How to Change Careers Into Tech: A Step-by-Step Guide

Are you looking for a new career but feeling lost and unsure of how to make a jump into the tech industry? You're not alone. It can feel intimidating to try and make a change, but with the right tools and advice, it's totally doable. In this article, we'll walk you through the steps necessary to make the change into tech.
Are you looking for a new career but feeling lost and unsure of how to make a jump into the tech industry? You're not alone. It can feel intimidating to try and make a change, but with the right tools and advice, it's totally doable. In this article, we'll walk you through the steps necessary to make the change into tech.

We'll provide information on how to learn new skills for tech jobs, find mentors in the industry, and get tech experience. So whether you're just starting out or are feeling stuck in your current career, read on for some helpful tips and then land your first tech job!

Make a Successful Career Change into Tech

You may worry about changing careers if you are already established in another career or other industries. However, it's often easy to successfully transition into a tech career!

Many jobs are available in the technology industry, but there are not enough people to fill them all! So looking at a tech career change in 2023 just makes sense.

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In fact, "While there have been hundreds of highly publicized layoffs among tech companies, the vast majority of employees being fired are not in IT positions, according to industry analysts. In fact, there remains a dearth in tech talent to fill more than 145,000 IT job openings." (1)

And CNBC reports that "In the past 12 months, 78% of managers say they’re planning to increase their budget and headcount toward IT hiring in 2023 to be able to meet increasing digital demands..."

The Bureau of Labor Statistics agrees. Employment in IT is projected to grow 15% over the next decade. To put this in perspective, the annual growth rate for all occupations is only between 5% to 8%.

Download Checklist " 10 Simple Steps to Smooth Job Change"

How Do I Get Started With a Second Career?

Switching careers to tech is a career path many have taken before you.

According to CNBC, "92% of new tech workers reported they were happier with their jobs since making the career change."

When you first started working, perhaps you accepted whatever job you could find. However, at some point, many individuals get serious about their jobs and switch careers into a new job that better suits their personality and natural talents.

Career changers are often working professionals who consider that different careers might better suit their skill set and passions. And they make informed decisions to move into more lucrative careers that suit their passions and pocketbook!

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What Are You Looking For?

So if you want to be a part of the tech careers explosion, start by considering what you're looking for in your career.

  • Why are you considering changing careers? Be sure it's not just a work-life balance problem at your current job that you could quickly correct by taking a new position in the same field.
  • Do you have an interest in anything related to tech? Have you used a programming language or tried coding before? Maybe you have the desire to make websites look better or create websites that respond quickly and have an easily navigable design? Consider why you're interested in tech by joining a tech meetup group in your area. Talk with others in your possible field to find your niche. Not everyone will enjoy tech positions, so look at a desired role closely and talk with mentors before making a career change.
  • Do you have any experience in tech? Usually, it makes sense to take a couple of online courses while keeping your current job to make a smooth transition. You also want to ensure you're choosing the right tech field by honing your search with some experience.
  • You can also learn what hiring managers look for in the tech industry by checking job descriptions online.

Let's look at some hot careers in tech that you can transition into using a combination of past experience, online classes to learn required skills, and hands-on experience.

Career Options at Tech Companies

Many a job hunt starts with an assessment of your transferable skills. These are the things you are already good at that you may leverage into your new career!

For example, suppose you already work as a project manager and understand computers fairly well. In that case, you might land a tech assistant project management position to get your foot in the tech industry door.

Or if you work at Best Buy selling computers but love watching the "Geek Squad" do their thing, perhaps you could learn some skills online and apply to a help desk analyst or PC technician role! Working in a computer-related field can look good when you apply for a tech position.

However, it's not necessary to work in tech to transition into tech. And it's not necessary to earn a bachelor's degree either! Often, a few online courses and some networking can help you get your foot in the door.

According to Robert Half International, the most accessible IT jobs to start off with include:

  • Help desk analyst
  • PC technician
  • Computer operator
  • Software developer
  • Cybersecurity technician
  • Front-end web developer
  • Quality assurance (QA) analyst
  • Database developer

If you work at a large company, you may be able to talk with human resources about your goals. Your place of business may even cover the cost of your education if you plan to stay and fill a role there when you finish learning.

At Unmudl, our business partners will often cover the cost of a course of study for your career change objectives!

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Get to Know Others Who Have the Technical Skills You Need

Getting to know others who work in the areas you are interested in is crucial to your development as you make a career change.

Join communities related to your new field on LinkedIn, or find communities created just for you in your local area on Meetup Tech Communities.

You can also get to know others by attending industry conferences or finding mentors in your community. You can also talk with others about conducting informational interviews with someone in the field to glean real-world knowledge of the position you want.

Next, let's look at some tech careers you might consider a job working in and some ways to get started in these tech areas.

Cybersecurity Tech Career

To become a cybersecurity professional, one must understand encryption technologies, virus protection software, and firewalls. Additionally, it is essential to be knowledgeable about computer networks and systems.

A cybersecurity role usually starts with a career in IT as a technician or support agent. You'll need IT Industry Certifications such as:

  • CompTIA A+
  • CompTIA Network+
  • LPI Linux Essentials
  • CompTIA Security+

Become an IT Professional with Unmudl's online on-demand course designed to prepare you for CompTIA Linux+ certification and a career beginning as an IT professional.

However, once you get the certificates you need and work in an IT field for a couple of years, you can show competency through more certifications and professional work. At that point, you may level up and become a Security Engineer making somewhere around $95,770 per year! (2)

You can prepare for these entry-level roles by completing certifications through online courses and learning computer languages such as:

  • CompTIA A+ PC Software Certification Training: master the latest IT knowledge and skills necessary to become successful IT support technicians. It covers common features and functionality of known operating systems, system management, file management, common security threats, and vulnerabilities.
  • CompTIA Security+ Certification Training: comprehensive overview of computer and network security concepts that include: remote access, e-mail, the Web, directory and file transfer, wireless data, common network attacks, cryptography, operational/organizational security, disaster recovery, business continuity, and Cyber Ethics. Use CompTIA's revolutionary new study tool, CertMaster, which will help you succeed on your exam.

If you are interested in pursuing a career in cybersecurity, you should also start learning the basics of programming languages, such as Python or JavaScript. You can start with this course:

  • Introduction to Java: Program with one of the most widely-used languages in the world - Java - to debug source code, write simple unit tests and more.

As you learn more, you can then take on courses that lead to advancement in a cybersecurity career. Check out these Unmudl community college offerings to complete your education in cyber security!

Web Developer and Software Engineer Careers

These careers generally work best for those who love logic or math. Each involves learning coding languages. If you did well with geometry theorems or loved trigonometry and calculus, these tech industries are your catnip!

And web developers often also easily find at-home or flexible positions so that's another boon!

-Software Developer

A software developer creates applications that run on computers and other devices, such as mobile phones. It involves coding in a variety of programming languages like C++ or Python. You'll also need to be familiar with database technologies, such as SQL.

Software developers often start out with simple coding bootcamp style courses designed to teach essential skills in only a few months! 

Consider these two courses to get started at your own pace with online courses!

-Website Designer

Web designers create websites that look great and function properly across a variety of devices. They understand how to use HTML/CSS, JavaScript, and frameworks like ReactJS to create a cohesive user experience.

ry these courses to better understand how these careers work, and let online learning take you where you want to go!

-Front End Developer

A front-end developer is responsible for developing the visible parts of a website, including the user interface and experience. They use programming languages such as HTML, CSS, and JavaScript to create the visual aspects of a web page. They also understand user behavior and how they interact with websites to make them visually appealing, easy to navigate, and functional.

Front-end developers work with existing design systems or create new ones when needed. They often collaborate with other team members such as designers, backend developers, product managers, and marketers to ensure that the front end of a website is consistent with its overall message and brand.

Front-end developers design features that are both aesthetically pleasing as well as functional from the perspective of the user.

In addition to coding skills, front-end developers also need strong problem-solving skills and should be able to think analytically to troubleshoot any issues that may arise. They must also have good communication skills to effectively collaborate with other team members throughout development.

Consider these courses to get your foot in the door as a front-end developer:

-Fullstack Developer

Full-stack developers know software engineering inside and out. They know the user-side frontend of a website, the backend, and the server side that powers the user side. These are the ultimate web developers!

Becoming an employable full-stack web developer requires years of dedication that combines educational and work experience.

However, you can start out in a full stack developing career with a tech company by learning about software development and then leveling up with a bootcamp such as Deep Dive Fullstack from our Umudl community college network:

Start out in any of these techy careers by learning a bit each day. As you learn, you'll begin to see where you want to go and choose a tech industry field that suits your talents and personality.

Download Checklist " 10 Simple Steps to Smooth Job Change"

Cloud Specialization

Cloud tech careers involve the development and maintenance of cloud computing systems. This type of job requires a strong background in computer science, engineering, and IT.

Cloud specialists use cutting-edge technology to create efficient and secure applications for businesses that need to manage large amounts of data.

In order to work as a cloud specialist, you need to understand cloud technologies such as AWS (Amazon Web Services), Azure (Microsoft Azure), Google Cloud Platform, Kubernetes, and OpenStack.

However, to start out, learning IT skills is your first primary goal. Consider our Unmudl course, IT Professional Series, and learn everything you need for entry-level employment in IT support, help desk, desktop support, and general IT maintenance positions. The focus is on broad IT knowledge, technical customer support, troubleshooting, analysis, and problem-solving.

To become certified in a specific platform like Amazon Web Services (AWS)or Microsoft Azure (Azure), you can demonstrate professional expertise through the company's certifications.

With the ever-growing demand for cloud technology professionals worldwide, those specializing in this field can look forward to ample job opportunities with competitive salaries in the years ahead.

Data Science & Analysis

A data scientist collects and analyzes data from various sources, creating algorithms to make calculations based on the data collected and presenting their findings in an easily understandable way. This role requires math skills, an understanding of statistics and machine learning concepts, as well as experience working with databases.

Data scientists are in high demand as companies and organizations need to analyze and make sense of the massive amount of data that comes from their IT systems. They use a variety of programming languages, such as Python, R, SAS, and SQL, to query databases, crunch numbers, and mine insights from data sets.

can help you learn more about how to become a data analyst and what exactly they do in the information technology field.

However, don't worry. You don't need to learn everything at once. Start with a course that With so many great opportunities available out there in tech, you can find the perfect one for your skillset! Start exploring new career paths today by gaining knowledge and insight about the different tech careers!

Product Managers Tech Career

Product Managers are the minds behind new tech products. They are responsible for researching, creating, and launching digital products into the marketplace. A product manager must understand market needs, build stakeholder consensus, delegate tasks to team members, and maintain a successful product cycle.

To become a Product Manager in Tech, you will need to have experience with project management tools such as JIRA or Trello and be able to manage people effectively.

Knowledge of various programming languages like C++, Java, and HTML is also highly desirable. Product Managers need to stay up-to-date on the latest trends in technology so they can make informed decisions about which products to develop.

If you’re interested in becoming a Product Manager, the best way to get started is by taking courses that can teach you about project management and product development.

With the Unmudl network courses below, you’ll be able to hone your skills and have a better chance of getting hired in this competitive field.

Digital Marketing Tech Career

Using tech skills doesn't always mean heavy math and knowing how to code. A digital marketer uses interpersonal skills to work with companies that need help generating leads.

By creating content such as social media, a business or personal website, and SEO, digital marketers capitalize on the tech infrastructure to help a business or personal brand succeed.

Develop your skills to get a job in digital marketing with one of our Unmudl marketing courses. Digital marketing is a good way to get your feet wet in tech and keep learning as you find where your job search will take you!

These are just some of the many exciting career field opportunities available in tech today. With the right combination of experience, hands-on learning, and dedication, you can successfully transition into a fast-growing field that offers great rewards!

Consider An Internship

Making a career change can be challenging while you're working another job, so sometimes it's possible to do an at-home internship in your spare time after your other job.

While some tech positions can allow you to go straight into them immediately after a bootcamp, others, such as a cyber security position, may take a few years of working as a volunteer or intern before you can land the job.

However, once you've taken some classes or learned enough to know you want your new career in tech, it's time to move forward gaining real-world experience with an internship or position. You can acquire the crucial on-the-job skills to improve your tech resume as you move toward the desired position.

Often, companies will pay for smaller jobs online on a transactional basis. Sites such as FlexJobs allow you to find remote, hybrid, and flexible positions so that you can continue to work a day job if necessary while you prove your skills in the marketplace.

You may also find that a volunteer project can help employers see your strengths. Look for non-profits that need a helping hand with the tech side of their enterprise. They won't be as picky as companies that pay and you can build references this way.

Our Connected Network Can Help You Get Ready for Tech Jobs

Follow our simple tips above, and you'll be on your way to an exciting new future in tech! Check out our career change blogs about how to change careers at any age or from any field to learn more about everything from resumes to cover letters to interviews!

Or find out more about our network of community colleges and businesses spanning the United States! Our 14 colleges and 97 employers offer a diverse number of courses to take you wherever you want to go. Unmudl Skills to Jobs™ Marketplace makes career change possible! 

Earn credentials from our Unmudl Community College Partners for the career you want, and then check out our Employer Network to find your new job!

With our help, you'll gain the crucial skills needed to succeed in tech. So don't wait any longer - start building your dream career today!

Download Checklist " 10 Simple Steps to Smooth Job Change"

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