The Big Question

The whole world seems to be crazy about tech these days. And I mean, why not? It is fast-evolving and it provides solutions to alot of problems. It also houses lots of opportunities that are yet to be embraced.

However, alot of people are very confused about how to break into the tech industry because they believe they would be getting coding/developers roles which scare them off. I am happy to tell you that it is just a misconception. You can be whatever you want in tech.

The industry is big enough for everybody with varying skills.

There are:

1. Developer roles - which include software developers, devops engineers, etc.
2. Non-Developer roles - which include UI/UX designers, product managers, writers,customer support etc.

The big question is, no matter the type of role you want to land in tech, are you ready for the time and commitment it takes to get it?

My Journey so far

I am a graduate of physics and a frontend developer. My transition into tech started when I took an elective course on Python in school. I got to realize that I love solving problems and working with the logical side of things. From then, I started nursing the dream of becoming a programmer.

I resorted to taking online courses on frontend development, which deals with building the interactive parts of websites and web applications. But with millions of resources online, I got lost in the web of so many programs and bootcamps I enrolled in.

Yes, it can get pretty overwhelming when you don't really know what you want to do. And that's okay! I soon found out about other interesting roles in tech and now, I am an aspiring cloud engineer😊.

I am currently enrolled in theADAProject and it has been an amazing experience with a very structured organization. I love the fact that with the program, I get to be a technical writer by the side. P.S This is my first article💃

How to Choose what's right for you

There are lots of challenges you could face when breaking into tech and I have talked about a few, like getting enrolled in so many programs at once. You could also face:

1. Not having enough motivation to continue.
2. Choosing a wrong track

A video was shared by the facilitators of theADAProject, which features Yewande Odumosu speaking on "Designing a tech roadmap" and how you could get to know which tech role is best suited for you.

According to her, you should:

1. Evaluate yourself. Don't go into a particular role because you heard it's going to be the next big thing. Think about your passion and what you know how to do best. If you like writing, you could go for a copyrighting or a technical writing role. If you are a more visual person, you could go for a design role.
2. There is no one-path to your career. You could start off as a designer, but with more experience along the way and understanding yourself more, easily switch to being a product manager.
3. Do not enrol in too many courses or program at once. It slows you down because you might not be able to give much time to them all and in the end, you might achieve nothing. The best thing to do, is to take crash courses(This could be for an hour or less) to just get the basic concepts and decide if that course is well suited for you.
4. You have to be ready to learn, learn and learn. Like I earlier said, the tech industry is an evolving space. You have to make sure you have the right on-demand skills even in your chosen track to keep up. The good thing is, there are lots of free resources available on the internet. So, be sure to make use of it.
5. Volunteer in ongoing projects. What use is the knowledge you gained from taking all those courses if you don't know how to apply it? Before you get hired, you need to have something to show your prospective employers as proof that you know your onions. It is very important to have a porttfolio that showcases your work/projects.
6. Join a community Joining a community is very important because it gives you access to other people like yourself or mentors with whom you can share your experiences with and get help in return. It is also a very good place for networking which in turn helps you get jobs faster.

Roadmaps to set your goals right

When you have decided on the track you would like to get into to first break into tech, checkout the resources you may need to get started.

• Non-Developer roles

• Developer roles

I hope you found this article helpful. You should really check out Yewande's video for more tips on how to succeed as a beginner in tech. Remember, never stop learning.

Sources:

• Yewande Odumusu, Product Leader, Advisor

• "Designing a tech roadmap" - Youtube video