Five ways to break into the tech industry
The technology industry is one of the most exciting industries to work in right now. However, when visiting a job board the job titles can be very confusing or be intimidating to someone who has never worked in that industry before. As new grads, these jobs may seem inaccessible so but these are openings are more within reach than many realize.
The reality is that the technology industry can be easy to break into once you take into account the wide variety of jobs for both technical and nontechnical workers. To help make this easier here are Workopolis' 5 tips to break into tech.
Take on technical projects – The best way to see if you are technically inclined and gain basic experience is to dive in head first. Work on side projects within your current role, or in your free time, to expose yourself to the field.
Learn more tech skills – While going back to school for a four-year degree may not be in the cards, some type of education and training can go a long way. Talk to others in the sector to find out those courses, or programs that are most beneficial. Some great courses are offered online.
Look to startups – Startups typically go against the grain when it comes to traditional job requirements. These kinds of companies tend to focus more on training and candidate potential, rather than the strict academic background. They seek well-rounded individuals to help them grow to the next level.
Find a mentor – Working with someone who is tech savvy is a great way to develop your skills. Get first-hand knowledge from someone trusted and experienced in the industry.
Immerse yourself – To learn any new skill or trade there is no way around hard work. Immerse yourself in the industry – network with other like-minded individuals, attend a technology conference and read as much as you can on the topic.
Are you currently debating a career in the tech industry? If so which of these skills do you envision yourself using to get ahead?
The reality is that the technology industry can be easy to break into once you take into account the wide variety of jobs for both technical and nontechnical workers. To help make this easier here are Workopolis' 5 tips to break into tech.
Take on technical projects – The best way to see if you are technically inclined and gain basic experience is to dive in head first. Work on side projects within your current role, or in your free time, to expose yourself to the field.
Learn more tech skills – While going back to school for a four-year degree may not be in the cards, some type of education and training can go a long way. Talk to others in the sector to find out those courses, or programs that are most beneficial. Some great courses are offered online.
Look to startups – Startups typically go against the grain when it comes to traditional job requirements. These kinds of companies tend to focus more on training and candidate potential, rather than the strict academic background. They seek well-rounded individuals to help them grow to the next level.
Find a mentor – Working with someone who is tech savvy is a great way to develop your skills. Get first-hand knowledge from someone trusted and experienced in the industry.
Immerse yourself – To learn any new skill or trade there is no way around hard work. Immerse yourself in the industry – network with other like-minded individuals, attend a technology conference and read as much as you can on the topic.
Are you currently debating a career in the tech industry? If so which of these skills do you envision yourself using to get ahead?
Although I’m not currently debating a career in the tech industry I would definitely make a point of exploring each one of these tips for any job that I consider, because I personally feel that when targeted towards any job, these skills could quite useful. In particular, I would consider the last two and the first one – find a mentor, immerse yourself, and take on technical projects – as the most important because I feel that they would be the most beneficial in providing a better understanding of the industry, as well as the crucial experience needed to succeed. I think that having someone to guide you through the process and give you first-hand experience, and even a potential job connection, is essential in our job market. As well, I think that the best way to gage what the work would entail is to explore it more in depth and connect with people that can give you better insight into the industry. Lastly, actively seeking out opportunities, or making them for yourself, to engage with the kind of work that the industry involves is also essential for being able to work in the that field. This tip is one that I wish I would have considered sooner so that I could have prepared myself better for finding a job and also to get a better understanding of what kind of job I would be most interested in or best suited for. Although each of these tips are helpful, these three stand out the most to me, and gave me the most to think about!
ReplyDeleteHey, I agree with all of those. Parts like learning new skills, and immersing yourself is easy, but things like taking on more projects is difficult. Depending on your job and company, people are not as open for others to take on tasks they have no idea on. I think that should change to working with others on projects, as part of a team, or even shadowing others in their projects to learn. It's hard to take on technical projects with the limited experience and lack of trust that might come with it.
ReplyDeleteAlso, as a woman in tech, I find that finding the right mentor is so difficult. Honestly, the advice I get from some of these 50 year white men, make me want to roll my eyes, because they don't understand. Finding women tech leaders is even harder and many don't have the time to mentor, or are not in the same geographic area as you. I have talked to female leaders in Seattle, Paris, London, and oh how I wish they could be my mentors, but online is unmanageable for some of them.
I think they are great points, but need to be addressed more specifically and include the variety of people that go into tech. It seems as if this list is slightly helping more white men get into tech.
I have definitely been thinking about a career in the tech industry, especially because of the emphasis on it in the Waterloo Region, but I have been finding it difficult to find where I fit in their staff. The majority of people they are looking for are engineers or other computer scientists few offer positions that pertain to Communication Studies. That being said, it does not mean that these positions do not exist. I think an important tip is networking to get your foot in the door, and another tip that I feel like should be at the top of the list is to talk to someone in the tech industry. This does not need to be an attempt to get a job through them or as many call it, an "informational interview". This is just a conversation with someone who can tell you what they do day-to day at their job, and what a lifestyle in the tech industry would be like. This way you can see if this type of work is git for you.
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