Are you new to IT? Feeling a bit overwhelmed? Don’t worry, I’ve got you covered! In this article, I’ll share 10 essential tips to help you get started on your journey in Information Technology. From mastering the basics to gaining hands-on experience and staying curious, these tips will set you on the right path. Let’s dive in and start the IT adventure!

1. Focus on Fundamentals: Instead of trying to understand every buzzword out there or the latest tech trend, focus on building a strong foundation in core concepts such as networking, operating systems, databases, and programming languages.

2. Hands-on Practice: Don’t just rely on theory. Get your hands dirty by working on projects, setting up environments, and troubleshooting issues. Practical experience is invaluable in IT. I can tell you from personal experience, it doesn’t matter what you know or which course you have completed, only thing that matters is if you can convert that Jira ticket into some sweet .py files 😉.

3. Learn by Doing: Regularly work on projects and real-world scenarios. Whether it’s setting up a home lab, create open-source projects (Invite your internet friends to add features). Practical experience is the most effective way to understand complex stuff, eg. like how that payment is processed in the eCommerce website and how you can do it on your own. Create imaginary scenarios like there is some XYZ that sells car parts and you are responsible for all tech things, now how will you design, build, host a website where you will sell those parts. Some projects can be simple 1 hour coding, some will take many months to complete, once you are addicted you can’t go back. YOU NEED THAT ADDICTION in this distracted, shorts-oriented world.

4. Stay Curious: The field of IT is rapidly changing (new JS and CSS frameworks being born every week), so it’s essential to stay curious and keep learning. Be open to exploring new technologies, tools, and methodologies to expand your knowledge and skills continuously. Like the AI things going on right now. But don’t distract from your path.

5. Need Help? ask for it: Don’t hesitate to reach out to more experienced professionals for guidance or mentorship. Not everyone you ask will help you, but if you ask 10 people at least 1 may help you. As we say in Hindi "जहाँ अहंकार होता है, वहाँ ज्ञान नहीं होता", which translates to “Where there is pride, there is no wisdom” in English.

6. Stay Updated but Don’t Chase Every Trend: Stay informed about industry trends and advancements, but don’t feel pressured to chase every new technology or buzzword. Instead, focus on understanding the underlying principles and how they apply to your work. You can’t master everything. Focus on the things you care and are useful.

7. Practice Problem-Solving: Our industry always revolves around solving complex problems and troubleshooting issues. Strengthen your problem-solving skills by tackling challenges, breaking down problems into smaller steps, and systematically finding solutions. I’m not talking about mindlessly doing DSA questions. There are other problems that need solutions. Such as, how will you modernize and deploy a decade old monolith into cloud which is so goddamn fragile, you touch it, it breaks!

8. Document and read docs: Keep track of your learning journey by documenting your progress, experiences, and lessons learned. Reflecting on your achievements and challenges can help remember your understanding and identify areas for improvement. For this build your own blog.

9. Stay Patient and Persistent: Learning IT is challenging, and you will encounter setbacks along the way. Stay patient, be persistent, and don’t get discouraged by obstacles. Every challenge is an opportunity to learn and grow. Back in college, when I was learning Django and working on my first project there was an issue with my implementation which took over a week to find it and fix it.

10. Enjoy the Journey: Remember to enjoy the learning process and celebrate your successes, no matter how small. IT is a fascinating and rewarding field, and embracing the journey of continuous learning can lead to fulfilling and meaningful career opportunities.

Thinking something? Write it down in the comments.

Have fun. Happy learning.