Changing your career to IT. Is it difficult?

There are still not enough qualified IT specialists on the market. Firms are fighting for talented employees. Companies do everything in their power to make their offers stand out – they offer increasingly better and more flexible employment conditions. As such conditions are what many employees, also ones outside of the IT industry, are attracted to, some of them decide to try their luck with something new and decide to change careers. At this point, certain questions arise:

• How many people are planning to switch their careers to IT?
• What is actually required of candidates to work in the IT sector?
• What does the recruitment process look like?
• How can the skills required in IT be obtained?

You will find the answers to all of the above questions in our article. Check it out!

Are Poles attracted to changing their careers to IT?

Studies show that Polish companies are facing the problem of employees leaving more frequently. These are definitely not isolated cases. This phenomenon even has its own name: the “great reshuffling”.

Opinion surveys unanimously confirm that one in four employees plans to change a job within 3 months, and in the six-month perspective – one in two employees. Moreover, every tenth person is considering changing careers and 40% of them want to get into IT.

Salaries are the biggest incentive

The greatest advantage of working in the IT sector are the earnings. Qualified programmers are now extremely competitive on the job market, which is why they have much room for negotiating their salaries. It is a honey pot for many people employed in other industries. High salaries are mostly what influences the decision to change careers.

This is also evident in statistics. According to research included in a report titled Switching Careers into IT (Przebranżowienie do IT), as many as 83% of the respondents have indicated earnings as the main motivating factor for switching from their current industry to IT.

It is not all about the money

Of course, salaries are not the only factor for considering a change of an industry. Other important aspects also include the flexibility which has to do not only with working remotely and the expected working time, but also with the possibility of working abroad or receiving salary in a foreign currency.

What is also important is a good relationship and efficient communication with the employer who not only expects the employees to deliver their tasks, but most importantly provides them with support. Charles-Alexandre Gamba, Partner at ITDS, highlights that such an attitude to relations at work, based on trust, is a goal that ITDS meets already at the recruitment process stage.

Read more about ITDS growth: ITDS Poland one of the fastest-growing companies in Europe according to Financial Times

What does the recruitment process in IT industry look like?

The recruitment process does not always look the same; a lot depends on the specific nature of a given company. Direct recruitment, with employers recruiting employees on their own, is different from indirect recruitment, when a company is using an external entity, such as ITDS Poland, and decides on the so-called IT outsourcing.

During the interview, both types of competencies are verified: hard competencies – the technical knowledge, and the following soft skills:

• effective communication,
• ability to learn quickly, gather information and present conclusions in a diverse team,
• readiness to undertake initiatives and work independently.

Additionally, in order to precisely identify their needs, potential candidates might be asked about their motivation to work and professional preferences.

Read more about how to prepare for a job interview: Recruitment in IT – how to make a good impression?

Course of recruitment at ITDS

Even before the first meeting, the candidates are informed in detail about the course of recruitment process and they are presented with several project suggestions. In short, being specific is key.

It also concerns the offer, financial terms, as well as the application or system that the future employee will be developing, using a specific technology. During the interview, the topic of development prospects that ITDS proposes to its candidates is discussed.

During the first meeting the recruiter checks the candidate’s knowledge and competencies. In the next step, their technical skills may be verified. Then, the potential employee has an interview with the target customer for whom a given project is being completed.

As underlined by Katarzyna Stachowiak, Partner at ITDS Poland, interviews at ITDS Poland go quickly and smoothly. The company respects the candidates’ time and tries to adjust to their calendars. Usually, they receive job offers within five days, and sometimes even quicker.

Knowledge and experience are crucial in IT

Theoretical knowledge is a must, however, the candidate’s experience and practical knowledge are of paramount importance during the interview too. That is why, if you wish to confidently take on the world of IT, you would be best off completing Computer Science studies. Sometimes courses, books or tutorials prove to be insufficient. During your studies, it is worth engaging in additional projects that will help you create your first portfolio.

Although, if you want to change careers quickly and efficiently, the perspective of 3-year studies might not be as appealing as completing a thorough, advanced course and an internship. Of course, such a path might also open a door for you to start your carrier in IT! Such a decision requires many hours spent on perfecting your programming skills, but it is not impossible.

Check out what it is like to work as developer in FinTech: Combining software development with business analysis

Soft skills are highly valued in the IT industry!

Not only programmers work in IT; companies are also in search of Business Analysts, Project Managers or Scrum Masters, who must possess soft skills, such as ease of communication, ability to think logically or to draw conclusions. These traits come in handy later during day-to-day work.

As Charles-Alexandre Gamba points out, ITDS looks for personalities. Candidates who are friendly and open for dialogue are particularly desired. What is also important is their appetite for growth and listening skills.

In conclusion, if you would like to stand out on the IT market, you should work on developing specific skills. It is a rapidly changing sector; that is why it is worth keeping yourself up to date with the latest industry trends and supplementing your knowledge, to make sure you are a highly valued specialist.

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