It may seem that coding is a prerequisite for finding a job in IT. In fact, there are non-coding positions that are critical to the technology industry. Such professionals interact with their coding-oriented peers to enrich the industry.
If you don’t know how to code, don’t like it, or are in the process of learning, an IT job is still available to you. The 11 jobs below generally don’t require programming knowledge or experience. Let’s take a look at what knowledge and skills would be helpful for job seekers.
- Computer Support Specialist
Alternative job titles: technical support specialist, support service technician, computer user support specialist. Education required: college degree or bachelor’s degree. Required skills: computer knowledge.
Computer support technicians answer questions, troubleshoot problems, and help computer users and organizations. They can test existing computer networks, perform maintenance, and restore data. They also install new software and hardware, train users, and offer updates and upgrades.
Many computer support specialists work with people by phone or email, offering help remotely. Computer network support specialists may work at deployment sites within organizations.
- market research analyst
Alternative job titles: consumer research analyst, survey researcher, market trends analyst. Education required: bachelor’s degree. Work experience required: depends on the specific situation.
Market research analysts collect and evaluate data on the supply, demand, and pricing of goods and services. They develop analytical processes, conduct research and surveys, and monitor trends and changes in the marketplace. They use software to analyze and interpret data, presenting their findings in reports, graphs, and tables.
Market research analysts work independently or as part of a team. They identify and predict market trends and behavior to optimize profits.
- Network Support Specialist.
Alternative job titles: technical support specialist, network support technician, network and computer systems support specialist. Education required: college degree or bachelor’s degree. Required skills: computer knowledge.
Network support technicians perform routine maintenance, monitor networks, troubleshoot problems, and assist network users.
These professionals may specialize in local area networks, wide area networks, Internet systems, or all three. They may work on-site or remotely.
- Project Manager
Alternative job titles: project coordinator, team leader, project manager. Required education: Bachelor’s degree. Required work experience: one to two years.
Project managers develop budgets, set deadlines, and manage team members, overseeing projects from start to finish. They develop strategies based on project goals and manage staff and resources.
They also solve problems and report to other managers and supervisors. Many project managers work in computer system design and related services.
- Quality Assurance Analyst.
Alternative job titles: computer systems quality assurance analyst, production quality assurance analyst, software quality assurance analyst. Education required: Bachelor’s degree. Required work experience: one to two years.
Quality Assurance Analysts do not write code, but knowledge of programming languages is an important component of their job because they work closely with programmers to ensure that coding is efficient, effective, and safe. Depending on their specialization, they may be familiar with languages such as Java, Python, and Ruby.
Quality assurance analysts make sure that the software works properly. They develop and test scenarios for new software, identify and mitigate risks, and document problems.
- Specialist in personnel recruitment
Alternative job titles: Personnel Recruitment Consultant, Personnel Specialist, Recruiter. Education required: Bachelor’s degree. One year or less of experience required.
Recruiters identify applicants and contact those who fit the organization’s needs and goals. They answer questions, provide job descriptions, compensation information, and contact information.
Recruiters are the first line of contact between a potential employer and employee. They need broad organizational and industry knowledge. Some recruiters may conduct initial interviews and screenings in person or over the phone.
- SEO Specialist
Alternative job titles: keyword specialist, search engine marketing specialist, SEO analyst. Required education: Bachelor’s degree. Required work experience: one year or less.
SEO specialists develop and implement search engine optimization strategies for an organization. They identify and enforce the use of relevant keywords and tags across all search platforms. SEO specialists may focus on image, video or academic searches. They identify ways to improve online visibility and implement changes.
SEO specialists may not do coding, but they should be familiar with HTML and CSS. Fortunately, these are some of the easiest programming languages to learn.
- System Administrator
Alternative job titles: network administrator, computer systems administrator, computer systems support administrator. Required education: Bachelor’s degree. Required work experience: one year or less.
Many companies prefer to hire system administrators with a degree in computer science, but you can get by with some courses or appropriate certification. Systems administrators oversee the computer functions and needs of organizations. They install hardware and software, perform updates and upgrades, optimize performance, and troubleshoot problems.
System administrators may work alongside computer support specialists or perform some of their duties. Knowledge of programming can be useful to these professionals.
- Technical Writer.
Alternative job titles: technical communication specialist, technical documentation specialist. Required education: bachelor’s degree. Required work experience: one year or less.
Technical writers translate technical information into instruction manuals, user manuals, and other documentation. Some technical writers may describe grants and research proposals. They identify relevant information, make it accessible to the target audience, write and edit content, and integrate visuals.
Technical writers develop documents in a variety of media formats.
- Technical Journalist.
Alternative job titles: digital media technical journalist. Required education: Bachelor’s degree. Required work experience: one year or less.
Tech journalists write about the technology industry for newspapers, magazines, television and Web sites. They identify new and interesting trends in technology and report on them to a wide audience.
Some tech journalists do product reviews. They may also write about the economic, political, and social aspects of the technology industry.
- UX/UI Designer.
Alternative job titles: interaction designer, product designer, visual designer. Required education: graduation or bachelor’s degree. Work experience required: one year or less.
User experience (UX) and user interface (UI) designers focus on the interaction between humans and technology.
A UX designer studies customer needs and preferences, then modifies existing products or develops new ones. A UI designer focuses on the look and feel of websites to ensure that the interaction between the user and the computer is efficient and effective.
Both UX and UI designers can be trained in UX bootcamps. Knowledge of programming languages such as HTML and CSS will come in handy in either profession.
In conclusion.
The best jobs in IT aren’t always the ones that require coding skills. Programming may not be among the skills you’ve mastered or enjoy, but that shouldn’t deter you from a career in IT.