Over the last two decades, the information technology field has been one of the hottest and fastest growing sectors of employment in the world. These days, there isn’t an organization anywhere that doesn’t have a need for some level of I.T. staffing. Information technology professionals make the most of this level of demand, which puts them in a somewhat unique position to be extra selective about which job opportunities to embrace.
From help desk technicians to the administrators of global networks, there are several factors that tend to make certain jobs attractive to the best of the best. Here’s what I.T. professionals look for most:
Stability
As obvious as this one sounds, it’s more surprising than you might think. While the highest profile I.T. jobs are found with tech startups, the most attractive ones are with large, established companies. The major reason for this is that big, complex organizations tend to place a very high emphasis on their technology because it’s so vital to their success. This means that the input of the I.T. professional is generally more highly prized and well regarded in these companies, which means having a greater say in the direction of the business.
Long-Term Prospects
Another big factor that I.T. professionals consider when selecting a job is the ability to advance and grow within their department. As with many other jobs, the knowledge that working hard and striving for excellence will provide a path for advancement is a vital component of an attractive position. The prospective employee is going to want to get to know the current staff if possible to find out things like if they’ve been happy with their job, and if there’s a high turnover rate. Knowing that they’ll be happy committing to the team and giving it their all to climb the ladder is a major selling point for an I.T. job.
Professional Development
In such a rapidly evolving industry, I.T. workers know better than most that it’s necessary to adopt a process of continual learning and skill development to be effective in their jobs. Unfortunately, training for and obtaining new certifications in the field can be a time-consuming and expensive process. A Spiceworks survey indicates that 69% of job-hunting I.T. professionals are doing so for the chance to advance their skills. For this reason, a company that provides a high-level professional development program, including reimbursement for training related to an employee’s position, is often able to successfully lure top-flight I.T. talent. This kind of program is a win-win proposition for both the employer and employee since it assures that the company always has access to the latest needed technology skills while providing a long-term benefit to the employee.
Staying On The Leading Edge
Most I.T. workers chose their field because they love technology. With a true passion for what they do, they’ll never be content unless they get to stay out on the frontiers of the latest and greatest hardware and software. Businesses that invest in their infrastructure to always remain state of the art are especially attractive. Big selling points are large-scale deployment of SaaS (software as a service) systems, advanced analytics and “big data” applications, and hyper converged infrastructure systems. The best jobs are always the ones where an I.T. professional gets to say “wow, that’s cool!” as often as possible.
How It Comes Together
While salary is important in choosing a position, many in the information technology field would likely sum up their attitude as follows: They want to learn, advance, be valued in their organization, and be exposed to the newest and next-generation emerging technology. Companies that work to nurture their love of the field and keep them excited to come to work won’t ever have difficulties finding sharp, highly motivated candidates to staff their I.T. departments. In short, for many I.T. pros, it’s all about the love.
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