Young people face a bit of a conundrum when it comes to choosing what to do after they graduate from high school.
While in the past it was a no-brainer to apply for college if you wanted to enter a lucrative profession further down the line, the spiraling costs of university education have made this harder to justify.
So if you want to work in the tech industry, but you’re concerned that completing a degree is prohibitively expensive, what other options are there?
Understanding what employers are looking for
While having a degree in computer science or another relevant area will definitely help you meet the requirements of good entry-level positions in tech, that’s not the only thing employers want to see from candidates.
You can write a great resume without work experience, for example. If it’s compelling and well put together, it could give you the edge over applicants with better qualifications, but without the verve to showcase themselves effectively.
Obviously you’ll need to demonstrate your passion for tech, and being self-taught in coding is a clear indication to would-be employers that you’re not just casually interested in taking your talents professional.
Turbo charging your training
Another point to take onboard is that just because you don’t want to go to college to study a tech subject, that doesn’t mean you have to be a complete autodidact.
With the help of the best online coding bootcamps, you can expand on any skills you’ve acquired in your spare time and get trained in a structured, formalized way.
Better yet, bootcamps typically involve a lot of hands-on experience, where you’ll build your own projects and see how they function. So it’s more than just book learning and seminars; you’ll have examples of work you’ve done to shout about when applying for jobs.
Knowing which roles to target
Not all tech jobs are created equal in terms of remuneration, which means if you’re mainly interested in maximizing your salary in the shortest time frame, you need to know which roles command the biggest figures.
According to BLS stats, research scientists have the most appealing median pay at the moment, sitting at close to $132,000. This is ahead of computer network architects, who make $120,000, and software developers, who take home $109,000 annually.
Bear in mind that all of these roles have entry-level requirements of at least a Bachelor’s degree, with research scientists needing a Masters to make the grade.
So what about roles that won’t need a degree to get you through the door? Well, computer support specialists who maintain networks and help users with issues make close to $58,000. And of course once you’ve got your foot on the ladder of corporate tech, there will be opportunities to learn, grow and enter other roles further down the line.
Being realistic about your talents and ambitions
While there are exceptions, for most people who want to get a job in tech that pays well, getting a degree is a necessity.
That doesn’t mean you have to do this straight out of high school, of course. If you’d rather build up a bit of a financial buffer by working in roles that don’t require a degree, but are still tech-related, then this is perfectly acceptable.
Dipping your toe into the world of tech in this way, rather than committing to a full four year degree course without necessarily knowing whether it aligns with your talents and ambitions, is arguably a savvier move in the first place. So take your time and assess all your options before you decide.
Also Read: How To Motivate Sales People: The Importance Of A Work Environment And Career Prospects
