Do you have what it takes to be an IT expert? And no, I’m not talking about technical skills only! Working in the IT industry is impossible if you don’t possess resilience, courage to take challenges head-on, and hope and determination even when you mess up.

Speaking from experience, IT companies are different than conventional ones. They aren’t for everyone. The same goes for an IT career. No matter how good you are at GoLang or Network Security, you will never make a career out of your expertise if you aren't a team player.

Whether you want to switch careers or are looking for an IT job, don’t hurry! Ask yourself the following questions and see if you are ready:

1.  How Important is Supervision to You?

Even if you have worked under no supervision in your previous career, your experience will not be the same when working in an IT company. And if you are a novice, this question is a make-or-break deal for your career in IT.

In an IT agency, teams often don’t have a specific direction or structure laid out for them based on daily ventures. You will only be offered a rough target (priorities, etc.) by your manager or leadership team while you let your creativity overtake the rest of your journey.

This will be a piece of cake for you if you are a goal-oriented individual. But you will have difficulty navigating your way if you're more process-oriented. Remember, rigidity is prohibited in an IT company. IT employees are always flexible, can adapt to change, and require little-to-no supervision.

2.  How Comfortable are You with Frequent Change?

I’m talking about overnight, daily changes. Sometimes management changes—other times, structure changes. Technology companies don’t wait for employees to adapt to change. These quick-paced companies move according to market analysis and trends.

One day, you will find a new team formed, and the next, the same team will be disbanded. If you think you have it in you to learn new skills in less time while working tirelessly during office hours, then only is an IT career perfect for you.

3.  Is it Fine If You Work With a Younger Team or Manager?

In my experience, tech companies have middle-aged managers and sometimes younger or more experienced teams than you are. A young squad requires more supervision at the start to streamline critical processes.

They will make mistakes at the start and take some time adapting to the environment. In contrast, an experienced team will be the know-it-all and complain about you being inexperienced as a manager. If you can’t handle a young or professional team, don’t opt for an IT career.

Young managers are the ones who performed well and were promoted. Although they had little-to-no team management experience, they learned with daily training and new position experience. If you’re comfortable with such a manager, you can think about pursuing an IT career.

4.  Will You Be Respectful to a Diverse Workforce?

Tech companies focus on being diverse. They hire worldwide talent. You will work with people of all ages, colors, backgrounds, and ethnicities. The company may even hold specific traditional events where it’ll be required for you to be present.

Will you be truly respectful of other’s cultures? Will you negate your unconscious or conscious biases and promote a healthy relationship with other employees? Be honest with yourself before you apply to a tech company.

5.  Are You Willing to Create Your Career Path?

You won’t find structured promotion ladders in tech companies. Employees are promoted based on abilities rather than seniority. You may take four months or even two years before you get promoted.

The ones who succeed create their career path. They participate in events, volunteer in projects beyond their JDs, and are willing to learn. If you expect spoon-feeding and consistent promotions, an IT career doesn’t offer that. 

6.  How Good Are You at Prioritizing Tasks?

Most of the time, you’ll have multiple projects on your plate. Are you good at prioritizing your tasks without help? Do you know when to say no? As a human, it’s impossible to please everyone.

It requires a lot of communication to cater to high-priority tasks. You must push back on a few tasks and let your manager(s) know what you’re working on before you take more time for the delayed tasks. For this, you’ll need to keep everyone aligned.

7.  Are You Comfortable With Giving and Receiving Feedback?

The only way to survive in a tech company is to communicate clearly. IT companies are promoting a feedback culture where you receive and give constructive criticism. Collaboration, clear communication, and alignment is the key to success here. If you think you’re ready to receive and provide constructive feedback to improve and grow, only then should apply you apply to an IT company.

8.  Are You Willing to Work Hard?

If bean bags and ping pong tables make you think the IT industry isn’t stressful, then you’re wrong! These perks are to boost productivity and are something you need to earn. You’ll experience constant demands and managers and stakeholders breathing down your neck. If you can’t hold your weight in the team, you’ll be called out on it. Don’t think you’ll be an under-achiever, and nobody will do anything about it.

9.  Is Money Your Only Priority?

If money is your only priority (as a new career start), you’ll be quickly disappointed. To gain experience, sometimes you’ll have to work as an intern before you get a permanent job. So, expand your thinking. Besides money, your focus should be on improving your soft and technical skills. And learning from your seniors and teaching as much as possible without expecting a raise.

10. Am I Really Ready for an IT Career?

So, the last and most important question is, are you ready? If you answered yes to all the 9 questions, you are ready to pursue an IT career. If most of them were no, step back and assess yourself. Find your strengths and weaknesses. Maybe you’re lacking the newest in-demand skills. Or, perhaps it’s your soft skills and character-building that require attention. Whatever the case is, be careful because an IT career is only for the level-headed.