Technology sector profile: what you should know about working in Tech

Are you a technophile who loves learning about the latest tech developments? If you want to work in a constantly changing sector, a technology career could be ideal.

Contents

• Different areas of the technology sector
• Skills and qualifications
• Salaries
• Key employers
• The application process
• Technology sector graduate jobs and schemes

The tech industry covers all areas of technology, from building software to preventing cybercrime.

Here are some areas to consider:

In software development, you design, build and test computer programs and apps.

Software developers may work on video games, email systems, AI agents and much more.

The possibilities in software development are endless. If you’ve got coding skills and creativity, you can make something incredible.

Data science involves preparing high quantities of data (ie. big data) for analysis to gain insights.

With a large amount of data, you can come to conclusions that are statistically likely to be correct.

Like maths? Data science could be the tech area for you.

The technology industry relies on project managers to prioritise the right things at the right times for maximum efficiency.

Success here requires excellent organisational skills and a good knowledge of the technology sector so you can provide tailored assistance.

Technology consulting, also known as IT consulting, involves experts advising others on how to use IT systems.

As a technology consultant, you’ll usually work for a consulting firm and advise its clients on how to develop tools or examine existing systems.

Cyber security deals with preventing crime and malicious behaviour.

In cyber security work, you could be responsible for ensuring software is secure before it’s rolled out to users. Alternatively, you may check the safety of a company’s existing systems, potentially to prevent leaks. You also might check that the databases containing customers’ confidential information are safe.

IT infrastructure is all the elements of a computer system that make it work. It includes hardware (ie. computers), software (ie. the programs you use) and networks (ie. your internet or other information-sharing connections). All these things combined are the infrastructure.

Having a strong infrastructure is necessary for an organisation to work efficiently. In this area of the technology sector, you could manage a business’s infrastructure, including bringing in innovative ideas to improve processes.

Having the right skills and qualifications will help you begin your career in the technology sector.

Here’s what you need to succeed:

• Coding. Some areas in the tech sector, such as software development, require high-level coding skills. In certain roles, you’ll need to know more than one coding language. Having a basic grasp of how to use several coding languages will help you move between companies and projects.

• Creativity. Despite the technological leaning of the sector, having creativity will help you get ahead. Interface designers use their creativity because it’s a highly artistic job. In the role, you make designs and produce layouts for websites and apps. Software engineers also need to be creative. As a software engineer, you come up with innovative ideas for dealing with problems. Software testers also need to think outside of the box so they can find new ways to break programs.
• Perception. To work in the tech industry, you must be perceptive. As a software engineer or an interface designer, you need to understand consumer’s needs to design engaging products. As a software tester, you’ve got to get into the mind of the user to test how they’d use it and see if the software will work in all scenarios.
• Eagerness to learn. The IT sector is constantly changing. Keeping up to date with what’s happening in the sector means taking the time to learn about it. Being keen to learn helps you stay on top of the latest innovations.

Having the right qualifications will set you up well for a career in the technology sector.

For jobs like interface designer and IT support technician, an undergraduate degree is desirable. Some interface designers will have degrees in user experience design. Likewise, IT support technicians who have degrees in computing and IT (or similar) will impress.

If you want to be a product manager, studying marketing or business is a great way of preparing yourself for work. Alongside your degree, you can get a range of professional qualifications. For example, you could become a Certified Product Manager®.

Some jobs in the technology sector require higher level qualifications. To be a software engineer, data scientist or software tester, you’ll usually need a master’s degree in computer science, maths or statistics. Plus, employers will be looking for relevant work experience.

Don’t have a degree? Don’t worry. You can get into some roles via an apprenticeship. It’s certainly possible for IT support technicians, interface designers and even some software engineer jobs. If you’re interested in going down the apprenticeship route, use the government’s apprenticeship search tool to see what’s available.

Salaries in the technology sector vary considerably. How much you can earn will depend on your role, the company, your experience and your location.

Even though salaries will vary from employer to employer, it’s still wise to get familiar with the averages.

Here’s what you might expect to earn in each tech area:

According to the National Careers Service, software developers earn between £30,000 (as a starter salary) and £70,000 (once experienced) in a year.

Typically, a software tester will receive a smaller salary than a software engineer.

As with any area, there are multiple roles here. An IT project manager usually earns between £35,000 and £60,000 (according to the National Careers Service).

The National Careers Service advises that the average salary for a data scientist ranges between £32,000 and £82,500.

Based on guidance from the National Careers Service, an IT support technician’s average salary range is £24,000 to £36,000.

There are many employers in the technology sector, including:

• Google
• Apple
• Deloitte
• Citrix

Do you want to know more? Learn about the leading graduate employers in the technology sector.

The application process for jobs in the technology sector is like most industries. You’ll need to apply for roles with CVs, cover letters and application forms. If you’re successful here, you’ll then need to impress at an interview. When applying for a grad role, you’ll sometimes need to attend an assessment centre too.

It's worth remembering that there will be some differences depending on your desired role. For more technical jobs (ie. software engineer or data scientist), you may have to demonstrate your skills during the recruitment process. For an interface designer role, you’ll sometimes need to show off your experience through a portfolio.

We’ll break down some of the main points of the application process:

Getting your dream job in the technology sector means sending a fantastic application to grab the hiring manager’s attention. Most jobs in the sector only require a CV and cover letter, although some will ask you to fill in an online application form.

When writing your CV, make it relevant to the job you’re applying for. A recruiter is more likely to choose your CV if you’ve tailored it for the role.

Make sure to include your work and educational history, focusing on your achievements. Tell the hiring manager what you did and the output of this. So, if you’ve worked at the Students' Union part-time, don’t just write “Supervised the bar sometimes”. Instead, frame it as “Regularly led my team on busy nights – ensuring we served customers at speed while I closely monitored (and managed) stock levels”. Remember to play up your transferable skills here, too. If you want to go into IT project management, focus on your organisation. If you’d like to be an interface designer, emphasise your creative problem-solving.

For more top tips on updating your CV, follow our guide on how to write a CV.

As for your cover letter, remember that it’s your opportunity to stand out. Recruiters will usually read it before your CV so make your first impression a good one. Use the information in the job ad to make your cover letter great. If the hiring manager is looking for someone with a specific skill, give them an example that shows you’ve got this quality. If they want you to know a particular coding language, tell them when and how you learnt it and how you’ve used it.

If you need help crafting the perfect cover letter, learn how to write a cover letter that will impress prospective employers.

In some more creative jobs like interface designer, you may need to send off your portfolio.

A portfolio is a collection of work that you’ve created. If you’re just starting out, you could build up your portfolio by volunteering to design websites and apps for local businesses. Alternatively, you could redesign large brands’ interfaces for fun.

Your portfolio should include a range of your work, showing your diverse skills. You don’t want to put everything you’ve ever done in it though. You don’t want to overwhelm the hiring manager looking at it, so pick out your highlights.

If your application is successful, your potential employer will invite you to an interview. Making sure that you’re prepared before attending the interview puts you in the best standing to get the job.

To prepare, read up about the organisation including its output, what it’s known for and its prominent staff members. Having some questions ready to ask will show that you’re interested in the role. Plus, the answers will help you know if it’s right for you. Remember, an interview is as much about you working out if you want the job as the hiring manager deciding if they’ll offer you the position. For more advice, follow our guide on how to prepare for interviews.

With more technical jobs like software engineer, tester and data analyst, a section of the interview will usually assess your understanding of the sector and ability to code. You can prepare for a technical interview by brushing up on your knowledge of relevant coding languages and how to build software structures. Reading over your lecture notes or textbooks could help you here. Be prepared and learn about what to expect in a technical interview.

This article was last updated in April, 2025.