Where to start in IT: we have compiled a detailed plan for those who want to change their profession

Step 1. Understand what areas there are in IT

In the technology field, there are more than three dozen specialties with varying levels of immersion in programming. They can be divided into several large groups:

• Development and testing. Front-end, back-end and full-stack developers, specialists who create mobile products and games, testers or QA engineers - these employees cannot do without knowledge of code.
• Management. A direction for those who want to manage processes and teams. Product and project managers, IT recruiters, HR specialists are needed on any project, but they are not required to have deep knowledge in development.
• Analytics. Here you will have to collect, study and interpret data. IT companies are in demand for data analysts, system analysts, data scientists, and ML engineers.
• Marketing. Specialists in this area are responsible for promoting a digital product - a program, application or service. These are internet marketers, traffic managers, CRM marketers, SEO specialists.
• Design.
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  If programmers create a product, then the task of designers is to provide them with visual materials: fonts, mood boards and layouts. IT is looking for graphic designers, interface designers and other web products.

Each direction has its own characteristics and requirements not only for basic, but also for soft skills. For example, to become a developer or tester, you need to know programming languages, popular frameworks and libraries. Soft skills include perseverance, critical thinking, and the ability to find effective solutions.

Step 2. Analyze the market and salary indicators

The field is developing quite quickly. Therefore, what was relevant a couple of years ago may look different today. For example, manual testing was once considered an ideal start in IT: specialists did not study code, but were paid on a par with developers. Today in Russia for such a salary can count Experienced QA engineers who are confident in at least one programming language. This means that the requirements for applicants have increased.

Strategy Partners analysts allocated Several trends that are worth adopting for those who are currently looking at a new profession:

• Digital transformation of the economy. Specialists are needed everywhere: from education and healthcare to heavy industry and energy. Therefore, the experience accumulated in another field can be useful in a new profession. Let’s say a person who worked in finance will be able to use his knowledge in developing products for banks.
• Transition to platform solutions. This is a trend towards creating Russian analogues that can replace imported software. Platforms generate a huge amount of data, so analysts will be in demand along with programmers.
• Focus on information security. The increase in the number of hacker attacks forces developers revise approaches to product protection means. And at all levels: from design to testing. Therefore, the demand for cybersecurity specialists will increase.

The shortage of personnel is reflected in earnings in the industry. In 2023, the Association of software development companies "Russoft" recorded increase in salaries of middle and senior level specialists by 13–15%. In the first half of the year in the top ranking of the most profitable directions turned out to be management, development, administration and analytics. And among programming languages, Objective‑C, Scala and Swift were in the lead - average salaries here ranged from 270 to 337 thousand rubles.

Step 3. Choose a specialty that suits you best

In the huge flow of information, at first it is difficult to navigate and understand where you can grow more effectively. You can start searching for your IT specialization by studying the requirements for each profession. Read the descriptions of vacancies and tasks that different specialists work with. For example, it may seem that UX design is one continuous creativity. But in reality it is a scrupulous analysis, forecasting and endless edits. If a newbie chooses not to go into such detail, the profession can be disappointing.

To make it easier to understand the terms and concepts, you can study articles or specialized literature, complete the introductory parts of online courses or communicate with those who have been working in the company you like for a long time sphere. It’s also useful to go to open days or webinars of IT schools.

It’s also worth focusing on the main trends in hiring. This year, the top most popular IT specialties that can be mastered from scratch include: entered backend, frontend, mobile development and system analytics. And the highest competition has developed among game designers, testers and data analysts.

Step 4. Start studying

So, you have decided on the direction. Now it is important to choose the appropriate method for mastering the profession.

• Selfeducation. For example, using free video lessons, podcasts or specialized literature. If your English level allows, you should use foreign sources. However, it is important to remember that this method is suitable for very motivated and disciplined people, because figuring out the practice on your own can be quite difficult.
• Training with a mentor. This could be an experienced friend or colleague from the IT field. A beginner will benefit from help from someone who has already walked a similar path and can tell you where to move next. But this method also requires a large amount of independent practice.
• Training courses. Ready-made programs save time and help you gain skills that are in demand today. The assignments are structured and developed based on real work projects, therefore they give an idea of ​​what knowledge, tools, and competencies are needed for a specific specialty. The main value of studying on courses is the community. You can consult with classmates and mentors or discuss a topic that is difficult.

Step 5. Receive and “package” the first experience

At the interview, the employer will definitely ask about this. Even if you're still a student, preparing your resume and portfolio in advance is a smart strategy. Create an account on the platform for hosting IT projects and collect in it:

• Educational projects. Most likely, you will have them by the end of the practical classes if you take online courses.
• Pet projects. These are your own developments that you can do in your free time from study and work. They help you master the necessary tools on a topic that interests you. It is better to create small but demonstrative projects with interesting features.
• Results of test tasks. While studying vacancies, you can complete free test tasks along the way. Even if the employer does not choose you, the cases will remain and can be shown to other recruiters.

Another way to gain first experience is to participate in hackathons and meetups. Large companies often organize such events to gain a fresh perspective on their work tasks and to recruit new employees. Subscribe to well-known IT brands on social networks and follow the news. This way you can gain not only experience, but also useful contacts with participants and organizers.

Step 6. Start looking for a job and gradually join the industry

It is better to take the first interviews during training. This will help collect a pool of standard questions from employers and train stress resistance - the pursuit of the first offer can take up to six months, and you need to be prepared for this. In IT, experience is valued more than deep knowledge of theory, so the first priority is to continue to practice. Here are some more tips that will be useful at the start.

Monitor job aggregators regularly

It is better to look through them every day. Visit large sites such as HH, Habr Career, Superjob. At the same time, it’s worth creating a profile on a specialized social network, like LinkedIn, and subscribing to thematic channels on Telegram.

Find an internship

Often large IT companies launch courses for beginners. This is how they form a pool of promising employees. Training usually lasts only a few months, after which graduates are offered employment. In this case, you shouldn’t count on huge earnings, but there are more guarantees of getting a vacant position than in free floating in the labor market.

Analyze feedback from recruiters

Feel free to ask for it after every interview. This will help polish skills that the employer doubted, strengthen your resume, or supplement your cover letter with important information.

Maintain active networking

You can expand your circle of acquaintances not only at face-to-face events, but also on specialized social networks and specialized platforms: Stack Overflow, Habr, Medium, Reddit, LinkedIn. Discuss the news, ask for help with difficult tasks, increase your awareness and don't be shy about saying what you need Job. Many companies have a referral program for employment, so someone from the community will probably recommend you to their recruiter.

Participate in Weekend- or One Day offer

This form of express hiring has recently become popular in IT companies. The essence of the procedure is that the employer reduces the selection time, and sometimes even refuses the test task. To quickly find the right specialist for an open vacancy, the candidate is interviewed through all stages in one day (or over a weekend). And after the One Day offer, the decision is announced immediately, so you won’t have to wait weeks for a response to your resume.