SHOULD I PURSUE A CAREER IN THE TECH INDUSTRY?
You must be wondering this. Especially if you are from a non-CS background. Here’s my take on it …
Most of the people are working towards just one primary goal - financial independence.
Older generations think about this as retirement, but it’s not really the same thing.
You could be financially independent, but still choose to work on things that excite you.
This is exactly what I am doing right now.
I quit my job in 2019 after just 10 years of working in the tech (software) industry. I’ve been doing things that I’m passionate about ever since.
Such as spending lots of time with my daughter who was born in 2020. Or working on pet projects that can make a positive change to society.
But how was I able to do it so young?
Like most of you, I never had a strong desire to build a career in the tech industry.
I wanted to be a lot of things. A musician. A game developer. A cricketer. A pilot. An astronaut!
I took engineering because everyone else was doing it, and I don't remember having any plan beyond college.
When it came time for placements though, my coding skills helped me land one of the better jobs in the early stages of placements itself.
At my job I excelled because I could code relatively with ease for a fresher. And to my surprise I started to get recognised.
First by my seniors at work. Then by my manager. Then his boss. Eventually my whole department!
And to my second surprise work got more interesting.
I was given more challenges, more responsibilities. I got to travel abroad.
I was paid much more than I ever expected or needed. I got promoted and moved up the ladder faster than my peers.
After my first year at Adobe I applied for a masters in the US and got through to a decent school.
At the same time at work we were building a new product from scratch.
I got to work directly with real customers. And I had to compete with the best products and businesses.
Deep down I knew that my work was going to be more impactful, to me and the world, than anything I could have done in academia.
And so I decided not to go for my masters.
I was already where my heart wanted me to be.
I got lucky in my career. Because something I did for fun - coding - took me on a journey that turned out to be extremely rewarding in the long run.
It enabled me to get into a field where my skills are constantly in high-demand.
Where I got recognised purely for my talent, without any discrimination. Where I got to work on really challenging problems.
And it enabled me to save up significantly so that I could quit work and pursue my passions earlier than most of my batchmates.
These are the same reasons why I think YOU should consider a tech career today. Regardless of what branch you’re coming from.
The demand for tech skills is very high and only increasing. The existing industries are constantly being disrupted by tech.
Ask your seniors who have left college a few years ago. I’m sure you’ll find quite a few of them who have either already made the switch to tech roles, or are considering it.
I’m not saying this will be true for everyone. There are perfectly rewarding careers in other domains as well.
But if you were to pick a safe bet for your future, tech is easily the safest bet due to the sheer number of opportunities.
Today you don’t need to have a CS background, fancy college degree or GPA. Everything you need can be done online for free.
If you are interested in design or marketing, there are also roles in the tech industry that don’t require any coding.
But is there some catch? Yes there is!
The tech industry is super competitive.
Every year it's getting harder and harder to stand out.
You need to keep track of the latest trends in the job market, upskill, build a great profile and ace your interviews.
For example when I started out in 2009, it was fashionable to be a C++ developer. Today that is no longer the case because other languages have way more job opportunities.
It will soon become unfashionable to sit for placements as well. You can land better jobs by directly applying with a good profile.
And this is exactly what I’d love to help you out with.
I'm currently job hunting as well, looking for jobs abroad where we get to travel and experience a new place. I have lots to share with you about the things I've learned.
But first I'd love to get to know you better. Reply to this email and tell me a bit about yourself, your aspirations, your questions, your fears - anything!
Second, if you scroll down you will find a simple question for all of us. Please answer it. It's completely anonymous and I will share the results next week (along with a new question!).
Third, every week I will have a quest for you to accomplish. These are small tasks you can easily do over the weekend which I’m confident will make a difference in the long run. This week’s quest is so important, but still most of you are yet to do it. Scroll below and don’t miss it!
Lastly, right at the end of this newsletter I will share interesting project or job opportunities every week. This week's project is an idea that will be useful to all of you. Have a look and do apply!
I will be back next week with more to share. See you then :)
RESPONSES TO LAST WEEK’S SURVEY
Last week I asked you about what role you’d like to play in the tech industry, and how experienced you are in that role. 240 students took the survey.
75% of the responses were 1st and 2nd years, with participation decreasing as students become more senior.
Around 80% of the students are from a non-CS branch, and 95% of you are interested in opportunities in the tech industry!
Here are your responses to what role you want to play in the industry:
More than 80% of you responded that you are beginners at coding.
My biggest takeaway from this is that there is a huge amount of excitement about the tech industry among our students, but also a lack of awareness that leads to confusion.
Don't worry. I will be making some of the hard choices a lot more clear over the next few weeks.
THIS WEEK'S QUESTION
What is your top priority when you leave college?
Get placed in the highest paying job
Get the highest GPA and apply for further studies
Get the maximum skills in my branch or area of expertise
Other
Click here to anonymously submit your answer. Or you can just reply to this email :)
THIS WEEK’S QUEST
LinkedIn is THE social network of the tech industry.
Over the last few days I have gone through so many student LinkedIn profiles. And it surprises me that in almost all cases I hardly got to know you, your interests or your previous experience! Let’s first get this sorted …
If you don’t already have one, please click here to create a LinkedIn account.
Add a nice profile photo and keep your profile up to date.
Tell us something unique in your About section. List down all of your professional and academic experience, and break each down using bullet points. Anyone browsing your profile should get to know you a bit, and want to know more!
Here’s an example of a good student LinkedIn profile. You don’t need to compare yourself against it, just be you and express yourself.
Then start building your network.
You can easily find and connect with your batchmates, friends and family.
You can also write a message when you Connect with someone you don’t know. This is great for growing your network by introducing yourself to strategic connections.
This could be a college senior, a technology leader, a professor at a university, a social media influencer, or a recruiter.
When writing to someone you don’t know personally, introduce yourself and tell them what you seek from them and why you think they can help you.
Can you make one new strategic connection this weekend?
OPPORTUNITIES
Open-source Kickstarter
I’m looking to build an open-source web app similar to Kickstarter (but with a twist!).
Lots of students are looking for open-source project opportunities to learn and boost their profile. And lots of small businesses can't afford to hire people in tech because of the high costs. What if we could connect the two in a marketplace? It would be a win-win for both!
There are 4 open roles - UI/UX designer, Social Media Marketer, Frontend Developer and Backend Developer.
Please click here to apply. Positions open to any experience level!
Thanks for reading.
If you liked this newsletter, please share it with all of your friends.
You can reach me by simply replying to this email. You can also catch me on LinkedIn or Twitter.
See you next week!
~Renzil