Feeling unappreciated at your job? Ready to make a move? If the idea of moving into a career in the tech industry sounds appealing, but you aren’t sure what steps to take, you aren’t alone. Tech jobs are known for their great compensation and amazing benefits. While this sounds appealing, it also makes the jobs competitive. If you are on the outside trying to get it, it can be an uphill battle. That doesn’t make it impossible, but you need a plan of attack.
Get Your Finances in Order
Before making any career change, you want your finances in good shape. Ideally, your move will work out seamlessly, but that isn’t always the case. You may land a new job but find you are in over your head, in a toxic environment, or otherwise need to step away. Maybe you would like to resign from your current job while you devote yourself full-time to your job hunt.
Regardless of the reason, the first step in your career change should be taking a hard look at your finances. Look for areas where you are spending needlessly and that you could save on your monthly expenses. If you are still paying off student loans, look at consolidating them into a single loan with a private lender. Curious about what borrowers need to know about the process? Consolidating allows you to change the terms of your loan, such as the length of the loan and interest rate. This makes it easy to lower your monthly expenses.
Look for Positions with Your Company
Internal moves are typically easier than external hires. Keep an eye on openings with your company that would allow you to move into tech. You can also let others know that you are interested in making the move. You may be able to pick up some additional duties, and, if you show an aptitude, continue to receive more tech-related responsibilities.
This works best if you are comfortable with your technical skills but don’t have professional experience. If you have spent time learning to program or stepped up your data analytics skills, for example, you may be able to move into a position where those skills are used. Once you receive a title change, finding a position in a new company will be significantly easier.
Use Your Experience
Look for tech positions that require knowledge that you already have. For example, if you have a solid marketing background, moving into the field of marketing analytics or even user experience shouldn’t leave you starting at the bottom. Having real-world experience in what works for customers and the proven ability to work in client-facing roles can help you stand out during interviews with tech companies.
Consider a Bootcamp
If you are struggling to make headway in your career switch, you may want to consider a coding boot camp. These programs are intense, requiring time and effort, but they do teach you what you need to know for an entry-level position in the field. More important than that, they also include employment help after you complete the course.