The best jobs in tech right now
Considering embarking on a career in tech? Whether you're a university-level job-hunter, a senior tech-head, or simply curious about the coolest jobs available right now, you've come to the right place.
Below, you'll find some of the most coveted, creative jobs in technology. Learn about what each job entails, the companies that hire for said roles, and what qualifications you'll need to have if you want the job for yourself.
VR Developer
While still in its infancy, VR is a big deal. Facebook has invested massively in the technology, buying the American VR company Oculus back in 2014. Google are on board too, and you can experience VR for yourself right now if you pick up a headset from Sony, HTC or Samsung.
Naturally, VR developers are some of the coolest kids in tech. A pro-coder, software engineer, games developer and 3D artist all rolled into one, VR developers are innovative thinkers in the digital world.
So, what qualifications will you need? For beginners just starting out in the tech world, you'll want to make sure you gain an impressive background in game development and coding, and you'll need to know programmes like Java inside out. There are a selection of game development courses available across the UK you can enrol on, and some even offer specific modules in VR. It's a brilliant place to start your journey at least.
Work experience will be vital, but if you already have knowledge in the game development sector and you're curious about how to make the final step into VR, experts suggest learning about two games engines: Unity and Unreal.
Vlogger
Arguably one of the coolest jobs in the business, vloggers are the entrepreneurs taking over the internet. YouTube stardom has made millionaires for a select few, and many millennials place 'vlogger' as one of their dream jobs.
Vloggers are self-employed, publishing their everyday lives or specially curated content online in video format. Entire communities exist around individuals, with some of the biggest vloggers boasting a following of 10 million subscribers and receiving millions of views per video.
Beauty, gaming and lifestyle vlogs are highly popular, with the likes of Zoella, Alfie Deyes, PewDiePie, Jenna Marbles, Julien Solomita, Safiya Nygaard and the SaconneJolys making waves in the vlogging world.
But how do you become a vlogger? Nobody can guarantee success, but you'll need a decent camera, experience with video editing software like iMovie or Final Cut Pro and an active presence across social channels like Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and Snapchat. Getting initial views and a dedicated audience is the hard part, but if you've got innovative ideas, a talent for film and love being in front of the camera you stand a pretty good chance of becoming the next YouTube star.
Game Developer
Believe it or not, game developers don't sit and play games all day long - that's partly the job of a games tester instead. Game developers are expert coders and storytellers - they'll work on developing plots, produce animated graphics, create gaming strategies and fix pesky technical bugs.
If you're eager to become a games developer you'll have to be creative and imaginative, but also be able to work well under pressure - if you're good enough, you might even get to work for the biggest gaming companies like Electronic Arts, Origin Systems and Rockstar Games.
You'll also need a high skill set and, depending on your preferred specialism, experience with different software. Animators will need skills in graphics and animation, while programmers need to be brilliant at coding. Specific university courses can be taken, and every games developer should be an expert in maths, IT and computing.
Google Doodler
An extremely niche job, but an undeniably cool one to say the least. Google's 'Doodlers' are responsible for creating those quirky, fun and often commemorative adaptions to the iconic Google logo.
Google look for serious skills when hiring their Doodlers, and you'll have to have a degree in fine arts or an equivalent, as well as a talent for graphic design and 3D modelling. A sense of humour, a brilliant imagination and an extensive knowledge of history certainly help too!
Video Editor
Often working on commercials, music videos, short videos to support blog articles or even editing some of the world's biggest YouTube stars' footage, video editors are in high-demand. An essential part of any video's post-production process, they're in charge of gathering footage and assembling and cutting the content to make sure storylines transition seamlessly.
A skilled video editor can enhance the footage too, with clever cuts and effects adding a dramatic or humorous effect. Video editors who work with online media companies like Buzzfeed will be expected to work quickly, delivering online content that is short, snappy and shareable while others may spend longer fine-tuning and creating multiple edits until the final cut is achieved. Its likely video editors will work closely with the video director before a shoot as well to ensure the right moments are caught on camera.
Fancy becoming a video editor? Get experience wherever you can, build up a portfolio and practice your own camera skills. The more you know, the better editor you'll become. A degree in a course like film and television studies, film and media or even media production are handy to have, and second-to-none IT skills are required.
Whatever your career aspirations, find the perfect tech for your pocket over at mobiles.co.uk.