What jobs are available in the computer industry?
Computer Hope is not hiring for any of these positions. When jobs are made available, they are posted on our hiring page.
The following list was created for users who enjoy computers but are uncertain what field to enter. Each section contains a job description, the requirements, and recommendations on how to proceed if you're interested.
This page does not contain salary information because it varies greatly depending on the company and location. However, it's safe to assume that higher pay comes with increased difficulty and experience requirements. For a pay range, refer to your local listings (newspaper) or online salary sites for a general overview.
The qualifications and requirements for these jobs vary, but many have entry-level positions. We suggest looking at data entry, freelancer, sales, quality assurance, or technical support jobs as your first computer job or if you're looking to get your foot in the door.
3D animation or graphic design
Description: A position where you design and create graphic or 3D animations for programs, games, movies, and web pages, often with a team of other designers. The position may also require you to work on existing graphics, animations, and movies created by other people.
Requirements: An individual applying for this job would need to be talented in design and creating visuals, and for most people, this is not something you could learn in training. Also, you must understand the programs used to create visual designs or 3D animations.
Recommendations: To get into graphic design, learn to use major graphics programs, such as Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, and other programs to create pictures or edit photos. If you're applying for any design or animation company, having a portfolio of your work is also a good idea.
Difficulty: (MEDIUM - HIGH) Many programs used to create a graphic, edit a photo, or create a 3D render are complex and often require prior experience gained through training or schooling.
Customer service
Description: Helping customers with general questions relating to the company, ordering, status on orders, account information or status, etc.
Requirements: Good communication skills and a general understanding of the company and its products.
Recommendations: A great starting position for anyone looking to get their foot in the door of a company. Once working for a company, you'll have a better chance of changing to your desired position.
Difficulty: (LOW) Customer service jobs only require basic computer proficiency and the ability to navigate the company's system but solemnly require the employee to be skilled in more technical areas.
Data analyst
Description: A data analyst is responsible for collecting, cleaning, and interpreting data to help companies solve questions and problems related to that data.
Requirements: Know and be able to use the required programming languages (e.g., Python), spreadsheets, and use databases like SQL (Structured Query Language).
Recommendations: Learn a programming language like Python and practice using it to scrape and collect data. Practice using spreadsheets to organize and present data, and familiarize yourself with databases.
Difficulty: (HIGH) A good data analyst must understand and use the tools required to collect data, sort and organize that data, and then be able to understand and present that data.
Data entry
Description: A job where the employee takes information from a hard copy or another source and enters it into an electronic format. Position may also be take electronic data and enter it into a database for easy sorting and locating.
Requirements: Requires someone capable of typing 40-50 or more WPM (words per minute), basic computer proficiency, and familiarity with word processors.
Recommendations: Practice typing and take online typing tests to determine your overall speed.
Difficulty: (LOW) Most data entry jobs are beginner-level jobs and don't require much or any prior experience or formal education.
Database
Description: A job that requires creating, testing, and maintaining one or more databases.
Requirements: Requires familiarity with or extensive knowledge of databases at the place of employment. For example, knowledge of Access, FoxPro, MySQL, SQL, and Sybase database systems.
Recommendations: Become familiar with the database used in the business. If the job is for the continued development of a database, you need a good understanding of its corresponding programming language. Often, this knowledge requires experience or formal education.
Difficulty: (MEDIUM - HIGH) Developing or maintaining a database is a difficult and complicated job. You need to have experience or formal education to be considered by most companies.
Electronics technician or engineer
Description: Assembling, testing, and repairing electronic equipment.
Requirements: A strong understanding of basic and advanced electronics.
Recommendations: Get a formal education in electronics and electro-mechanical, or self-teach yourself by building an electronic system or device.
Difficulty: (HIGH) A strong understanding of electronics often takes several years of formal education or on-the-job experience.
Engineer
Description: An engineer designs and implements mechanical and electronic equipment. A broad and difficult field, engineering often requires a college degree or at least several certifications. Although used broadly on this page, the engineer is usually specified in the job requirement. For example, a software development engineer may be a highly skilled computer programmer.
Requirements: The requirements for this job change depending on the engineering field that interests you. However, as mentioned above, any engineering job requires a vast knowledge of the subject matter, usually from school, certifications, training, or years of experience.
Recommendations: Get training and education on the subject of interest from books, college, the Internet, and other sources. Before you can qualify for many engineering positions, you need experience; therefore, getting an entry-level job in the same field is a good idea. For example, to become a software engineer, get a job in programming, or create a program. To become a network engineer, get a job that requires you to set up, maintain, or otherwise work with professional networks. You can start learning by setting up your home network.
Difficulty: (HIGH) This job and position requires experience or a degree at the median level.
Freelancer or virtual assistant
Description: Thanks to the Internet, it's possible for anyone to become a freelancer and apply for positions around the world.
Requirements: Computer and high-speed Internet connection.
Recommendations: A wide array of freelance jobs are available online, so it isn't easy to give any specific recommendation. However, working from home can be difficult; there are more distractions, and keeping a schedule is hard. Set a strict work schedule and always ensure you work for what you feel your time is worth.
Difficulty: (LOW - HIGH) This depends on the job you apply for since there are low difficulty freelance jobs such as customer service and high difficulty jobs like freelance programming.
Hardware
Description: A position as a hardware designer, circuit design, embedded systems, firmware, etc., is a job that requires you to design and create a complete hardware package or portions of a hardware device.
Requirements: Jobs that design or create hardware devices require you to have a good understanding of electronics, circuits, firmware, or design. You must have several years of prior experience or a degree in the field for this position.
Recommendations: If you are interested in this field, we suggest you get a degree in the field.
Difficulty: (HIGH) Hardware design is a difficult position to learn and understand unless you get training or a degree.
Networking or system administrator
Description: Computer networking jobs involve designing, setting up, and maintaining a network.
Requirements: Although most users today have a home network, setting up, troubleshooting, and maintaining a corporate network is a more complicated task. Networking jobs also require a good understanding of how a network works, and in some cases, how the underlying protocols and structure work.
Recommendations: Numerous network and network-related certifications are available today, such as the CCNA (Cisco Certified Network Associate), MCSE (Microsoft Certified System Engineer), etc. Often, depending on the level of certification and the job, the certifications are more than enough to qualify you for most network jobs. Some higher networking positions, especially in developing network hardware or programming, may also require experience in networking or a degree.
Difficulty: (MEDIUM - HIGH) The job specifications and the network's complexity usually determine the job's difficulty.
Programmer or software developer
Description: A job that requires the development or continued development and maintenance of a program.
Requirements: A basic to an extensive understanding of a programming language. Because most job positions require the ability to help develop a program, they require several years of experience or a degree.
With software on the Internet, a developer is often classified as someone who works on the back end.
Recommendations: Learn one or more programming languages. Depending on what programs or scripts you want to create may change the language you want to learn. See the programming language definition for a listing of popular programming languages and programs they create. If you need experience, creating programs or working on an open-source project is a great way to learn a language and demonstrate your abilities at a job interview.
Difficulty: (HIGH) Learning a programming language can be as difficult as learning a second language, and it takes experience and practice to become a skilled programmer.
Quality assurance, system analyst, or tester
Description: This job requires that the employee to test all features of a product for any problems or usability issues.
Requirements: Requires a good understanding of computer software, hardware, and the product being tested.
Recommendations: Become familiar with computers, software, hardware, and the company's products.
Difficulty: (LOW - MEDIUM) What is being tested and how thorough and in-depth the troubleshooting process is determines the job's difficulty. However, there's not much difficulty locating and reporting issues for users familiar with the product or similar products.
Repair and fix
Description: A job that requires you to fix and repair computers and computer equipment. Often, this involves removing a component from the computer and replacing it with a good component.
Requirements: A good understanding of computer hardware, computer disassembly, proper tools, and good troubleshooting skills.
Recommendations: Build a computer or disassemble and re-assemble a computer. Become familiar with computers, software, hardware, and the company's products.
Difficulty: (MEDIUM - HIGH) This job requires a good understanding of disassembling a computer, what can be repaired, and how to fix or replace components.
Sales
Description: Selling a product or service to another person or company.
Requirements: Good communication skills and a general understanding of computers and the product being sold.
Recommendations: If you are selling computers, computer hardware, or computer software, become familiar with all aspects of the product. Sites like Computer Hope are a great resource to learn about computers. If you are selling a specialized product developed by the company, visit their web page, and become as familiar with the product as possible.
Difficulty: (LOW) Sales for computer software, hardware, electronics, or related products is a good first job and a way to learn more about computers.
Technical support (technician or help desk)
Description: Helping end-users or company employees with their computers, programs, and hardware devices. A technical support position is a great first step for people interested in working in the computer industry.
Requirements: A basic understanding of computers, computer software, and hardware.
Recommendations: Become familiar with computers, computer software, and computer hardware. Although almost all technical support centers provide some training, most still require you to be familiar with computers.
Help desks for corporations do not usually have any training; these positions require you to have a good understanding of computers and troubleshooting computer problems.
Difficulty: (LOW - MEDIUM) The difficulty of this job depends on the training you get. However, someone familiar with computers or who works with computers often has an easy time with these positions after a few days.
Technical writing
Description: This position often involves creating or editing technical papers or manuals.
Requirements: This position often requires the individual to have a basic understanding of the subject and have good writing skills.
Recommendations: Many of these positions require you to have a degree and often test a user before hiring them. It is also good to be familiar with at least one major word processor and a CMS (content management system) if writing online.
Difficulty: (LOW - MEDIUM) For someone who has good writing skills and familiarity with the subject, this job can be easy.
Security expert
Description: Test and find system, hardware device, or program vulnerabilities.
Requirements: This position is for someone who has a strong familiarity with how software, hardware, and networks work and how to exploit them. Often, you must understand how the overall system works and have good programming skills.
Recommendations: Keep up-to-date with all security news, advisories, and other related news. To understand vulnerabilities and how to identify them, you'll need to understand how to program and how software interacts with computers.
Difficulty: (MEDIUM - HIGH) The difficulty of this job depends on what you are testing or how you are testing for vulnerabilities.
Webmaster or web designer
Description: Create, maintain, or completely design a web page.
Requirements: For basic web designing positions, a good understanding of HTML (hypertext markup language), the Internet, and web servers is needed. Understand the technologies and code used to create a web page and the HTML editor or program used to create the page. More advanced positions may also require familiarity with CSS (cascading style sheets), Flash, FTP, JavaScript, jQuery, Linux, Perl, PHP (PHP: Hypertext Preprocessor), Python, RSS, SSI (server-side include), Unix, or XHTML (extensible hypertext markup language).
A designer is often classified as someone who works on the front end.
Recommendations: One of the best learning experiences for people interested in this job is creating a web page or helping maintain another website. Realize that designing and posting a web page using a WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get) editor without some basic understanding of HTML may not be enough for most jobs.
Difficulty: (MEDIUM - HIGH) The complexity of this job depends on the project. Creating and posting a simple website with no interaction is not that hard. However, creating an interactive site with forms, databases, and overall more interaction with the user and the server can significantly increase the job's difficulty.