{"id":1349,"date":"2024-07-15T10:45:51","date_gmt":"2024-07-15T16:45:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/grownuptech.com\/?p=1349"},"modified":"2024-08-12T18:39:27","modified_gmt":"2024-08-12T18:39:27","slug":"start-your-tech-career-a-guide-to-entry-level-jobs-skills-and-growth-paths","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/oakwoodexperience.com\/staging\/2633\/start-your-tech-career-a-guide-to-entry-level-jobs-skills-and-growth-paths\/","title":{"rendered":"Start Your Tech Career: A Guide to Entry-Level Jobs, Skills, and Growth Paths"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/grownuptech.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/IT-Tech.jpeg?w=1290&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1351\" style=\"width:432px;height:auto\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"has-black-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-02f362fb816f4bc8cd0787e5a2b42985 wp-block-paragraph\">I was a late bloomer in the computer world. I didn\u2019t have a Texas Instruments setup, I didn\u2019t post to bulletin boards. My first computer ran Windows 98, but I was familiar with Windows 3.1.1 and DOS, having used them at work. It was that computer that got me interested in technology, but I didn\u2019t know where to go to learn about computers, other than working on my own machine. When I dug deep enough to start getting some answers, it became obvious that there were two distinct computer technology paths, and they weren\u2019t the same at all: Information Technology (hardware, software, networks), and Programming. That\u2019s not to say that you couldn\u2019t do both, but they were separate and distinct, and that was about all there were at the time. Writing websites was essentially a programming function.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-black-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-6ea3a86378be013b42d534239356d25c wp-block-paragraph\">Things have changed now, and yet they haven\u2019t. There are a lot more computer-related jobs, but they still can be grouped under either the IT label or the Programming label. There may be some, like Data Analysis that sorta don\u2019t fall there, but yeah, they kinda do, or else they\u2019re classified as some other field altogether. What I\u2019ve put together here is a guide to getting into a technology job. I\u2019ve listed a bunch and grouped them first by experience tier, then within each type of job, I\u2019ve provided the education required, education preferred, where it can lead to, how you can find the jobs, and how you can get experience to get the job so you can get job experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Entry-Level Jobs<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading has-black-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-2e19ce1a777a2bbd94d0454b04df3c4c\">1. Computer Support Specialist<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-black-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-2047d4ff2c6edde0168d863dd2889d24 wp-block-paragraph\">\u00a0\u00a0 Minimum Education: High school diploma or equivalent<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-black-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-0d16bc82369c0aac34c89bca5bf0cd8d wp-block-paragraph\">\u00a0\u00a0 Preferred Education\/Certifications: Associate\u2019s degree in IT or computer science; CompTIA A+ certification<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-black-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-77193220aecc61aa2d3f2454b848adb6 wp-block-paragraph\">\u00a0\u00a0 Career Path: Can lead to roles such as network administrator or IT manager with additional training and certifications.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-black-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-7642140053827f8ae63d51abde8abf91 wp-block-paragraph\">&nbsp;&nbsp; Job Search Resources: Company websites, LinkedIn, Indeed, and tech-specific job boards like Dice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading has-black-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-dce1070cba57088067589da170c67159\">&nbsp;&nbsp; How to get this job without actual job experience: &nbsp;<\/h5>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-black-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-eb13efeb93602d09838905412e400199 wp-block-paragraph\">Volunteer Work: Offer tech support services to non-profit organizations or small businesses that need help but cannot afford professional services.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-black-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-abfacd7b59be7fd61e83e20e980d4d91 wp-block-paragraph\">Internships: Look for internship opportunities in IT departments across various industries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-black-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-6a1b8abb6a92098a9afc173127602d31 wp-block-paragraph\">Personal Projects: Set up a home network and manage it, or build and maintain personal computers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-black-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-d2f71458d67bda7c7c63c24d5d609c36 wp-block-paragraph\">Certifications: Acquire certifications like CompTIA A+ or Microsoft Certified: IT Professional which include practical components that mimic job-related tasks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading has-black-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-676194db0e1f44197ab00dd48b54849d\">2. Web Developer<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-black-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-9a884c425abc9e892784f5f04a7ca767 is-vertical is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-4fc3f8e1 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<p class=\"has-black-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-2f731b34c90bd294f0c4313b06e2b5d6 wp-block-paragraph\">\u00a0\u00a0 Minimum Education: Associate\u2019s degree in web design or related field<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-black-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-016e383c4856c2299e917f01e1a81f03 wp-block-paragraph\">\u00a0\u00a0 Preferred Education\/Certifications: Bachelor\u2019s degree in computer science; certifications in specific programming languages or tools<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-black-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-569f6fe53ce7515e0dd974e66b10f29b wp-block-paragraph\">\u00a0\u00a0 Career Path: May advance to senior developer, project manager, or software engineer roles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-black-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-9d8d4393aa939439e6e79ff359dd7bb6 wp-block-paragraph\">&nbsp;&nbsp; Job Search Resources: Stack Overflow Jobs, GitHub Jobs, Glassdoor, and freelance platforms like Upwork for project-based work.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\">&nbsp;How to get this job without actual job experience: &nbsp;<\/h5>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-black-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-a0af6d3e194e976b0193f72dce8fc849 wp-block-paragraph\">Freelance Projects: Start taking on freelance projects through platforms like Upwork or Freelancer to build a portfolio.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-black-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-55fe9f7ef9431b4d489e4c098ef3cdc0 wp-block-paragraph\">Open Source Contributions: Contribute to open source projects on platforms like GitHub to gain real-world coding experience and collaboration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-black-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-ca37241305adf1a069edd4e5d66c042d wp-block-paragraph\">Bootcamps: Attend coding bootcamps that offer hands-on projects and often provide career placement services.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-black-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-b4b630bdfd12f45d961918e44fafcd59 wp-block-paragraph\">Build a Portfolio: Develop your own website or web applications that demonstrate your coding skills, design sense, and understanding of web technologies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading has-black-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-895c112ede26ef760d896a208c8ebb73\">3. IT Technician<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-black-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-d22101b68a301d8e7be697d1efb7c7b6 wp-block-paragraph\">\u00a0\u00a0 Minimum Education: Postsecondary nondegree award or certificate<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-black-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-043e83f03a50100dc1d5906596711330 wp-block-paragraph\">\u00a0\u00a0 Preferred Education\/Certifications: Bachelor\u2019s degree in IT or computer science; certifications like Network+ or Security+<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-black-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-e5fa337192cb703ab41f18a9e56845a6 wp-block-paragraph\">\u00a0\u00a0 Career Path: Potential advancement to network engineer or cybersecurity specialist.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-black-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-52d11469e009887f1d7483f4a86230ff wp-block-paragraph\">&nbsp;&nbsp; Job Search Resources: Local business listings, LinkedIn, and general job boards like Monster and Indeed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading has-black-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-b28c09ad80476868fceaa3d019f38462\">How to get this job without actual job experience: &nbsp;<\/h5>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-black-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-a76245f31d60d4604910ce474994fd19 wp-block-paragraph\">Home Lab: Set up a home lab to practice setting up servers, troubleshooting hardware issues, or experimenting with different operating systems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-black-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-26fc385b37ab1a395c173f52e45ad5db wp-block-paragraph\">Part-Time Jobs or Internships: Even part-time roles in retail electronics stores (like Geek Squad at Best Buy) provide practical experience with common technical issues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-black-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-818e7f774048296164babbab76bdc64d wp-block-paragraph\">Online Tutorials and Courses: Complete courses that offer practical, hands-on labs and simulations in areas like networking, hardware repair, and software troubleshooting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-black-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-6b536fda00138be7838627a041c5f332 wp-block-paragraph\">Volunteer to Help With Tech Support: Many schools and community centers need help maintaining their computer systems and networks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-black-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-d6e71fca48b73f33c2d2fdcbfa27d071 wp-block-paragraph\">For each of these entry-level positions, the key is to engage in practical activities that are as similar as possible to the tasks of the job you want. Documenting these experiences clearly and effectively on a resume can demonstrate your aptitude for the work. Building a portfolio of your work helps prospective employers see that you enjoy the processes you\u2019ll be involved in. Through your activities, posting your experiences on a blog or participating in a group where you share these experiences can put you into contact with people who will be willing to give you your first shot. Additionally, providing volunteer services is an amazing way to network with decision makers or with people who are in regular contact with decision makers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Second-Tier Jobs<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">1. Network Administrator<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-black-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-a15bbac8a479ea424826b462ad2543e1 wp-block-paragraph\">\u00a0\u00a0 Minimum Education: Bachelor\u2019s degree in network administration, computer science, or related field<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-black-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-b1502809af6ec792bf0add196e28ef26 wp-block-paragraph\">\u00a0\u00a0 Preferred Education\/Certifications: Certifications such as Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) or Microsoft Certified Solutions Expert (MCSE)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-black-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-546ed36ce88f6e0837a48677b10e1834 wp-block-paragraph\">\u00a0\u00a0 Career Path: Could move into network architecture or IT director roles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-black-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-8bf0e0e361123163de90a209375dea39 wp-block-paragraph\">&nbsp;&nbsp; Job Search Resources: Cisco Careers, CompTIA Career Center, and specialized networking forums and job boards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading has-black-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-6b2bb1d0d1a793c131425d9d7c6b352a\">2. Software Developer<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-black-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-d81f346d8396d1dffbc09b07a3966233 wp-block-paragraph\">\u00a0\u00a0 Minimum Education: Bachelor\u2019s degree in computer science, software engineering, or related field<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-black-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-93b103a22d301da231cfd79979bf97fd wp-block-paragraph\">\u00a0\u00a0 Preferred Education\/Certifications: Master\u2019s degree; specialized certifications in software development frameworks<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-black-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-f1cf4012079041a7c6793aa77cfce37c wp-block-paragraph\">\u00a0\u00a0 Career Path: Can progress to senior developer, software architect, or CTO positions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-black-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-850f32b2b5d1161f382b90c5baf11d42 wp-block-paragraph\">&nbsp;&nbsp; Job Search Resources: LinkedIn, Indeed, AngelList (for startup jobs), and industry-specific job boards such as Stack Overflow Jobs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading has-black-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-3f5d0326e66f809559761e5cc2085f32\">3. Cybersecurity Analyst<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-black-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-32eda28025c3e884132d838f8b5dccf0 wp-block-paragraph\">\u00a0\u00a0 Minimum Education: Bachelor\u2019s degree in cybersecurity, information technology, or related field<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-black-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-449db51eaa4306914c25797c48880520 wp-block-paragraph\">\u00a0\u00a0 Preferred Education\/Certifications: Master\u2019s degree in cybersecurity; certifications like Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-black-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-5240875598a371c052c7c96cd1642d47 wp-block-paragraph\">\u00a0\u00a0 Career Path: May advance to roles such as chief security officer or consultant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-black-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-ab36618249226c00b8f1ff2635c438e7 wp-block-paragraph\">&nbsp;&nbsp; Job Search Resources: CyberSecJobs.com, InfoSec Jobs, and professional networking events and conferences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-black-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-c3e94b668cf0113f20d65eb1fbeca13e\">Third-Tier Jobs<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">1. IT Manager<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-black-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-7c15ca2c22843b852fda415ecc6120be wp-block-paragraph\">\u00a0\u00a0 Minimum Education: Bachelor\u2019s degree in IT management, computer science, or related field<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-black-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-d078377625e66feac8334141d3939258 wp-block-paragraph\">\u00a0\u00a0 Preferred Education\/Certifications: MBA or Master\u2019s in IT management; Project Management Professional (PMP) certification<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-black-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-447e81d9fa107aa4dd82f3eb85270fee wp-block-paragraph\">\u00a0\u00a0 Career Path: Potential to become IT director, VP of IT, or CIO.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-black-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-7ad489676542f412ace352db9fe2b658 wp-block-paragraph\">&nbsp;&nbsp; Job Search Resources: Indeed, Glassdoor, and executive search agencies specializing in IT leadership roles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">2. Data Scientist<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-black-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-f23e8f6457bb318807b63393574c7d99 wp-block-paragraph\">\u00a0\u00a0 Minimum Education: Bachelor\u2019s degree in statistics, mathematics, computer science, or related field<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-black-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-290809ad9c8d3ebc516f94ec05ea3312 wp-block-paragraph\">\u00a0\u00a0 Preferred Education\/Certifications: Master\u2019s degree or PhD; certifications in data science, big data technologies<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-black-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-1c3c413410a156090d8ca2cbdd0dbf3e wp-block-paragraph\">\u00a0\u00a0 Career Path: Opportunities to move into senior data scientist roles or management positions in analytics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-black-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-83bae8c1f9a7232fb7534e825ad43db5 wp-block-paragraph\">&nbsp;&nbsp; Job Search Resources: Kaggle Jobs, DataJobs.com, LinkedIn, and academic industry collaboration boards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">3. Cloud Architect<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-black-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-8912a06045f1eacd5efcb439fc2ae405 wp-block-paragraph\">\u00a0\u00a0 Minimum Education: Bachelor\u2019s degree in IT, computer science, or cloud computing<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-black-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-6d07b510b4dc03c65d8cfb5fb7398179 wp-block-paragraph\">\u00a0\u00a0 Preferred Education\/Certifications: Certifications like AWS Certified Solutions Architect or Microsoft Certified: Azure Solutions Architect Expert<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-black-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-17c1a4e0651710b4576eb07140e2341a wp-block-paragraph\">\u00a0\u00a0 Career Path: Can advance to senior architect positions or IT strategic roles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-black-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-7909cd15a44585095efbfd2ac861cf26 wp-block-paragraph\">\u00a0\u00a0 Job Search Resources: AWS Careers, Microsoft Careers, Google Cloud Careers, and specialized cloud technology job boards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-black-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-18029ea15f3e71f0cfc96fd86cf337f7 wp-block-paragraph\">A career in technology is as fulfilling as any other, depending on your interest, aptitude, and opportunities. However, you have to realize before you embark, that this ship is always in motion. I hope this guide has given you valuable information, and if I&#8217;ve left anything out, drop a comment and we&#8217;ll discuss it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Discover the best entry points into the tech industry with our comprehensive guide to entry-level computer jobs. Learn about the essential skills, certifications, and career paths that can jumpstart your journey in technology.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","_kad_post_transparent":"","_kad_post_title":"","_kad_post_layout":"","_kad_post_sidebar_id":"","_kad_post_content_style":"","_kad_post_vertical_padding":"","_kad_post_feature":"","_kad_post_feature_position":"","_kad_post_header":false,"_kad_post_footer":false,"_kad_post_classname":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[8,10],"tags":[371,50,616,636,640,238],"class_list":["post-1349","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-recentrelevant","category-commentary-and-consideration","tag-career","tag-computer","tag-information","tag-it","tag-jobs","tag-technology"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.7 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Start Your Tech Career: A Guide to Entry-Level Jobs, Skills, and Growth Paths - Oakwood Experience<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/oakwoodexperience.com\/start-your-tech-career-a-guide-to-entry-level-jobs-skills-and-growth-paths\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Start Your Tech Career: A Guide to Entry-Level Jobs, Skills, and Growth Paths - Oakwood Experience\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Discover the best entry points into the tech industry with our comprehensive guide to entry-level computer jobs. Learn about the essential skills, certifications, and career paths that can jumpstart your journey in technology.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/oakwoodexperience.com\/start-your-tech-career-a-guide-to-entry-level-jobs-skills-and-growth-paths\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Oakwood Experience\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:author\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/profile.php?id=61563885192881\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2024-07-15T16:45:51+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2024-08-12T18:39:27+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/grownuptech.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/IT-Tech.jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Nancy Jones\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@https:\/\/x.com\/oakwood92297\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Nancy Jones\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"6 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/oakwoodexperience.com\\\/start-your-tech-career-a-guide-to-entry-level-jobs-skills-and-growth-paths\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/oakwoodexperience.com\\\/start-your-tech-career-a-guide-to-entry-level-jobs-skills-and-growth-paths\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Nancy Jones\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/oakwoodexperience.com\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/55a8ed6b0b18ff93e63bbba903d4dae3\"},\"headline\":\"Start Your Tech Career: A Guide to Entry-Level Jobs, Skills, and Growth Paths\",\"datePublished\":\"2024-07-15T16:45:51+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2024-08-12T18:39:27+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/oakwoodexperience.com\\\/start-your-tech-career-a-guide-to-entry-level-jobs-skills-and-growth-paths\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":1247,\"commentCount\":0,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/oakwoodexperience.com\\\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/oakwoodexperience.com\\\/start-your-tech-career-a-guide-to-entry-level-jobs-skills-and-growth-paths\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/grownuptech.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2024\\\/07\\\/IT-Tech.jpeg\",\"keywords\":[\"career\",\"computer\",\"information\",\"IT\",\"jobs\",\"technology\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Recent and Relevant\",\"Tech Commentary and Consideration\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/oakwoodexperience.com\\\/start-your-tech-career-a-guide-to-entry-level-jobs-skills-and-growth-paths\\\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/oakwoodexperience.com\\\/start-your-tech-career-a-guide-to-entry-level-jobs-skills-and-growth-paths\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/oakwoodexperience.com\\\/start-your-tech-career-a-guide-to-entry-level-jobs-skills-and-growth-paths\\\/\",\"name\":\"Start Your Tech Career: A Guide to Entry-Level Jobs, Skills, and Growth Paths - Oakwood Experience\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/oakwoodexperience.com\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/oakwoodexperience.com\\\/start-your-tech-career-a-guide-to-entry-level-jobs-skills-and-growth-paths\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/oakwoodexperience.com\\\/start-your-tech-career-a-guide-to-entry-level-jobs-skills-and-growth-paths\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/grownuptech.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2024\\\/07\\\/IT-Tech.jpeg\",\"datePublished\":\"2024-07-15T16:45:51+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2024-08-12T18:39:27+00:00\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/oakwoodexperience.com\\\/start-your-tech-career-a-guide-to-entry-level-jobs-skills-and-growth-paths\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/oakwoodexperience.com\\\/start-your-tech-career-a-guide-to-entry-level-jobs-skills-and-growth-paths\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/oakwoodexperience.com\\\/start-your-tech-career-a-guide-to-entry-level-jobs-skills-and-growth-paths\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/grownuptech.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2024\\\/07\\\/IT-Tech.jpeg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/grownuptech.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2024\\\/07\\\/IT-Tech.jpeg\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/oakwoodexperience.com\\\/start-your-tech-career-a-guide-to-entry-level-jobs-skills-and-growth-paths\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/oakwoodexperience.com\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Start Your Tech Career: A Guide to Entry-Level Jobs, Skills, and Growth Paths\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/oakwoodexperience.com\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/oakwoodexperience.com\\\/\",\"name\":\"Oakwood Experience\",\"description\":\"Technology news, information, commentary, tutorials, and deep dives, and my photography journey.\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/oakwoodexperience.com\\\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/oakwoodexperience.com\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/oakwoodexperience.com\\\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Oakwood Experience\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/oakwoodexperience.com\\\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/oakwoodexperience.com\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/i0.wp.com\\\/oakwoodexperience.com\\\/staging\\\/2633\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2024\\\/07\\\/Oakwood-Experience.png?fit=1000%2C885&ssl=1\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/i0.wp.com\\\/oakwoodexperience.com\\\/staging\\\/2633\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2024\\\/07\\\/Oakwood-Experience.png?fit=1000%2C885&ssl=1\",\"width\":1000,\"height\":885,\"caption\":\"Oakwood Experience\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/oakwoodexperience.com\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\"}},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/oakwoodexperience.com\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/55a8ed6b0b18ff93e63bbba903d4dae3\",\"name\":\"Nancy Jones\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/b844525c51c8c622b37a68f8239add25f67d81fdee39b2f3d9c6e80dfde4e31a?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/b844525c51c8c622b37a68f8239add25f67d81fdee39b2f3d9c6e80dfde4e31a?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/b844525c51c8c622b37a68f8239add25f67d81fdee39b2f3d9c6e80dfde4e31a?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Nancy Jones\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.facebook.com\\\/profile.php?id=61563885192881\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.instagram.com\\\/southernfriedyanqui\\\/\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.linkedin.com\\\/feed\\\/\",\"https:\\\/\\\/x.com\\\/https:\\\/\\\/x.com\\\/oakwood92297\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.youtube.com\\\/@nancyjones6235\"],\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/oakwoodexperience.com\\\/staging\\\/2633\\\/author\\\/nancyjones36507\\\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Start Your Tech Career: A Guide to Entry-Level Jobs, Skills, and Growth Paths - Oakwood Experience","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/oakwoodexperience.com\/start-your-tech-career-a-guide-to-entry-level-jobs-skills-and-growth-paths\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Start Your Tech Career: A Guide to Entry-Level Jobs, Skills, and Growth Paths - Oakwood Experience","og_description":"Discover the best entry points into the tech industry with our comprehensive guide to entry-level computer jobs. Learn about the essential skills, certifications, and career paths that can jumpstart your journey in technology.","og_url":"https:\/\/oakwoodexperience.com\/start-your-tech-career-a-guide-to-entry-level-jobs-skills-and-growth-paths\/","og_site_name":"Oakwood Experience","article_author":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/profile.php?id=61563885192881","article_published_time":"2024-07-15T16:45:51+00:00","article_modified_time":"2024-08-12T18:39:27+00:00","og_image":[{"url":"https:\/\/grownuptech.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/IT-Tech.jpeg","type":"","width":"","height":""}],"author":"Nancy Jones","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@https:\/\/x.com\/oakwood92297","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Nancy Jones","Est. reading time":"6 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/oakwoodexperience.com\/start-your-tech-career-a-guide-to-entry-level-jobs-skills-and-growth-paths\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/oakwoodexperience.com\/start-your-tech-career-a-guide-to-entry-level-jobs-skills-and-growth-paths\/"},"author":{"name":"Nancy Jones","@id":"https:\/\/oakwoodexperience.com\/#\/schema\/person\/55a8ed6b0b18ff93e63bbba903d4dae3"},"headline":"Start Your Tech Career: A Guide to Entry-Level Jobs, Skills, and Growth Paths","datePublished":"2024-07-15T16:45:51+00:00","dateModified":"2024-08-12T18:39:27+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/oakwoodexperience.com\/start-your-tech-career-a-guide-to-entry-level-jobs-skills-and-growth-paths\/"},"wordCount":1247,"commentCount":0,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/oakwoodexperience.com\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/oakwoodexperience.com\/start-your-tech-career-a-guide-to-entry-level-jobs-skills-and-growth-paths\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/grownuptech.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/IT-Tech.jpeg","keywords":["career","computer","information","IT","jobs","technology"],"articleSection":["Recent and Relevant","Tech Commentary and Consideration"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/oakwoodexperience.com\/start-your-tech-career-a-guide-to-entry-level-jobs-skills-and-growth-paths\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/oakwoodexperience.com\/start-your-tech-career-a-guide-to-entry-level-jobs-skills-and-growth-paths\/","url":"https:\/\/oakwoodexperience.com\/start-your-tech-career-a-guide-to-entry-level-jobs-skills-and-growth-paths\/","name":"Start Your Tech Career: A Guide to Entry-Level Jobs, Skills, and Growth Paths - Oakwood Experience","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/oakwoodexperience.com\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/oakwoodexperience.com\/start-your-tech-career-a-guide-to-entry-level-jobs-skills-and-growth-paths\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/oakwoodexperience.com\/start-your-tech-career-a-guide-to-entry-level-jobs-skills-and-growth-paths\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/grownuptech.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/IT-Tech.jpeg","datePublished":"2024-07-15T16:45:51+00:00","dateModified":"2024-08-12T18:39:27+00:00","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/oakwoodexperience.com\/start-your-tech-career-a-guide-to-entry-level-jobs-skills-and-growth-paths\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/oakwoodexperience.com\/start-your-tech-career-a-guide-to-entry-level-jobs-skills-and-growth-paths\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/oakwoodexperience.com\/start-your-tech-career-a-guide-to-entry-level-jobs-skills-and-growth-paths\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/grownuptech.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/IT-Tech.jpeg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/grownuptech.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/IT-Tech.jpeg"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/oakwoodexperience.com\/start-your-tech-career-a-guide-to-entry-level-jobs-skills-and-growth-paths\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/oakwoodexperience.com\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Start Your Tech Career: A Guide to Entry-Level Jobs, Skills, and Growth Paths"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/oakwoodexperience.com\/#website","url":"https:\/\/oakwoodexperience.com\/","name":"Oakwood Experience","description":"Technology news, information, commentary, tutorials, and deep dives, and my photography journey.","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/oakwoodexperience.com\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/oakwoodexperience.com\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/oakwoodexperience.com\/#organization","name":"Oakwood Experience","url":"https:\/\/oakwoodexperience.com\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/oakwoodexperience.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/oakwoodexperience.com\/staging\/2633\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/Oakwood-Experience.png?fit=1000%2C885&ssl=1","contentUrl":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/oakwoodexperience.com\/staging\/2633\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/Oakwood-Experience.png?fit=1000%2C885&ssl=1","width":1000,"height":885,"caption":"Oakwood Experience"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/oakwoodexperience.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"}},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/oakwoodexperience.com\/#\/schema\/person\/55a8ed6b0b18ff93e63bbba903d4dae3","name":"Nancy Jones","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/b844525c51c8c622b37a68f8239add25f67d81fdee39b2f3d9c6e80dfde4e31a?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/b844525c51c8c622b37a68f8239add25f67d81fdee39b2f3d9c6e80dfde4e31a?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/b844525c51c8c622b37a68f8239add25f67d81fdee39b2f3d9c6e80dfde4e31a?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Nancy Jones"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/profile.php?id=61563885192881","https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/southernfriedyanqui\/","https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/feed\/","https:\/\/x.com\/https:\/\/x.com\/oakwood92297","https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/@nancyjones6235"],"url":"https:\/\/oakwoodexperience.com\/staging\/2633\/author\/nancyjones36507\/"}]}},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/oakwoodexperience.com\/staging\/2633\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1349","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/oakwoodexperience.com\/staging\/2633\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/oakwoodexperience.com\/staging\/2633\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/oakwoodexperience.com\/staging\/2633\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/oakwoodexperience.com\/staging\/2633\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1349"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/oakwoodexperience.com\/staging\/2633\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1349\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1570,"href":"https:\/\/oakwoodexperience.com\/staging\/2633\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1349\/revisions\/1570"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/oakwoodexperience.com\/staging\/2633\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1349"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/oakwoodexperience.com\/staging\/2633\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1349"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/oakwoodexperience.com\/staging\/2633\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1349"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}