So You Want To Be In Tech, Eh?

“How do I get started in Tech?” “What’s your day-to-day look like?” “What do I need to know to be successful?” “You must be pretty smart and make all the money working in IT!” “How did you do that!?”

These are just some of the questions IT professionals hear on a fairly regular basis. I may be biased, but I think we can all agree that the tech field is an amazing field to be in. Let’s take a walk down memory lane and see how I got to where I am now.

My first job in IT was at a small computer repair shop in downtown Richmond, Virginia. I was a Junior in high school at the time and wasn’t immediately hired for the position. I did what is arguably one of the best strategies to break into the tech field. I worked for free.

I started as an intern who learned, primarily, directly from the owner of the shop. I didn’t know it at the time but this man, Adam Bell, would go on to become what I considered my first mentor. I learned everything from him. Names of computer parts, different operating systems, how to take computers apart, best practices, everything.

This internship was a unique one, however. It was more of a golden opportunity than an internship. There was no application process, and you made your own hours. If you know me you know when I get into things, I really get into them. I would be at the shop from open to close on weekends and head there straight after school to work until closing each day during the week.

I did this for nearly a year. It got to the point where they started to feel like they were taking advantage of my free labor and decided to offer me a part-time position. This went on to lay the foundation for the next decade of my life.

Technology is everywhere you look. One thing about working in technology, there’s a job in almost every company, building, and storefront that revolves around supporting some form of technology. From computers to phones to internet access to credit card readers to security cameras. Every business needs technology to function in today’s society.

As far as breaking into IT, the only way to do it is to start. Wherever you are, whoever you are, just start. Don’t wait for that golden opportunity. Opportunities are all around you. The highlight reels on social media are nice but they aren’t always reality. Do whatever you can to get your foot in the door and work your way up from there. Patience and passion is the name of the game for anything long-term.