From Humanities and Social Sciences to High-Tech — My Tips for Finding Your First High-Tech Job
In 2010 I started my BA in Psychology. I thought that this would be my future, and maybe someday I’ll be a psychologist. Well, things changed a bit. During my studies, which I enjoyed very much and learned a lot, I came to the understanding that this is not the path I want to take. I set myself a goal — To find a job in the high-tech industry, which seems to me like a fascinating field with many perks and opportunities. My experience was mainly from NGOs and the Public sector, and it was not clear how I’m going to do that. I searched everywhere, and not long after, I’ve succeeded and found my first job!
In this post, I’ll share with you some of the tips that helped me during the way in finding my first position.
Before we start, kind of clarification — I think there are lots of ways to “get” to the high-tech world. No one route or tip is necessarily correct or fit everyone. I’m sharing my personal experience here, but there are plenty of other things you can do. Do what you think is right for you.
My five tips for finding your first high-tech job:
1. Submit Your Resume Even if You Don’t Meet All The Requirements
Apply for a job even if you fit “only” to 60% -70% of the requirements. Many times we see a position and think we have no chance of getting it because we don’t meet two of the ten requirements. Well, this is probably a mistake. When companies advertise job requirements, they sometimes intentionally overstate or write the “perfect candidate” requirements. As everyone knows, there is no such thing as perfect, and companies understand that there is a good chance they will have to be flexible. Besides, you may “fit” to only 70% of the requirements, but these may be the most critical ones for this position. In other words, there is nothing to lose. Do you honestly and objectively think you fit the position? If so, then submit your resume.
One exception — try not to apply for more than one or two positions in the same company. It may present you in a negative light like you’re not focused on a particular role or field, and all you want is to work in that company, no matter in what position.
2. Know Where to Search
Most high-tech companies advertise their jobs on dedicated career pages on their websites, rather than on various job search sites. Make yourself a list of companies and startups, with links to their career pages, and check those pages regularly. You don’t know when a position will open, especially an entry-level position that fits you. You need to improve your list of companies and startups all the time and add more names. You can take ideas from different lists like “The most Promising Startups of 20XY”, or ask friends. Don’t just stay with the biggest companies or best-known startups. Try to reach 30–40 companies and startups at first. The beginning will probably be easy, but as you proceed, it’ll be a little more challenging. Also, search LinkedIn with different keywords and in relevant groups and pages on Facebook. I co-manage such an Israeli Facebook page — “I’m Not a Technologist But Want To Work In High-Tech”, which can be a good place to start with, but there are plenty of other pages and groups as well.
3. Use Your Connections
In many companies, a resume that comes through an employee of the company gets prioritized, and if you’re a good and talented person, people will want you to work with them and will be happy to recommend you. Make a list of people you know in different companies, talk to them, and check if there are opportunities in their companies. Also, Letting your connections know that you’re looking for a job will also allow them to update you if and when a position has opened in their company.
4. Add a Cover Letter
Not everyone will agree with me on this one, but it worked for me. Don’t just send a resume without adding a cover letter, especially if you don’t exactly meet the requirements. Write why you think you are qualified, what benefits you have, what you bring to the table, and what is making you the right person for this position. Try to do it in 2–4 sentences, and keep it focused. You need to convince the company why they should invest time and effort in reaching out to you and invite you to an interview. You can and should match the cover letter to the job in question and its requirements. Use the cover letter to explain why your experience is relevant to the position, what challenges you have faced, and how.
5. Be Open-Minded About The First Job
Your goal is to put your foot in the door and get your first position in the high-tech world. For that, you may have to compromise. Look for an entry-level position to give you the foothold in the high-tech world, even if it’s not the job you were looking for at first. Such a position will also give you the opportunity to get to know the high-tech world, its concepts, vocabulary, learn, and develop. There are lots of roles in the high-tech world that you may not be familiar with before entering this world. It’s important to read job descriptions and understand what each job is. Sometimes the same position appears in different names on different companies, and sometimes the same position name may represent different roles between companies. Operations Manager, for example, is a role that may vary significantly between companies — and sometimes even within the same company, two Operations Managers can have completely different daily jobs.
These were my five tips, but as I mentioned at the start of the article — this is based on my personal experience, and there isn’t only one way to “get” your first position in the high-tech world.
Feel free to share your tips and thoughts in the comments. I wish you good luck, and I’m sure you’ll find your next position very soon!
