How to Start a Career in Tech
Written by Princess Wilson
Technology makes up a significant and undeniable aspect of our lives. Nearly every industry is powered by some tech, making it one of the most appealing fields to build a career in. With many jobs set to become obsolete by 2030, you may be considering switching careers, or if you’re just starting your professional career, tech might be on your list.
While it may seem like such a broad and difficult area, you don’t need to be a genius or have a university degree to get started in tech. In this article, I’ll explain in a few steps how you can kickstart your career in technology!
· Research
Technology is a broad field, with each aspect of it requiring different skill sets. Hence, before proceeding to learn a random skill that you may have heard of, you need to conduct some research. Learn about the career paths involved in tech and find out which excites you the most.
Some careers you can research include web development, product design, data analytics, product management, 3D Modelling and Animation, Digital Marketing, etc. The great thing about researching tech careers is that there’s an abundance of information on the internet to help you. Watch videos on YouTube, such as The Bulb Africa’s Career X series, and read as many articles as possible.
Another great way to learn more about these careers and their challenges is by speaking to someone in the industry. If you have an existing relationship with one, you should definitely reach out. If you don’t, consider connecting with some professionals on LinkedIn and politely ask them why they chose their current career path. Remember to keep your request polite and direct.
· Decide on Your Career Path
After carrying out the necessary research, you might already know the exact career you’d like to pursue. If you’re still unsure, don’t panic. Instead, make a list of about 3 careers that appealed to you the most during your search. To finally narrow it down to just one, consider your current skills and which career path aligns better with them. For example, if you currently excel at managing people and multiple projects, project management might be the career path for you.
Also, when narrowing down to a particular career, passion is a factor that is often talked about. While it is no doubt quite important, you should also consider opportunities. Ultimately, the goal is to find a career that you enjoy doing but also brings in considerable opportunities that help you grow and earn big bucks.
Finally, it’s vital to remember that whatever career path you start with doesn’t necessarily mean that’s what you have to stick with. You may decide to become a DevOps engineer and switch to full-stack development later on. The important thing is that you get started.
· Find Helpful Resources
Technology might probably be one of the few fields with an unending supply of learning materials online — including free resources! Several platforms provide free and paid training to anyone who wants to kickstart their career. Simply visit your preferred search engine and search for phrases like “how to learn software testing for free.” If you’d like to enroll in paid programs, you can tweak the phrase above in your search engine.
An excellent example of a free platform is FreeCodeCamp. If you enjoy learning online and at your own pace, it’s a great place to start. Another great platform that offers physical training for prospective techies in Nigeria is Fellowship at The Bulb. While this isn’t a free training service, payment is flexible. Fellows can pay at the beginning or in installments after getting a job post the fellowship.
A key thing to remember is you need to choose a learning resource that works for you as they go a long way in either accelerating or derailing your journey. While learning online may work for others, you may be the type of person that prefers an on-site learning experience and the community it brings. The goal here is to tailor your learning resource to your preference.
· Start Learning
At this stage, you have done your research, chosen a field and the right learning resources. The only thing left to do is channel your passion and enthusiasm for technology into learning. Set a schedule that works for you, and try to learn for at least an hour each day. If you can spare more time, then that’s even better. The more you learn, the better you become, and the closer you get to excelling in tech.
When learning, remember that you’re not just learning to pass the tests or exams the learning platform you chose might have; you’re learning to be able to put these skills into practice and build with them. Thus, as much as possible, try to put your skills to the test by contributing to open-source projects. This will help you strengthen your skills and prepare you for a real-work environment.
· Start Building Projects
One mistake beginners tend to make is thinking they need to know it all before they start building. Unfortunately, this only leads to months of learning without tangible evidence of your skills. Instead, build projects on the side as you learn.
As soon as you have the basic knowledge in your area of specialization, start building! Not only is it a great way to fast-track your learning, but it’s also evidence to future recruiters that you possess the skills they need. Projects you build should be added to your portfolio, which serves as a display of what you can do and a testament to your skills.
Consistency is Key
In kickstarting a career in tech, consistency goes a long way and would take you really far. Learning can be challenging, and you might get stuck, especially if you’re learning virtually.
However, as long as you consistently make efforts to continually improve your skills and reach out to professionals when you encounter a blocker, you are on the right path to becoming one of the top professionals in your field.
If you’re considering building a career in Data Science or Scrum, our Career Advance program is currently collecting applications for these courses. Visit our website to learn more and begin your journey into technology today!