In the modern age we live in, technology is used on a daily basis.
Employment in computer and information technology occupations is expected to increase 11% from 2019 to 2029, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports. That’s equivalent to 531,200 new jobs.*
Technology is increasingly dynamic and complex, making it hard for the average person to fully understand how something operates. This misunderstanding can then lead to myths and false information that can do more harm than good.
Whether you’re just buying your first laptop or have been turning your house into a smart home, you may be wondering what some common myths in the IT industry are.
In fact, you might even think a few of these myths are true since they’re so widespread. To help you better understand the technology you use every day, we’ve debunked this list of seven common myths in the IT industry.
1. You Need a Super Advanced Degree in Computer Science to Get a Decent Job
I’ll let you in on a little secret: I don’t have a degree. OK, not really a secret. But I went to college for liberal arts and then for business. Nothing to do with tech. I took a couple of computer classes in high school, and no computer classes in college. I have no formal training in tech (and only a little in design). And yet I’ve been working in tech and tech-adjacent roles for over a decade.
If you have the skills, which you can learn on your own or through online classes like, very few employers care if you have a degree.
2.If You Work in Tech You Spend All Day Coding
Let me start with this: If you want to spend all day coding, then you can totally do that in tech. But that’s not the only way to work in tech. You can spend all day designing, or creating content, or marketing things on social media, or creating product and marketing strategies, or analyzing data, or helping others with their tech questions.
3.Programmers Are All Geniuses
There are some absolutely brilliant programmers out there. But there are plenty of programmers of perfectly average intelligence, too. The most important thing is that you have great problem-solving skills, and can think creatively. That’s related to intelligence, but it’s not directly dependent on it.
4.You Have to Learn the “It” Coding Language if You Want to Get Hired in Tech
Learning the “it” coding language is a great way to get into tech. But so is having awesome design skills. Or being great at social media marketing. Or creating brilliant content that gets attention.
There are a ton of avenues into tech, and coding is just one of them.
5.Programmers Work Alone and Never get to Interact with People.
Related to the above stereotypes, you don’t have to be a loner, and you won’t spend your career tapping out code in a solitary cubicle. Yes, you will get alone time (good news for those who are introverts), but it won’t be all day.
Brainstorming over design documents, reviewing each other’s code…some even collaborate by pair programming, where two programmers share one monitor and alternate coding.”
6. You’ll Work in Silicon Valley
Silicon Valley is home to many large tech companies—including Apple, Google, and Facebook, to name a few—but you don’t have to live in Silicon Valley to have a technology career.
“Software developers can work anywhere in the world. In fact, these days, many software developers can work remotely,” Williams says. “Computer support specialists often work remotely as well. With secure remote access software, you can diagnose and troubleshoot a malfunctioning system from anywhere with an internet connection.”
“Ultimately, where you work depends on the position you’re pursuing. But don’t be discouraged if you don’t live in a metropolitan area,” Williams says. “You can find opportunities to work in tech all around the country.”
Wrapping Up
Hopefully you now have a much better idea of what working in tech is actually like.We know—technology can be hard to understand. This is one of the reasons why myths circle throughout the IT industry that confuse people.
