Ready to Quit After COVID-19? Consider a Career Change into Tech
The COVID-19 pandemic impacted everything in our lives. Many of us find ourselves with more time to think and realized what our priorities are. We had time to rethink our goals and figure out what is really important. If you don't like your career choice anymore and are ready to quit after the pandemic, here are the reasons why you should consider a tech profession.
Shortage of Professionals
For many years, the tech industry has suffered from a shortage of qualified professionals. The need for tech workers grows every year, and the number of people choosing a tech field doesn't meet the demand. The tech industry's unemployment rate is only 4,4%, which is less than the national unemployment rate.
This means that if you choose to make a career change into tech, you will have plenty of job opportunities as long as you have the right qualifications and skills. Some of the tech professions that saw an increase in job posting during COVID-19 are .NET developers and system engineers. Full-stack developers also continue to be in high demand.
No matter what career you choose, you will have different job opportunities. If one of the reasons you are ready to quit is because you are afraid your profession will disappear, worry no more: you won't have this issue in tech.
Highest Salaries
You should also consider a career change into tech because it has higher salaries than other industries. Tech salaries are 90% higher than the median wage in the US. So, besides other benefits, you will always have a generous pay to have the lifestyle that you want. And if you think that this is only true for seasoned professionals, think again.
Entry-level tech jobs have higher salaries than other industries too. For example, junior web designers can make, on average, $50,000 per month. As an entry-level data analyst, you could make $61,000 per year. And a junior UX designer can make $89,000 per year.
These salaries can vary between different cities and states. But the average is so high compared to other industries that you don't need to think twice about it. If money is something that you care about, and you are tired of working for a meagre wage, then the tech industry is for you.
You Don't Need a Bachelor's Degree
The best part of choosing to change to a tech career is that the transition is much easier because you don't necessarily need a bachelor's degree. As mentioned above, the tech industry has a shortage of professionals, so many educational institutions and tech giants have created alternative paths to encourage people to learn tech skills.
One of these alternatives is coding bootcamps. These are intensive courses that are meant to prepare you for the industry. Their curriculum is designed to teach you every tech skills you will need and also how to enter the tech industry. They last from two to eight months depending on the modality and the career.
For example, a data science coding bootcamp will teach you Python and SQL, statistics, machine learning, big data, deep learning, and much more. Also, some of these schools offer a money-back guarantee—you will get your money back if you don't find a job.
And if you are worried that tech companies won't hire you without a degree, Google, Amazon, Whole Foods, Paypal, and Netflix are among the companies that have hired coding bootcamps graduates. Another option is to learn by yourself. There are many free coding courses out there that will teach you the skills you need. But, for this option, you will need a lot more dedication and discipline to make it work.
Innovative Environment
The tech industry has revolutionized our world, and it is constantly looking for new ways to innovate. Working in the tech industry means an innovative and creative environment that encourages you to learn and grow. Some career options require more creativity than others. For example, being a UX or web designer, you'll need to come up with new ideas for each project.
But all tech careers require a certain level of creativity to come up with the best solution for each problem and to come up with new ideas for innovation. Also, being surrounded by creative people will serve to inspire you. Your ideas could also come to fruition and become the next revolutionary thing in society. If you are the type of person that bores easily, the tech industry may be the perfect fast-paced environment for you.
Your Job will Have an Impact
In the tech industry, your job will probably have an impact on people's lives. If your part of a team of developers working on applications, software, and programs that the consumer will use, every little feature you develop will help make people's lives easier. For example, even if you work for a SaaS company or the IT department in a company, your work will facilitate the work of colleagues or other companies.
If one of the reasons you want to change careers is that you want a new profession with purpose, the tech industry also gives you that option. To make a real change in society, you could work for a tech company that is striving. There are many companies out there with humanitarian causes, and you could be part of that change.
It Will Continue Growing
The global technology industry is worth $5,2 trillion, and 32% of that is in the US. And it is projected to keep growing in the next few years. If you choose to make a career change into tech, you'll have plenty of job opportunities, as said before. But with some years of experience and continued growth, you'll have even more job options. As long as you keep learning and growing in your career, you'll have a secure future.
In Summary
The tech industry is an excellent choice for career changers. You'll probably have many job opportunities after learning the required skills, a bachelor's degree isn't mandatory, and you'll be working in a fast-paced and innovative environment. Also, tech professionals have higher salaries, your work will have a real impact on society, and the industry will continue growing in the future.