Choosing a Path in Tech
“I’m new here. There are so many skills; how do I know which one to choose?”
Choosing a path in tech could be a confusing task. There are many roles in tech, both code and non-code roles. How do you know which one to choose? In this article, we’ll talk about things to consider and tips to choose your path in tech.
1. Consider Your Strengths and Interests:
What are you currently doing? What interests you?
In high school, counsellors usually advise students interested in colours, patterns, and entertainment-related activities to try out humanities. They’d most likely ask you if you love researching or fixing things, then they refer you to science or engineering. And if you love money-related issues, you may be advised to try out finance.
It’s similar to tech. You must analyse your interests and focus on your strengths.
If you love to write about different things or are particular about user manuals when you buy appliances, technical writing may just be your forte. Are you particular about colours on sites you visit, and do you pay attention to designs generally? UI/UX design may be your thing.
If you’re transitioning from a different field, you could find a role that connects what you currently do to tech.
Break down what you wish to do, what interests you, and your strengths. Relate all of these to different tech roles; you’ll need it in the next step.
2. Do Your Research:
Now that you have some roles written out, you need to understand what they’re about, the career prospects, and the learning roadmap. You’d need to conduct intensive research to decide which one works best for you.
Here are some ways you can do this:
- Search the internet for the specified roles.
- Check LinkedIn for people who work in similar positions and possibly read about them.
- Ask experts in that field.
3. Focus on One at a Time:
You may have multiple interests, and that’s okay. However, it’s essential that you choose a path at the start and stick to it for a while. Invest your efforts into one and see how far you go. That way, you can make significant progress in one path instead of struggling with many at a time. Find a roadmap, join a community, and learn.
4. It’s Okay to Switch:
If you have genuinely invested efforts into learning a tech skill and you do not think it works for you, it’s okay to make a switch and try another until you find what works. What matters is that you are putting in the work and making progress.
With these tips, you are closer to becoming a techie; you just need to take action. In previous articles, we discussed different roles in tech in detail and what they entail, for both code and non-code skills. You can check them out for more information; some of them are listed below:
- The Diverting into Tech Series
- A Guide to Technical Writing
- Data Engineering and What it entails
- If Techies Made up a Construction Team
- The #NoCode Series
You should check Nur, the SCA blog, for other articles to help you scale your career in tech. You can join the She Code Africa community or any other tech community to ask questions and learn with people in the same field and level as you.
Sending you love and strength on this journey.
