Debunking 6 Common Stereotypes About Working in IT

Stereotypes about IT slive on. However, every year they seem less and less witty to IT specialists. In this post, we've taken apart the most popular ones.

1. Getting into IT is easy

It's not easy to become an IT professional, just like it's not easy to become a specialist in any other field. But you can make the process easier by following the tips below.

Tips for working in IT

• Tip 1. Accept that you will have to constantly learn. First on your own or in a course. And after that - in your IT company. This process is an ongoing one.
• Tip 2. Allocate 1-2 hours a day for self-development. Learn to plan and prioritize. Work on yourself to inculcate useful habits.
• Tip 3. The first job is the hardest to find. Improve your skills and go for the winning end. It will be easier from here on out.

2. The courses will do everything for me

Yes, IT courses have mentor and instructor support. They check the houses and give feedback. But you have to read books, watch videos, and write code on your own.

It is very important to be responsible and proactive. Some of the projects students produce in a team, so it is important to develop soft skills.

They will teach you how to write a resume and prepare you for job interviews. The school has a career services team. But you will be interviewing on your own.

3. All IT professionals get a high salary

A junior professional's income can't be called solid. It happens that the newcomer at his first internship will probably receive minimal pay. And your income will grow faster than most other blue-collar jobs.

In order for a developer to get paid more than in other fields, you need to grow to the middle/senior level or become a team leader.

A freelance developer who sells himself poorly can have a low income for years.

4. Programmer = computer wizard

Most programmers can install software, back up data, and poke around in settings, but they don't do any assembly or repair work at all. There is a common misconception that once you learn to program, you will become a wizard who understands every component of a computer. This is simply not true.

5. Women don't code

By early 2023, large global IT companies will have an average of 33% women employees. In purely technical occupations, that's 25%.

According to researchers, currently, about 25% of employees of technology companies in the world are women. But the dynamics are positive.

IT sphere is more sensitive to the issues of gender equality. Top managers in IT are ready for changes and make them faster than others.

6. Learning to program at 40 is too late

Let's speak frankly: many people older simply do not want to change anything.

It's a person's skills, not their age, gender, or nationality, that matter for learning and working in IT. At the interview, they may not even ask about your age.

The older a person is, the better their soft skills are developed. She already has experience in organization and communication, she is more responsible. All this helps to learn faster and more effectively, and makes a her more in-demand in a specialist market.