You’ve made the incredible decision to prioritize your future and get into tech; whether you’re leaving your previous industry to make a career change or just starting out in the professional world, you probably have a lot of questions about how breaking into tech works, what you should expect, and what you can anticipate from becoming a techie.
Depending on where you are in the process, you’re probably also wondering exactly what’s the best way to get your foot in the door and make a good impression during interviews, especially if you don’t have a ton of experience in the field. That’s exactly why we’ve written this article; we want to share our knowledge with you, helping you get a better idea of what’s ahead and give you the tools to best prepare for what’s to come.
Get your notepad ready: there’s a lot of great information ahead!
Getting into Tech
A career in tech has clearly caught your attention and it’s pretty obvious why: it seems like everything in the news is tech-related, with new launches and updates coming out practically constantly. And even though tech used to be its own field with little reach into other areas, the tech industry of today is incredibly wide-reaching, working with practically every single sector to improve their processes and functions.
In addition, the vast majority of tech careers boast the following:
Competitive salaries: you want to be fairly compensated for your skills and work and luckily for you, the tech industry is one of the highest-paying sectors worldwide and is also known for other financial benefits, such as stock options, bonuses, and frequent pay raises.
Room for growth: as we mentioned above, the tech sector is under constant and rapid growth meaning there will always be a new tool to learn or specialization to dive into, giving you lots of room for professional growth and options once you move out of entry-level roles.
Job security: the need for skilled tech professionals is only going to increase as more and more companies and industries adopt tech tools and this means that you’ll be entering a sector that is not only needed right now, but will continue to be necessary far into the future.
Lots of open roles: with the emergence of new tech tools comes a need for skilled professionals who are capable of taking on these roles, meaning there are not only available roles right now, but there will also be quite a few in the future as tech continues to evolve.
Flexible working arrangements: even though the majority of tech roles will form part of a team, any tech companies are remote-first or support a hybrid model, offering employees flexibility when it comes to where they work, when, or having other flexible policies when it comes to childcare or vacation days.
Okay, you’re probably convinced: getting into the tech sector sounds like an incredible choice and one that will help set you up for success in the future. But before you go apply for the first position you see or sign up for a coding course online, carefully review our insider tips for breaking into the tech industry to ensure you’re doing all you can to prepare.
And the first step, of course, is figuring out if tech is right for you.
Is tech right for me?
If you read what we’ve laid out above, you’ll remember a crucial point: tech is influencing practically every industry and although you might think of tech roles as simply sitting behind a computer screen writing code, tech has expanded significantly and includes a wide range of roles such as UX/UI designer, cybersecurity professional, data scientist, and artificial intelligence engineer.
To put it simply, yes, tech is for you and especially if you answer ‘yes’ to these questions:
Do you like to solve problems?
Do you want to be challenged constantly?
Are you a life-long learner?
Are you curious?
Are you creative?
The amazing thing about the tech industry is that you can take your newfound tech skills and bring them to the industry that most interests you; for example, you just completed a UX/UI design bootcamp and put what you’ve learned to work at a sustainability-focused NGO, prioritizing accessible designs to reach a wider audience. Or, on the other hand, after you finish your cybersecurity bootcamp, you combine your passion for healthcare with your new skills and work to protect and encrypt patient data at a hospital.
Breaking into Tech as a Beginner
As you can see, the options in tech are incredibly wide and you’ll be able to take what you’ve learned in your studies and apply it to the industry that best fits with your goals and interests. And now that you know that the tech industry is for you, let’s explore the steps you can take to break into this fantastic industry.
Figure out where your interests lie
The tech sector is vast and it seems like practically every day, there’s a new skill, area, or tool that’s of interest to you. And while it’s totally valid to start off broad and explore what best suits you, you should try to narrow down your goals and interests as much as possible before choosing your area of focus to help you center your efforts on what gives you the best chance of breaking into the industry.
For example, if both cybersecurity and AI interest you, trying to learn both and land internships or take courses might be stretching yourself a bit thin and your efforts instead would be better served if you focused on one. To help you choose the area, try to research the following:
How would you acquire the knowledge needed to land a job in the industry and is it realistic in your current situation? For example, can you teach the needed skills to yourself or would a bootcamp be a better option?
What is the current job market like for this industry? The market isn’t static, of course, and it may change over time but maybe at one, it’s easier to get your foot in the door right now.
What is the typical career path like for this industry? Do the positions that entry-level jobs lead to interest you? Where do you see yourself in 10-15 years?
Get as involved in the tech world as you can
The tech world is moving fast and the more you know, the better. Staying up to date in a new field can be a challenge at first and you may struggle with knowing where to start, but try to incorporate the following into your normal life:
Follow tech experts on social media: social media is an incredible way to find out what’s happening practically immediately after it happens and following tech companies and experts on Twitter, Instagram, or LinkedIn can help keep you updated on what’s up in the industry.
Network with those in interesting roles: there’s no better way to find out what something’s like than from those who are actually in the middle of it! Use your professional connections or LinkedIn to reach out and consider an informational interview to help you get your foot in the door.
Take a tech bootcamp
No matter your experience level, tech bootcamps are incredible ways to set yourself up for success in the field of your choice, giving you the knowledge necessary for landing a job in the industry and kickstarting your tech career. In addition to giving you the knowledge you need to succeed, tech bootcamps:
Are flexible, allowing you to study in-person or remotely and part or full time, ensuring you can keep up with your other responsibilities.
Offer career services, helping you prepare your interview skills, review your CV, and set up a portfolio showing off your projects.
Are affordable, offering courses at considerably lower rates than universities and also providing scholarship opportunities, financing options, or government stipends to ensure you’re able to get into tech without breaking the bank.
If you know that a career in tech is in your future, what are you waiting for? Ironhack offers bootcamps in web development, UX/UI design, data analytics, cybersecurity, data science and machine learning, artificial intelligence, and DevOps and cloud computing.
No matter what you need, Ironhack has it. We can’t wait to see you in class!
