Tech being the fastest growing industry in the past few years has created many new work opportunities. Even existing industries becoming more tech oriented has created further need for workers in tech. However, it has also created more competition for the well paid jobs within tech given that top tech companies are looking for the best of the best. So, let’s take a look at 10 factors (in no particular order) to help increase your chances of finding a job in tech.
1 — University degree
This is a bit of a controversial one given that many companies nowadays are happy to hire developers without a university degree, or a university degree specifically within computer science and software engineering. However, if someone does have a degree, it just gives them that extra confirmation in the hiring process as going through a university degree ensures that you cover all the key topics. It also means that you have probably done some projects and worked in teams, which is obviously key when working in any company.
2 — Online courses and “learn how to learn”
University degrees however are certainly not enough, as many people go to university and essentially learn the same thing. Completing online courses is a great way to expand your knowledge, especially in the fields that you need for your chosen career path or in areas that are not usually taught at university. Learning alone also helps you to “learn how to learn” which is important for employers as it means that you are adaptable and can find your way around problems independently.
3 — Build side projects
University studies and online courses are great to build the fundamental knowledge but nothing beats putting that knowledge into practice. Building side projects is a very underrated way to help you get a job in the tech industry. Anyone can follow a course or get around some project at university but can you actually build something that helps users get more value, test it and deploy it so your potential employer can see what you have built?
4 — Complete an internship
Similarly to building side projects, completing an internship gives you that extra experience in things that building side projects alone doesn’t give you. This includes things like having to follow specific requirements, having a particular deadline for completion and working in a team.
5 — Personal website
Having done any courses, projects and internships, it is recommended that you create your personal website where you showcase all these things. Its very practical as it allows you to show everything in one place that is easy to navigate — you can even add links to your side projects on there. You can even add your CV and any other relevant documentation that your future employer might be interested in.
6 — Work on freelance projects
This is a bit of an alternative to completing an internship but it can also be done of course after having some work experience. Working on a project alone for a particular client can help you acquire huge experience as you would work alone on a project with client requirements. Doing it alone means you don’t have a team to rely on so being able to deliver a project that a client actually pays for just shows that extra level of experience when applying for a job.
7 — Don’t forget about soft skills — especially communication
Yet another very underestimated point in the tech industry — soft skills… And especially communication. Many tech people are not the best communicators. This is a problem because communication skills are important in various scenarios, for example: collecting client requirements, obtaining actionable feedback from users, writing documentation, updating your product / project manager about the progress of development, etc. Being a good communicator helps to avoid many problems with coordination and hence helps the team progress forward much faster.
8 — Customise resume for each application
Jobs within tech tend to vary despite having the same title — e.g. “Software Engineer” is a very broad term. Each job will have its own specific skill requirements, mainly what programming languages you should know. Many developers tend to have a wide range of skills, for example it is common for developers to know more than one frontend development framework. So, even if your range of skills is quite big, make sure to put more emphasis on the skills you need for that particular job on the CV.
9 — Build your network or community
This is a bit of an extra point that tends to help. Having a network or community where you create content and engage with people about topics relating to your career path in tech, it shows you are genuinely interested in a particular topic. This helps to show employers you really are motivated to work in a particular field and that you are likely to remain interested in the job in the long term.
10 — Look for an area of tech that you genuinely enjoy or is related to your hobbies
This is once again quite an underestimated point. Many developers will often go to work in jobs that pay well, but they don’t really enjoy them. Working on something you actually enjoy, or has been a hobby of yours for a long time, then in the long run it makes it easier to progress and rise in your career. Common examples of hobbies where it is also possible to have a career are (to some extent) for example game development and robotics.
