bizarrely conscientiously work through their learning program and then call a halt once qualified and seem to suppose that interviewers know they’re there.
(C) S. Edwards 2009. Check out Click Here or www.it-training–uk.co.uk.
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