5 Most Effective Ways To Break Into The Tech Industry

There is no better time to enter the tech industry than now. After the pandemic forced people to stay at home and socially distance, more companies started relying on digital technology to keep their businesses running. Digital solutions have connected businesses to their customers and kept workers employed through virtual workplaces. The world has changed and tech is at the forefront of the new normal, with the demand for tech industry jobs steadily growing and with salaries within the industry projected to increase in 2022.

If you want to shift to a career in tech, know that you are not alone. According to JobStreet’s Decoding Global Talent report, the industry that most Malaysian workers would want to retrain or upskill for is digitalisation and automation. 37% of them would want to switch to IT and technology, which is by far the top industry most preferred by workers.

There is a growing willingness in the country to enter the tech industry. The good news is that it is never too late to do so, even if you have no prior experience. Whether you are coming from a different industry or looking for your first job, you can always carve a career path in tech as long as you are willing to learn and work hard. Here are the five best ways you can jumpstart a career in tech.

How to enter the tech industry (even without prior experience)

1. Highlight your transferable skills

The first thing you need to do is to identify your strengths. A lack of experience in tech should not be a disadvantage, especially if you have other valuable skills to offer. You may come from a different industry, but some of the soft skills you have developed in your previous experience could be transferable to the tech industry. Remember, not all jobs in tech require technical skills.

Some tech companies need good salespeople, excellent communicators, financial experts, or people with experience in project management. Technology has become such an integral part of business these days that almost all industries intersect with tech. Hirers in tech are actively looking for people with non-technical backgrounds to help them package technology in a way that can be understood by many.

There are many soft skills that are ideal for tech jobs. Problem-solving skills and attention to detail are some of the most in-demand tech skills, as the industry often deals with providing solutions. Excellent communication and people skills can also be valuable, with tech companies constantly striving to humanise their products and services in order to create a more authentic overall experience for the customer.

These soft skills can be transferred to non-technical roles. People with a design background can work in User Experience (UX), while sales and marketing people can find roles in Customer Relationship Management (CRM) and Digital Marketing. Even financial professionals can carve a niche in Financial Technology (FinTech) or Data Analysis.

2. Learn some technical skills

Having at least basic technical skills is still a big advantage if you want to enter the tech industry. Learning coding, for instance, can help translate your knowledge and expertise into concrete digital solutions. Proficiency with certain software and systems can also give you an edge.

The good news is that you do not have to go back to college to get a four-year IT course. There are many short tech courses available online, with some even offering certifications. You can learn different technical skills such as basic coding, programming, cloud computing, and cybersecurity, among others. Best of all, you can finish some of these courses in a matter of months!

When it comes to technical knowledge and in-demand skills to learn, you should never be afraid to play catch-up. Due to the fast-paced nature of the industry, technology is regularly updated and new developments always emerge. What may be relevant and cutting edge today may be rendered obsolete the following year. By constantly updating your knowledge and skills, you can always stay relevant.

3. Create your own relevant experience

Every day, there are plenty of opportunities to apply yourself in tech. The internet, where most of the latest digital technologies are, is right at your disposal. You can create your own relevant experience by making the most of the opportunities available to you online.

Try working on side projects using digital technology. You can create your own content, for instance, that shows your passion and interests. Through this experience, you can learn many things on the fly, like how to engage people online, what kinds of content work best, what platforms to use and how to optimize them. You can even have a deeper appreciation of data analysis by monitoring the success of your project.

Creating your own content or developing your own website already gives you relevant output that you can add to your portfolio. This gives you a chance to show employers just how skilful and creative you are.

4. Immerse yourself in the tech community

One of the best ways to enter an industry is to forge connections and relationships with insiders, decision-makers, and mentors. They can give you valuable insight and tip-offs to possible jobs. 

Get involved with the tech community by joining conferences and following relevant people and organisations on social media. Network with people who share your interests in tech. Not only can they give you links to the industry, but they can also serve as your support system. Welcome all the pieces of advice and encouragement you can get from them.

By being part of the tech community, you can have greater access to information such as events, job fairs, available courses or webinars, and even start-ups that might be in need of fresh minds. Communities can also further feed your passion and ignite your desire to work harder and learn new things.

5. Update your resume

After assessing your transferable skills and learning new skills, it’s time to do a much-needed resume update. No matter how good your existing resume is, chances are, it is still oriented to the previous industry you worked in. You must edit your resume in a way that will attract employers in the tech industry.

Make sure to lead with your most relevant soft skills right away. It may be problem-solving skills, project management, or good communication skills. The important thing is that your strengths are emphasised and that they jump out of the page.

A resume refresh is also a good opportunity to add any skills that you have learned and any tech-related experiences you have had. This is where taking online courses and creating your own projects come in. To stand out, it would be ideal to take courses and create projects that are already related to your previous experience. If you are in the creative field, it would help to add web design or content creation skills to your resume. Likewise, people from banking and finance would be best served to add FinTech knowledge and skills to their resumes.

Breaking into the tech industry means putting yourself in the best position to stand out. So, know your strengths and enhance them by adding more skills to your repertoire. Make sure to keep this in mind when updating your resume, as well as your JobStreet profile, so the right employers can find you as you seek passion and purpose in a new career. You can also search for the #JobsThatMatter to you on our website or app.

For more expert insights and helpful tips on growing your career, visit the Career Resources Hub.