In this post
- What is information technology?
- IT jobs for people who love helping others
- IT jobs for people who like to work autonomously
- IT jobs for people who enjoy complex problem solving
- IT jobs for people with a creative streak
- Statistics and industry information about IT
- Is a Career in IT Right For You?
- Other jobs in IT
- Browse Results
The 10 Best Types of IT Jobs For You Based On Your Personality
Michael Yi
In this post Show
- What is information technology?
- IT jobs for people who love helping others
- IT jobs for people who like to work autonomously
- IT jobs for people who enjoy complex problem solving
- IT jobs for people with a creative streak
- Statistics and industry information about IT
- Is a Career in IT Right For You?
- Other jobs in IT
- Browse Results
Jobs in information technology aren’t in short supply. In fact, the industry is bursting with an array of roles. From niche specialisations to generalist jobs, and entry-level positions to roles for experienced professionals, there’s something for every skillset and every passion.
There are many reasons to choose a job in IT: they’re in-demand, well-paid careers suited to people with a range of personality types. To help make your job search more effective, this article explores different types of IT jobs. It discusses the personality traits most suited to different job titles and job descriptions so that you can choose the best entrance to the IT industry for you.
People interested in becoming IT professionals tend to have some general traits that draw you to tech. Qualities like attention to detail and being calm under pressure are important. In IT there are also jobs suited to people who:
- love to help others
- value autonomy and getting to decide their own workflow each day
- are interested in the technical side of computers
- love to be creative
Since there are so many options for careers in IT, it’s just a matter of picking a career path that’s right for you.
What is information technology?
Information Technology (or IT) can be defined as the development, maintenance and use of systems on computers and other technology. Generally in IT, you apply technical knowledge to solve any business or organisational problems.
IT careers can be broken down into four categories:
IT support technicians
Provide support troubleshooting with any technical issues such as software problems, computer systems crashes and maintenance of IT infrastructure.
IT security
Responsible for the cybersecurity of an organisations network and IT infrastructure, implementing policies and procedures to ensure optimal integrity of databases and systems, backup, reliability and performance.
Database and systems administrators
Focus on the broad picture of the network system in an organisation, encompassing all aspects of the databases and systems.
IT business and systems analysts
Work with businesses to formulate specialised systems requirements, develop plans and documentation, review and evaluate systems, and design and modify user’s needs based on the requirements of the company.
Within each of these categories is a myriad of roles suited to different personalities and passions.
IT jobs for people who love helping others
So many people use computers as part of their day-to-day work. IT professionals play a valuable role in solving the technical issues that invariably come up from time to time, training people, and offering software maintenance and updates.
These roles are well-suited to people who enjoy interacting with others. You’ll get to make a difference to people, businesses, and systems.
IT support technician
IT support technicians help fix computer problems large and small, straightforward and complex. You may work in-house for a large organisation and field enquiries from staff. Or, you may work for a technology company or a technical support company where you offer advice to the general public or staff employed at client companies.
Your day-to-day role on the IT help desk will involve helping people to login to their accounts, install and use software, update operating systems, ensure that computer networks are up and running, and implement cybersecurity protocols. You may also be involved in training people on using their computers.
Key skills for IT support technicians include:
Patience
You may be helping people with limited knowledge of computers. This means you’ll have to explain your processes clearly and thoughtfully to ensure they understand the help you’re offering.
Prioritisation skills
You may have lots of support requests coming in all at once. You’ll need to quickly assess what the most important incoming tasks are, and what smaller jobs can wait.
Ability to think on your feet
You never know what problems will arise on a given day. You need to be able to respond to situations as they arise, drawing on your experience and training.
Median salary
$71,254
Network engineer
Network engineers set up and maintain computer networks for organisations. You make sure that these networks are configured properly and are secure. You’re also involved with troubleshooting any network problems that users may have, and updating computer hardware and software so that they’re optimised for organisational needs.
Key skills for network engineers include:
Teamwork
You’ll be working as part of an IT team. So, you’ll need to be able to collaborate and prioritise your workload with the input of others.
Love of learning
Computer networks and security is an innovative area. Things like cybersecurity and cloud computing change at a rapid pace and it’s ideal if you can keep up.
Customer service skills
Network engineers focus on business and user needs, so the solutions you offer need to best fit them. You need to empathetically understand others’ needs and offer thoughtful suggestions that will solve their problems.
Median salary
$106,008
Systems analyst
A systems analyst is involved in making sure a company’s IT system meets business needs. You work to understand what the business needs are and translate these into technical briefs for other IT workers.
The help that a systems analyst offers is structural. In this role you’ll always be asking, “How can our IT systems support our core business aims?”
Key skills for computer systems analysts include:
Strong communication skills
You need to understand and talk to both the business side and the technical side of your organisation. This means adapting your communication styles for the audience you’re talking to.
Delegation
Once you decide the best approach for managing and designing IT systems, you need to give relevant briefs to IT staff. When you delegate work like this, you need to keep track of how others are progressing and answer their questions.
Willingness to learn
As new technology and products become available, they may provide better ways to meet business needs. You need to stay on top of new innovations and understand how they can work for your organisation.
Median salary
$105,100
IT jobs for people who like to work autonomously
There are many roles in IT which allow you to be self-employed, work remotely, and/or take charge of your work life and workflow.
These roles are well-suited to people who are highly organised and self-sufficient.
Computer programmer
Computer programmers receive briefs for coding projects and write and test relevant code. Coding is usually done independently, giving you autonomy. That said, you’ll likely need to work as part of a team to work on different aspects of a program which will eventually be integrated together.
Programmers will know a range of languages including Python, SQL, Java, C, and others.
Programming work is often project-based, which works well for people who want to be self-employed. You can take on projects that suit you and your programming skills. There are also lots of opportunities for remote working and asynchronous working (that is, you can work at the times that suit you).
Key skills for computer programmers include:
Clarity
Because other programmers will read and use your code, you need to provide explanations of what your code does. You’ll likely need to follow a style guide so that everyone working on a project is on the same page.
Self-management
Because you’re often working independently, you need to manage your time and task list well to keep yourself on track. Sometimes deadlines require fast turnarounds, which you’ll need to keep in mind.
Attention to detail
Programmers really need to think carefully about the minutia of the aspects of the program they’re coding up. Small bugs can have disastrous, unintended consequences.
Median salary
$109,421
Software developer
Software developers create and code computer programs and applications. There are different types of software developers like front-end, back-end, and full-stack developers as well as web, desktop, games, and app developers. Some software developers focus on testing software so that it works as expected (software development engineers in test).
It is a similar role to that of a computer programmer, except software developers are more likely to have responsibilities around project management and design while programmers will be expected to meet a brief set for them. As for a computer programmer, there’s lots of opportunities to choose projects, workflows, and work environments to suit you. You can work remotely or be self-employed.
Key skills for software developers include:
Self-management
You need to understand your technical briefs and figure out how to organise your workflow and time to get it done.
Lateral thinking
Although you’ll have defined targets to meet, often you’ll get to decide how you’re going to meet them. This involves looking at problems and processes from different angles and forging your own approach.
Teamwork
Although you’ll be expected to work autonomously, most development projects require multiple people to come together to contribute code. You’ll need to integrate each team member’s part of the project.
Adaptability
You could be working on all kinds of different projects over your software development career. It’s important that you can work on projects of different scales, using different programming languages, and for different purposes.
Median salary
$106,517
IT consultant
IT Consultants provide strategic advice to organisations on all things tech. You help organisations optimise their computer systems by listening to and analysing their business needs.
IT Consultants are either self-employed or work as part of a consulting firm. This outside perspective is valuable because you provide objective, high-level advice. If you’re self-employed, you can choose the kinds of organisations you prefer to work with as well as your workflow and hours. Although it is an autonomous role, you will collaborate with organisational leaders, stakeholders, and staff.
Key skills for IT Consultants include:
Confidence
As clients pay for your advice, you need to reassure them that you have the insights and experience to offer value. Your confidence will be particularly important in persuading people to change existing IT systems and processes.
Excellent communication skills
You need to have a deep understanding of the organisations you’re working with, which requires you to listen to others carefully. You also need to communicate your advice clearly and tactfully so that others’ understand your perspective.
Solution-oriented
Although it’s easier for consultants to identify potential IT problems, you need to provide possible ways to fix problems. You’ll also be good at identifying organisational strengths which they can draw on to make further improvements in information systems, IT infrastructure, IT security, and many other aspects of the business.
Median salary
$110,000
IT jobs for people who enjoy complex problem solving
All IT jobs require technical knowledge. Some specific roles will especially appeal to people who are drawn to the intricacies of hardware, software, or data.
These roles will suit people who enjoy a mix of abstract thinking and practical problem solving and don’t mind working towards formal certifications.
Software engineer
Software engineers design, develop, maintain, and test computer software. You work with businesses and individual clients to figure out their software needs and design appropriate software from start to finish.
It’s a similar role to a software developer except it involves more big-picture thinking. You’re designing a system as a whole and undertaking quality assurance rather than focusing on the coding aspects.
Key skills for software engineers include:
A collaborative approach
You’ll liaise with clients, businesses, stakeholders, software developers, and coders to engineer an optimal solution.
An appreciation of complexity
Software engineers work on big projects with many moving parts. You’ll need to understand technology on multiple levels as well as manage resources, coordinate software development, and be responsible for project plans.
A high level of organisation
As your tasks are so complex, software engineers need to be good at keeping track of others’ progress and task deadlines.
Median salary
$117,491
Computer scientist
Computer science is a research role. You may work for a university or in research and development for a large technology company. Computer scientists are experts on the theoretical aspects of computers — things like coding theory, computer systems, or artificial intelligence. They can also work as data scientists.
Key skills for computer scientists include:
A commitment to higher education
Computer scientists will commonly hold postgraduate qualifications such as a master’s degree or doctorate in a related field. This involves many years of dedicated study.
A collaborative approach
Although lots of research is undertaken independently, you will often be required to share your work. If you work at a university, you may need to teach and supervise computer science students. In any setting, you’ll need to present your findings to others, work as part of a research group, and think of practical applications to your theoretical work.
Innovation
Often computer scientists need to come up with insights and research that has never been done before.
Median salary
$102,000
IT jobs for people with a creative streak
IT jobs are often understood to be logical and procedural, but there are also lots of opportunities to think creatively. Some IT roles even require a flair for design, aesthetics, and self-expression.
Web developer
Web developers design and build websites. They understand client briefs and integrate their own creative vision to produce unique, useable websites and web applications. Web developers will code in languages like CSS, HTML, and Javascript.
Key skills for web developers include:
Strong communication skills
You may work with clients who don’t know a lot of technical jargon to work out precisely what they need and expect from a website. You’ll explain your process to them and ask for feedback along the way.
Creativity
Your clients will have unique needs for their website, so you’ll need to come up with a unique web design to support it. Your creative thinking will be informed by clients’ needs as well as technical knowledge.
Organisational skills
You may work on numerous projects at the same time, which means you need to thoughtfully keep track of deadlines and schedules.
Teaching skills
Web developers are often involved in training clients on how they can use and maintain the website you’ve built.
Median salary
$102,577
How to Become a Web Developer
Discover how to start a career in web development and learn more about this in-demand role.
Read MoreUI/UX designer
User interface and user experience designers are involved with making technology products (like apps, websites, or software) user-friendly and engaging.
UI designers focus on the appearance of tech interfaces – like creating menu layouts, buttons, and voice and gesture recognition functionality.
UX designers are more broadly focused on the overall functionality, efficiency, and feelings people have when they use a tech product. They make sure that the overall experience meets user needs and is overall positive.
Key skills for UI/UX designers include:
Planning skills
You’ll show your design plans to other team members and clients by making wireframes and communicating clearly. You may need to tweak these plans in line with the feedback you get. You’ll also produce timelines for meeting key milestones and report on your progress.
Empathy
You really need to get into the mind of the user to design something for them. This involves listening to them, but also potentially pre-empting needs that they may not have considered.
Creative problem solving
There are many ways to meet user needs. It’s up to you to come up with unique ways of doing so that are interesting, aesthetically pleasing, and engaging.
Strong research skills
You undertake research to understand what the user’s needs are and how best to fulfil them. You may be involved in focus group and user testing.
Median salary
$108,724
Statistics and industry information about IT
Job growth
IT careers are predicted to continue to moderately grow, but demand for specialisations within Information Technology such as web development and cybersecurity are helping the industry to grow at a much stronger rate.
Average salary
Majority of IT salaries are above the typical median full-time salary of $55,000. Dependent on your experience and qualifications, most IT careers start at $60,000.
typical salary
$65,530
IT support
typical salary
$88,130
IT security
typical salary
$64,072
Database and systems administrators
typical salary
$86,154
IT business and systems analysts
Other job statistics
IT Professionals are generally middle-aged, with the majority of the workforce aged between 45-55.
Information Technology continues to be a more male-dominated workplace, with only 21% of the workforce being female.
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Is a Career in IT Right For You?
IT professionals will need to acquire a range of skills through some form of higher education. Whether that be through short courses, a bachelor of information technology or a graduate certificate, there are a range of study options and information technology courses out there for prospective students who wish to venture into an IT career.
The skills that most IT professionals possess include:
Attention to detail
Do you pay close attention to the finer details? Are you able to pick out tiny flaws?
Multi-tasking
Are you able to juggle multiple tasks at the one time and are you able to handle the pressure?
Time management
Do you have the ability to manage your time effectively and meet deadlines?
High-level organisation
Do you have a high level of organisational ability?
Calm under pressure
Do you have the ability to keep your cool and remain calm in high pressure situations?
Other jobs in IT
There are so many different careers within Information technology that you can specialise in, it’s just a matter of figuring out where your strengths and interests lie.
A range of other IT careers include:
- Computer network architect
- Computer science
- Software developer
- Computer programmer
- Cloud computing consultant
- Systems analyst
- Computer support specialist
- IT project management
- Machine learning engineer
- Systems administrator
- Information security analyst
- ICT security
IT is a huge field with lots of different career paths. There are many information technology jobs suited to a range of personality types. Whether you’re interested in helping others, working autonomously, drawing on your technical knowledge, or being creative, there’s an IT job out there for you.
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