BEST CAREERS FOR TECH LOVERS

(by guest blogger Vera Reed)  It’s a good time to be a tech lover because trends show that the demand far outpaces the supply when it comes to well-paying job positions in the information technology space.

In fact, the Robert Half Technology Salary Guide 2016 notes that employers on the North American continent often have to wait several months after they post ads for IT-related jobs. The reason? There is a lack of candidates, and the reason for  this is that skilled IT workers often end up on the receiving end of multiple job offers -- complete with higher-than-usual pay, flexible work schedules, and other perks -- which leaves some companies with vacant positions.

These jobs have loads of growth potential, and they definitely pay well, for the most part. While money isn’t everything, it does count for a lot, and you might as well be compensated well for your hard work.

So if you’d like to get into the promising tech sector after completing business school, then read up on the best careers for tech lovers.

Developers

According to the report, the developers segment is experiencing lots of demand. This refers to web developers, mobile app developers, and software developers with skills in .NET, MySQL, and PHP. Meanwhile, Glassdoor's 25 Best Jobs in America study, which looks at the number of job openings, compensation, and employment opportunities rating, ranks mobile developer at #5. It gets a job openings figure of 2,251, a median base salary of $90,000, a career opportunity rating of 3.8, and a job score rating of 4.6.

Business Analysts and Quality Assurance Professionals

The Robert Half salary guide states that businesses planning to pursue new IT strategies require business analysts who have the necessary skills to serve as a bridge between technology initiatives and business users. Meanwhile, quality assurance professionals are important for keeping projects on track courtesy of testing and assurance initiatives. The average salary for a business analyst in the U.S. is $91,512, according to Bridging the Gap. And PayScale says that the average salary for a quality assurance analyst in the U.S. is $53,459. Again, these are average salaries. Given the fact that the industry is expected to grow, you can bet that some employers will be willing to pay more in order to obtain and retain top talent.

Systems Engineers and Systems Administrators

Many companies need systems engineers who have virtualization abilities and systems administrators to oversee the “convergence of networking, systems, and data storage,” according to the Robert Half survey. A systems engineer in the U.S. earns an average annual salary of $70,382, according to PayScale, which adds that systems administrators earn an average salary in the U.S. of $59,467 annually.

Database Administrators and Business Intelligence Analysts

According to the Robert Half survey, more businesses are leveraging big data analytics in order to be better equipped to make business decisions. Database administrators and business intelligence analysts are critical on this front, which is why they are in-demand positions. PayScale says that database administrators in the U.S. earn an average of $69,733 annually, and business intelligence analysts in the U.S. can make around $66,000 annually on average.

Help Desk and Desktop Support

Businesses that want to roll out a bring your own devices strategy in the workplace, which allows employees to bring their own mobile devices to work and to connect them to the corporate network, require the help of help desk and desktop support, notes Robert Half. This is vital since having no such strategy in place can leave companies susceptible to cyberattacks. PayScale indicates that a help desk technician can command an average salary of $15.98 per hour. Desktop support specialists working in the U.S. can earn an average of $47,000 each year.

As you can see, there are certain jobs in the IT space that are particularly hot right now, and you can position yourself to take advantage of the opportunities available. The positions mentioned above represent some of the best careers for tech lovers, so get the right training, develop the proper skills, and pursue an exciting career in the tech industry.

(this post was first published on my FLY HIGH! blog)