Exclusive Benefits Of Working In Tech
Choosing the best career can be challenging. Whether you are just starting your professional life and searching for the perfect career or have decided that it’s time to make a career change, the tech industry is a field worth investigating.
The tech industry has grown and flourished over the past decade. With the success of companies like Apple, Google, and Microsoft, that growth shows no signs of slowing anytime soon. Just as appealing as industry growth is the unique benefits that are either exclusive to the tech industry or are much less common than in traditional industries.
A 2018 study found that when asked what the most significant factor they considered when looking for a job or evaluating an offer, over half of all workers in the tech industry listed compensation and benefits. These priorities have not gone unnoticed by tech companies competing to recruit and hire talented people.
Well-rounded benefit packages that include health insurance, relocation assistance, tuition reimbursement, wellness stipends, and paid parental leave are standard in many industries. However, many tech companies offer other unique benefits to attract the type of well-rounded, enthusiastic individuals they desire. While some of these benefits are not exclusive to tech careers, the industry is able to offer better wages and perks than most other fields.
Tech Careers Don’t Require the Traditional College Path
Most career paths today follow a traditional career path that requires a degree. For example, for those who intend to pursue a career in medicine, law, or education, a traditional college path leading to an associate’s or bachelor’s degree is usually required to prove they’re qualified to practice in the field.
However, jobs generally don’t require a formal education from a four-year university in the tech industry. The majority of tech employers are more concerned with your skills and ability to contribute to producing products and services that help customers and generate a profit for the company. While it takes time to gain the appropriate skills and launch your tech career, it is much faster than a traditional 4-year university.
Hiring for high-skilled, high-wage jobs such as IT without a degree is becoming more prevalent within the technology sector. In addition, there is growing support for hiring employees out of high school and providing them with on-the-job training, rather than recruiting from traditional schools that teach everyone to think the same way. Finally, as the tech industry continues to experience explosive growth, many companies have begun hiring without degrees simply because universities cannot keep up with the demands of the growing and ever-changing field.
If your goal is to enter a rewarding, fast-paced career as quickly as possible, a tech career might be the ideal choice for you. Unlike traditional career paths that require years of schooling, choosing a career in technology enables you to earn while you learn, an appealing benefit for many people.
You Can Make Great Money in Tech
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the tech industry is projected to grow by as much as 13 percent between 2020 and 2030, faster than the average growth of all occupations. The high demand for tech workers is largely due to an increased focus on information security, the collection and storage of big data, and cloud computing. In addition to higher than average growth, the median annual wage for computer and information technology occupations, $91,250 in May 2020, is over twice as high as the median yearly wage for all fields of $41,950.
Careers in tech are often associated with high-paying jobs because of the high demand for filling positions. Software Engineers, UX Designers, Digital Marketers, and other skilled positions are in such high need that many organizations must pay top dollar to fill these roles with qualified and talented individuals. As a result, it’s not uncommon for people entering the tech industry to receive offers with starting salaries that exceed $40,000.
Work Remote with Flexible Hours
In the world of tech, the most important thing is developing products that fill the customer’s wants and needs. Building a quality product doesn’t have to be done between the hours of 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Monday through Friday. Standard business hours don’t matter for most tech companies as long as the product is developed and performs according to the client’s wishes, and is delivered on time. In fact, there are positions and times in the tech industry where you don’t need to be in the office at all.
The technology industry has the unique ability to offer more employees the option of working remotely, which can have several benefits. For instance, if an employee’s job description allows them to work remotely, they can work from anywhere they choose. In addition, working remotely enables you to live anywhere you want and take advantage of the low or zero percent income tax rate that many states offer. Moving to a state with a zero percent income tax rate can effectively increase your spendable income by as much as six or seven percent.
Working remotely with flexible hours can also help create a healthier work-life balance by allowing you to accommodate your family needs more easily. As long as you have a good internet connection and a computer with the proper hardware and software, you can work from nearly anywhere. Remote working is becoming extremely common in the tech industry, with many employees working from home and the comfort of their couch or even traveling to other parts of the world.
You Can Be Your Unique Self
Most industries have a dress code that people are expected or required to adhere to as a standard. For instance, if you are involved in the financial world or the legal field, you are expected to dress professionally, which, for men, means a traditional business suit and a conservative tie. On the other hand, if you’re a doctor or nurse, you are typically expected to wear a dress shirt, slacks, skirt, and a white coat. However, in the world of tech, employees can almost always wear what they want.
While every tech company is different, most tech companies are more focused on the work being produced than on the clothing of those creating the product. As a result, it’s common for tech employees to come to work wearing jeans, t-shirts, and sneakers.
In general, jobs in the tech industry are popular because the industry has always embraced casual atmospheres. Along with allowing you to dress as you like, tech offices are known for providing a welcoming, relaxed, laid-back atmosphere. It’s not uncommon to find beanbag chairs, hammocks, stability balls, or even a ping-pong table in the offices of a tech company. Typically, the mindset in the tech industry is that when employees are happy and comfortable, they are more productive.
Personal Growth and Development Opportunities
Another benefit of working in the technology industry is that there are always opportunities to learn and focus on new technology which is continuously evolving. The ability to learn new skills and take on new challenges makes the work very interesting and challenging at times, but also very rewarding.
Due to the constantly evolving technology, a career in tech guarantees that your learning will never end. In the tech field, it’s expected that something new and challenging will arise. As a result, it’s rare for tech employees to complain that their job is tedious and lacks the opportunity to tackle various new or different challenges.
In many ways, while the tech industry has matured over the last 25 years, the field is still as new, fresh, and challenging as ever due to the current demands for security specializations in the IT space. As a result, employees can feel confident that they will have the opportunity to grow and build a skill set that will continue to make them more and more valuable as they advance in their careers.
One of the perks of the tech industry is the ability to stay ahead of the typical workplace concerning security trends and security threats. The information that flows in concerning these two topics typically runs through the IT field way before it hits the other industries, putting you on the cutting edge.
In many industries, employees are often limited to a relatively narrow set of core job responsibilities and have limited opportunities to expand skillsets outside of their day-to-day tasks. However, in the tech industry, the willingness and ability to learn new and evolving technologies is key to success, and employees are typically encouraged to step out of their comfort zone. With an open and eager mind, a tech employee can learn a wide range of skills, a benefit that sets the industry apart from most fields.
Consider a Career In Tech
The tech industry is a highly competitive field that is growing at an incredible pace. The expected continued growth of the sector creates security for those employees entering the field. In addition to above-average earnings, tech employees can take advantage of a wide range of perks and benefits unique to the industry. To learn more about the opportunities offered by pursuing a career in tech, contact us today.