Starting a Career in the Tech Industry Without Experience

The rapid development in the technology industry attracts many workers to have a career there. Its industrial diversification is also increasingly developing into several business sectors such as e-commerce, software and internet services, financial technology, electronics, and telecommunications.

Various business sectors that utilize technology continue to develop through innovation and creative processes that regularly create new jobs. A wide range of job options pushes people toward enjoyable careers such as software development, programming, or digital communications.

A job in the technology industry allows one to make a real impact by finding solutions after identifying and evaluating problems. The tech industry is steeped in a meritocracy that encourages employees to focus on ability, not level of experience.

This concept can promote a positive and collaborative workplace and demonstrate a company's commitment to employee satisfaction. For this reason, starting a career in the technology industry can be a great opportunity for anyone.

How to Start a Career in the Technology Industry

In a career, everyone can switch specialties for the purpose of self-development. Even if your first job isn't in the tech industry, it can still start with a foray into it. To prepare, here's how you can kickstart your first career in the tech industry.

1. Sharpen the soft skills you already have in order to remain competitive

To develop soft skills such as teamwork and communication skills, you can volunteer for a project. Through intensive activities, interact with many people from colleagues to customers.

Working on a project also allows you to meet mentors who can help you grow. You can hone your professional skills, gain industry knowledge, and get tips for success.

Having a project mentor can also help you find and build a professional network. Take advantage of those connections to get good references if you decide to look for work in the same field!

2. Get certified for basic technology use

Even if you work in the tech industry, not all jobs require a bachelor's degree to meet basic qualifications. However, having basic certification that proves a skill can increase your attractiveness compared to other candidates.

To be able to prove it, there are many opportunities that can be utilized. You can take certified training programs in project management, data analysis, or data security skills. Consider selecting and comparing intensive courses to support relevant career development.

3. Be prepared to start from the bottom

Getting certified will get someone on the right track. You can put those skills and knowledge into practice when you do entry-level work. This will be a stepping stone to be able to continue to grow.

For mid-level professionals, this can lead to a 'retreat' from your previous role in terms of salary and seniority. However, the opportunity to move up to a senior level can still be obtained when someone is able to learn and apply new skills that have an impact on the business.

4. Learn some technical skills

In addition to introductory skill certifications that can be obtained from training, there are many online platforms for learning programming languages. Take short courses on various fields of technology to find the right career path.

Improving skills in the technology industry can also be done by conducting research, talking to more professional (senior) experts, reading publications or journals, and learning from websites. These various sources of skill recognition allow you to select and understand skills that are useful for work.

5. Start building a portfolio

Apart from attending training, you can also become a volunteer or freelancer. As a start, you can join a cross-functional team or join a hackathon or coding competition in an open-source project.

This method allows you to get a platform that can demonstrate technical ability. Even if it's just basic knowledge, you can demonstrate coding experience and build skills. The skills acquired will be useful to help present yourself as a strong candidate.

Currently, various jobs in the technology sector have developed to be more diverse and inclusive. However, the technology industry is still considered dominant for the male workforce.

Regardless of this assumption, now many women are also pursuing careers in the technology industry. It is also becoming more commonplace because it is driven by forward-thinking companies that understand the benefits of building a diverse and inclusive workforce. Because of that, anyone can start his first job if accompanied by a strong desire.