Could Tech Be Your Future Career?

Is it Worth Retraining For a Career In Tech?

There’s no doubt that many industries have been affected by the fallout of Covid-19, including tech. Tech, however, is one area that looks more likely to bounce back quicker. So, should you be considering retraining for a career in tech?

Perhaps you already work in tech, but don’t actually see yourself as “technical”? Maybe you’ve got a little tech under your belt but are unsure if it’s worth progressing down that road. You may have absolutely no experience within tech whatsoever. Nevertheless, you might want to consider the following questions…

 Is money a big motivator?

The more technical you get, the more likely it is you’ll be able to command a higher salary. As a growing area (after all it’s tech that held us together with our Zoom calls and the take off of Microsoft Teams),  it’s a sector where, with the right technical abilities and some experience, you can flourish. Even if you’re moving into tech, transferable skills can easily make up that experience.

Heather Black, founder of Salesforce training company Supermums, tells us that moving from an admin role to a developer role will definitely increase your earning potential. Average earnings in the US are $125,000 pa. Being a developer was listed by Indeed as one of the top ten jobs of 2019. Salesforce is the leading platform in cloud computing and the most internationally implemented CRM, so things can only get better and better,  even if we have a dip right now.

Do I have a bargaining tool?

As the demand for tech skills grows, you’ll be in a better position to negotiate. Want to work from home two days a week? If you’re good, they will no doubt consider this. Want to do four days over five (i.e. go home early every day) or five days over four…then if you’ve got the skills this may be possible.

Can it help me find a job to suit me?

With so many tech jobs out there that need filling, the more refined your tech skills, the more likely it is that you will be able to find one that has the right environment for you, whether that’s a funky office with a ping pong table centre stage, or something more subdued. You can really think about what sort of team you want to work with, whether you want your work to be ongoing or project based, and search accordingly.

Do I want to be in a fast moving industry?

Everyone who works in tech knows that the journey is never over, and nor can it ever be. Tech is a fast moving, always innovating industry and it will never stand still. Keeping upskilled and learning new things means that not only are you keeping up with the industry, but also that you’re creating a foundation of learning and knowledge that can only serve up further down the line. What we put off learning today may be absolutely fundamental tomorrow, so why not learn it now, ready for tomorrow?

Do I want to be part of a community?

From my own experience and that of the people around me, we have found people in tech to be friendly. There are communities everywhere full of people who will support you whatever stage you’re at. If you’re in tech, you’re usually totally absorbed in that particular area and finding people to share your passion is a great experience.

Look at any niche in tech and you will find local meet ups, forums, Twitter influencers and global conferences: you can choose how involved you want to get, or not.

Am I ready to grow?

Psychologist Carol Dweck found that there were two mindsets. The first is the fixed mindset. Here we are happy to stay within our comfort zone, hate making mistakes and like to stick with what we know. The second is the growth mindset, where we are always learning, stretching ourselves and making new connections. People in the growth mindset self-reported as being happier, more fulfilled and less likely to suffer from depression.

Of course, we know that already, but how often do we deliberately step into the growth mindset? Kicking off your tech skills or taking them to a higher level is one way to do this, and reap all the other obvious rewards we’ve talked about at the same time.