So you’ve considered pursuing an LA tech job? Great! For an IT job? Even better. Relocating for a new career always comes with challenges, stress, but also excitement. The good thing about tech jobs, especially in Los Angeles, is that they set you up for a lucrative life, excellent job satisfaction, and unlimited opportunities.
This guide highlights seven benefits of moving to LA for a Tech job, as well as the top tech careers you can find there. So, if you’re an entry-level candidate or thinking about a career change in LA., read on. But before all that, you should consider three things before making the big move.
Things You Should Do Before Moving To LA For A Tech Job
Research The Organization.
If you’ve been thinking about applying for LA tech jobs, make sure to research the firm, its vision, mission, goals, and benefits. Sometimes, firms offer great benefits while others could care less. So, take the time to check every nook and cranny of the organization you’re interested in.
Ask Yourself If You’ll Be Earning More
Money is a crucial factor, especially for an expensive city like LA. Although the average pay for LA tech jobs is okay, you have to establish your needs to see if you can live off that pay range while having enough to set aside for emergencies. Careers in tech aren’t only about the cash; you also need to make sure that the tech job you’re diving into will push your tech career forward.
Will This Push Your Career Forward?
Don’t move to LA because of the juicy lifestyle and paycheck. Your primary goal for moving should be to advance your career, network, and gain more exposure in the tech industry. Generally, tech life in LA allows for a ton of professional development, opportunities, and a massive network with peers. Nonetheless, you still need to check whether the career development in your specific firm is a step up from your current career.
Frequently Asked Question
Is Tech A Good Career Path?
I.T. is a brilliant career path to take because it’s one of the largest and fastest-growing industries globally. The global net worth of the tech industry is projected to be $5 trillion as of 2021 Apart from bringing in a lot of cash, tech careers also offer flexible lifestyle opportunities and career growth. As the tech industry increases, bigger and better job opportunities with better benefits will become more readily available.
What Are The Top Tech Careers in LA?
UI/UX Designer
UI/UX designers are urgently needed in Los Angeles tech firms. If you have the relevant skills, moving for a tech job should be an option. UI/UX developers make about $74K annually in LA. Nonetheless, if you want to dive into UI/UX, you must know the basics like wireframing, prototyping, and the essential tools.
Besides your technical skills, you must also have soft skills like attention to detail, teamwork, communication, and conflict resolution. You’ll likely work in a team, and these skills will serve you well for a career in UI/UX design.
Technical Writer
Technical writers are huge contributors in the tech industry because they help simplify technical terms into a well-structured and comprehensive article. Technical writers in Los Angeles earn around $68K a year, which is considerably above the national average of $61K.
If you’re planning on going into technical writing, make sure one of your top skills is researching. Reading about the different kinds of tech ideas and latest tech topics are vital for this position. You must also be capable of comprehending and breaking down tech jargon into a detailed write-up.
Information Security Analyst
In this digital age, there’s a need to protect IT data from potential threats. Hence, there is a high demand for data, information, systems, network, and cloud security analysts in LA tech firms. These IT analysts ensure that a business’ hardware, software, and networks are free from attacks and remain secure.
If you’re niching in IT security, you must have experience with security systems, know how to communicate, and adopt security policies and security procedures. Skills in managing security audits, threats, and vulnerabilities are also necessary. Entry-level positions for data security in LA earn as much as $87,475 annually.
Data Engineer Analyst
Job Agencies in Los Angeles know that most tech firms capture and use data to analyze, predict, and determine how to tailor a product to achieve customer satisfaction. So, if you know your way around databases and networks, a recruiter might call you for a data engineer position.
The average annual salary for data engineers in LA is around $102K. As a data engineer, you need to have a lot of data experience with SQL, Python, Oracle, and other data tools and programming languages.
Software Developer
Software developers design, develop, install, test, and maintain software systems. This tech job in LA is incredibly lucrative and you can make around $850k to $118k per annum (depending on your experience).
To be a software developer, you must have a vast knowledge in coding, designing, building applications, websites, and mobile apps. The technical know-how of programming languages such as C#, C++, HTML, JavaScript, React, AWS, Python, NET, and SQL Server, are also vital. You must also have strong communication skills to understand and know the needs of every client.
What Is The Major Con Of Moving To LA For An IT job?
The biggest downside of moving to LA for an IT job is the legendary traffic when commuting to work. If you’re going to work in a position that needs your physical presence, you may face traffic issues.
Seven Benefits Of Moving To LA. For An IT job
1. Los Angeles has a flourishing tech hub.
Los Angeles is the 6th best IT city worldwide—with a stable economy and a flourishing hub of innovative companies. As a growing community for tech employment, LA has transformed itself into a new tech hub worth $155 billion, also known as Silicon Beach. Hence it offers you a wide range of IT job opportunities.
2. Los Angeles also offers a diverse work culture.
LA has no core ethnicity. The U.S. Census Bureau estimates that Los Angeles houses 48.6% of the Hispanic/Latino population and 26.1% are Caucasians. The wide range of personalities, races, gender, cultures, and perspectives make LA a diverse hotspot that’s like no other in the country. No need to worry about feeling outcast.
3. Los Angeles offers inclusive workplaces.
Tech jobs in Los Angeles go above and beyond to ensure that their staff feel a sense of belonging and support. This inclusive culture helps increase employee engagement and productivity. Rest assured you’ll feel respected, trusted, and feel supported enough to succeed, regardless of your background.
A great example of this is Netflix’s “Inclusion takes Root at Netflix” report which indicated that 46.4% of the streaming giant’s US workforce are from underrepresented racial and ethnic backgrounds. 42% of their leadership are from the said background as well.
4. There’s an opportunity to work from home.
Most LA tech jobs don’t need you to work the typical 9 to 5 schedule. Again, the traffic is definitely one of the reasons for this, especially on highways during the rush hour. Because the job can be done virtually anywhere, there’s room to do work from home in case you’re not needed in the office or would want a change of scenery.
There’s also a lot more freedom to wander or work outside the office after you start living here. If you’re not a fan of the traditional nine-to-five routine and would rather work night shifts or have a flexible schedule, then tech jobs in Los Angeles might be your cup of tea.
5. Chance for relaxation.
As you know, Los Angeles is a bustling city even when you compare it to other large cities. Hence, health and fitness are of top priority. If you’re the extroverted type, you’re going to enjoy the luxurious beach, restaurants, and recreation areas to help you unwind from work stress. For introverted tech gurus, the Hilly landscape can give you a quiet place to think and work during leisure time.
6. Chance of network and push your tech career forward.
Job agencies in LA have a massive network of industry peers you could connect with and a ton of outlets for continued professional development. You don’t have to worry about career stagnancy when moving to LA.
7. Amazing salaries.
Tech salaries in Los Angeles are pretty amazing. For instance, an entry-level position in tech can give you at least $50,000 (while some companies might pay a lot more than that). If you’re a professional, the average salary you’ll be receiving is around $97,655 With the overflowing stream of opportunities, you’ll get paid a reasonable amount of money that can cover your basic needs.
To sum up…
Los Angeles is a beautiful place to live in and one of the prominent tech hubs in the United States. Benefits of moving to LA for an IT job have encouraged a unique work-life balance that promotes productivity, high job satisfaction, and performance. You’ll definitely enjoy a healthy workplace here.
