What skills do I need to get a In IT job? I have a BS Biology and technical writing exp.?

Question by sue: What skills do I need to get a In IT job? I have a BS Biology and technical writing exp.?
I work the evening shift near Boston and am looking for a part-time or per diem IT job. I have a BS Biology and technical writing experience(biotech). What can I do in IT with my background and what skills and/or programming languages would I have to learn to get my foot in the door? What occupations are in the highest demand in IT? How competitive is the industry? I heard of science graduates making 100K in IT without an IT degree-is that even possible? I also got into grad school and have a good GPA-will the GPA help?.

Best answer:

Answer by enoriverbend
Given your background, your best bet may be to consider becoming an IT-oriented tech writer first — for example, software developers, game developers, and other IT-oriented companies need tech writers. That builds on your experience and also gives you a job where you would learn about the IT industry, and gives you contacts with people who hire for the job you eventually want. This would also help answer your other questions — the issue of which languages to learn, for example, all depends on which part of IT you’d like to go into and what sort of company you envision working for.

It is possible to make >100K in an IT job without an IT degree — but not walking in off the street with no IT degree and no IT experience. So if you don’t want to go back to school for the degree, you have to get the experience somehow.

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