How to craft your new tech narrative
Whether you’ve been dreaming about a transition into tech for years, or you are facing a recent need to change careers, there is a place in the tech industry for you, even if it may not feel that way. It can be difficult to visualize a path forward into a field that you’ve never worked in. You may be wondering, how can I change careers to tech, with no experience in tech?
The good news is: people from all industries are switching to the tech industry, and you absolutely have experiences, skills, and learnings that can get your foot in the door. In fact, your non-technical experience could serve as an advantage in the job search process, if you learn to frame it effectively. The following tips come directly from the career prep program at Tech Elevator, a 14-week coding bootcamp for beginners which places 90% of its graduates into software development roles. Their career coaches have helped individuals from all types of backgrounds — retail, customer service, food and beverage, healthcare, hospitality, law, and more — land jobs in technology.
Crafting Your New Narrative
Though you’re new to tech, your past experiences are invaluable, and will make you a more well-rounded employee and teammate. It’s time to be creative about how you communicate that experience and apply it to your new ambitions. You can do this by highlighting your transferable skills — the skills you possess that can be applied across industries and roles to elevate any team.
Identifying your transferable skills can feel difficult when you’re entering a new industry, but remember that these skills aren’t tech-specific. Consider which skills you have that you would find valuable in a teammate, manager, or friend. These are likely the same skills that a recruiter or interviewer will find compelling about you, regardless of whether they demonstrate technical proficiency.
For instance, did you previously work in the restaurant industry? Perhaps you honed your ability to adapt quickly and perform well in high-stress situations. Were you a teacher? You may have learned how to effectively interact and collaborate with all types of people. In your past roles, did you work on a team, or regularly solve problems? These skills are sought-after in tech, and it is important that you highlight them to show your potential.
If you’re having trouble identifying your transferable skills, you’re in good company. Tech Elevator’s Career Resources Resume section has a Transferable Skills worksheet to help you get started.
Building Your Tech Resume
Once you have identified your most compelling transferable skills, the next step is to emphasize them in your resume. The average recruiter only spends six seconds on a given resume, so it’s important that you communicate your strengths clearly and prominently. Here are some tips that Tech Elevator uses to help their students’ resumes stand out from the crowd:
- Use bullet points and only include items that are relevant to your job search. If it doesn’t transfer to your new role in some way, remove it. Keep your transferable skills in mind here — what are some value-adds that you are bringing to the team?
- Be intentional about showing your individual impact and what you accomplished in the role — use strong action verbs and avoid less compelling words like ‘managed’, ‘created’, or ‘responsible for’.
- Make sure that your resume does not exceed one page. This will force you to be clean and concise!
- If you have taken any courses or have experience in technical languages, make sure to highlight them. Be mindful of the requested technologies in the job description and include them if you have experience in them. DO NOT include languages that you do not know — this will ultimately hurt you!
With these edits, your resume will be a strong contender in the tech industry! If you’re looking for more guidance, Tech Elevator’s lead career coach, a former tech recruiter, dives further into resume best practices in this video.
Acing your Elevator Pitch
A recruiter loved your resume and contacted you for an interview — congratulations! Inevitably, you will be asked by the interviewer to ‘tell me about yourself.’ Though this question may seem daunting, it’s actually a great opportunity to incorporate all of your narrative-crafting efforts and communicate your value with your elevator pitch. An elevator pitch is a 30–40 second summary about your experience that highlights your transferable skills. You should describe what you did previously, why you’re transitioning into tech, and what your goal is. Remember — your previous experiences outside of tech are a strength — don’t shy away from them! Frame them in a positive light to show your range, adaptability, and ambition.
A common mistake when crafting an elevator pitch is to describe your background broadly, which often leads to a rambling and unfocused answer. With only 30–40 seconds, it’s best to stay focused on the narrative of why you are switching to tech. Anything that does not fit into this narrative can be left out, or if needed, discussed later in the interview.
Finally, it’s best to practice your elevator pitch until it feels comfortable and natural. This is your story, and putting in some extra practice on your pitch can help it feel more authentic and compelling in an interview. Consider practicing the pitch for a friend, family member, or acquaintance, so by the time you’re in an interview setting you’re comfortable delivering it to other people without a script. In the end, the interviewer wants to know your story, and you’re the one person who can communicate it best!
Transitioning into tech is an exciting path to choose, and learning to communicate your non-technical experience will be a vital tool to help you reach your goals. Companies are looking not only for individuals who can code, but who are also adaptable, communicative, resourceful, and motivated. Your desire to switch careers already shows initiative and ambition — now it’s time to craft the rest of your story, and land your first job in tech.
