Of course, not all of us are skilled programmers or extensively experienced system administrators or network security gurus. You may in fact just be an average computer user who has an interest in the computer information technology job market and a willingness to learn. If you don't mind starting on the first floor, so to speak, there are plenty of entry-level information technology jobs which can fit your skill level — and better still, these information technology jobs can get you started on your way up to more highly skilled (and far more lucrative) positions in the IT field.
One of these entry-level information technology jobs would be as a help desk associate. These jobs can suit both elementary- and intermediate-level professionals. This less skill-intensive position will usually entail answering support questions regarding a particular piece of software. These positions may be in the offices of the company who manufactures the software or in a call center where the support work is outsourced. There are also help desk positions which require a little more technical knowledge to begin with.
There are slightly more demanding entry-level information technology jobs in the help desk profile and technical support departments, but here the staff will field questions and provide support on a significantly wider range of software and technical issues. A good example of this kind of position would be in a university's help desk, often part of the computer sciences or library on campus. If you have an intermediate level of experience with computers and a track record of troubleshooting computer problems in the course of your work history, these information technology jobs may be suited for you.
Problem solving and quick thinking are essential skills in any IT job, especially a help desk or technical support position; users will likely have a wide variety of different issues they will require assistance with, which means that the people filling these entry-level information technology jobs should have a very good grounding on how the operating systems most commonly used in the company or organization work. Generally a company uses Windows systems, but MacOS and Unix systems may be in use as well, particularly in corporations and educational institutions. These professionals should also have an ability to quickly analyze problems and use critical thinking to get to the root cause to resolve issues successfully.
The position of computer operator is another entry-level information technology job which may be a good option for those looking to get into the field of IT. This is a job description which can cover any number of different responsibilities; some computer operators are essentially help desk personnel, while others fill a role closer to that of a system administrator. However, the title of computer operator tends to denote an entry-level position or one requiring a low to intermediate skill level.
If you happen to be trying to make an entry into the field of information technology jobs and possess some more advanced computer skills, then there are some other options. One is to seek out a junior-level system administrator position. These positions exist in companies and other organizations using either Windows or Unix-based systems, so you'll need to have a very solid background in operating the system in question. For some of these jobs, especially with Windows systems, certification may be required. You'll not only need a good understanding of how the system works “under the hood,” but you will also need some basic skills with coding. This is usually relatively simple scripting languages, such as Bash scripting or Perl in Unix systems or batch files for Windows. In either case, you'll probably want to spend a little time studying the issues involved before trying to secure a position in system administration — but it is a possibility if you already have some background in IT.
Computer information technology jobs will have a sustained demand in the foreseeable future. If you can manage to get an entry-level information technology position and posses strong grasping skills, there are a lot of places where this experience can take you over the course of your career. Whether as a computer operator, a help desk associate, or a junior system or network administrator, entry-level IT jobs provide a way for you to get your foot in the door in this growing and rapidly advancing field.
