Entry Level Positions For Aspiring IT Managers At Public Bay Area Biotech
Harold, an IT Manager, suggests that entry-level IT roles don't necessarily require a degree, as certifications are a valid alternative and provide a structured learning path, especially for roles like "computer technician help desk" where an A+ certification could be beneficial. Aspiring IT professionals should also analyze job postings to identify desired qualifications and proactively gain relevant experience through personal projects or by seeking similar projects within their current role to work towards their career goals.
IT Certifications, Entry-Level IT Roles, Technical Skills, Job Qualifications, Career Planning
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Harold Wong
IT Manager
Public Bay Area Biotech
CUNY, NYU
NA
Computer Science
Biotechnology & Pharmaceutical
Cyber Security and IT
Took Out Loans, Worked 20+ Hours in School
Video Highlights
1. Certifications can be a valuable alternative to a college degree in the tech field, providing a structured learning path and demonstrating specific skills.
2. Checking job postings, even if unqualified, helps identify required qualifications, skills, and certifications needed for specific entry-level positions, enabling targeted preparation.
3. Creating personal projects and seeking relevant experience within a current role are effective ways to build a portfolio and gain practical skills, even without direct professional experience in the desired field.
Transcript
What entry-level positions are there in this field that an undergraduate or graduate student might consider?
The career path for someone in IT is still pretty much the same. To be honest, you don't even need a college degree in the tech field. You just have to know your stuff.
A lot of people, instead of getting a degree, can go for certifications. For many certifications, you can look at the domains they cover, and that's a good path for learning.
If you want to start as a computer technician or help desk, you can look at something like an A+ certification and see what domains it covers. Then you can learn from that direction.
If you want to go into development, you'll see what kind of programming languages are usually needed. Typically, you'd need something like Python and Java, and maybe MySQL or something to connect them.
I would also suggest checking out different job postings. Even if you're not qualified for a position yet, you can see what qualifications they are looking for. For someone entry-level, they might see that to get a job as X, Y, Z, they need one or two years of knowledge in a certain area, maybe a degree, or in lieu of that, some experience and certifications.
Then they can work towards those goals. You can also create your own home projects to gain experience, even if you're not working on those specific things professionally. But if you're already in a position, you could talk to your manager about getting similar projects to use as relevant experience.
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