One of the big things about making a career in IT is knowing which direction you wish to pursue. Do you want to become a developer, possibly leading through into business analysis, project management/consultancy down the track, or are you more interested in networking or hardware, or becoming a DBA? There are so many options now available and there are some excellent training companies providing a wide range of courses as well as the tertiary institutes graduate programmes.

·         Do embark upon some type of training. It will depend upon your circumstances as to whether a three-year full time degree is right for you, or whether it is better to do something on a part time basis while employed in a position.

·         Talk to a number of training facilities about what they offer and what they recommend. They vary considerably. Some will be more involved in assisting their graduates in finding employment, than others.

·         If you have embarked upon a course of some type, talk to the tutors/lecturers about opportunities.

·         Register with consultancies, and send your CV to companies you would like to become a part of. Follow up and follow up.

·         If you are currently working for an organisation with an IT function, express an interest to understand more about how it operates. Maybe you will obtain an opportunity for some experience

·         Use any contacts in IT to find out about opportunities for work experience within their organisations.

·         Put together a great CV that stands out. Avoid waffle and set it out with clear and concise points about what you have achieved. Prospective employers are looking for attitude, and what you have done to make yourself attractive as a potential employee. This may be a course, or even part time unpaid work experience. Today’s employers generally have the view of “Hire for Attitude, Train for Skills”. There will always be organisations who offer positions to the top graduates from various tertiary institutes, but for the rest of you, it is a matter of getting your name out there, and accepting that there will be an opportunity, but sometimes it takes some time to find.

·         Brush up on your interviewing skills. Practice is very beneficial as interviewing skills develop from experience. For tips and hints on interviewing techniques please visit our website – www.itwork.co.nz

A general guideline of base salaries across IT roles.

Over the last eighteen months the market has moved from a shortage of potential employees to a situation where employees are competing for a limited number of opportunities. IT salaries for both permanent roles and hourly rates for contractors have remained stable or slightly decreased as a result.

In addition to a base salary important considerations will be:

• Opportunities for training and career development
• Benefits such as medical insurance and life and disability insurance
• Is a vehicle provided
• Superannuation
• Bonus payments for achievement – be clear on criteria for achievement
• At more senior level share options

Base salary per annum	Entry Level	Intermediate (3 – 5 yrs experience)	Senior ( 6 years plus experience)
Developer	$35k - $40k	$40k - $60k	$60k – $90k
HelpDesk/Technical Support	$35k - $40k	$40k - $55k	$55k – $90k (HelpDesk/Technical Support Team Lead)
Network / Systems Administration	$35k - $40k	$40k - $60k	$60k - $95k (senior network specialist)
Business Analyst	Not generally an entry-level opportunity. Experience in one of the above usually comes first	$45k - $60k	$60k - $90k
Project Manager	As above	$55 - $75	$75k - $130k