Just ten percent of adults in this country are claiming to be happy in their job. The vast majority of course will take no action. The fact that you’ve got this far at least means that you’re considering or may be ready for a change.
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?
* What ideas are fundamental with regard to the sector of industry you hope to work in?
* 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?)?
* The income requirements you may have?
* 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.
* How much time you’re prepared to spend on the training program.
The best way to avoid all the jargon and confusion, and reveal what’ll really work for you, have an in-depth discussion with an experienced professional; a person who can impart the commercial reality and of course the accreditations.
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.
If you’ve got any work-based experience or some accreditation, you could discover that your appropriate starting-point is not the same as someone new to the industry.
Commencing with a basic PC skills program first can be the best way to get into your computer studies, depending on your skill level at the moment.
How the program is actually delivered to you isn’t always given the appropriate level of importance. How many stages do they break the program into? What is the order and at what speed is it delivered?
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.
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!
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.
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.
Just be sure that you don’t spend hundreds of hours on your training and studies, only to stop and imagine someone else is miraculously going to secure your first position. Take responsibility for yourself and make your own enquiries. Put as much energy and enthusiasm into securing the right position as you did to gain the skills.
(C) Scott Edwards 2009. Look at This Site or www.it-training-com.co.uk.