Information technology (IT) is the use of computer systems or devices to access information. Information technology is responsible for such a large portion of our workforce, business operations and personal access to information that it comprises much of our daily activities. Whether you are storing, retrieving, accessing or manipulating information, IT greatly impacts our everyday lives.
Information technology is used by everyone from enterprise companies all the way down to one-person businesses and local operations. Global companies use it to manage data and innovate their processes. Even flea market sellers use smartphone credit card readers to collect payments and street performers give out a Venmo name to gather donations. If you use a spreadsheet to catalogue which Christmas presents you bought, you’re using information technology.
What Are the Types of Information Technology?
Information technology is a broad term that involves the use of technology to communicate, transfer data and process information.
The different trends within information technology include, but aren’t limited to:
- Analytics
- Automation
- Artificial intelligence
- Cloud computing
- Communications
- Cybersecurity
- Data/database management
- Infrastructure
- Internet of things
- Machine learning
- Maintenance and repair
- Networks
- Robotics
- Software/application development
- SCADA
This list is by no means exhaustive and new applications for technology are constantly emerging.
What Is the Role of Information Technology?
Information technology plays a prominent role in business and provides a foundation for much of our current workforce. From communications to data management and operational efficiency, IT supports many business functions and helps drive productivity.
Why Do We Need Information Technology?
Information technology drives much of what we do in our personal and professional lives. It is the foundation of our communication, technological advancement, innovation, sustainability and recreation. We use information technology on a personal level to connect and communicate with others, play games, share media, shop and be social.
From a career perspective, information technology is largely responsible for much of our business operations and spans nearly every industry. From healthcare to food services, manufacturing to sales, and beyond, we rely on IT to help connect us to others, store and manage information and create more efficient processes.
IT Career Opportunities
According to Cyberstates 2020, there were 12.1 million technology-based jobs in 2020, which continues to grow year over year. Careers in IT span many different areas, from computer hardware and software development to networking, computer repair, technical support, cybersecurity, cloud computing, artificial intelligence, data science and so much more. What originally began as a siloed department, information technology is now considered a critical business function that impacts nearly every aspect of an organization.
What Exactly Is an IT Job?
An IT job is any position that involves the implementation, support, maintenance, repair or protection of data or computer systems. Those involved in development, deployment or support of the systems or applications others use are the most common examples of IT jobs. If you like problem solving and being an active learner, a technology job could be right for you.
Examples of IT Jobs
IT jobs run the gamut. Here’s a brief rundown of some IT job possibilities. Keep in mind that these positions can also be industry specific, so you could work one of the following roles in an industry of your choice.
Hardware-based IT jobs could include any of the following:
- Help desk technician
- Computer technician
- Network engineer/architect
- Hardware manufacturer
- Cloud engineer
- Cloud architect
Software-based jobs might involve developing applications or programs and may include the following:
- Software developer
- Software engineer
- Programmer
- Mobile application developer
- Web developer
- Product owner/support
IT jobs that involve data protection or incident response fall under cybersecurity and may include the following:
- Cybersecurity specialist
- Cybersecurity analyst
- Cybersecurity architect
- Forensic analyst
- Incident responder
- Malware analyst
- Pen tester/ethical Hacker
- Threat hunter
Jobs in information technology that involve data collection, storage or analysis fall under data jobs, which may include:
- Data scientist/analyst
- Data engineer
- Database engineer
- Data privacy officer
- Business intelligence analyst
As with any industry, there are several IT jobs that are leadership positions. These may include jobs such as:
- IT manager/team lead
- Director of IT
- Chief Information Security Officer (CISCO) Chief Information Officer (CIO)
- Chief Technology Officer (CTO)
- Chief Data Officer (CDO)