The No-Tech Tech Job

We hear it all of the time - the technology field is constantly changing and growing. Many say technology careers have longevity. How does one step into a tech career without serious tech skills?

As Mike Palumbo says:

All of the companies in the technology field need human resource people, accounting people, sales people, legal people, and on and on. In other words, they need the same type of support staff that any other company needs.

So, take a look at the path you are on, the skills you possess, and determine what is needed to use those skills in a tech supportive position. I don’t mean tech-support; I mean tech supportive. Maybe you just need a little additional training in order to focus your prior talents to be more tech-centered. The goal is to get attached to a position in a technology-related company that is doing reputable work. Hopefully the company will be around for the long-haul, and then applying yourself to grow from there.

For instance, maybe you are in the sales or CSR fields and just need to tweak your skills to benefit a tech company you wish to be employed by. Find out the qualifications of such a position and seek the training to get your foot in the door. Once you are in the door, do not stop learning. Continue to add skills and training to your knowledge base in order to move up and deeper into the tech field. This does not mean necessarily that you should take the long way to become a programmer, but rather that you should keep evolving in your own skill set.

Determining the longevity of your current career path is important. The key is to look at the industry you are currently working within. Does your path have longevity?

“Being able to learn new talents never hurts a career whether they are transferable or soft skills because in the end a career path is all about optimizing your personal learning curve,“ said Helen Figg in an article on the topic. Though she was speaking on a medical career path, the point is the same, as both fields have longevity. I especially like her comments about running away from phrases like “it’s always done that way.” The old ways may get the job done, but are they the most effective and do they promote growth?

Expand your scope, and look around at other fields of work in your area that have longevity. You may have never considered yourself able to fill such a position, but you may have the foundational skills to get onboard and journey down a new path in your career. It may take no additional skills at all, but if it does, it will put you in a better position for a new, more secure career path.

Image courtesy of Stuart Miles at FreeDigitialPhotos.net