17 Steps to Break into the Tech Industry

Did you know that 1 out of 10 of all UK job vacancies are tech roles?

Currently, there are 2.1 million jobs in the digital economy.

The demand for tech jobs is growing, as well as the supply. I can see this being the case for many years to come.

Are you ready to embark on an exciting journey into the world of tech? Look no further! Getting into the tech industry is easier than you think.

Whether you have a technical background or not, there are countless ways to kick-start your career.

Don’t let the fear of change hold you back. Embrace change and grow with it, as the tech industry is constantly evolving.

From traditional companies leveraging technology to technology companies innovating and bringing new things to the world, there are endless opportunities waiting for you.

Break free from the ordinary and dive into the extraordinary world of tech. Start your journey today!

This blog aims to slice and dice 17 steps that can help you break into the tech industry. Without wasting time let’s get straight to it.

Now don’t get me wrong… tech is most definitely an industry where you can hit top dollars!

But so is any other industry if you think about it or we can just agree to disagree.

The reality is, you are doing the wrong thing. And I don’t mean you’re doing the wrong thing entering the tech world, but your focus, unfortunately, is all wrong.

It is better to focus on learning rather than focus on money. I repeat, don’t focus on money focus on learning and the money will follow.

When you’re doing something just for the money there comes a point where that spark that first motivated you is just no longer there. You have to find another reason that needs to motivate you. What are you hustling for?

And if you’re thinking ‘tell the plug that I’m looking for an increase’? Think of a reason other than money that can get you up every morning regardless.

It’s not always easy, but having specific, measurable, attainable, and realistic goals is a good way to progressively grow – whether personally or professionally.

Do you feel like your coding skills need work? Are you clueless in tech and need a 101 how to turn on my PC tutorial? Whatever the reason may be, make sure it is intentional.

Learning is attractive. When has learning something ever been a bad idea or unattractive? Your brain is a muscle that needs to be exercised.

Once you’ve stretched your mind to a certain point your brain has no choice but to move on to a higher learning frequency. The more you learn, the more you know! Now that’s not always a bad idea. Especially in tech!

When applying for tech roles, companies would like to see a willingness to learn – the keyword “willingness”. They want someone who is a real learner at heart.

Learners are good because they have no problem feeling uncomfortable developing a new skill. And this could be for anything right? Food, dancing, learning to play a new instrument… As you can imagine it’s the same in tech.

What if Steve Jobs didn’t want to learn how to build a computer? What if Mark Zuckerberg decided to stop learning the algorithm that would later create the world’s biggest social network?

And the question I love the most… What if you decided to spend 30 minutes a day learning a new skill – this could transform your whole trajectory.

It starts with a decision, and your willingness to learn what you’re trying to figure out.

OK, so you’re telling me not to focus on money… OK… How will the money follow?

That’s a great question! This is where all the learning you do comes into the picture. One example is, you can leverage what you learn in tech to significantly increase your chances of getting a higher salary.

Who would you rather hire? Person A, who knows how to code using 5 different computer programming languages, or Person B who can make 5 different sandwiches.

I mean it’s a no-brainer, right? You pick the person with the most sand– I mean skills. You pick the person with the most skills.

Tech is… as much as it is about money, is about skill. The more skills you have in tech the more likely it is a company will be comfortable paying you more for it.

Especially when you managed to learn the skills yourself without the company’s help… but we’ll get into that later or in another blog! You have my word – I haven’t forgotten about you!

So just to summarise, when you focus on learning you’re filling a bucket full of skills that no one can take away from you.

Money!… On the other hand, can get taken away from you. It even loves the Taxman more than you I’m afraid. Sorry. But hey, once you’ve picked up a new skill, that stays with you for as long as you would like to use it.

On that note, I hope I’ve managed to explain to you, firstly, how focusing on learning instead of money can help you break into the tech industry.

I have to smile at this one. Be honest with yourself, are you really about this tech life?

Answer this question seriously and wholeheartedly.

Do you have a genuine desire?

What’s your passion?

Now, am I saying you have to be all out passionate about technology? No. But if you’re entering any field, you must show some form of interest, right?

But that’s not the point I’m making.

When you’re trying to break into the tech industry it’s always important to know yourself. Are you capable of working in tech?

What are some of the reasons why you would be a good fit? Why should a company choose you over someone else?

And are you worth the time and investment of a company?

All of the above are valid questions and should help prepare you for what can be expected. You like to eat right?… A simple task you can do to figure out if tech is for you is to create your menu, like a menu at a restaurant.

On a sheet of plain paper, draw a line down the middle so you have 2 columns. On the left side of the menu write down what you would like to get out of tech – this can be anything from money to all kinds of other things.

For example, money, a big company, learning skills, etc. On the right side of the menu write down what you don’t want from tech – you can be as honest as you want, for example, stress, no work-life balance, no progression, etc.

Try your best to make your menu a full-page sheet. It can be any size of paper, preferably A4. Once completed use your list as a reference and check out some tech roles and companies. Take your time with this activity – doesn’t have to be completed in one go.

If you come across things that are related to the left side of your menu, then make a note of it. Keep doing this until you have at least a handful of things that you like on your menu.

The purpose of this exercise is to focus on the things you want and to remove the things you don’t want. Although it may seem very simple, this approach helps a million! This was the technique I used to bag my first tech role.

And that was the role that allowed me to travel away from home for work and have a company house I could live in – FOR FREE!!!

Beloved, you never know what these simple steps can do for you. But more importantly, your menu gives you a genuine reference of what you want out of tech.

This is ultimately the most valuable thing. The opportunity to BE YOU.

If you answered ‘Yes’ to any of these then stop reading.

No but seriously…

If your character can deal with intensity– then this is for you. As you can imagine, tech is fast-paced. It is an industry that is always changing. Tech is turbulent. It’s fast-moving!

This is important to point out because before I continue with this blog you must remember tech isn’t for everybody. Earlier I gave an example of someone who can deal with intensity. But what if you can’t?

The truth is, 80% of the time you will not come across the same problem working in tech. One problem you’ll have to solve may relate to something simple, like ‘Oh no, I forgot my password’.

But you guessed it… it can go from 0 to 100 real quick (shout out to Drake!) What if you had a problem like WhatsApp being out of service for hours, how do you recover from that?

If you haven’t guessed already, tech is also about character. What type of person are you? Are you able to keep up with the pressure? Or will you get annoyed, complain, and lose control?

This is why before you get excited about jumping into the tech industry, understand what you’re signing up for. It is critical.

So then, who is tech for?

The answer… is, anyone ready to be challenged. And anyone ready to be uncomfortable. But more importantly, someone who trusts the journey.

At the end of the day, the aim is to reach your destination. The time it takes you to get there doesn’t matter. As long as you get there.

The intention must be clear. You have to be strategic. Plan your moves carefully and make them count.

You have to treat your moves like moves on a chessboard.

I don’t know how to play chess I’m afraid.

Essentially, the moves you make must tell a story.

It should also tell a company who you are, your story, and what the future looks like for you.

For example, you go from a tech support role to an IT analyst, to a consultant.

This shows the intentional steps you made to progressively grow in your field.

It’s a reflection on the moves you’re making to kick-start a successful tech career.

Companies will also find it easier to track your record of success having done things in a certain way.

No one gets anywhere by accident. You do not arrive at your destination out of luck.

When you have a plan to travel to another country, there are a series of steps that ensure your plans are fulfilled.

From the moment you place that ticket order online, flight confirmation goes straight to your inbox.

A notification reminder of the check-in process comes after.

You complete the check-in process online as per your flight information.

On the day of your trip, you have to plan your transport to the airport.

You arrive at the airport. You get your passport cleared. Then you get your luggage through security.

After that, you enter the duty-free zone where you can treat yourself to some shopping. This is all before hopping on the plane.

A similar process is required when you are starting a tech career. It’s great to have a series of steps.

Steps you can execute! You need to have sharp execution, which takes us back to being strategic.

This is where you create opportunities to break into the industry.

Sometimes YOU can create your own opportunities.

You can take deliberate steps to put yourself in events, training, and boot camps, all to stay close to the tech world.

So have a go and create those steps today!

(1) Attend a tech event

(2) Sign up for a training course

(3) Sign up for a tech boot camp

You don’t necessarily need to have everything together. Just start!

If you didn’t know this, companies do a lot upfront to accommodate your work. This can range from laptops to workstations for home, and other accessories.

To all my people starting from humble beginnings, this is great news!

Since I started my career in tech 5+ years ago I never owned a laptop. I never saw the point! Does that sound weird to you?…

Well, this was me for a good 4 years until I decided to purchase a laptop for personal use. Sounds crazy right?

I never needed to buy a laptop for myself because since I started my career in tech, every company I worked for provided me with a work kit.

I remember while applying for roles, I would use the computers from my old university. Since I’m an alumnus at the uni I can access and use the computer systems.

It was these same university computers I would use to send my resume and job applications. I would often hire out a study room where I can practice for video interviews.

I would make sure I spend a good 8 hours there just to make sure when I get home, I don’t have anything else to do for the day. This was how I was living for a good year or two. I don’t regret it.

At the end of the day, it is what it is. That was my situation and I didn’t let that stop me from getting the job I deserved and dreamed of.

I knew what I was up against, but I always knew what I was bringing to the table. I just had faith and kept my head down.

Faith is not a strategy, but it most definitely got me through those mental challenges. What was my strategy?…

Being RESOURCEFUL.

There are those people with 10 screens, 5 monitors, and 100 spare keyboards. That’s not me! And I’m okay with that.

You have the people with the desktop PC with something crazy like 1000 terabytes of RAM. I wasn’t that guy.

I used what I had available to me at the time. And what was that? A university I can access at any time, an internet café to go to when the uni is closed, and a library.

I didn’t have to pay a dime for these three chaps. One of the best investments I’ve made in my life.

The point I’m making is… you don’t have to have everything. Use this as your superpower. That makes you more attractive.

I would hire the guy who doesn’t own a laptop but still managed to apply online and do a video interview surprisingly all without owning their device.

Do you know what this shows? A Winner.

It’s important to not set yourself unrealistic expectations when you’re first starting out. This will not only upset you when things don’t work out the way you want them to, but it will also stunt your growth.

Remember, you’re starting a tech career – although this may sound fancy, not a lot of people are cut out for it as we highlighted earlier.

Acceptance is key! And you can start by knowing how to take criticism. You have to remind yourself that not everybody is your biggest fan. So you will have to be your own fan and worst critic.

Do a SWOT analysis on yourself. Get an understanding of your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. Wait… Break that down, please!

OK!

So a good way to critique yourself is by doing a SWOT analysis. What’s that? It’s an acronym for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats. This is a framework applied in business.

But I like to use these models in our personal lives too. And they work quite well in my opinion. It’s simple, you have to divide the 4 components into two categories: internal factors and external factors.

The internal part relates to who you are personally, and the external part consists of other things outside of your control.

So when we talk about Strengths and Weaknesses, these are things to do with you as a person or in other words, the internal factors.

When we talk about Opportunities and Threats, this is everything outside of your control, or simply the external factors.

One of your strengths can be writing. You’re comfortable writing lengthy documents – this will come in handy because it’s a skill needed in tech (believe it or not) when you’re doing reporting.

All because you work in tech it doesn’t mean no more writing. How else do you know how to install software on your computer?

When you buy a smart device isn’t there an instruction manual? Someone has to write them! These are just some of the documents that need to be drafted for the sake of providing guides to people.

When it comes to accepting your weaknesses, just be honest. There is no better remedy than honesty. Is public speaking, not your strong suit? 31% of people agree with you.

They say “Public speaking scares me”. 92% of people say presentation skills are critical to success at work. So it’s a good idea to brush up on these skills, right?

Essentially, you want to work on something relevant to your space.

Now we come to Opportunities and Threats, the external factors. An obvious opportunity you can immediately see is the options you have.

Working in tech gives you a range of options you can explore. You might start liking testing, but then you decide you like more development and programming work.

Or it can be a combination of things. However, one of the threats might be time – as in, how much time do you have to spare to explore all these options?

What are some of the things outside your control that may impact your plans? Are the job roles you want still going to be there? You can consider these as potential threats.

OK… Back to ACCEPTANCE! – Oh yeah, you’re not going to see six figures straight away… And that’s ok!

Ultimately, you have to accept that it’s going to be a tough journey ahead. But by acknowledging this, you’re already three to four steps ahead of the curve.

NO.

Have you ever come across something like this before?… Sorry but, it doesn’t take 30 days to become a tech expert or an expert in anything as far as that goes.

Look at it this way, put yourself in front of a CEO, CFO, and CTO and explain to them how you intend to transform their business in just 30 days.

Have a go at that! Let me know how you get on.

Myth! Absolute Myth! The truth is, you wouldn’t be able to!

Various sources suggest it takes around 10,000 hrs to reach an expert level at something – you won’t be an expert in 30 days, fake gurus.

The last thing you want to do is set yourself up for failure thinking you can talk that talk just after 30 days of information.

Now don’t get me wrong, there are some good ways out there where you can pick up some strong skills in a short space of time. But how realistic is it?

The rule of thumb here is to ignore false prophets. I cannot emphasize this point enough.

It’s easy to get blindsided by the glitz and the glamour. What sounds good vs what’s realistic? There are some interesting people out there with amazing talents. Talents that will blow your mind!

Some people may be able to pick up some really difficult skills in a short space of time, whereas for others, it may take them quite a lot of time to get to grips with it.

As far as getting into tech goes – what takes someone 12 months might take another person 6 months. It’s never really one way!

Learning something like programming for the first time can be a lot to get your head around. Something like this shouldn’t be rushed just for convenience or clout.

Especially when you’re seeing code for the first time. Yeah… that black screen with the different colour text and numbers are intimidating!

I thought I was in the Matrix movie. It scared me for a while, I won’t lie.

When you have someone suggesting you can be an expert in let’s say, Java, after 14 hours of learning, you’re in for a big surprise my friend! It doesn’t work like that in tech.

When push comes to shove, you better be prepared to know your stuff for certain topics.

The problem with people making wild statements like these is that you’re creating a false narrative of what is required in the tech industry.

When you hear comments like these it suggests that you can go from knowing absolutely nothing about a topic to becoming an Elon Musk overnight.

To be an expert is one of those things like… Early morning wake-ups, practicing on days off!

So let’s keep it simple. What is required?

Time and Effort.

Never look at someone else’s success and think the same thing will happen to you. There are no shortcuts in this business. You need to know your stuff; you have to bring you’re A-game. And that requires time and effort.

How much time are you willing to invest when you know absolutely nothing about a field you’ve chosen? How much effort do you think is required for someone with no knowledge or experience in tech?

While other people look for shortcuts, you’ve got others who are willing to put in the work, i.e. long hours of studying. This is where things like training, boot camps, and social events come in handy.

Being part of a boot camp or training course is a great realistic way to jump ahead of the curve and pick up skills that can help you get into the industry quicker than most.

Trust reliable sources! Like Each One, Teach One. No fairy tales, facts only.

Some companies offer coding boot camps where you can learn programming skills that may be specific to specialized areas. Check out our post where we touch more on this – here.

This may consist of a bite-size group of people all at similar levels of expertise or maybe a large cohort of thirty-plus people.

It will require your committed time and effort, but that’s what it takes to be successful in anything. The more time and effort you give to something, the more familiar you become with it. So it’s always a WIN for you.

Don’t go looking for shortcuts and then you find yourself having to take 6 months longer learning the same stuff anyway. Please don’t be that person!

Many people fall into that bad habit of going for a quick free course online which may not guarantee anything! There’s a lot of fake news out there.

So be careful. But more importantly, be patient.

Adopting the trait of patience is critical to anyone’s success in tech. It’s about longevity. You have to think long-term.

You must endure till the end to see substantial success. Your success won’t happen overnight! You have to be patient.

Patience is a trait similar to control and discipline. I like to refer to all three as siblings. It’s important to be patient in every situation.

One thing you can do that helps is create, what I like to call, a control matrix. Get a single piece of blank paper and draw a full-sized circle.

Within the circle you’ve just drawn, draw another circle – so you have two circles (one over the other). Inside your inner circle, note down all the things you can control.

On the outer circle note down all the things outside of your control. Give this exercise a few minutes, don’t rush it.

Take a moment to observe those things which you can’t control. Accept that these things are not a priority and exist outside of your control at this moment in time.

Now for the things you can control (the inner circle) bring these to the front of your mind and focus on these things. This exercise helps put things into perspective.

There are a lot of things outside of our control that we must accept to move forward. It might not be pretty but it helps us understand where we are.

Focus on the things you can control and keep doing just that.

Once you establish a sense of control in your desired field, you will gain confidence in where your final destination will be. This can be a steady journey, but like most of us, life can bring a few surprises.

Know you will get there – be patient. I had to be patient knowing that I would land my first tech job.

I put in the work required, I only focused on what I could control at that moment, and I went through the phases patiently. Of course, it wasn’t easy but it built my character.

You will find that patience is required left, right, and center in the tech world. The job you want may not be available for 6 months, but because you want it so bad you will be patient knowing that your time will come for such an opportunity.

That’s the closest thing you’ll get to a shortcut.

Above I spoke about ignoring fake gurus and being patient. The reason why is that unfortunately there are no shortcuts.

I’m sorry to be the bearer of bad news but this is what you need to recognize.

You have to learn; you have to study. You can’t make excuses; other people have done it.

By applying the tips given in this blog you’ve already made use of a shortcut that can make you stand out from a lot of people.

Come prepared and ready. Have your plans goal-oriented, with a clear focus. You want to be a Jason Bourne who’s a sniper.

You want to make sure that whatever it is you’re doing, it will put you in the position you want to be in.

You will most likely send over one hundred-plus job applications before you secure something solid.

Sometimes the shortcut you’re looking for is not what you thought it’d be. I can guide you on how you can quickly get into a non-technical role.

For some people, it’s just about getting their foot through the door. I’ll go into detail in another blog post where I can share tips on several non-technical jobs to get started in tech.

When I think about this I think about the saying, “Practice makes perfect”.

One of my favourite motivational speakers said something a little more profound which was, “Practice doesn’t make perfect, practice makes permanent”.

“Permanent”… I like. And why? Because when we say permanent, that’s it. Finished. End of discussion. Finito!

We should practice so much to the point that the skill we’re learning becomes permanent in us.

In tech, it’s the same approach. Set yourself up nicely by spending some time practicing something you’re interested in.

Have dedicated practice slots, this can be reading a book, video tutorials, or other self-learning activities. Remember, practice makes permanent!

The reason why this is so important is that one thing you need to know with tech is that almost 80 percent is trial and error.

If there’s something new that’s been introduced people need to first know how to use it, right?

A newbie will need to get the hang of something first before they can feel comfortable with it themselves.

This phase of practice can also be looked at as the trial and error phase in your learning – making mistakes is fine and failing isn’t an issue as you build confidence in what you’re preparing for.

The key here is failing forward. When you fail, you won’t start from the same position you started from.

You’ll pick up from where you failed. And it might take only a little tweak to rectify the problem.

OK – let’s make this more practical for getting into the tech industry.

Say you’ve never done this before right, and everything about it is confusing! Getting familiar with the roles that are out there is a start.

I like to focus on preparation for what is required in tech. Some companies say “We’ll offer you training” but I don’t like to take their word for it.

I’d rather come prepped with some skills in my pocket because this shows more value compared to someone else waiting to get trained.

Sometimes this can be tricky! You won’t always know what to practice or what’s particularly relevant for that moment.

However, taking the time out to practice a new skill won’t hurt your chances of getting into tech. If anything it makes you stand out more.

That being said you’re saving yourself time from the hustle and bustle that’s required when you have to learn fast.

So separate yourself by practicing regularly. This is how athletes become legends and so forth.

There’s no harm in applying this approach to your plan to get your foot in the tech industry.

When I heard this for the first time I was learning how to use a cloud computing platform. Did I take the advice straightaway when it was given?

Uh, not immediately but then I entered an exam competition to achieve many professional certifications in the same platform I was learning.

Yeah! Let’s just say I wish I had taken the advice as soon as it was given.

While many people may have come across this saying already, it goes without question how much of an effect this has on your growth.

Research shows that learning in small increments allows your brain to consume a bite-size of information relatively easily, compared to large amounts of information.

Take it as you please, but my brain can’t handle too much info at once. I’ll end up dozing off into the sunset.

Haha, I’m just being honest. Instead, I find it really useful when I learn something by breaking it down into small chunks.

Maybe it’s the fact I’m tricking my brain into thinking “yeaah this is small fish, we got this”. (And I don’t even know how to fish.)

The fact is that over time, you should get to a level where those 30 minutes a day now become second nature to you.

At first, it might feel tedious, but setting aside 30 minutes every day to learn something for the first time can be very beneficial.

It will even feel uncomfortable – but give it a go and invest in your growth. This is how people become experts.

It’s not overnight. It’s small steps that equal great distances! Literally, when has learning been a bad idea? I thought so!

The most important thing I didn’t want to miss out on was, to make sure you’re learning something you’re interested in. This is a must-have.

It defeats the purpose otherwise and ends up becoming a burden. So focus on an area you really can’t get enough of.

It’s a lot more fun doing it this way too. I don’t know about you but I wouldn’t feel as motivated learning something I don’t like.

That’s like listening to a song you don’t like but you’re forcing yourself to like it.

So be nice to yourself, and spend at least 30 minutes a day learning a new skill/something you find interesting.

After about 6 to 12 months of reviewing your progress, I’m sure you will appreciate the strides you’ve made.

What you’ll find in life, which also applies in tech or even most things for that matter, is that things don’t always happen in a straight line.

Let’s be honest, it’s not easy. More often than not, the path you’re on tends to be quite turbulent. This turbulence should not intimidate you.

Instead, you should embrace every uncomfortable situation so that you build tolerance, which will help you endure similar obstacles in the future.

The reason why I say embrace it is because it’s a process many people overlook.

Earlier I spoke about the importance of spending at least 30 minutes a day learning, I also went on with practice makes permanent and so forth.

Let me give you something practical that you can take away now and run with. I like to use a phrase that I’ve recently adopted, Learn Fast, Fail Fast, and Move On.

This approach will help you overcome obstacles and embrace any challenge you face. But let me break it down…

Learn Fast

When it comes to learning anything, we understand the importance and intention behind it.

We learn to develop a new skill, we learn to brush up on a skill we forgot how to use, and we learn to keep our brain juices running.

Put simply, we learn because that’s part of being human. Now in tech, learning comes with the territory. It’s not something you can just bypass, but we know that already right?

The tip you need to remember is that it’s not learning that’s relevant, it’s how fast you learn that’s relevant.

Personally, learning, in general, is great. But this is more than just personal thoughts, this is about doing what’s necessary to break into the tech industry.

Learn Fast! Remember I said, spend at least 30 minutes a day learning a skill, if you do this over some months – I can bet my career that you’ll develop a habit of doing this quicker than when you first started.

Learning fast has more to do with learning at pace – meaning, learning what’s relevant fast. Get in the habit of spending a short time reading something, then play back the same thing to yourself.

Test how much you remember. Make this your goal every time you learn something.

I’ll be honest, there’s someone out there who takes 2 hours to read two chapters in a book – whereas it takes someone 30 minutes to read two chapters of the same book.

Now you can argue, but for the person who only spent 30 minutes, can they play back all the necessary information? Maybe they can’t?

But the person who spent 2 hours can most definitely play back everything they’ve read.

For the person who took 30 mins, can they give me a high-level overview of the two chapters? If the answer is Yes, then I resume my point.

Learn Fast, pick up a skill by spending a specific amount of time on it – push yourself. You’ll be impressed with the results.

I’m not expecting you to memorise every single detail of what you’re learning but if you’re picking up the fundamentals and can give a nice high-level overview, I’m sold!

This is why you should learn fast. While other people are thinking they’ve got all the time in the world, you’ve picked up two to three skills in that time. Learn Fast!

Fail Fast

Learn Fast, Fail Fast… Wait, what?

I get learn fast, but now you’re telling me to fail fast? What in the…?

Yes, you heard correctly! Fail Fast.

What I mean is, that when you fail, make sure you get back up as quickly as possible.

Failing can cause you to think, oh no I messed up, I’m not good at this or this is not for me.

Easy, easy, easy!!… it’s normal to fail, that’s part of the journey, just adopt the mentality of ‘if I fail, I want to fail as quickly as possible’ because the clock doesn’t stop.

Don’t let failure keep you as a failure. After you fail, get up, make the adjustment and MOVE ON.

Move On

Yep the last one, MOVE ON! Learn fast, fail fast and move on! That’s it. And this is a recipe for success.

You start off learning how to code for the first time. You fail. You struggle to understand it, it’s frustrating you and you think, what in the fish is this?

You think, should I give up – I tried to learn fast, but I failed. Uh, you forgot the last one buddy, Move On.

Nothing is stopping you from moving on. You must look beyond your failures to realise that this is not your ending.

We all fail at times along the way that doesn’t mean we won’t see success. I’m not even going to bore you with success stories, I’m pretty sure we know a couple of those.

Always remember, learn fast as this improves your competency. Fail fast so you can quickly identify what went wrong. Move on – you can always try again. There’s always opportunity.

I really like this saying. You’ve probably heard it too from somewhere.

The saying ‘be like water’ is a metaphor to describe the character trait of being adaptable to different environments.

If we look at water, we can see how adaptable it is. It changes and adjusts itself to a state that’s dependent on its environment.

So why should I be like water? I’m human.

Getting into the tech industry takes a lot more than just someone who thinks having a degree in Computer Science is enough.

That’s cute but… that’s not always a requirement.

Sometimes, or I’ll even say most times, companies like someone adaptable and flexible. Why? – Because it shows you can move in different environments.

Adaptable

Water, I think, has around three different states. It can be a liquid, a solid, and a gas.

Now, this isn’t a science lesson, don’t worry!

The same way water has three different states, working in the tech industry also requires you to be liquid – in terms of flexibility, e.g. are you multi-skilled?

It requires you to be solid in your work – you have to know your stuff because waffles and pancakes won’t help you here. Sorry, not sorry!

And lastly, it requires you to be a breath of fresh air (a gas) – there comes a point where your relationships and reputation have to speak for you.

Sometimes what gets you through the door is your reputation – the way you carry yourself. If you’re adaptable, you never let change negatively move you.

You first acknowledge the change, accept it, then embrace it. You fully adjust yourself to it. This is being adaptable.

Adaptability is a mental ability more than anything else. Adopt the mindset that you can adjust yourself to any environment and situation.

Feel comfortable in a room full of tech gurus as you would in a fast-food restaurant. The point I’m making is… move along with the changes and accept them as part of the journey.

Flexibility

Very similar to adaptability, being flexible requires you to not make excuses. Or it can be as simple as, can you work as well at home as you can in the office.

You might think this is not eligible to be considered flexible, but believe me, it is. Flexibility relates to how well you pick up different skills.

In tech, you’ll have to develop the habit of learning two completely different things or even support a role/job outside of your comfort zone.

That’s pretty much all that is to it. How good are you outside of your comfort zone? I remember as part of my personal development, I set myself some career goals.

The first goal I set for myself was to throw myself into inconvenient situations.

Haha, don’t worry it’s not that bad!

The reason why I made this a goal for myself is because I realised that I would always come across something in my working life in tech, which wasn’t always convenient.

So how would I respond to this?

I didn’t want the anxiety to take over me. I had enough of that uncomfortable feeling of uncertainty hovering over my shoulders.

So I decided to accept that this is a good thing. I shifted my whole outlook.

Whenever I felt I was about to experience something uncomfortable or challenging at work, I threw myself straight in and went for it.

I lost all fear and anxiety as I was too busy getting stuck in the work. I found this useful in my tech journey because most people wouldn’t respond like this.

So that’s a free gem you can take away and apply right now.

Uh, sorry where is it? What are you talking about? Have you done your homework on the industry? Do you even know what you’re talking about?

I can go on and on, but let’s keep this blog productive.

Know what you’re getting yourself into!

I’ve identified these two things that can help you break into the tech industry:

1. Know what you’re getting yourself into
2. Understand the business

You can agree, or we can agree to disagree.

Look! Before getting caught up in your fancy dreams – do your research!

If you’re really serious about getting into tech you have to do your research. Not only that but you have to know the business, and I can help show you how.

Before you even think about salaries, applying/looking for work, dedicate time to getting familiar with the tech industry.

You can do this by reading articles, books, or by attending tech seminars. We live in an information world, access to information is abundant.

In this day and age, you can find whatever you need to in minutes if not seconds. There’s a lot of stuff online – that’s a start!

Also, as well as online, there is a lot of good material in bookshops.

All in all, the goal is to have answers to the following questions:

(1) What are some of the prerequisites?

(2) What’s new in the industry?

(3) What’s the latest news in the industry?

(4) What are the challenges?

Having the answers to all of these questions can give you a rough idea of what to expect from the industry.

Now, understanding the business. This is self-explanatory. But let me provide some assistance.

You need to understand the business you plan on getting yourself into.

If there’s one thing I’ve learned from my career in tech, it’s knowing that you need to know what you’re talking about. It’s as simple as that.

Understand the business! There are so many tech companies out there. Do you think they all do the same thing? Because they don’t.

Did you know that there are different types of tech companies? For example, tech consultancy is a popular type of technology business – here, companies focus on providing tech services to a range of industries, e.g. health, retail, and banking.

The number of services offered by tech consultancy firms is huge.

When you understand this about a business it’s easier to talk about in conversations. This also increases one’s commercial awareness.

Just understanding the business alone adds so much value. You can have someone working in a company that they know nothing about.

Imagine you have your own business and the people you hire know nothing more than just what you tell them to do.

Would it not be better if you had people who the business inside and out, they can tell you more about your business than you know.

The person who understands the business more deeply will be able to bring more value to its prospects. You may be the person that finds the next opportunity.

This is all-important to a business because it shows you made the effort to do your research.

You can go far through networking with people in and outside the industry. Networking plays a big part in your success.

Through networking, you can see how tech shapes our environment on a large scale.

A key focus, then, is to get to know people already in tech. How do I do that? – There are many networking events, socials, or workshops available at your disposal.

I’ve joined several charitable organisations in the past that helped with training programs, mentorships, and workshops that give you the skills needed to have a tech career.

Networking events are a good start and I highly recommend getting yourself signed up for some, ASAP!

These are great because they allow you to meet people face to face, ask questions in person, and build relationships.

Some of these relationships are the ones you’ll bring along on your journey.

A good way to look at it is that you’re killing two birds with one stone (not in the literal sense).

You’re gaining invaluable experience from the networking session, where you’ll probably get great content, but you’ll also leave with contacts.

And the best thing about this is, it’s free! (Well… you can find a lot of them that are free) The information you get from a networking event is different from the information you get from anywhere else.

It’s through these sessions that you’ll get a real perspective on what to expect, as well as hints and tips.

I’m sure you’ve heard that saying, ‘Right place at the right time’… This is my definition of networking.

You don’t even need to do a lot; you just have to be in the right at the right time.

How cool is that? – You can just start attending seminars and webinars, and through that, you find your connection.

From there on out, that connect now becomes your mentor, coach and teacher.

Imagine having three or five of these contacts… there’s no way you won’t be able to break into the tech industry.

If you’re still struggling to get into tech after, I’m not sure what other tips I can give you.

Socials are another great way you can connect with people in tech. I would say this route is even easier because it’s not in a formal setting.

The pressure of being formal (like at a networking event) is not there and you can have general conversations with people.

OK… but if I’m having general chit-chat, how is this going to help me get into tech?

Remember, like any business, tech is a people’s business – don’t miss that! Having a general chit-chat with someone can enable you to build a rapport with that person.

You never know what that person can bring or help you with. It may start on a general note then all of a sudden they’re inviting you to their new software launch.

The point is, in any environment, you have the opportunity to connect and figure things out.

You need people along the way. Doing it alone can be done, but it’s difficult.

You have a much better shot at breaking into the tech industry with someone’s help as opposed to going it alone.

This is true for people in or outside the industry. What I mean by that is, that even if you meet someone that’s not directly in tech, it’s still a good idea to keep them close.

It won’t hurt to have a diverse range of relationships. But my reason for saying this is because you need to remember who you’re serving…

Anyone who uses technology is a customer, automatically. Whether you use tech directly or indirectly, you’re a customer.

And why is this important to know? – It reminds you of why you can’t disregard someone all because they’re not in tech.

You could be speaking to a big boss with 25 years of fashion retail experience who needs an upgrade, would you consider them a customer for tech companies?

Well, when you think about the pressure of having an online presence or fashion stores having to offer self-service checkouts… you can see why this person should be of interest to you.

When you think of a tech career, you instantly go for something that sounds good, something that sounds smart and too cool for school.

That’s a big misconception! You’re spoiling your chances by doing this. Do you know how many support roles there are out there?

Have you ever considered starting out in an IT support or Service Desk role before diving straight into a technical role? I’d highly recommend it.

I worked in a tech support role as a Service Desk analyst at a university. It was a great learning experience. And a good taster for anyone trying out tech for the first time.

Don’t take what I’m saying as an easy way into the industry. There is no easy way! It still requires work. And a lot of it.

However, the nice thing about a support role is that it’s not technical. WHAT? No way, it can’t be.

Haha, you heard right! You’ll be happy to know that these IT support roles are more customer service-focused as opposed to technical.

This is because you are supporting a customer (or in tech terms a ‘user’) with an issue they’re facing. You act as their first point of contact.

You don’t necessarily need to have an answer for every issue – all you need is to understand what the problem is, what caused it, when, and how you can help. Sounds simple right?

Well, in these support roles, you literally just talk through a series of actions the customer can take to try and quickly resolve their issue.

Sometimes this doesn’t always work – so this is when you gather all the necessary details of the issue and then pass them on to a more technical team. That’s it!

If that’s still confusing, let me give you a real-life example. Let’s go with the famous one, ‘I forgot my password’.

When someone forgets their password the first thing to try is to reset it, right? But this doesn’t always work.

If this doesn’t work, you will normally have to call the support team who can help resolve your issue.

So you dial the support team’s number and wait on hold… for about a year.

OK, you finally get through to a support agent and you notice they ask you a sequence of questions that almost sounds rehearsed.

“Hello, good morning IT Service Desk, you’re speaking with Mr. Tech, how can I help?”… “What is the issue you’re facing?”, “Had this happened before?”, “Have you tried turning on and off your device?”, “Have you tried our self-service portal?”…

You go through all of these questions with them and they finally get around to fixing your problem.

For a role like this, you don’t need to be technical – I mean it’s a bonus if you know your stuff, but it’s not the end of the world if you don’t come from a technical background.

That’s what makes these support-level roles ideal and right up your street.

My conclusion is that this is a great way to break into the tech industry. It helps build confidence, better understanding, and a lot of exposure first-hand.

And if you’re thinking that you’re absolutely right. But listen to this though, change is everywhere. We live in an ever-changing world.

And it’s okay to feel uncomfortable, on the other side of that feeling is growth.

Make change your best friend. Some people resist it, I think it’s better to treat it like a friend. This way, you’re using it, instead of ‘it’ using you.

The tech industry is the godfather of change and I’m sure this is no surprise to you. Think about the number of times you need to upgrade your phone.

Or how about the number of times you’ve had to upgrade your laptop with the latest updates?

Look!… Change is everywhere – whether you like it or not. We went from having keys to opening doors, today cards open doors.

No not pick-locking, as in swiping your card on a reader – come on now, haha!

Who would have thought the push of a button would start a car?

Now you can speak to your car so it can start to rev up.

Not only that, not all cars need gas for them to work – you can go 100 percent electric.

If you’re unsure about the electric vibe then you can choose a hybrid model, where you get the best of both worlds.

Since we’re on the topic of cars, what about driverless vehicles?… Interesting stuff, right?

All around us, there are constant examples and reminders of how far we have come.

Humanity has evolved so much and change is at the heart of it.

If you truly want to break into the tech industry and kick-start your career, you need to get on board by adopting a change mindset.

What is a ‘change mindset’? – I know, I just made it up now. But I’ve heard the term before.

I define it like this… For anything that can outgrow you, grow with it.

What I mean by that is this, as the evolution of life continues, you also need to evolve yourself – whether that’s in mind, body, or spirit.

We age! That’s a change we have to accept. Every day we get closer to our last day.

I don’t want to throw you off, just want to put things into perspective.

You have two types of companies, a traditional company and a technology company.

A traditional company is one whose main business isn’t technology.

As for a technology company… well, it’s self-explanatory.

This is any company whose main business is technology. Now why the two distinctions?

Tech has transformed the way traditional businesses operate.

In today’s current climate, you can consider almost every company a tech business.

Why? Because whoever uses technology as part of their business is a tech business, even if it’s not their main business.

Let’s take my favourite fast-food chain as an example, Maccy D’s.

Technology isn’t their main business, right?

But look at how they’ve leveraged technology to grow with the times as well as the digital age.

Technology has improved the customer service speed for every fast-food chain.

I used to dream as a kid… what if Maccy D’s ever did deliveries? – cough cough, now you can order it from the comfort of your bed.

Convenience! Technology has made convenience the new normal. Again, this takes us back to change.

Now, technology companies on the other hand are obviously trying to innovate regularly and bring new things to the world.

That’s the whole point in the first place though, right? These technology companies want to understand our behaviours, habits, likes and dislikes.

It’s always in a tech company’s best interest to stay close to the customer.

Businesses today are doing this new thing where everything is centered around staying close to the customer.

The world has gone through some major changes, the pandemic is one reason why.

The point I’m trying to make here is more on the shift that’s occurred, as a result of change.

Businesses went from product-centric to customer-centric, to life-centric. Let’s break that down!

Product-centric

This is when a business puts products at its core. Products are the things customers want and therefore businesses invest a lot in the products they offer their customers.

For these businesses, a bad product means a bad company. For example, let’s say I had a company selling hats, I couldn’t care less about whether people wear them in summer or winter.

I care more about making and selling hats because my hats make you look good.

Is this a good approach? Well, it depends… Don’t judge this just yet, this is where we started as humans and gradually became more customer-focused.

Customer-centric

Using the same hat example, I realise that my competitors make better hats than me, and for a cheaper price.

Hmm… I’m screwed!… Wait, hold on a minute, what if I understand what the customer actually wants by simply asking them?

(Sends the survey) After studying my customers I find out they’re willing to pay a little more for a hat if the quality is good.

They’re not too concerned about price. That being said, I produce a new hat, of better quality, and sell it at a fair price.

Do you notice the difference from the product-centric approach? – This is customer-driven. This is where a lot of companies are today.

Customer service is everything in business. As the saying goes, the customer is always wrong… I mean right?

Life-centric

What we have here though is a hybrid of the two. The life-centric approach.

Companies today want to understand the customers beyond just what they buy, their tastes, and preferences.

It’s important to understand whether these habits will change in the next decade – what can potentially make it change? What are those driving forces?

A life-centric focus means taking into consideration the environment in which we live as well as the people living. Why is this approach unique today?

It’s unique because we have a generation of people today who won’t be here next year.

Any new product or innovation, therefore, is not meant for those individuals – but meant for the next 7 generations.

Businesses today have the power through technology to learn and shape our future based on our needs and aspirations.

For example, it used to be cool to play video games, and it probably still is. But as more people go online, it’s probably cooler to play video games using virtual reality.

People today want a real experience but at their convenience. This is why augmented reality is pretty cool.

Instead of going to a shop to see what shoes will look like in person, you can point your smartphone to your feet and see the shoe on your feet. Like you’re wearing it in real life.

There are many more great examples beyond this that align with our ever-changing world. But on that note, I hope you grasped why it’s important to embrace change.

You’ve just read the last remedy for breaking into the tech industry. One that will most definitely help. One you should not ignore.

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