I've read countless times how "working in tech" or "breaking in tech" is associated with becoming a software engineer or coding.
As a former software engineer, I acknowledge that software engineering is one of the tech industry's most high-in-demand jobs. But it's not the only one.
This article will explain why working in tech doesn't mean becoming a software engineer.
1. "Tech" is an industry
Tech is an industry. Software engineering is a role.
Tech comprises dozens of sub-fields, such as cyber security, data, robotics, Internet of Things (IoT), etc.
Software engineering is a role you can do in any field beyond tech. For example, you can work as a software engineer within the hospitality, healthcare, oil and gas space.
2. The tech industry is always evolving
The tech industry is known for being fast-changing and cutting-edge.
It's an industry that creates new roles and needs every year.
Contrary to popular belief, you don't have to learn coding to enter this industry.
3. There are other skills than coding
Before the pandemic, a huge push was to encourage people (especially young people) to learn how to code.
Telling everyone that they should learn how to code is akin to telling everyone that they should become a doctor. Great advice if you’re passionate about saving people’s lives, but detrimental if it’s not aligned to your interests, skills, and raw talents.[Forbes]
[...]As the tech industry has matured, so has its workforce. As tech companies grow, they need to hire sales and marketing teams to transform technology into revenue. As they expand into new office locations, they need operations teams. For job seekers, this means that you don’t have to be a software engineer in order to get a job at a tech company — they are hiring non-tech workers too.[Business Money]
4. The tech industry has technical and non-technical roles
As mentioned in point number 2, you don't have to learn coding to work in tech.
The industry has technical and non-technical roles.
Even if you don't possess technical skills such as coding but still want to work in this industry, there are roles where soft skills are more valued.
I discussed this in my article 5 High-Paying Tech Careers That Are Not Software Engineering.
5. Tech companies are businesses
Tech companies are businesses that need many different roles and skill sets outside of software engineering to reach their goals.
To give you an example, Google lists the following jobs in the Engineering&Technical Jobs careers site:
Research Scientist.
Product Manager.
UX Specialist.
Read 5 Alternative Career Options For Software Engineers to learn more about the other careers available for software engineers.
Key Takeaways
After reading this article, you know why working in tech does not mean becoming a software engineer. Tech offers many roles, both technical and non-technical.
This article doesn't want to discourage you from learning how to code or becoming a software engineer. It shows you that the tech industry offers many opportunities outside of software engineering.
Do your research, talk to people, and attend networking events to find out what truly suits you.
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Until next time!
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