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What is an information technology technical lead and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
Quoted expert
Matthew Liotine Ph.D.
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An information technology (IT) technical lead manages a team of developers, programmers, and coders in creating software solutions for companies. They're responsible for setting and achieving the team's goals, along with making sure that employees follow major technical decisions.

As an IT lead, your duties include, but aren't limited to, managing project scope, working closely with other development departments, and determining requirements, estimates, and timelines. They also oversee deployments and new releases, review code, and solve issues. Educational requirements for an IT lead include a bachelor's degree in software development or a related field.

Earning further certifications in IT project management is also beneficial to getting a job. The average hourly salary for a traditional work week in this role is $50.92, which equates to $105,922 annually. The career is expected to grow substantially in the future, resulting in more job opportunities and higher pay for the position.

What general advice would you give to an information technology technical lead?

Matthew Liotine Ph.D.Matthew Liotine Ph.D. LinkedIn profile

Clinical Professor and Director of Master of Science in Supply Chain and Operations Management, University of Illinois at Chicago

Most employers tell me that soft skills are equally, if not more important, than technical skills or domain knowledge. This translates into external/internal customer-facing skills, such as communication, team collaboration, writing, presentation, problem-solving, and being resourceful. (Many graduates overlook writing as a vital skill, but they fail to realize that in the course of their jobs, they will likely be required to write lots of memos and tons of emails.) The need to perfect these skills within the confines of a virtual world has become even more challenging and amplified with COVID. I teach in the information systems discipline, and when you view student resumes, many people look the same on paper. The soft skills will make a candidate stand out head and shoulders above the rest. That's why the candidate should pay attention to the screening interviews that they will undergo during the hiring process since employers will use these interviews to vet these skills.
ScoreInformation Technology Technical LeadUS Average
Salary
7.9

Avg. Salary $110,879

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level
7.4

Growth rate 16%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity
4.1
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.51%

Asian 11.99%

Black or African American 6.24%

Hispanic or Latino 8.82%

Unknown 4.70%

White 67.73%

Gender

female 24.06%

male 75.94%

Age - 43
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 43
Stress level
7.4

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity level
8.6

Complexity level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work life balance
3.7

Work life balance is poor

6.4 - fair

Information technology technical lead career paths

Key steps to become an information technology technical lead

  1. Explore information technology technical lead education requirements

    Most common information technology technical lead degrees

    Bachelor's

    62.9 %

    Associate

    16.6 %

    Master's

    13.7 %
  2. Start to develop specific information technology technical lead skills

    SkillsPercentages
    Project Management7.84%
    Architecture7.32%
    Governance6.03%
    Java5.67%
    Customer Service4.83%
  3. Complete relevant information technology technical lead training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of Less than 1 month on post-employment, on-the-job training. New information technology technical leads learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as an information technology technical lead based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real information technology technical lead resumes.
  4. Research information technology technical lead duties and responsibilities

    • Manage in completing COMSEC inventories, as required.
    • Lead the design and implementation of a large-scale CRM platform.
    • Manage full lifecycle for all Microsoft development (.NET, Java, JSP, SQL, etc . )
    • Lead numerous ERP enhancement and implementations initiatives to the corporate environments.
  5. Get information technology technical lead experience

    Generally, it takes 4-6 years to become an information technology technical lead. The most common roles before becoming an information technology technical lead include project manager, consultant team lead and systems administrator.
  6. Prepare your information technology technical lead resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your information technology technical lead resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on an information technology technical lead resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose from 10+ customizable information technology technical lead resume templates

    Build a professional information technology technical lead resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your information technology technical lead resume.
    Information Technology Technical Lead Resume
    Information Technology Technical Lead Resume
    Information Technology Technical Lead Resume
    Information Technology Technical Lead Resume
    Information Technology Technical Lead Resume
    Information Technology Technical Lead Resume
    Information Technology Technical Lead Resume
    Information Technology Technical Lead Resume
    Information Technology Technical Lead Resume
  7. Apply for information technology technical lead jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for an information technology technical lead job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How did you land your first information technology technical lead job

Zippi

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Average information technology technical lead salary

The average information technology technical lead salary in the United States is $110,879 per year or $53 per hour. Information technology technical lead salaries range between $84,000 and $146,000 per year.

Average information technology technical lead salary
$110,879 Yearly
$53.31 hourly

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How do information technology technical leads rate their job?

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Information technology technical lead reviews

profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Sep 2023
Pros

Staying abreast of technology and helping an organization define Technology strategy.

Cons

Work Life Balance can be difficult based on size of team and infrastructure.


profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Apr 2020
Pros

I am not what do you like the most about working as an Information Technology Project Manage

Cons

Do not know


profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Sep 2019
Pros

The opportunity to render services to client, and managing technology by giving key information to customers.

Cons

Not meeting up to expectation of a client.


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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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