Getting Work Experience in Information Technology

Information Technology is one of the fastest growing professions internationally. The demand for IT professionals is high because they are now integral to operations in almost every industry.

In the United States, the Bureau of Labor Statistics groups many of these roles under “Computer and Information Technology Occupations,” which includes a wide range of job types and reports a median pay that is well above the overall median for all occupations. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (Occupational Outlook Handbook)

Because IT roles exist across so many sectors, job duties are diverse. Mallory has identified 21 IT careers and job types. In recent times, there has been an emphasis on cloud computing, data storage, and information security.

With this ever-evolving profession, it’s important to gain evidence of real ability, not just course completion. That’s true whether you studied business information systems, computer science, engineering, information technology, or web development.

But how does one go about getting experience without actually working professionally in the field first?

Start Something Yourself

Getting experience in IT often relies on creating your own learning environment. A strong approach is to pick a target job family and build proof that you can do the work. For example, you might aim at support roles (help desk), infrastructure roles (systems or networks), cloud roles, software development, or entry cybersecurity.

The self-starter idea is stated by Ben Landers (as quoted by Rasmussen University), CEO of Blue Corona, who advises novice IT professionals to:

Build something. Buy some servers or get some donated from a company and do something with them. The best way to learn is often to stop contemplating and to take action.

The idea of doing it yourself in order to learn information technology is furthered with this statement by Stephen Tullos, who is described as a service manager at The Purple Guys. He urges people wanting to get into IT to:

Build a lab at your house. When we interview inexperienced applicants who don’t have the ‘book smarts’, a home lab shows passion, hunger and hands-on knowledge.

A home lab does not need to be expensive to be meaningful. What matters is that you can show what you built, what problem you were solving, and what you learned. If you mention The Purple Guys, you can see the company profile here: The Purple Guys (company page).

Even something like starting a blog can develop skills such as web development, documentation, and communication. If you blog about IT topics, you will also build expertise through research and troubleshooting write-ups. Web developer is one of the leading technology professions.

Network

Many jobs are filled through professional connections rather than public postings. Networking in IT is often less about “selling yourself” and more about being visible in the right places and being known as someone who follows through.

Make your skills and target roles clear. Tell people what you are aiming for (for example, “entry help desk,” “junior cloud support,” or “junior web developer”) and show evidence that you are already building capability in that direction.

Additionally, it’s important to use every tool at your fingertips as a way to network, including social media. LinkedIn can help you track what employers are asking for and discover entry-level openings in your area. See: information technology jobs on LinkedIn.

Internships and Volunteering

Internships and career-relevant volunteering offer many benefits. You can do these within a college program or while at college. It’s often described as hands-on or experiential learning and it can improve employability before or shortly after graduating.

First, working as an intern or volunteer gives you the opportunity to learn from experienced professionals. This is an educational pathway and also a reliable way to build references and relationships.

Second, interning and volunteering gives you hands-on, real-world experience. It moves you beyond “book smarts” to an applied skill set that employers can recognize.

Lastly, internships and volunteering can lead directly to job opportunities. Many organizations hire people they have already seen perform well. Even if you don’t stay with that employer, the work history and references can make a major difference when applying for entry-level roles.