Many people see the salaries and amazing career opportunities that are available for people in tech and think, ‘Why can’t I do that?’ The good news is, even if you can’t take time off to study, there are still ways to get into the tech industry and make a career change. You are never too old to try something new, so here’s how you can move into tech without needing to go back to college.
Research your career options
The tech industry spans a whole load of different careers, so you aren’t necessarily going to end up working as a programmer or designer. The first step towards working in tech is to find potential roles you could do. Research different types of tech careers and consider whether they are something you’d like to do in the long term and whether it’d suit your personality. For example, if you’re creative, then a database administrator role might not be right for you, but something in software development or UX might suit you well. Once you know roughly what you want to do, you can do a bit more research into the requirements of the role.
Think about your transferable skills
It’s a myth that the only types of people in tech are those with very organized, logical personalities. The tech industry actually covers a wide range of different roles, so if you already have skills you’ve gained from college or work, then these can really help. Some skills that are useful in the tech industry include:
- Communication – being able to get teams collaborating with each other
- Teamwork
- An eye for design
- Being able to write persuasively
- Resilience and determination
- Flexibility and being able to step outside of your role
Write down what you think your greatest strengths are, and how you could apply these to a tech career.
Consider studying at home
While a lot of people would love the opportunity to go back to college, time is often in short supply for those who are already working in a demanding career. That’s why you may want to consider studying from home at a reputable university, which will give you a lot more flexibility and means you won’t have to uproot your life. Courses such as Michigan Tech statistics are well regarded in the industry, setting you up for a career in data science or statistics so that you can start job hunting after graduation.
There are a number of advantages to studying from home, especially if you’re a mature student with a family, job and other commitments. Although you’ll need to set aside time to do the work, it fits in with your lifestyle, and there’s no commute to college. However, you should set up a quiet, distraction-free area to get your work done.
Look for work-from-home opportunities
It can be difficult to gain experience in tech if you have limited experience, but you may be able to find opportunities for entry-level tech jobs while you are still studying and learning. Many people now work remotely, so if you work full time, you could do this as a side hustle, earning some extra cash while also getting valuable experience that’ll look great on your resume. There are often basic admin jobs in tech that need someone patient to take them on, and if you are a hard worker, the company may offer to train you with further skills.
Dedicate some time to networking
While the tech industry is huge and growing, networking is still important, as you simply don’t know where it will lead. While it’s hard to get a firm number, estimates show that up to 80% of jobs were filled due to networking, often because people knew someone suitable and put them forward, or through the recruitment of passive candidates. If you put yourself out there and network, you may find opportunities you may not have found by browsing job sites. It’s harder to network from home, but you can join platforms such as LinkedIn and join online conferences relevant to your industry to get you started.
It can be harder to move into the tech industry if you don’t live near one of the major hubs, but thanks to remote technology and online study, it’s certainly not impossible. Dedicating just a few hours a week to studying, networking and seeking opportunities could get you in the right path to working in tech, without having to leave the comfort of your home.
