How to Transition Into a Tech Career: 5 Things to Consider
The tech industry is continuously growing. Advancements like AI and VR mean it’s always changing. This is also why so many find the tech industry compelling – both for starting a new venture or switching careers. As a recruitment company, we get hundreds of candidates approaching us for advice on how to transition into a tech career. These span from industries like legal, hospitality and even those far removed like nursing!
Tech advancements are scaling rapidly. Fintech start-ups received $81B in investments in 2022. Deloitte’s study showed that 55% of their participants use AI daily, making the 2024 $100B invested in AI start-ups unsurprising (Crunchbase). In a recent estimate, there are also about 1.7M job postings for tech roles.
For candidates, this is an opportunity they shouldn’t miss.
How to Transition Into a Tech Career
1. Big Name ≠ Best Place to Work
The first step on how to transition into a tech career: Big companies don’t necessarily mean they’re the best places to work. As a newbie in tech, gaining experience with start-ups or scale-ups can provide invaluable experience.
Try going for those with 200-1,000 employees, where you can expect a fair company structure and up-to-date tools to help you do your job. These environments can often provide great exposure to a variety of new skills and functions within the business due to having a flatter structure than a larger company.
2. Starting at the Bottom is Good
There’s nothing wrong with choosing to go with entry-level tech roles. It can even be the best approach as you’re starting in a new industry. Heads up, you’ll need to work hard and learn things fast, especially with AI accelerating change in most tech companies. Learning how to transition into a tech career? Maximize AI for productivity.
Learning fast is a great skill to have in tech, but so is learning well. It’s easier to do that if you start at the bottom. Why? Because you have basic responsibilities. You’ll have less pressure around reaching performance quotas, and you can get used to the speed and flow of projects first–especially when working under tight deadlines!
3. Expand Your Network
If you have friends working in tech, ask them for tips on how to transition into a tech career. Ask about the in-demand skills and tools for your role. Connect with professionals or check tech-related hashtags on LinkedIn. Join discussions and watch interviews like the ones with Jason Lemkin from SaaStr if your niche is SaaS.
Additionally, get your network to connect you with a strong tech recruiter to get their advice on making the transition. A strong tech recruitment agency should have a wealth of advice and resources to support you.
Connecting with more people gives you the best chance of finding a good tech company to work with. Also, check the news, and do your research. Get familiar with AI, cybersecurity, and other tech trends. If you’re coming from a non-tech-related company, familiarise yourself with programming languages like Python, JavaScript, or SQL.
4. Tweak Your Resume
It’s a general rule to adjust your resume based on the job you are applying for, so be sure to tweak your resume. Tech companies often seek skills like customer service, self-awareness, time management, and critical thinking. So, line up your resume with completed projects that show how you practiced these skills.
Hiring managers will also check how you are actively upskilling in AI, cybersecurity, cloud computing, DevOps, and blockchain, as a few examples. So get certificates, learn as much as you can, and enroll in training or courses that support the role you want to apply for. Some examples are CompTIA A+, CompTIA Security+, ITCA, and CCNA.
5. How to transition into a tech career? Don’t Neglect Yourself.
Lastly, make sure you take care of yourself to avoid burnout. Traffic is heavy in tech, the expectations are high, and plenty of companies expect candidates to learn and adapt quickly. These expectations can lead to burnout and canceled projects. It can catch you off guard.
Try not to be an expert on day one. Study and explore new ways to learn. If you find a specific tech role interesting and fulfilling, you’ll grow there, eventually.
How to Transition into a Tech Career: Be Ready
It pays to be ready, especially when transitioning to tech. Gather the best information you can find, and invest in certifications and training. Find the balance between speed and retaining information well. Keep your notes, they will come in handy in the future.
Lastly, hiring managers don’t expect you to know everything. What they want to see is how you are working to improve the skills that you have now, how you expose yourself to current tech trends, and how eager you are to take on a new role.
Looking for tech recruitment firms? Visit Salient Group for SaaS job opportunities.
