In 2020, Michael was pretty comfortable in his position as an Account officer at a prominent financial institution in Nigeria. He wasn’t looking to switch careers because of the level of commitment required, but, as it so happened, he did.
His transitioning wasn’t such a smooth experience for him as he spent a lot of time trying to explore different methods just to achieve one goal, land a tech job. His perseverance, consistency, and preparation throughout this phase helped him to achieve his goal eventually.
Switching jobs can be daunting enough — how about a switch into an entirely new career? It’s happening for more and more people these days, as 20% of workers in Nigeria have lost their jobs as a result of COVID-19, according to the Nigeria government’s statistics. Recently, I had a couple of conversations with some career changers considering a switch to a career in tech. The chat with them inspired this article.
So in this article, I’d share with you some critical steps that’d help you to have a smooth transitioning into the tech industry regardless of your background.
Step 1: Understanding the Tech Industry
A career change is a life change. It’s a huge risk you are taking, so it’s critical that your first step is to ensure you explore what your future career aspiration is really like. But with several resources online and low-cost ways to start getting a feel for what it’s like, there’s really no excuse not to. Here are a few tips:
- Use event platforms such as Eventbrite, meetup to look up community events related to the field you’re interested in transitioning into. Attend a handful and start chatting up someone who is already in the field.
- Talk to people who have walked the walk. Don’t know any? Talk to Codenest Africa, they’d gladly introduce you to some awesome career changing alumni.
Do you want more tips? You can get a copy of my new book, The Software Developer’s Survival Book. It’s a compendium of hacks from successful industry experts on how to get started with a career in tech.
Step 2: Decide How You Will Pick Up the Skills
Like all the big moves you might have made in the past, you should develop a concrete plan for how you can achieve your goal in a seamless way. After all, learning a new set of skills require a high level of commitment and investment such as time and money. Have you asked yourself how quickly you want to start a new career? Your answer would help you determine which path you will likely want to take. Every tech skill requires an amount of time and work before you attain some level of proficiency. It’s essential that you get this right before you make any further move.
You can also learn the major ways to pick up new tech skills in my book.
Step 3: Have a Financial Budget
Making a Career switch usually doesn’t come free, but the payoff is great. With proper financial planning, you won’t end up breaking the bank, either. How you learn your skills will determine how much money you will need. If you decide to self-study, funding may not be of huge concern. Do you have the savings to keep you running while you are learning? Is it necessary to apply for a loan? Borrow from family members or friends?
Step 4: Rebrand Yourself
A lot of people switch to a new career without a proper narrative for their transformation. This is essential so that you are job-ready and marketable for that brand new career. In my book, I mentioned quite a number of ways you can manage this effectively. For instance, taking stock of your transferable skillset from previous professions and how they will apply to your next role is very critical. They are not necessarily technical skills. Being attentive to detail, communications skills, team management skills are some of the skills that will translate well in most tech roles.
It’s not easy, so be 100 percent committed. Bootcamps are everywhere these days; research the right one for you. Be prepared to spend long days and nights studying, even more so if you don’t have a STEM background. Tech jobs are competitive, even as so many companies are hiring. Finally, tech is rewarding: It’s a creative field with lots of opportunities.
Explore purposefully!
Do you want to start a career in tech and you need some help? Feel free to get a copy of my new book, The Software Developer’s Survival Book. I can’t wait to hear your reviews
I wish you all the best!
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