So, you’re ready to dive into a career in tech? That’s fantastic! But hold on a sec – before you cannonball into the deep end, it’s essential to be aware of some common mistakes that could trip you up.

Getting into tech is one thing, but staying and thriving in the industry is another. You need to play the game smart to avoid pitfalls that can derail your career.

In this post, we’ll cover how to navigate the tech industry effectively, adopt the right work approaches, and make the most of your time once you’re in.

Let’s ensure you’re not just getting in, but excelling and staying ahead!

One of the biggest blunders you can make is thinking the hard work ends once you land a job in tech.

Sure, congratulations are in order – you’ve secured a position in the industry. But now the real challenge begins.

It’s easy to get complacent and think you can relax now that you’ve got your foot in the door, but you need to keep that momentum going and continue performing at a high level.

In tech, you’ll often find that long hours and tough tasks come with the territory.

You won’t be able to control every situation, and you’ll frequently need to adapt and think on your feet.

It’s vital to stay proactive, keep pushing yourself, and ensure you’re outworking your peers, not the other way around.

Remember, getting into tech is just the first step.

Moving from A to B in your career takes ongoing effort and dedication.

You might encounter hidden prerequisites and expectations that could slow your progress, but exceeding expectations and maintaining a strong work ethic can help you stay ahead.

To keep winning in tech, you need to keep pushing yourself and never settle for complacency.

It’s not necessarily about playing the game wrong, it’s more about not knowing how to play the game. What game? I didn’t sign up for games.

When speaking about the tech industry I like to put it in the context of a game.

The game is knowing how to avoid common mistakes – that’s one part of it.

The other side to it is knowing what you need to do, now that you’ve got in the industry, to maintain your position in it.

Remember, things can change in an instant, so it’s never wise to think now that you’re working in tech, that’s it!

You must keep playing the game.

We can break this up into four key areas:

1. Purpose – remembering what you’re in this for
2. Path – you need to decide what type of game you’re playing
3. Price – what’s it going to cost you?
4. Precision – you got to be a sniper, if you take a shot you have to score.

Purpose

You need to remember what you’re in this for and remain firm in that.

Your purpose needs to be bigger than a simple goal, it has to be a game changer – what are you hustling for?

How are you going to change the game and make it work for you?

Path

What type of game are you playing? Are you playing the same game as everyone else, or have decided to play your own game?

Whatever path you decide, it’s important to realise that you’re either laying your own game or having to play someone else’s.

Also, can you win? You only want to go for something you can win. Assess your chances and be sure you can win.

Price

What’s it going to cost you? You need to consider if it’s worth your time or not.

If you’re playing a game that you can’t win, then it’s probably not worth your time.

You must ask yourself, what’s the price you’re willing to pay?

Precision

You got to be a sniper at work. You need to know what you want, how to get it, and then go for it.

For example, you may be going for a promotion at work, and you must shoot your shot at it; if you take a shot, you must score.

You can’t think the world is your oyster and options are always available, sometimes you only have one chance.

I hate to break it to you, but the stereotype is not true.

You’re not stuck in a basement somewhere or in a room full of computers just working away in isolation.

One of the big misconceptions about working in tech is the idea that you don’t need to speak to anyone.

I’m not sure if those types of roles still exist – i.e. getting locked in a room, with no human interaction.

It’s not a bad thing at all, some people prefer to work in isolation or away from others – they feel more productive that way.

Some prefer not to speak to anyone and just focus on the work. You come to work, do your work, and then leave to go home.

For some of us, that’s the ideal situation.

Unfortunately, in this day and age, that’s not the best approach – here’s why…

You need that human element to your work, you might be working on something by yourself that’s challenging, but if you’re in an office with co-workers, you can just turn around and ask for help there and then.

Sometimes it’s not even about asking for help, it’s just about being open.

Tech is a people’s business, don’t miss that! Being open will lead to more opportunities and doors opening for you.

If you have a good working relationship with your colleagues or other people you work with, this in itself may create further opportunities.

It’s good to be open, and allow the people around you to get to know you.

Don’t let your pride get in the way either, you may say “I don’t want to force it”, you’re not forcing anything, you’re in a working environment with like-minded people; you never know, and being open can do more good than bad long-term.

Ok – so there’s nothing wrong with having preferences or working to specialise in a specific area, however, it is a problem when you do everything you can to isolate yourself to just one area.

That’s a big mistake! Why? – You don’t just want to be the tech woman or guy.

Although it might seem like the more techy you are, the more progress, money, growth, etc.

But that’s not entirely accurate.

Did you know you’ll have better luck being an all-rounded individual? This is because you haven’t pigeonholed yourself.

Employers can do more with you at work if they see you are multiskilled and not just the tech geek.

For example, knowing how to understand business milestones as well as communicate technical processes is like having a double-edged sword- you can’t go wrong with that.

Especially if you’re just starting in tech, get an overall feel of all your options, don’t narrow yourself down to one thing too quickly, no…

Instead, be open, learn everything, and understand the game you’re in.

Play the game a little, test out one thing; have a play with another.

Once you’ve accumulated competency in multiple skills, then you can start dealing with specifics.

You have to time it right – don’t make it the first thing you do, or you might regret it in the long run.

You have to keep going, you haven’t finished yet. It’s important to not take your eye off the prize.

What was the goal?

Was it to just get into tech?

Once you get that, what’s next? – Surely there’s more to it than that… you get the drift, right?

The thing we must continuously avoid is the habit of complacency.

You should never get comfortable to the point where it makes you lazy.

There’s someone out there working for the same spot you want.

Unfortunately, there are no chosen ones. You have to continuously work and stay consistent.

The harsh reality is that there is someone who is doing better than you are, so don’t get too excited.

It’s better to remain humble at all times.

This way you avoid the trap of thinking you’re done when in the context of progress, there’s always more you could do.

You just have to keep on winning! What’s your current win streak? As you progress you want to ensure you’re taking the right strides to your success.

The problem with thinking you’ve made it is that you get comfortable.

You take your foot off the gas and that momentum you once had is now gone.

It happens… but don’t let that person be you.

So before you’ve think you won, humble yourself and remember the work doesn’t stop there – the marathon continues (RIP Nipsey).

At the end of the day, it’s a marathon – you want to be in the best position consistently.

The perspective you have from the beginning is a critical success factor.

How you view working in tech is one of the initial things you need to clarify before anything else.

Do you see this as a career or just another job?

The mistake people make is thinking they can treat a career in tech as a typical job that just pays you.

You should treat it more seriously than that.

How do you view a job?… Do you view it as a dead end? Do you see potential and is there potential for you?…

Regardless of how you see it, you must take it seriously. Working in tech can be seen as a luxury, not everyone has the opportunity.

Being a part of the fastest-growing industry; and getting exposure to the latest trends and technologies – you see, tech in itself, is far from being just another job, it’s a great avenue for upskilling.

Tech is one of the industries where you can up skills quickly.

The demand for these skills is the jackpot, and what you can do with them comes down to how well you utilise the opportunity to work in this field.

The opportunities are there, it’s a career you’re building out of it – that’s the best way to view it.

There’s a lot you have to prove when you first start working in tech.

You need to show you were worth the time and investment – employers want to see why they hired you, like where’s the proof in the pudding.

So, you can’t get too excited thinking you’re super smart and know everything because you will be tested, and tried.

Some people find themselves overwhelmed and under extreme pressure because they think they are smarter than they are.

You don’t want to make the mistake where you thought something was easy, but when faced with the challenge you begin to fold.

Only set yourself for situations you think you can win – that’s how you play the game!

Furthermore, you should never make the mistake of thinking you’re the smartest person in the room – this is such a dummy move.

What you may find that works best is being the person in the room with the least knowledge.

It’s better to surround yourself with people who are smarter than you, as this will push you to get to that level.

You want to be in a position where you can leverage other people’s knowledge and experience, so it helps you get to where you want to be quicker.

Putting the spotlight on yourself will only add unnecessary pressure, and that’s the last thing you want.

Being knowledgeable in only your role and not being aware of other options outside of that will keep you on a narrow path.

That’s the wrong approach! You should get familiar with other roles that give you options and allow you to broaden your horizons.

This gives you visibility into other areas that may be good to know about. You need to be well-versed with your surroundings.

It’s important to be good at your job but possessing knowledge outside of that is just as valuable.

It’s better to know a little about everything so that you have some level of understanding if you’re introduced to other areas.

From an employer’s perspective, this is enormously beneficial as it shows them that you’re not just good in one area.

Remember, when working in tech, it’s about utilising all your options so that you’re in the best possible position.

In basketball, there’s something referred to as a triple-double.

You have players who can score three-pointers like it’s nothing (shout out to Steph Curry), or you have other players strong at defence; you also have players stronger on the rebound.

In today’s game of basketball, you got to be that player who can do multiple things on the court – mainly three things, block shots, hit opponents on the rebound, and scoring. You want that triple-double!

Look, you have to see tech in a similar light.

Don’t just be a coder, be the person who knows how to code; knows how to do business analysis; and can perform the testing afterward.

You want to be that person! There’s a lot more you can offer than someone who’s just good in one area.

It is easier when you’re interested in things outside of your role, but if not, you have to just play the game!

Related Posts