A new world
The computer revolution that began at the end of the 20th century led by the mid-1990s to the creation of the internet (the web). And it sparked an even bigger revolution. The effect of the internet’s emergence is comparable to the effect of industrialization. But the best part is that this process is still only at the very beginning.
The number of websites exceeds 900 million. Internet users: 5.5 billion. Internet auctions, internet sites, online stores, online services. The IT economy grows by 20%–30% annually. These are staggering rates. And they still are not slowing down.
Over the last 10 years in Silicon Valley (the center of the IT world), a company that later became worth a billion dollars was founded every 2 months. And that is not even counting such internet stars as Facebook ($1800 billion), Amazon ($2400 billion), and Google ($2200 billion). None of these companies would have appeared if the internet did not exist.
All of this leads to high demand for IT specialists. The global IT economy needs: programmers, designers, testers, architects, managers, system administrators, and other specialists.
It’s good to be an IT professional
If you are an IT specialist, a golden time has arrived for you. You can work for a cool foreign company while living in a small town—or even in another country. Your income will, of course, be lower than theirs (usually about half), but higher than on the local labor market (by 3–10 times). The smaller your city, the more noticeable the difference.
You will gain valuable work experience, good money, and brilliant prospects. Sometimes you will travel on business to the employer’s office. And if you really like it there, you can move there as well.
A rising tide lifts all boats. But why not be the boat that is in the right place at the right time? That is a skill, too.
Immigration prospects
In developed countries, IT specialists are among the top three highest-paid professions, along with doctors and lawyers. The average salaries of programmers are around $90 thousand per year. But the most interesting thing is that IT professions are an excellent fit for the global labor market.
What happens if a doctor wants to change countries? Another country means different medical standards. With a diploma from their home country, they most likely will not be allowed to work in the new one. They will have to learn the language, retake exams, complete practical training—it is a long road.
For lawyers, it is even worse. One country has one set of laws, another has different ones. Here, connections matter more; there, case law matters more. Great lawyers from one place will be of little use in another.
IT specialists very often work directly or through intermediaries for large Western companies. The same technologies, the same business processes. All the documentation on the internet is in English. The resume is in English. You can move to any country in the world and nothing will change. Even clients/employers are often the same.
And the salaries of IT professionals in California are really good. That is why you need to keep developing all the time.
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