How to Pivot to a Technical Role (PDXWIT)

This was originally written for and posted on the PDXWIT blog before the non-profit was closed. I had the honor of discussing these topics on KATU Afternoon Live.

Tech needs you. Period. Your perspective and experience can bring valuable assets to the tech industry that’s shaping the future of humanity.

But how do you transition into tech from a non-technical role? I interviewed Anna Miller, career coach and founder of Second Careers, for her best tips. Her top advice for job seekers:

NETWORK STRATEGICALLY 

“If you feel afraid to network, change your mindset from I'm bothering people to I'm helping people help me — you’ll be surprised by how much people want to help you.”

Strategic networking is connecting with people in tech so you can open conversations with companies that are hiring before you directly apply. This is a great way to get to know people, learn about specific roles, and get a better sense of whether a company is actually a good fit for you.

• Be open to building relationships. Don't be afraid to message a lot of people at once. Aim to connect with at least 20 new people every week!

• Be curious. Ask your connections about the day-to-day tasks, the big challenges, and who the role works with to understand how you might work with them. 
  

LEVERAGE TRANSFERABLE SKILLS 

• Learn the lingo. Find technical terms through courses or certifications to help you apply transferable skills. For example, searching for a “Project Manager” title in tech won’t yield as many results as “Producer” even though many of the job responsibilities are the same. If you’ve already identified some transferable skills such as facilitation or people management, you could focus on finding relevant roles. 

• Research and review job descriptions, complete relevant certification courses, and focus on essential skills for your desired roles to narrow in your job search and hone your resume. 

• Connect with people already working in your desired roles to understand what matters most and how you can highlight your experience to bring immediate value to companies looking for talent. 
  

You’ll be surprised by how much people want to help you.

LEVEL UP

• Explore learning paths. Create a free WordPress site or AWS account and experiment in a low pressure environment. You might be surprised what sticks! Try the following sites for courses: 

• Udemy 

• PluralSight 

• YouTube (like Black Girls Code - Code Along)

• If possible, accept contract work. Large companies often hire with a temporary contract for specific projects or limited budgets. It doesn’t always lead to a full-time position, but it can be a great opportunity to meet people and add to your resume. Some local options to find contract employment include Creative Circle and 24/7 Talent. 

• Start a Girls Who Code club! They’ll provide you all the resources to learn computer science skills with their at home programs. No experience required. 

• If you’re looking for a computer engineering role, consider a coding bootcamp like The Tech Academy or Thinkful. 
  

TWEAK YOUR RESUME

All of the information learned through strategic networking, industry language and newfound familiarity can be applied to your resumes. Yes, resumes. 

As a best practice, have one resume tailored per desired role that says why you’re a fit and why they would want to hire you. Here are both technical and non-technical resume examples. 

FIND COMMUNITY 

One way to learn more about taking the next step into the tech industry is to find other people who have successfully transitioned.

• Join events and meetup groups. Some examples include PDXWIT events and the mentorship program. You can also scour Meetup for tech groups and events such as Portland Women Who Code, Blacks in Tech PDX, and Portland Accessibility and User Experience.

• Participate virtually. Tech community Slack channels are a great place to make new connections, and ask career-related questions.

• Follow relevant podcasts and thought leaders in tech. Check out PDXWIT’s Humanizing Tech. Listening to how folks in the industry speak the lingo can also help you become more conversant!
  

Which of these will you put into practice first? Whatever you choose, be sure to join the PDXWIT Slack community and join our next networking event.