Career in Information Technology

Do you dream of a Career in Information Technology or do you want to work as an IT professional one day? The buzz phrase "IT" is commonly heard most importantly when you are required to work with IT personnel or do anything related to computers and devices.

There is a big information revolution with the advancement in computer and communication technology. IT has entered almost every work field of the industry starting from design, support, and maintenance of computer hardware and software.

The shortage of skilled IT professionals has restricted the growth rate of Indian Software Exports, as predicted by the National Association of Software and Service Companies which means that IT workers are essential to run every modern business model. Companies totally rely on phones and emails, therefore, an IT professional has to ensure that there are no flaws in the machine's functionality.

Are you curious to know more about Career in Information Technology? With the help of this article, we will cover different prospects of a Career in Information Technology.

What is Information Technology?

Information technology (IT) is one of the popular study domains preferred by engineering aspirants to pursue their careers in the field of computer hardware, software, and networks.

IT engineering simply involves professionals who combine their knowledge and skills in converting, storing, protecting, processing, transmitting, and retrieving information through computers and other electronic devices.

The first step towards beginning an IT career is to understand the eligibility criteria for admission to different colleges and universities as eligibility is the only deciding factor for appearing in an entrance exam.

Quickly check out the eligibility criteria required for various courses related to IT Engineering:

• Diploma Course: Students who had an aggregate of 50% with Maths and Science as their core subject at the intermediary level (class 10) can apply for this course.

• Undergraduate Course: Students who have appeared for 10+2 or equivalent examinations with Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics as main subjects can apply for B.Tech or B.E degree.

• Post-Graduate Courses: Graduates who have completed a degree like B.E./B.Tech. (EEE/ECE/IT/CSE/Electronics/Instrumentation/E&I/ I&C), MCA, M.Sc. (CS/IT/SE) are eligible for next-level courses like M.E./M.Tech (Information Technology).

• Doctoral Courses: Aspirants who have completed a master’s degree or equivalent qualification in either of the domains such as (EEE/ECE/IT/CSE/Electronics/Instrumentation/E&I/ I&C), MCA, M.Sc. (CS/IT/SE) with at least 60% marks in the corresponding subject from a recognized Board or Institute can apply for doctoral courses.

Salaries in Information Technology

Salary for an IT professional totally depends upon their designation, job role, working experience, knowledge, and skills.

The salary structure for various job profiles has been given below:

• Junior software engineer (IT fresher): Rs 1.2 lakh to Rs. 3.6 lakh annually

• Associate software engineer: Rs. 2 lacks to Rs. 7.5 lakh

• Senior software engineer: Rs. 4 lahks to Rs. 12 lakh

• Lead software engineer: Rs. 5.5 lakh to Rs. 16 lakh

• Project manager (in software development): Rs. 7 lacks to Rs. 20 lakh

• Product manager (software): Rs. 6.25 lakh to Rs. 26 lakh

• Software development manager: Rs. 10 lacks to Rs. 34 lakh

  • Comparing these Indian salaries with the annual salaries for some of these positions in the US:

    • Junior software engineer: $35,000 to $72,000

    • Associate software engineer: $46,000 to $92,000

    • Senior/lead software engineer: $77,000 to $145,000

The requirement for advanced and talented professionals subsequently grows due to the invention of new technology like cloud computing. This hikes the salary structure.

Best Jobs in Information Technology

Career paths in the IT industry are divided into two major streams hardware and software. Under software, the professional has to deal with the design, development, testing, and maintenance of software. Hardware involves manufacturing, maintenance, research, and development of systems.

IT engineers who have completed their diploma courses are recruited for low-level jobs in the organization. With an increase in knowledge and experience, they can reach higher levels. Candidates who have pursued graduation or post-graduation can join the organization at mid-level jobs.

Let us now discuss some of the popular job designations for aspirants looking forward to a career in Information Technology.

• Information Security Analysts: Experts who handle various aspects of network security including encryption, firewall administration, system upgrades, and network protocols.

• Computer System Analysts: Professionals responsible for business data analysis and management using automation systems.

• Web Developers: They have a good knowledge of coding tools such as JavaScript, HTML, and AJAX which are useful to code and develop web-based applications.

• IT Consultant: The work of an IT consultant is to evaluate and research systems helping to grow a business.

• Cloud Architect: IT professional who analyzes and manages the cloud computing strategies for a company.

Emerging Careers in Information Technology

With the transformations in technology, the demand for highly skilled IT professionals is expected to grow in three major areas:

• Mobile: Mobile technology puts a great demand on companies to develop and launch mobile-centric applications and content

• Data Security: IT professionals in this space like data security analysts, network security administrators, and systems security administrators are in great demand.

• Big Data: Big data has introduced new terms, processes, and architecture including IoT, machine learning, automated decision-making, and text mining.