How to Enter the IT Industry as a Fresher – Full Guide

 Newcomers to the technology industry will likely feel excited about their career choice, but they may also feel stressed out by the general amount of information to learn. All of the options—skills, classes, job opportunities, and areas of focus—will make starting a career in technology seem very intimidating. However, you need to remember that when going into your first job in information technology, you need to focus on clarifying what it is that you want to do as well as having the knowledge and skills needed for that position, and creating a strategy to succeed; you do not need to have prior experience.

In order to help you understand exactly how to begin, what to learn, how to prepare, and how to land your first job in the tech industry, this comprehensive guide will walk you through everything step-by-step in a kind and compassionate manner.

Get​‍​‌‍​‍‌​‍​‌‍​‍‌ to know the IT industry and decide your career route early

Before you learn any IT skill, there is one important thing you need to understand: IT is not only about coding. It has several different fields, and each field is suitable for a different type of student. As a new graduate, your first job is just to discover and figure out which way fits your interests, character, and the way you learn.

✔ Popular IT career paths for freshers:

• Software Developer – Those who like coding and problem-solving.
• Software Tester – Those who find bugs, check quality, and are good at noticing things.
• IT Support / Helpdesk Engineer – Newbies who are looking for a comfortable introduction to IT roles.

Cybersecurity Analyst – Those who want to be the ones protecting the systems and the information, and are interested in it. Choosing your path early will help you avoid confusion, and it will save you weeks and months. Besides, it enables you to have a clear roadmap instead of haphazardly learning ​‍​‌‍​‍‌​‍​‌‍​‍‌things.

 Start Learning the Right Skills — The Freshers’ Skill Roadmap

The following is the second step after figuring out which IT area is the best fit for you. It is skill-building. 

✔ Step 1: Build Basic Computer & Internet Knowledge

One has to be very familiar with the following to be able to work in any IT field:

• Operating systems
• Basic troubleshooting
• MS Office
• Browsers and extensions
• Cloud basics (Google Drive, OneDrive)
• Email professionalism

These simple skills have a great impact on interviews.

✔ Step 2: Learn the Skills for Your IT Role

The following is a skill map that a beginner can use to get an idea of what to focus on when starting in a certain field:

For Developers: HTML, CSS, JavaScript, Basic programming logic, GitHub, Frameworks (React, Angular, Node.js), Projects like to-do apps, portfolio websites, ​‍​‌‍​‍‌​‍​‌‍​‍‌calculators.The projects you have completed are worth a great deal more than your educational training.

Begin with simple projects such as:

• Web pages
• Test cases
• SQL statements
• Dashboard reports
• Design screens
• Deploying to the cloud

 Develop a Resume, Portfolio and LinkedIn Profile to highlight your skills.

Once you have developed the skill sets, you need to develop a way to show others those skill sets. Many recent graduates fail because they do not show their skills clearly.

✔ A. Develop a Skills-Based Resume

A resume is defined by:

• Your Skills
• The Tools You Have
• Your Projects
• Your GitHub Links
• Your Certifications (Even Free Ones).
• Your Education Basics
• Your Clear Contact Information

The portfolio is comprised of many different components, including:

- Websites that you have built

- Testing documentation

- Dashboards

- SQL output/results

- UI Design

- Cloud-based Setup

A portfolio containing these items will give you an edge over other candidates for jobs and greatly increase your chances of getting an interview from prospective companies. 

- A professional photo

- A professionally written skill-specific headline

- A summary of your IT career

- An area of Featured Projects

 Instead, have a strategic approach to job searching.

Part I: The first place to find fresher-friendly jobs is to use the following types of job search engines:

- LinkedIn

- Naukri

- Indeed

- Glassdoor

- Internshala

- Career Pages of Companies

- Startup Sites

Part II: Apply for positions that fit your skills. 

Focus on Technical Skills

Practice and focus on your technical skills. As a Fresher, there are only 3 items to consider in the interview preparation process. Prepare for these items first before anything else.

1) Basics of the position

- Basic Theories of the position

- Various tools related to the position

- Basic definitions related to the position

- Simple Pragmatic questions related to the position

2) Examples: Developers would prepare references about variables, loops, etc., so when they are asked about arrays, loops, or OOP concepts, they can relate them to these items. Testers would prepare references about Test Cases, Defect Life Cycle, etc, so they can relate their experience back to these concepts. Data Analysts would prepare references about various types of data, for example, SQL Queries and Excel Formulas. UI/UX Designers would prepare references about User Flow, Wireframes, etc.

B. Your Project Overview

The ”big” question you’ll be asked in your interview will most likely be something like ”Can you tell me about your project?”

When responding to this question, here are 5 things to talk about:

• 1. What did you create?
• 2. What was your motivation for creating it?
• 3. What tools did you use to develop your project?
• 4. What type of challenges did you encounter?
• 5. What did you gain from creating the project?

The more clearly you explain your project, the greater the chance you will get selected (up to 60%).

C. Behavioural Interview Questions

These types of questions will show your personality, as well as how you communicate and approach problems:

• 1. Tell me about yourself.
• 2. What was the inspiration behind your project? 
• 3. Which tools allowed you to bring each component of your project together? 
• 4. What types of issues presented themselves throughout the completion of your project? 
• 5. Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

Providing the best clarity regarding your project will give you the highest possibility of getting selected (60% chance).

Conclusion

If you follow a structured approach to entering the IT industry as an entry-level professional, you can be an effective member of the workforce within a short time frame. You do not need a 4-year degree or several years of experience; you only need to possess the appropriate skills, practice diligently, create a portfolio of your work, and have confidence in your abilities.

You can start small, learn continuously, and create a fantastic portfolio while you apply continuously. Within 3 to 6 months, you can go from being a student to a professional member of the IT industry. Remember, your career begins the moment you take your first step, not when you are hired into your first job.