If you had to take a wild guess, what do you think the cost of working IT jobs in California is? Hard to tell? Well, I’ll share this for free— the famous city of California isn’t called the golden state for nothing. It is a land flowing with milk and honey, wine, beaches, sunsets, and, well, opportunities.
The need for IT professionals is at an all-time high and is projected to increase exponentially. In this article, you’ll get glimpse of California; IT jobs in California and how to land the best IT jobs in California.
Life in California
It costs about an arm and a leg to live in California. According to a March 2022 report, the average monthly cost of rent, food and electricity totaled $5187.49. There are several other expenses to consider based on lifestyle preferences. That’s more than enough reason to desire the best IT jobs in California.
You know what else many people desire? The Californian weather. COVID 19 and the events following changed the dynamics of work globally and triggered the great resignation. This in turn increased flexible work conditions across various companies. If you do choose to work remotely in IT then a working wardrobe is probably the least of your worries. Still it should please you to know that casual fits are the norm for the often warm and humid Californian weather.
The humans of California are as warm as their weather. California is a cultural melting pot; It integrates food, languages, and traditions from all over the world. The IT culture is probably your primary concern and taking a look into silicon valley can give you a clue. However, there’s no standard company culture as IT organizations in California are just as varied as its people; you can read more about it here.
IT Jobs in California.
The IT industry cuts across a broad spectrum of industries and is taking over the world of work. In recent times, we see different industries merging their core operations and solutions with IT to preserve their existence and legacy. Hence, the IT industry welcomes entry-level talents with open arms. IT jobs in California include; Data Scientists, Test Systems Engineers, Cyber Security Engineers, to mention a few.
Working in IT in California has its perks; it affords talents the opportunity to work with optimistic and innovative people, particularly because of its proximity to Silicon Valley. If the idea of moving to California for an IT job is starting to sound appealing, we can talk more about it on our candidate services page.
Although IT jobs have the reputation for long working hours, the right IT job can provide you with the work-life balance to flourish professionally and personally. However, striking a work-life balance is ultimately your responsibility, which could mean taking up a fully remote job in California or working in a hybrid work environment. Do your research on the IT company in California whose values match yours and shoot.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does an IT person make in California?
The average salary for an IT technician is $70,234 per year in California; this varies based on the technical skills required, the location, size, necessary level of expertise, and others.
IT careers are among the highest-paying sectors in today’s workplace economy. It gets better as you sharpen your skills, gain experience and grow in expertise.
Is IT tough to get a job in California?
No, it isn’t.
There is no statistical evidence indicating that getting a job in California is more challenging than in other parts of the country, provided that you have the level of IT skills required for the role.
In most cases, in-demand IT jobs for an entry-level technical position will need more than transferable soft skills. You can build this knowledge and on-the-job technical skills through internship exposure.
What are the requirements for an IT job?
The minimum degree that most IT jobs require is a bachelor’s degree.
Areas of study that are suited for a career in IT include Computer Science, Information Technology, Information Technology Management, and Computer Engineering.
You can also opt to take IT system analysis courses relevant to the jobs you intend to take up as an IT professional.
The Best IT jobs in California
The best job goes beyond the task and involves a great inclusion of remuneration, excellent working conditions, and of course, fringe benefits like flexible schedules, insurance, paid time off, retirement plan, 401(k), and employee discounts among other things. According to a recent article by CIO, the most in-demand IT jobs in California are as follows;
Network/cloud architect: These guys develop and plan cloud strategies to track the cloud network technology activities, design, visualize and deploy usable cloud applications for employees, clients, and customers. They understand the company’s cloud requirements to present them into workable solutions.
Business systems analyst: A Business Systems Analyst (BSA) is an IT professional experienced in analyzing, evaluating, designing, and implementing IT systems to achieve a business outcome. They help discover, document, and communicate specific, functional, and system requirements for the business.
Help desk and desktop support professional: These individuals help provide customer and technical support to IT and cloud-related issues, such as software, hardware, networking, and operating problems. They also assist with various systems and software in the cloud network.
Software developer: Software jobs are the brainchildren behind computer programs. Businesses with specialized software needs will need to hire a software developer. Almost every job, sector, and government agency has one.
Chief Information Security Officer (CISO): CISO’s develop and maintain information security and risk management programs. They also interact with stakeholders and brief them about security concerns.
The skills needed for these jobs vary across roles and companies. If you’re interested, we’ve actually covered details of IT jobs in several of our previous articles on our website. We also have useful resources on our candidate services page that will get you started on the IT job of your choice.
