This article on signs a career in tech might be right for you is part of the Coaching Collective series, featuring tips and expertise from Flatiron School Career Coaches. Every Flatiron School graduate is eligible to receive up to 180 days of 1:1 career coaching with one of our professional coaches. This series is a glimpse of the expertise you can access during career coaching at Flatiron School.
The tech industry continues to experience exciting growth with no signs of slowing down. Despite recent layoffs at big-name companies, jobs in tech abound and the data shows that many tech workers who lost their jobs are finding new roles fairly quickly. According to a November 2022 ZipRecruiter survey, nearly 80% of laid-off tech workers found new tech jobs within three months of starting a job search.
While traditional “tech” companies may be purging workers after periods of over-hiring during the pandemic, tech skills are always in need, especially in industries that don’t immediately come to mind, such as banking, healthcare, telecommunications, and more.
So, if you’re interested in pursuing a career in tech, how do you know if it’s the right path for you? Here are 7 signs that a career in tech might be just what you’re looking for.
1. You’ve been interested in tech since childhood
One method career coaches often use to determine fields of interest is to ask clients to think about what they were curious about, naturally drawn to, and enjoyed participating in as children. That insight often holds the key to possible career options.
If you can tie your interests in tech back to your childhood, then you may be on to something! For example, if you find yourself often telling people that you used to help fix your family’s computers as a child, or loved working on the computer at elementary school, then that could be a telltale sign that a tech career may be an excellent fit.
2. Friends and family come to you for tech help
If your friends, family, or co-workers seek you out for various types of technical assistance, then that’s another sign that others recognize your talents and expertise in this area. They wouldn’t seek you out if they didn’t think you could help them.
What’s more, if you actually enjoy helping them troubleshoot, then you should count this among the signs a career in tech is right for you.
3. You enjoy solving puzzles
Tech jobs are often similar to putting a puzzle together, whether it’s programming or preventing hackers from compromising a system. Tech work involves understanding the various components of a project or issue and drawing on your expertise, logic, and creativity.
Through trial and error, you strive to come up with a solution that fits in with the bigger picture or desired result. Most importantly, you don’t give up until all the pieces of the puzzle fit and have been put together!
So, if you would willingly embark on solving a 1,000-piece puzzle that may or may not have all the pieces in the box, then a job in tech may be a good fit.
4. You seek to add efficiencies
Your goals and interests include adding or improving efficiencies in a project or process, identifying problems before they escalate, and even improving the lives of others. Incorporating technology into a process can greatly enhance and help others do their jobs more efficiently.
5. You embrace change
Technology changes daily. From new phones and more efficient computers to artificial intelligence (hello, ChatGPT!). The only constant in the tech industry is change. If you thrive on being a part of new and cutting-edge technology, then why not use that in your career?
6. You love technology
Does the announcement of a new phone, tablet, or technology excite you? Some shy away from new technology, but others jump at the chance to try it out. If you are a genuine tech enthusiast and enjoy learning all about new technologies, then that’s an excellent sign you’d enjoy working in tech.
7. You pick up languages quickly
The tech industry has its own language and technical lingo. If you have a knack for picking up new languages and enjoying using tech language to “communicate” to devices and machines, then you’d likely enjoy the more technical side of tech as well.
Take the First Step to a Career in Tech
So, do you exhibit the signs described in this article? If so, you should consider a job in tech! Don’t worry if you don’t have a relevant degree either. There is plenty of room in the tech industry for anyone willing to put in the time, work, and commitment to get there.
Your unique background, strengths, and transferable skills are relevant in any industry, including tech!
About Andrea Towe
Andrea Towe is a Career Coach with Flatiron School. She has 20+ years of experience in career coaching and corporate human resources, including employee relations, talent acquisition, career and leadership development, training development, and facilitation.
