It’s time for a change and the tech sector is looking like a really great option. In fact, you’re drawn to all it offers: flexible schedules, high salaries, and a wide range of open positions. But two questions stick in the back of your head–isn’t everyone trying to get into tech? Are there enough roles for everyone who wants to take advantage of the tech industry boom?
This is a totally legitimate concern; after all, there has to be some limit to the number of available positions and people who can actually land a job in tech, right? The answer is yes: of course there aren’t an infinite number of available roles. But the tech sector is incredibly broad and widespread and is continuously growing and expanding, meaning employment and career opportunities are vast.
However, you’ll still want to set yourself apart from other candidates and present an application that really wows the hiring manager and leads them to picking you out of the crowd. How can you do that? What should you do to prepare yourself, leading up to your career change? And how can you know that a career in tech is right for you?
We’ll answer all these questions–and more–right here. Let’s dive in.
Changing Careers: Tech
There are many reasons why you might consider a career change: a lack of interest in what you’re currently doing, problematic bosses or co-workers, a poor work/life balance, low salaries–we could go on and on. But no matter your reason why, tech offers incredible opportunities that will help you love what you do, let you have a life outside of the office, and compensate you well for what you do.
The main reasons why people switch into tech are:
Higher salaries: who doesn’t want to make more money?! All jokes aside, however, being properly compensated for your education, experience, and work is essential and something that can heavily impact your mental health and overall work/life balance.
Room for growth: even if you decide to dive into tech as a front-end developer, you’re not limited to that same role for the rest of your career; in fact, there are no limits in any area of tech and you’ll have the chance to progress to roles with more responsibilities over the years or even learn a new skill and begin working with a new technology.
Genuine interest: tech is in everything we do! No matter if you want to work with sports, animals, robots, or education, there are tech roles available in every single sector and you can match your passion and interest in tech.
Changing responsibilities: all industries will undergo some change over the years, but your general job and day-to-day will likely remain quite similar. In tech, however, advances are constant and you’ll be faced with new challenges regularly, allowing you to keep growing and developing as a tech professional throughout your entire career.
How to change careers into tech
When it comes to actually making that career change, there are a few important steps to follow to make sure you’re making the right decision for you at that moment and you’re prepared for the challenge. After all, moving into tech is a great option, but it’s one that will bring quite a few obstacles for you to overcome.
BUTTON: How to Make a Career Change: Ligia Fascioni’s Story of Becoming a UX/UI Designer at 56
If you’re considering making a career change into tech, make sure you complete these steps:
Make time for self-reflection: moving into tech just because you think you can make more money isn’t enough; a career change, especially if you’re already established elsewhere, is a huge decision that needs to be made carefully. If you’re having trouble evaluating if it’s the right time for you, ask yourself these questions:
Are you financially prepared to be without work for a few months (or more) while you head back to school or look for a job?
Are there any familial responsibilities that will come up while you’re in this transitional phase?
If you’re planning to go back to school, are you prepared for the financial commitment that will entail and the new pace of life?
Why are you switching careers? Are you simply unhappy with a temporary part of your current role (like frustrating coworkers or unfair management) or are you over the industry as a whole?
Are you ready to dedicate the rest of your career to this new career in tech?
Look at your options: once you’ve established that you can take on the responsibility of switching careers and keep food on the table, it’s time to consider exactly how you’ll make this change. Answer these questions to set up a plan that works for you:
Are you planning to go back to school or are you confident self-learning/online help will suffice?
The tech industry is incredibly broad–what is your dream tech role?
What are the necessary skills you’ll need to add to your resume before applying for a tech role?
What pre-existing skills do you have from your current career/job that you can bring over to the tech sector?
Make a plan: with the details ironed out and a clear idea of your goals and how you’ll get there, you’ll need to start taking some action. Explore different education options, such as self-learning, free online courses, bootcamps, or university degrees, and consider which is best for your specific situation. Remember, what worked for someone else may not be ideal for you.
Get started on your career change: dive right into your tech education as soon as you can, even if it means taking books out from the library to learn the basics of coding or watching online videos. And as you get a better idea of what you want to do and where your interests lie, you’ll be ready to move towards a deeper and more thorough education.
Check in with yourself: a career change isn’t just a one-time decision; it will take time and require lots of patience and effort throughout the entire process. Scheduling periodic check-ins with yourself to evaluate where you are, what you’ve done well, and what you could improve upon can help you keep track of your progress and make any necessary adjustments.
Choosing the Right Tech Career
As we’ve mentioned above, there are a lot of options in tech. You could become an ethical hacker, a data expert, or put your creativity to the test with a career in UX/UI design. And while some people might know exactly where their future lies, this decision can be overwhelming for many. Let’s explore some of the most promising fields of tech and see which one best fits you.
Getting into web development
Lots of people assume working in tech means you’re coding all day and there are certainly web developers who are coding experts. However, you could also work as a Scrum Master, front-end developer, or debugger.
Ironhack’s tips for getting into web development include:
Getting familiar with different programming languages before making your final decision, making sure it’s the right fit for you.
Ensuring you have a solid HTML, CSS, and JavaScript background before embarking on new challenges.
Getting into UX/UI design
There’s never been a bigger focus on user experience and guaranteeing customers come back for more. UX/UI designers focusing on all points of the user journey are needed in practically every company as competition increases rapidly.
Ironhack’s tips for getting into UX/UI design include:
Reviewing the basics of Figma and familiarizing yourself with best practices when it comes to user design.
Researching the importance of sustainability for user-centered designs.
Getting into Data Analytics
Every good decision is backed by data and as companies expand the amount of data to which they have access through developments in machine learning, professionals who know how to make the most of that data are in high demand.
Ironhack’s tips for getting into data analytics include:
Familiarizing yourself with big data practices and tools.
Reviewing the ethics of data collection and local and international data privacy regulations.
Getting into cybersecurity
As tech develops and provides users with more things to do online, their data becomes increasingly in danger–remember that hackers and malicious internet users are also developing their skills and becoming better at what they do.
Ironhack’s tips for getting into cybersecurity include:
Reviewing career paths in cybersecurity and making sure they align with your personal goals, including the guidelines ethical hackers must follow.
Trying hacking challenges online or at Hackathons to ensure they truly interest you.
Getting into artificial intelligence
If working with the industry’s latest inventions and advancements seems like fun, consider artificial intelligence as a potential career path. After all, who wouldn’t want to be on the forefront of progress?!
Ironhack’s tips for getting into artificial intelligence include:
Reflecting to make sure you’re ready to continuously learn throughout your career, always ready to work with the next tool that enters the market.
Exploring recent advancements in artificial intelligence to know what you need to add to your resume to impress hiring managers.
Getting into DevOps
As more and more companies introduce complicated and widespread projects, the need for an efficient and well-managed way to oversee and check progress and employees has skyrocketed. For those interested in managing the overall progression of a project, DevOps poses quite the opportunity.
Ironhack’s tips for getting into DevOps include:
Familiarizing yourself with the responsibilities of all tech professionals to better understand the individual role they play during the project’s lifespan.
Evaluating your own people and management skills to ensure you’re ready for the challenge of managing complex projects with lots of different moving parts.
Getting into cloud computing
With incredible amounts of data being collected from lots of different places, companies are forced to consider new ways to store and manage their data, such as cloud solutions that are cost-effective, customizable, and secure.
Ironhack’s tips for getting into cloud computing include:
Learning about data privacy risks and how cloud computing solutions provide additional security to the user.
Reviewing the use of cloud computing tools with large amounts of data and how it can facilitate the data collection process for companies.
Tech is a popular field–we can’t deny it. But that’s just because everyone sees the value in a tech career; in addition to high salaries and increased flexibility, you’ll be part of an incredibly fast-moving and innovative industry that provides you with lots of room to grow. If you’re ready to take the first step into tech and discover where your future lies, there’s no better place than with one of our bootcamps.
Check out our courses today and don’t wait another second--tech is waiting for you.
