Everyone is talking about digital jobs and working in the tech industry, especially now that the world has become more digital than ever before. According to a McKinsey & Co research, the pandemic has accelerated digital transformation by 7 years: technology and remote work are here to stay and, as opposed to what people may think, tech is not destroying jobs–it’s creating them.
Career changes are an option for people who are stuck at their jobs, feel like their field of study is not truly relevant anymore, or suffer the consequences of the pandemic. So, after looking at yourself in the mirror and saying: “now is the time to make a change,” what comes next? When thinking about a move into the world of technology, people usually ask themselves what are the most demanding jobs in tech right now and which path is good for them.
Well, let us give you an overview of what profiles are out there and let’s see if any of them fit with your profile and interests. Keep in mind that each company may have a different approach in their job descriptions, but this will give you an idea of what to expect when looking for jobs in tech.
At Ironhack, we focus our efforts on four rapidly expanding areas of tech: web development, UX/UI design, data analytics, and cybersecurity. Here’s a quick breakdown of what each entails:
Web development takes on everything to do with the technical aspects of creating a website or application, with developers writing the code and solving any issues related to the structure of the page.
UX/UI design is one of the most creative fields of tech and permits designers to use both their technical and creative skills to optimize the user experience.
Data analytics takes the vast amount of data collected from users and cleans, processes, and dissects it to make better business decisions.
Cybersecurity seeks to protect both users and companies in everything they do online, from transactions to data.
Roles in Web Development
Does a career in web development seem like it’s the right path for you? If so, you could end up in one of the following roles:
Full-stack developer: a full stack developer needs to be proficient in both the front end and back end; their ultimate goal is to design user interactions on websites, developing servers and databases for website functionality.
Front-end developer: front end developers are mostly in charge of ensuring that the visitor interaction with an application or website is flawless. They work closely with designers, but also with backend developers.
Back-end developer: the back end developer is responsible for the components of the website and making sure that all the databases work correctly, working primarily with the server.
Technical product manager: after gaining experience working as a junior developer, you could move into more mid and senior level roles such as technical product manager or lead developer, in which a combination of technical and managerial skills will be required.
Roles in UX/UI Design
If you’re looking to let your creativity run free and take advantage of everything tech has to offer, one of these roles might be perfect for you:
UX/UI designer: a UX designer works with everything related to the user interaction with digital products from user research, persona creation, journey mapping, building wireframes and a design thinking approach to ensuring that everything is intuitive and looking visually solid, collaborating closely with engineers, product managers, QA, and more.
UX researcher: research is a crucial part when it comes to designing. The user experience researcher conducts surveys, gathers information in focus groups, and makes sure that decisions are based on qualitative and quantitative data.
Product owner: responsible for the final product from the business objectives to team management, the more technical knowledge the POs have, the more effective they will be.
UX Writer & content strategist: while the roles of UX writer and content strategist can be different, they are also very aligned. The ultimate goal is to produce customer-centric content that is useful, clear and concise.
Roles in Data Analytics
Data drives all good decisions and by choosing a career in data analytics, you'll be at the forefront of all the good stuff:
Business intelligence analyst: the main goal of a business intelligence analyst is to transform data into useful insights for the company and help make data-driven decisions.
Data analyst: a data analyst collects, cleans and interprets data to solve a problem. Technical skills such as coding are involved as well; data visualization tools are needed to present conclusions and complex information.
Data consultant: this role is focused on helping companies to understand their weaknesses and opportunities through data. Data consultants are able to gather and interpret data and processes to spearhead, for example, digital transformation in a company.
Python developer: this is the most technical role, responsible for coding, deploying and debugging development projects.
Roles in Cybersecurity
Stopping crime in its track seems like quite the offer, right? Especially when you can do it from the comfort of your own home:
Cybersecurity analyst: the objective of a cybersecurity analyst is to protect the networks and data in a company from cyber attacks.
Cybersecurity consultant: this role is similar to the cybersecurity analyst, but sometimes works for various companies, evaluating risks and identifying threats to provide solutions.
Cybersecurity researcher: the goal of a cybersecurity researcher is to analyze data and identify patterns that can be potentially harmful to the company.
Cybersecurity project manager: the main difference between this and the other roles is that the cybersecurity project manager oversees the vulnerability management projects and works closely with clients.
Now you may be wondering: should I study something else or can I get these skills on my own? Remember–you don’t need a specific background to get started in any of these fields, but it is important to ensure that you make the right choice. We suggest you do research (and if you are here, you already took the first step!), ask your network for advice, and get information from the school to know which program is best for you.
If you are interested in learning with Ironhack, take a look at our bootcamps in UX/UI Design, Web Development, Data Analytics and Cybersecurity. Get in touch with our Admissions Team to learn more and get started on your journey into tech.
