Royal Holloway University
Royal Holloway
We had a great time at the Royal Holloway University careers fair yesterday speaking with many students who attended the event. Now that exams are coming to a close we found that most students were in ‘full-blown’ job hunting mode!
Through our discussions we learnt that students had some pressing questions which they needed answered to make decisions related to their future. So we felt it appropriate to share some of these with you. The top 3 questions were;
Student Question 1; If I have not studied computer science, can I still pursue a career in IT?
Our Response: Contrary to belief, many organisations are looking for students who have come from a many different degree disciplines. Our research shows that many of the larger employers are interested in students who have studied Engineering, Physics, Maths and Economics as well as Computer Science.
Student Question 2: Are there many opportunities for women in the IT field?
Our Response: Despite IT being a predominately male dominated environment, the IT industry and employers in particular are looking to ensure their IT workforce contains a good mix of both male and female talent. As a result, females graduating and considering a career in IT are in a better position than ever to pursue a career in this field.
Student Question 3: Are all IT roles technical?
Our Response: Although many roles in IT such as developers, architects and roles in infrastructure are predominately technical, some IT functions such as Business Analysts are more business facing. A Business Analyst role requires IT professionals to work with business stakeholders to understand the functional needs of the business to ensure that new systems are built inline with stakeholder requirements.
