Are you starting out and considering your options? Or maybe you've heard that tech is a thriving industry and have decided to make a career change. Either way you will need a pathway into the industry that combines learning and practical skills to good effect.
There is good news and bad news. The bad news is there is no prepackaged way to do this. You can't simply sign up to a course that will give you all the essentials. The good news is you have the freedom to cherry pick what is most important and relevant to your own vision and career path. For example, you might find you need to learn how to use a Grep command to do your ideal job, or, you might have to learn something completely different!
In this post we look at ten steps you can take to make your first impressions on the tech industry. The steps don't have to be followed exactly, they are more like options you can engage with at different times and to different degrees. In the end it will add up to a successful job in tech.
ATTEND INDUSTRY MEETINGS
Where would we be without mentors in life? Our first mentors are our parents, then our teachers. Professors and career advisors are also mentors. What they provide is practical knowledge and life advice for the way things are. This isn't always something you can access by reading a book or online article.
If you want to land a good job in tech, advance your career, you will seriously benefit from a tech mentor. But where do you find one, especially at that early stage when you don't have a paid role yet? The answer is to attend industry meetings and talk to people. You will start to meet the people you need to know and know about if you want to get ahead.
EXPLORE TECH JOBS
Deciding to pursue tech as a career path is a big decision, you probably have several other potential pathways ahead of you and choosing one means closing the door on all the others. Still, tech is a thriving industry and you should have plenty of career options available. Actually, the tech field is just as expensive as the career options you had previously.
But that doesn't make things any easier. You still have to decide on what tech pathway to pursue. Will you do programming or networks, for instance. The way to decide is by exploring the job roles available and using tools like CompTIA to help you decide on the best fit for your personality and skill set.
LEARN HTML
If you move to another country and don't know the language you're at an immediate disadvantage. Sure, you can get by. You still have body language and a number of other signs and signals you can use; but you won't be able to conduct a meaningful conversation with a friend or get technical with the brains that matter in your workplace.
Speaking of communication, pursuing any job in the tech sector requires a strong and stable cell phone signal. When you work freelance or for a company it isn’t just the internet you need; there are important phone calls to take everyday and you can’t exactly wave your phone around on the street every time. If your home or place of work doesn’t have a strong cell phone signal, invest in weBoost to instantly boost your cell signal wherever you are.
Back to coding! Newbies in the tech industry are now expected to know HTML, it’s the language used to make websites visible and is used by Programmers, technical writers, information architects and many others. When you understand HTML you will be one step closer to landing that dream career in the tech sector.
READ COMPUTER BOOKS
Having a mentor is one thing but you also need to know your stuff. Your knowledge base for your Tech is very important and will complement your mentorship conversations as well as resource you for your future career. Computer books can be anything from technical guides in your industry to motivational figures.
To make your learning as practical and efficiency as possible it's best to choose your sector first. Of course eclecticism is fine at the start, especially when choosing your career pathway, buy after you have chosen the real learning begins. Tailor your tech reading to your chosen field as far as possible, this will help you to specialise more quickly.
WRITE A PROGRAM
Whether you wish to specialise in programming or not, it's still a good idea to learn some programming. Programming is an essential part of the tech industry and you should know how it works and what the terminology means, even if your main job is in networking or something else. The good news is that programming is very easy to learn and you only need a few hours a week to get started.
To write a program you will need a computer with a strong Internet connection.. You will also need a web browser, a text editing program, and an online tutorial or app. You will also need to set aside some time in your day or week to focus on learning the skills. There are many programming languages to German your start. Choose from C++, Java, C#, Visual Basic and many more. Learning programming has the added benefit of giving you a skillset that helps you earn money.
INSTALL LINEX
If you thought that OSX and Windows were the only operating systems on the planet that's not surprising. The vast majority of PCs and laptops run one or the other. In reality, there are many more operating systems in existence and Linux is one of them. Linux is an Open-Source operating system free from any brand affiliation. This is one aspect of tech it's good to learn about.
One of the first things you should do is install the Linux operating system. This will give you plenty of time to learn and practice the platform. You will have to seek out the programs that work for it as you learn your tech skills and knowledge base, which will also assist your practical learning. Don't read the theory first, learn and use it simultaneously.
VOLUNTEER YOUR SERVICES
If you're right at the start of your tech career you might think you have very little to offer and that no one will hire you. In some respects that might be the case, which is why you need to be proactive about your learning and practice. Once you have decided on a tech career there's no time to lose.
You may not have many tech skills yet but you will have other skills you can trade and enhance in tech roles. Communication is very important in the tech sector. No matter what role you find yourself in your need to be able to communicate your ideas clearly and effectively. This takes practice.
The best way to enhance your skills and knowledge without experience is to volunteer. These days, everyone needs a tech person and there should be an opportunity to watch a learn in local industries. Seek out non-profits, religious organisations, community groups and tech companies in your areas. Think of it as learning for free, not working for free.
OPEN SOURCE PROJECTS
Open Source Is software, code, or other technical data that can be freely shared on the Internet between different users. This type of data has no encryption and is freely available to the public. Projects are organised in this way and people from different backgrounds and disciplines can contribute.
If you have little or no experience with technical projects then try contributing to an open source one. The process will not only enhance your technical knowledge and skills but you will get to know people interested in the same field and start to build a network.
There is a further advantage to contributing to an open source project. When it's complete you will gain recognition for your efforts which will stand you in good stead for getting future roles. Having contributed to this project future employers can see you are a committed and competent team member.
ENROLL IN COURSES
To land a job in the tech sector you need to know what you're doing. So where do you gain this viral technical know how? One way is by reading books, another is by volunteering your services. But these should always be complemented with technical courses both online and offline.
If you care about your career you will be learning all the time, especially when it comes to the tech sector which changes quickly. Tech courses are now offered by community colleges, universities, and technology training centers, there are also some excellent courses available online.
Courses can give you the training and knowledge – at least theoretically, but sometimes practically – to get ahead in your field. It pays to have a tech course of some kind on the go at all times. That's to online training courses these are now more cost effective and time flexible than ever before.
BUILD A WEBSITE
The best way to learn any subject is to work in that field and learn directly. There are three types of learning, visual, auditory, and kinesthetic. Some people are predisposed to one more than the other, but it takes all three working in tandem to learn a subject authoritatively. Don't stall at the theory, also dive into practical learning.
Building a website is an excellent way to get your teeth into your subject. It's an excellent way to learn and produce some content for future companies to see. Have fun with this process. It's a learning curve and a process of discovery. Don't put yourself under too much pressure. You can decide late if what you create is good enough for your portfolio.