The tech industry is a very exciting prospect nowadays. It goes from strength to strength, as new developments are made every day, and the scope of possibilities is ever widening. As tech continues to dominate everyday life, the industry becomes an increasingly attractive destination – with many people being prompted into taking a job in the sector. What exactly does this entail, though? What do you need to be able to make it in the ever-changing world of tech?
Attend an industry organization meeting
One of the most important things about moving into any industry is a knowledge of what’s happening within it at the time. A great way to get a bearing on where tech is going and what people are doing is to attend an industry conference or meeting. You’ll be able to get a first-hand account of the most pressing issues in tech, the state of the industry, and the direction people think the field is moving in. If you’re lucky, you might even be able to do some networking, and find a mentor to help you find a foothold in the business.
Find out which role is right for you
The tech industry is vast, and there are as many different roles to play as there are stars in the sky. As such, if you just try and charge in you’re liable to find yourself overwhelmed or poorly-placed. It’s vital that you have some idea of the jobs you want to do, or the area you want to be in. You might think you want to go into research, but maybe security is where your talents can really shine. Research the different roles that are available to you, and figure out which ones you can thrive in, and which ones it might be better to stay away from.
Learn at least one kind of code
There are a heap of different computing languages out there, and if you’re thinking of going into programming, you need to have the basics down of at least one. If nothing else you should learn HTML, the script that people use to create and display website pages – this is a prerequisite for most programming and technical positions nowadays. If you can find the time, it would also help to learn other programming languages like JavaScript, Python, or Perl. The more you’re familiar with, the easier it’ll be to find your feet.
Work with open-source
Getting involved with the world of open-source software is an excellent way to gain experience and polish your skills. Open-source software is – as the name suggests – software free for anyone to use and work with. The availability of different open-source software means that you can learn and experiment with all sorts of tools, completely free of charge. It’s an excellent way of expanding your toolbox. In addition, the open-source community is huge, and is constantly working on different projects that they’ll want help with. Even if you don’t know a huge amount, a simple role can probably be found for you, and it’s invaluable experience.
Use your experience
Once you’ve gathered some experience, it’s vital that you use it. This can be anything – helping out your less technologically-literate friends and relatives, working on an open-source project, building your own website, etc. The best way – and really the only way – to learn tech is by doing. So whatever you learn, try to put it to use immediately. Putting skills to practical use helps you learn quicker, become more adventurous, and even start to figure things out by yourself.
