Numerous tech reports have shown that tech jobs are expected to grow exponentially in the next few years. One way or the other, companies have the demand for innovation and tech adoption and this presents so many opportunities for the likes of you, reading this article.
However, you’re most likely concerned about whether or not you can partake in these opportunities. Today’s focus is on breaking down some perceptions with regard to getting into tech. We will examine a few points which I hope, after having done so, will get you started in your tech career.
You don’t have a computer science background
Whether you come from a finance, education, project management, etc. background, tech allows you to pivot into the industry and start a new journey as a “techie”. Companies around the globe have made the shift to not making a university degree mandatory to get a job in tech. Some of these include and are not limited to Google, Facebook, IBM, Amazon Web Services, Netflix, and so on. This shift by major players has inevitably influenced ‘smaller’ players to be flexible. In fact, what I have seen over the years in tech, is that your cumulative experience in other industries can be a big value add when you transition into tech. Someone with events management experience, for instance, can pivot to being a Community Growth Manager for a tech company building developer tools. You most likely would imagine that being in tech is being stuck by your desk, building the next big million emalangeni app: the good news is that tech opportunities vary from company to company.
You’ll never stop learning (that’s a good thing)
The only constant in tech is CHANGE. The nature of technology in this day and age is that it is forever evolving and this places a high demand for continuous improvement and growth in the industry. Be it that you are a software engineer, you will have to stay afloat with the latest technology stacks. Be it that you are a User Interface designer, you will need to understand the latest design patterns, design software, and so on.
My personal rule of thumb with learning quickly in tech is building actual real products solving day-to-day problems. Let me put it into perspective, say, for instance, if there’s a new Javascript framework you want to learn, the best bet is to build for instance a Web app for finding the nearest hospital in your area.
You are an avid communicator
I said earlier that, your cumulative experiences in other industries can work to your advantage. With the effect of this, SOFT SKILLS become one of the personal traits you would have to hone, communication is one of these. Your ability to get your ideas across comes in handy in not just tech. Being in the digital spectrum demands strong collaboration and communication - with customers, your team, etc.
You want to do creative work and get paid for it
So much of what you would do in tech is problem-solving and doing so in a creative way. If you have a flare for problem-solving and creativity, then tech is definitely where you belong. Being creative is being techie (tech-y). Oh, and the upside, is you get paid for being creative, how awesome is that?! Very, right?!
You wanna change the world
If we pay close attention to some of the problems being solved by a lot of companies in tech, we’d realize that so much of what we do as techies is to change the world, one line of code after the other, one design after the other, one strategy after the other. If you are big on wanting to do impactful work, then just maybe a career in tech is for you.
So, what do you think, is tech the right industry for you?
I personally believe that your answer should be affirmative if you are looking for an ever-evolving field that presents life-changing opportunities where you will never get bored and have a high chance of making an impact in the world and your life. The caveat though is that hard work will give you a step in the door but consistently learning will enable you to thrive.
In next week's article, we’ll delve into some of the tech industry careers, please grab a copy of the Times of Eswatini. Feel free to also reach out to us on social media @CodEswatini or via email at codeswatini@gmail.com.