Information technology (IT) is one of the fastest growing industries and for those of you considering a career in this field, a world of opportunities awaits.
Aside from your passion for working in IT, you’re also probably looking forward to career growth, good pay, and an exciting job scope.
However, like any other profession, there may be a side to this profession that may not be as fulfilling, and we’ve listed down a few this week.
Difficulty in explaining to those less IT-savvy
Let’s face it, not everyone understands tech. So people who aren’t in this field may have a hard time understanding what it is you do.
It’s not really a major problem, but you will have to understand that it may require you to improve your communication skills in order to educate or inform people about your job.
Then again, for some people they would be perfectly satisfied if your answer was simply; “I work in IT.”
People will expect you to work miracles
When working in the IT industry, people will always expect you to work miracles regardless of how impossible the task may be.
As such, you will constantly be bombarded with requests and complaints pertaining to IT-related issues such as the Internet connection and software.
Unfortunately, some people may not appreciate the technicalities of these problems; they can get easily agitated as they expect you to be able to fix the problem right away.
High pressure
Being in IT could also be extremely stressful. Apart from having to deal with people and their sometimes-impossible expectations, you will face stress from deadlines or pressure to stay relevant with the latest tech updates.
Industries such as healthcare, commerce, and banking now rely heavily on tech. So, when the system crashes, for example, do expect to work extra hours under intense pressure if you’re a member of the IT team.
No personal time
If you’re a technician, do expect somebody to call or message you at all times of the day, as tech-related problems don’t revolve around typical working hours.
There are IT-related jobs that have odd and long hours, so be prepared if you want to join this line of work.
As with other high-pressure jobs, the onus will be on you to try to find the right work-life balance.
This won’t be easy but the best thing to do would be to talk to those who are already in this field and seek their advice on how they’ve managed to handle the demands of their work.
This is a weekly column by SarawakYES! – an initiative driven by Faradale Media-M Sdn Bhd and supported by Angkatan Zaman Mansang (AZAM) Sarawak – to provide advice and stories on the topics of education and careers to support Sarawakians seeking to achieve their dreams. Join us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
This article first appeared on The Borneo Post, visit this link: http://bit.ly/2LSW2Ze
