IT Skills to Learn for Your First Tech Job

Employers hiring for entry-level IT roles usually want a few skills done well, not a long list of tools you have only tried once. Choose the path that fits your interests and the jobs you see in your area, learn the skills below in order, and build one or two projects before you move on.

Beginner certification to consider: CompTIA A+.

• Windows and macOS basics: settings, user accounts, updates and common errors
• Hardware basics: laptops, printers, monitors and other devices
• Networking basics: IP addresses, DNS, DHCP, Wi-Fi and VPN
• Microsoft 365 and Active Directory: creating users, resetting passwords and managing groups
• Ticketing systems: logging, prioritizing and closing tickets with clear notes
• Customer communication: explaining fixes in simple words

Beginner certification to consider: ISTQB Certified Tester Foundation Level.

• Software testing basics: test cases, test plans and the bug life cycle
• Writing clear bug reports with steps to reproduce the problem
• Agile and Scrum basics, and tools such as Jira
• SQL basics to check data in a database
• API testing with a tool such as Postman
• Test automation basics with Selenium or Playwright and one language (Java, Python or JavaScript)

Beginner certification to consider: Microsoft Certified: Power BI Data Analyst Associate.

• Excel: formulas, lookups, pivot tables and charts
• SQL: SELECT, WHERE, GROUP BY and JOINs
• A reporting tool: Power BI or Tableau
• Python basics for data (pandas), once you are comfortable with SQL
• Basic statistics: averages, percentages and simple trends
• Explaining data clearly to non-technical people

Beginner certification to consider: AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner or Microsoft Certified: Azure Fundamentals.

• Linux command line basics
• Networking basics: IP addresses, subnets, DNS and firewalls
• One cloud platform: AWS or Microsoft Azure
• Identity and access management (IAM) and security basics
• Scripting with Bash, PowerShell or Python
• Monitoring, backups and cost control

• Clear writing for tickets, emails and documentation
• Problem solving: breaking a problem into steps and testing one change at a time
• Git and GitHub basics to store and share your work
• Time management and reliability
• Being honest about what you know and how you will learn the rest

For a full step-by-step plan, read our guide How to Get an IT Job (Even with No Experience) in the Career Guides section of Career Advice.

• Build small projects and publish them on GitHub or in a simple portfolio, with a short README for each one.
• Earn one beginner certification for your path.
• List your skills on your resume in the same words that job ads use, and show where you used each one.
• Be ready to explain every project in an interview.

• Do I need a technical background to start? No. Many people start from non-technical jobs. Pick one path and begin with the basics listed above.
• Which IT skill should I learn first? It depends on your path. For help desk, start with Windows and networking basics. For QA, start with test cases and bug reports. For data, start with Excel and SQL. For cloud, start with Linux and networking.
• Will learning these skills guarantee a job? No. Skills, projects and certifications make your resume stronger, but no course or service can guarantee a job or an interview.

Want structured, hands-on practice with real project work? Ethic Leaf offers optional, paid 1-on-1 Skill-Based Technical Training: ethicleaf.com/shop/services/skill-based-technical-training