Seo7u - Make Your Future: What is Information Technology? Definition and Examples

As long as you are here looking for what is IT and what are its specialties… This indicates that you want to have a place in the world of technology that affects our current reality and shapes the future.

This is something that makes me feel very happy, and at the same time makes me keen to provide the best possible information and resources to answer all the questions that are on your mind about the field of IT and its various specializations.

And not only that, what is more important than your knowledge of the different areas of IT is knowing how you can learn any discipline that interests you from the best available resources.

So you can use this knowledge to:

Get a good job.
Earn money from the freelancing market.
Build your own business and become an entrepreneur.
Improving and developing your current project through some different IT areas.

Let me tell you briefly what you'll come up with after reading the entirety of this guide:

You will know exactly what IT is in a simple way.
You will get a good idea of the importance of Information Technology (IT) in our practical life.
You will get to know the different areas of IT (the most popular disciplines), and avoid the common mistake that many people make about it.
You will learn the most important skills that any person working in the field of IT (skills that companies look for) should have.
You will learn about the most important sources (platforms - courses - institutions) to learn and master any IT specialty you want.
How to search for opportunities or jobs in the field of IT.
How to reach the best IT specialists around the world to carry out the tasks you need (part for business owners).

And let me assure you that everything you will find is explained in a simplified way supported by many practical examples, so that the whole picture becomes clear to you, and that is not all.

You will find me providing you with all the links and information that you may need so that this guide becomes a reference for you to return to at any time… that is our custom at Seo7u.

That is why I do not want you to treat this guide as just an ordinary article, but rather it is a comprehensive guide that contains real opportunities for every young man or girl all over the world… That is why I make sure to read every word in the coming lines.

Let's get started!

What is IT?

The word IT is an abbreviation for (Information Technology), as you know, and it is a large term and includes many meanings… Let me explain it to you without complication.

Information technology (IT) is all about the applications of modern technology in order to analyze, develop and build systems and improve the performance and productivity of institutions and projects, and when we talk about modern technology applications, we mainly mean smart computers.

Smart computers are not only computers but also include every other device used such as network infrastructure, telephone systems, printers, price code readers...etc.

The definition of information technology includes hardware (everything that is physical and tangible devices such as data storage units, computers with all their components, network infrastructure, etc.).

It also includes software (which is everything related to intangibles such as programs, operating systems, databases and information used to develop and improve the performance of companies).

It is worth noting here that the term information technology is mainly used to express technological applications in the world of business and projects… Let me explain to you what I mean by this.

In the late eighteenth century, the Industrial Revolution occurred in Europe, as you know, that revolution was based on the concept of mechanization, which was applied in almost everything.

The tasks that require many months are now completed in hours through the application of mechanization, and there are factories that produce millions of products daily, and since then the world has changed completely.

As for the information technology that we are talking about today… it is the product of the technological revolution that began in the twentieth century, and is still constantly evolving to this day.

With which the concept of technological applications appeared, through which it became possible to deal with a huge amount of information and data, and to solve many problems that were impossible to solve before, and to save time…etc.

Not only did humans produce millions of products in a short period, but they were able to produce more products with higher efficiency and using fewer resources.

A practical, realistic example to explain the idea of information technology and the opportunities and possibilities it offers

Let's take an example to make it clear: Laura has a factory that manufactures leather bags, and she has machinery at the highest level of efficiency so she applies all the fruits of the industrial revolution.

But what can the technological revolution or information technology give it:

They can have computers with powerful inventory management software, so that the production stage and the selling stage are linked in a way that is more beneficial to them.
It can make this program available to all decision makers in all disciplines in the factory through the Internet.
It can use smart printers connected to a computer to produce an endless number of designs.
They can create a website in order to market their products.

Here, information technology will provide Laura a lot of opportunities, and will make her make wise decisions that benefit her work, and will save her time, and avoid many problems (such as the accumulation of products in stores, for example).

It is worth noting that Laura, as a business owner, will benefit from information technology, and on the other hand, there are others who will benefit from obtaining job opportunities in the field of information technology, as she will need:

Programmer to do inventory management software programming.
She will need a network engineer to build a network for her factory and its employees.
She will need a website developer in order to create a website for their factory.
She will need specialists to operate, maintain and develop all the hardware and software used in its factory.

The wonderful thing is that every business owner can apply information technology to improve his work, and every person who has a skill in the field of information technology can employ this skill to get a job, whether permanently or in a freelancing way.

And Adam, a young man of average education who owns a small shop in a popular neighborhood… He can use a computer to organize his work and then improve and develop his small shop.

John, a young man in his twenties who has just taken a training course or course specialized in building inventory management software, can build a program and sell it to Adam.

This is a very simplified and miniature model of the world of information technology, but if we look at large institutions such as banks, large electronic stores, transnational companies, and social networking sites.

We will find that information technology is a vital and essential element for the establishment of these entities, and we will find tens, hundreds, and sometimes thousands working in these entities in dozens of different disciplines that fall under information technology.

And between Adam's small store model and the model of a giant social networking site there lies a huge area of opportunities and possibilities in the world of information technology, whether for any business owner who wants to develop his business, or anyone looking to enter the career field of IT.

I think now that you understand what IT is, let's move on to the next point in our topic.

The importance of information technology (IT)

In separate points, I will give you a list of the most important features provided by information technology, through which the importance of this technology for every business or project is evident at the present time.

If you are a business owner, then through the following points, the importance of IT application in your project will become clear to you.

1. Information technology provides solutions to problems facing all types of business

Through the tools provided by IT applications, many complex problems can be solved, in our previous example about the Laura factory.. IT will provide Laura with the ability to closely monitor the inventory, thus avoiding many of the problems related to it.

Information technology also gives business accurate systems in everything to facilitate a lot of things, without which it would be very difficult to deal with many short-term and long-term problems.

2. IT saves time

With a very simple example: You go to a store and fill out the shopping cart, and when you go to the cashier, you find that all he does is put the product code in front of a small device.

At the end, an invoice appears with the names and prices of all products and the total amount due.

This is a simple IT application, without which the buying and selling process could never be completed so quickly, easily and almost without errors.

You ensure that you are paying the correct prices on the products, while at the same time the store owner knows what is going on and monitors the work system, inventory and even the employees themselves and how active they are.

3. Information technology enables organizations to provide better customer service

You are facing a problem with the Internet service, for example, so you contact customer service to find someone who has the ability to directly examine the quality of your service, and through his information and modern technology in most cases, he can solve your problem immediately.

Here, through the Internet, the customer service officer can search the database, and reach a solution to the problem in a few minutes.

4. IT enhances opportunities for innovation and creativity in all types of business

When it comes to computers and smart software, there is a great opportunity to come up with new ideas and ways to improve and grow a business.

To understand this, you only need to monitor social media sites to find that these sites are constantly adding new features and features, and creative ways to communicate and interact between users.

5. Information technology has made marketing more innovative and effective than before

Digital Marketing workers understand this well, as there are innovative ways to target and interact with the audience, and give stores the opportunity to carry out sales directly to customers while they are in their homes.

In fact, if we talk about the relationship between marketing and information technology, we will need books and volumes. Digital marketing is mainly based on technology and the data it provides and quick communication methods.

6. Information technology has become a parallel world

An image that shows the strength and importance of information technology companies in the world

Look around you to see that the greatest and most widespread companies around the world are companies based primarily on information technology (Google, Facebook, Amazon, Uber, Alibaba).

Aren't these companies the largest in the world, and their economies exceed the economies of other countries?

In these companies there are thousands who work directly, and there are millions who receive a benefit indirectly.

The wonderful thing is that you do not have to invent great ideas like Google and Facebook to enter the world of information technology, but you can enter this world from the narrowest and most easy ways.

An example of this is creating an account on one of the specialized sites and providing a small service in the field of IT to those who need it, or developing a small program to record data in your company.

Don't worry, as I promised, I'll get you to know this in detail shortly, and I'll give you everything you need to get started in this world... So keep reading and don't rush.

The most important IT majors in the world

I will now show you the most important branches of the IT field in general And I will explain the role that each specialization plays, the most important jobs or tasks required of it, and the skills that everyone who performs these tasks must possess.

1. Programming

Programmers have a very important role in the process of building relatively large and complex systems and programs, such as operating systems (Windows - linux - Mac), which require a great knowledge of computer science rules.

The programmer is the person responsible for fixing defects, reviewing the written code of any system or application, and ensuring that it is connected to the approved data storage systems in the organization or company.

That is why this specialization requires knowledge of basic and more complex programming languages such as C++ and Java, as these are the languages that computer scientists rely on in developing modern programming languages, so any able programmer must understand them well.

Also, programmers must be familiar with the mathematical and statistical rules used, such as basic algorithms, so that they can easily perform complex logical operations.

For this, you will find that giant companies such as Google and Microsoft depend on programmers to build and develop complex programs and systems, such as the Internet browsers you use, or Microsoft Office programs.

This specialization has many functions, the most famous of which are:

Data Scientist.
Software Engineer.
System Architect.
Graphic Developer.
There are also other functions that depend on the quality of programming languages and (Frameworks) that are relied upon to perform certain tasks.

2. Web development

Web development is part of programming in general, but it is considered the simplest part, which may not depend on complex computations and systems, but depends on creativity and development more.

There are many examples of what web developers do, but perhaps the most famous of these are building websites, web applications, scripts for collecting and analyzing data, and mobile applications.

This specialization depends on knowing the requirements of users, and the obstacles that stand in their way in order to achieve a specific goal, and then building programs and applications that meet those demands while providing a good user experience.

Web developers must provide the necessary information to users so that they can deal with these applications smoothly, so this specialization requires a lot of effort.

This specialization requires knowledge of multiple programming languages to choose the appropriate ones to carry out various tasks such as:

HTML and CSS for building the infrastructure of websites and applications.

The JavaScript language and its frameworks for logical operations and various applications.

PHP and Python are very versatile, especially for building databases.

Kotlin and Swift for building mobile applications.

There are many programming languages that can be used, and it depends on the tasks required, or the type of job the web developer does, whether he is responsible for the virtual part of applications and sites or the so-called Front-End Developer.

Or the hidden part of databases and dealing with servers called Back-End Developer.

Or both together, which is what is called (Full-Stack Developer).

3. Hardware and technical support

This is the specialty that everyone who works in it is called “IT”, so much so that some think that this specialty is the only job in this field.

This specialization is designed to provide technical support to users and employees, who do not have experience or knowledge in the field of information technology in general.

Therefore, this specialization does not require a deep knowledge of information technology or computer science, but it does require knowledge of the basics of computer work and various hardware parts, as well as operating systems and programs used.

Those who work in this specialty are the technical support service that you communicate with in most companies or technology-related services, and they are the technical support service in most institutions and companies that rely on computers and the Internet in general.

Their main task is to help you repair faults, and provide the required reports to the relevant departments in the event of repeated defects or malfunctions in order to fix them permanently.

4. IT Security - Cyber Security

This specialty is the most in need of continuous development, because there is something new every day in the world of information technology, and because everyone wants to obtain that information, this specialty has become very popular in the last twenty years.

This specialization depends on an understanding of networks, mechanisms of information delivery, knowledge of computer science, multiple (encryption) mechanisms, and methods of communication between different operating systems and programs.

The jobs or tasks required in this major depend largely on the ability to analyze information, and conduct tests on systems and programs on an ongoing basis. Perhaps the most famous of them are:

Cyber Security Engineer.
Security Analyst.

These jobs vary according to experience. There are protection engineers - as I mentioned - all they have to know how to rely on and employ different protection programs, and there are those whose task is to design those programs themselves, and there are those who work in the field of analysis and management.

Incidentally, this specialization is the main reason behind the emergence of the famous blockchain technology that will have huge applications in the near future.

5. Network Engineering

This specialty is very popular and widely recognized in the world of information technology, as it depends on a full knowledge of the various Internet systems, as well as the hardware on which any system depends.

All this in order to create a specific framework for the transfer of data between the personnel of any institution or organization quickly and securely according to specific rules.

That is why you will find communications engineering graduates are the majority of those who work in this field, because they study networks of all kinds, and they have the ability to deal with all kinds of necessary hardware.

6. Computer Systems

This specialization depends on a complete understanding of the IT field in general, so it requires a great deal of experience because it relates to hardware, software, networks and any external system that any organization depends on for information.

This is why systems analysts or those responsible for it (System Administrators) have a great influence in the decisions of any organization, and they constantly direct the rest of the departments to carry out the tasks required of them.

Jobs related to this specialization are only accessible to those with great experience in one or more of the specializations we mentioned earlier, especially the networking specialty.

Of course, there are many specializations, especially sub-specialties, the world of information technology is a crowded and huge world with many subtle details, but I was keen to present to you the most popular and sought-after specializations and jobs in the labor market.

Basic IT skills in general

Whatever specialization you are interested in in the field of information technology (IT), there are several basic skills that any person working in this field must have, regardless of his position, the type of tasks required of him or the industry in which he works.

These skills are required by all companies to hire anyone in the field of IT, because they are necessary to succeed in this field, so we will address each of them in some detail.

These skills are not just to put in your CV, but you must absorb them well in order to do your job to the fullest.

1. Communication skills

Working in the field of IT requires continuous cooperation, because often any particular project is implemented by a large team and not one individual. This communication is very important.

Not only that, each specific project or task is carried out by cooperation between several departments in the same organization, such as the marketing and public relations department, the research and development department and the customer service department.

That is why those who work in this field must know how to communicate with people in a smooth manner, and how to present their ideas in an image that anyone simply understands, especially those who do not have any technical background in this field.

2. Analytical skills

Oftentimes, reports and information on the market situation and opinion polls are presented to users or customers in all companies, so the skill of data analysis is essential.

This skill enables you to read between the lines and know the steps that must be taken to fix any malfunctions, or develop any particular process to get better results.

3. Creativity skills

A web developer or programmer, and even a network engineer must have a creative sense that enables him to think outside the box, and put an artistic touch on any particular service or system to make it convenient and usable.

Remember that the task of someone working in the field of IT is to make life easier for people in general by using the technology in their hands, and people generally prefer artistic creative touches in any product or service.

That's why companies are always looking for creatives who think outside the box, not the traditional copy-and-paste people, or blindly following the popular.

4. The ability to multitask simultaneously (Multitasking)

It is true that each person must focus on a particular task at the same time in order to complete it as quickly as possible, but what is meant by multitasking is the ability to organize time according to work requirements.

There are certain meetings and requirements that each person must perform constantly, no matter what project he is working on, so the skill of organizing time, and moving between several tasks is a necessary skill required by all companies.

5. Problem-Solving skills

Any problem that must be solved in a systematic way has certain steps, and the more familiar a person is with the tools he relies on, the simpler the solution to any problem.

That is why companies always ask for people who think well, and take the right decisions as soon as possible to overcome any obstacles. Because problems and defects constantly appear, there must be a system to confront them.

Possession of these skills, in addition to the necessary scientific knowledge in your chosen specialization, is the way to get a job in the field of information technology.

Now it's time for the part you have been waiting for in this guide... which is how to get started in the IT field in general so that you choose a specialization and then start looking for a job... All this you will know in detail now.

How to get started in the IT field

When I told you what IT is and got to know its different specialties or fields, I wanted to put you next to each job the average salary you get.

But I found that this matter may affect your choice, especially if you only think about money... At the same time, I want to help you choose the specialization in which to start your journey in the world of information technology.

That is why I decided to help you in a practical way… so that I put before you the steps that you need to take, and all the resources that you may need in order to implement these steps.

These steps will be as follows:

Determine what basics you need to know in order to start a major in IT and how to learn them.

How to choose an IT major in a practical way.

The most important institutions, resources and courses that you can rely on to learn the skills of the specialization you have chosen.

That is why I hope you go with this part specifically in this order, and do not click on any link or source that I will put for you until you finish reading in order to fully understand the image first.

Let me not bother you any longer!

First: the basics that you must master before starting to learn information technology

I will assume here that you are a complete beginner, you have no experience or knowledge about IT, and in case you have knowledge about some of the following points you can skip them.

1- The ability to deal with computers, operating systems and the most famous programs

It is obvious that you are familiar with:

How the computer works in general and the basic elements it consists of.
Different types of computers.
Common operating systems (Mac - Windows - Linux) and the general differences between them.

This is in addition to knowing how to deal with some famous programs such as (Microsoft Office), and here are the best sources that you may rely on for that.

The free computer basics course offered by GCF International (a simple course based on video and illustrations and is a great resource for beginners)

Watch the Computer Science series from the famous Crash Course on YouTube (this video course will show you how the idea of computers began, how it developed and how programming languages work).

I recommend watching this most wonderful series, which will explain to you many concepts, and will raise within you many questions that will push you towards learning, research and correct understanding.

2- The ability to search on the Internet efficiently

When I started researching and learning in the field of programming, I searched for the most famous programmers in the world at the time, and I found in one of the interviews that someone said that approximately 40% of his work time is spent on research.

This fact frankly shocked me at the beginning, and at the same time made me love this field more and more… That is why you have to learn the skill of searching for information.

Research does not only require the use of search engines more effectively, but also includes knowing the forums and the most important sites in your field, which you can use to communicate with the largest number of specialists in your field to exchange information and experiences.

These platforms differ from one field to another, and do not worry, you will discover the most important ones alone, and most of these sources will be mentioned in the courses that I will recommend to you later.

I highly recommend you to read the article: Google Search Secrets (How to Get Exactly What You Want), in which you will find a lot of useful information about searching on Google.

3- The ability to self-learn

Self-learning in a nutshell is the ability to extract information on your own through courses, articles, and courses available on the Internet.

Self-learning is an essential feature for anyone working in the field of information technology, every day there is something new… That is why you must be a person who loves to learn and wants to learn and gain information from its sources.

This skill depends on your passion for what you are learning, and at the same time on your ability to discipline yourself and patience in order to get what you want.

Second: How to choose the right specialization for you in the field of IT

This topic is very important and we have a lot of questions, so let me give you some strategies that will help you search and choose.

1- Find your passion

Personally, I loved programming because I was attached to computers and how they were used… With time, I found that I like building websites, developing web applications, searching for data, collecting and analyzing data.

You have to do the same, maybe you love mobile games and want to make games like them, or maybe you love computers very much and know all about their parts and even assemble them and fix their defects.

So why not choose IT Support or Network Engineering.

2- Search different job sites

If you have practical experience in the market or want to search for what is needed in it, then you should go to the various job sites scattered in all countries of the world.

Look at IT jobs in general and look for:

The number of jobs offered in each specialty.
The tasks required in each specialty.
Technology that you have to learn in each discipline.
Salaries in each major (if any).

And start comparing, you might choose the major that requires fewer skills because you don't have a lot of time to learn...or you might choose the easiest major.

Or maybe you learn the most in-demand specialty in the market to secure yourself a job… Or maybe you choose the highest paying specialty.

3- Search on LinkedIn

LinkedIn is one of the best platforms where professionals in all fields gather and you will find on it:

Tips, advice and articles from specialists in every field.
Job advertisements from many companies.
You can contact anyone on the platform to ask their opinion or benefit from their experience.

You can consider LinkedIn to be the Facebook of professionals, so I advise you to make good use of it in the search and communicate with professionals in the specialty you are interested in to ask them for advice and compare between the various disciplines you are interested in.

4- You have to realize that you can change your course at any time

There are a lot of IT professionals who change their majors often... As I mentioned earlier, every day there is something new.

These professionals also have the skill of rapid self-learning - which we talked about earlier - which enables them to learn anything quickly and adapt to it.

You too can reach this stage, so I don't want you to waste a lot of time researching and comparing different disciplines because you can change it in the future.

Just do a little research and comparison and immediately start your journey of learning and developing yourself.

How to start working as an IT specialist and make income from it

Getting an income by working in information technology, as we talked about before, depends either on getting a job or profiting from the field of freelancing... and this is what we will talk about briefly.

1- Get a job

In order to get a job in any field of information technology, you must have a good Portfolio that highlights your skills and projects that you built with your own hands (you will find many of these projects in the courses I mentioned).

Also Read: What is a Portfolio and How to Have a Professional Portfolio

After that, you only have to apply for various jobs that you find everywhere, and ask everyone you know about jobs in your specialty… Keep trying and practicing the personal interview and its frequently asked questions until you are accepted into one of the jobs.

2- make money through freelancing

There are a lot of beginners in many IT disciplines who earn very good amounts of money, especially in the field of programming and development of applications and games.

Because of the importance of freelancing, we have covered everything you may need to get started in this field of information, tools, and explanations for the different freelancing platforms.

You will find all this in the following sources:

Freelance online guide (complete 9-course course)

Also, do not forget to create a professional LinkedIn account that represents you as an IT specialist, through which you can get a lot of opportunities.

How to reach the best IT specialists around the world to carry out the tasks you need (for business owners)

As a business owner, you can use what was mentioned in the last part “How to get a job in the IT field” to reach professionals in all areas of IT, but of course with modification and flexibility.

Here are some of the points that will help you as a business owner in accessing IT specialists:

1- Follow up on specialized social media groups, which programmers and developers do to facilitate communication with employers.

2- Use the freelance websites mentioned above.

3- The use of intermediary companies.

4- Search on LinkedIn

Conclusion

I think you now know almost everything about what is IT and how to get started with it step by step in a practical way… All you have to do now is get started.

Do not hesitate and do not waste more time, and find a place for yourself on the map of information technology, which has become the present and the future in all countries of the world.

And if you have any question or inquiry, never hesitate to leave it in the comments… If you found this guide useful, share it with your acquaintances and friends.

I wish you success... See you soon!

Labels: Technology

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Thursday, November 3, 2022

What is Information Technology? Definition and Examples