Christina Lovelock is a digital leader, coach and author.
She is active in the professional community, regularly speaking at events and conferences and champions entry level roles. She is the author of the two books including her latest release Careers in Tech, Data and Digital. Connect at on LinkedIn.
No one should rule themselves out of a career in tech.
Whatever skills or interests you have, or subjects you have studied, there will be a role in tech that suits you, it’s just a case of finding it.
Think beyond ‘graduate roles’
Many new graduates think they can only apply for graduate schemes and programmes. This is not the case! Look at the role, skills and salary – does it seem like something you could do? Then apply.
Think about the different ways you can evidence the criteria, including through studies, part-time jobs, volunteer roles. If there is a named contact, get in touch with them. Ask questions, find out about the role and the team. Tailor your CV/application as much as you can for the role and don’t outsource all your thinking to AI!
Realise not every job in tech is ‘technical’
Most jobs in tech do not involve writing code! There are so many tech, digital and data roles which require curiosity, collaboration and communication, and zero coding skills. If you don’t want to write code, or don’t know how, that will not stop you from having a long and interesting career in the tech sector. Research the wide range of roles in tech and don’t believe that the only tech job is software developer!
Which leads us on to…
Keep an open mind on job titles
Tech job titles can really vary. What one organisation calls a Software Tester, another might call a Quality Engineer (but these are basically the same thing). Identify a group of roles you might be interested in. Find out about those roles, which companies have them? What do they call it? Try to speak to people in that role. How did they get in? What professional bodies are they members of? What professional qualifications have they obtained?
A great way to find people to speak to is to…
Invest in your network
Yes, ‘networking’ sounds horrendous for many of us! Let’s look at it another way: keep an eye out for interesting events, conferences and webinars (both online and in person); book a place, and then actually go to them. Most networking events are actually learning opportunities, with time to speak to people who are interested in similar topics to you. Be curious and be brave. Speak to people, ask questions. Create a LinkedIn profile and connect with people. Upload a professional looking photo and use the bio to introduce yourself and highlight the types of role/organisation that would be great for you. Remember to connect with university contacts (students and staff), help people celebrate good news and share information and events that you have found valuable.
Understand your first job doesn’t have to be your dream job
Getting a first role in tech, even on a short-term basis, can lead to other things. Every single job builds your skills, knowledge and network. It is much easier to get another job when you already have a job; Plus, you will have visibility of all kinds of roles and opportunities which may never be advertised externally.
There is a great deal of pressure to ‘follow your passion’ and only work for organisations that align perfectly with your values. Making pragmatic compromises is not selling out or giving up on your dreams. There is a lot of value in experimenting – trying something to see if it works out and discovering where it could lead you. It is very difficult to plan a tech career too many steps ahead. Be open to new possibilities and new opportunities, even if they don’t fit the path you imagined for yourself. Most tech careers follow squiggly paths, which weave around and will allow you to try different roles, organisations and industries.
There is a lot of competition out there but persevere. Just because you have finished university doesn’t mean you will stop learning. Every single job in tech requires some on the job learning. You will have to learn the processes and systems used in your organisation and build relationships. Technology moves fast, and all tech professionals need to demonstrate a growth mindset and a commitment to ongoing personal and professional development. Alongside job-hunting, make sure you can demonstrate growing your skills. A career in tech is both challenging and rewarding, and its not just one thing. Everyone’s path is different. Good luck as you embark on yours.
