Over the weekend, Tekbuddy held a Q and A masterclass and invited a guest speaker who gave detailed answers on the topic above and many other questions.

The speaker started by sharing his stories on how he started his tech career while in school and how he leveraged his environment as his practical ground for the skill he was acquiring.

One major concern of every new tech adopter is how they can pass through the learning stage to build a sustainable Tech career. You will agree with us that everyone who started their tech Journey by acquiring a skill did so to build a career in it.

Now, how does one do so?

To answer as highlighted by the speaker, here are the questions we need to give answers to:

• How can I identify and leverage transferable skills from non-tech roles to break into the tech industry effectively?
• What strategies can I use to showcase my self-taught knowledge or volunteer projects to make them credible for recruiters?
• How do I stay motivated and consistent in learning technical skills when juggling financial constraints or limited resources?
• What are actionable ways to build a professional network that can lead to mentorship or job opportunities without prior connections?
• "What are practical ways to create income streams, while simultaneously building the skills and portfolio needed?

Let's give answers to these questions above

How can I identify and leverage transferable skills from non-tech roles to break into the tech industry effectively?

According to the speaker, he was studying a nontech course at the university. Because of his experience during his industrial training, he needed to shift career to enjoy his future and tech was one way to do so. From the conversations, we deduced that for one to identify and leverage their non-tech roles to break into tech, they need to first start small. Starting small will help you lay a foundation that will help you discover your abilities. If you are handling a non-tech role, you can look for ways tech can make it seamless and introduce tech into it.

To identify and leverage transferable skills from non-tech to roles to break I to tech, here are some tips:

• Be honest with yourself
• Identify areas you can integrate tech into your non-tech roles successfully
• Start small, and don't wait till you get modern tech tools before you can start.
• Look for tech opportunities and leverage them.

Let's go over the second question below:

What strategies can I use to showcase my self-taught knowledge or volunteer projects to make them credible for recruiters?

Interestingly, the speaker also discussed how self-taught techies can showcase their knowledge and make their experiences believable. Now, the good thing about tech is recruiters do not care so much about how you got your skills; they are so interested in how effectively you can deliver.

As you journey through tech, you can learn skills yourself, get a mentor, or even take courses, but to stand out, you need to build a portfolio. Whether you are self-taught or trained by an expert, you need to showcase your skill and efficiency in carrying out tasks in an organized manner. If you discover that Recruiters require more than what you have in your portfolio, upskill and Lookout for better opportunities to build your portfolio. Look for recognized brands and seek internship opportunities or volunteer to gain experience in a few months.

Most importantly, do not stay hidden as a new tech adopter, position yourself properly and share your journey for credibility.

How do I stay motivated and consistent in learning technical skills when juggling financial constraints or limited resources?

According to our speaker, “Everyone with a successful tech journey has a story behind their success, and one way or the other, they have faced some financial constraint”.

When our speaker shared his story, he emphasized that he was an undergraduate struggling to finance his education while juggling his career in tech. How did he cope?

He emphasized the need for anyone acquiring a technical skill to start where they are and with what they have. You can start with free courses and at a simple pace while studying and implementing what you are learning in your environment. For example, our speaker for the Masterclass implemented his self-taught skills to his fellowship in school.

To stay motivated, have a clear goal, and don't compare your tech journey with others. Make do with the tools you have and continue to share your journey. Remember, from grass to grace is well embraced in tech. Read also “What To Do While Waiting For A Tech Job”

What are actionable ways to build a professional network that can lead to mentorship or job opportunities without prior connections?

In your tech journey, be willing to sacrifice your time and energy selflessly to tech leaders and mentors to get mentorship opportunities. For example, you can volunteer and work with little or no pay for a couple of months.

You need to first start your tech journey, be determined to succeed, and then network with others. You can find such networking opportunities online and offline. You can attend virtual and online events and ensure to reach out to the right people for mentorship. When doing so, be sure to be polite, honest, and straight to the point. Read also “How To Get Internship Opportunities As A Beginner In Tech”

What are practical ways to create income streams, while simultaneously building the skills and portfolio needed?

The following are practical ways to do so:

• Get a job related to your tech skills even if it is way below your salary expectations
• Look for internship opportunities and apply. You can make do with the stipends.
• Look for paid volunteering opportunities and hop in.
• Train others and build a community.

Conclusion

In your learning journey, you can kick off your career in tech with the tips above. Don't wait till you have it all, start where you are and scale your career.

Masterclasses held by Tekbuddy bring you practical tips that can help you journey through tech seamlessly.

Don't miss the next masterclass, Click here to join our community to attend.

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