How many times have you said to yourself that you want to quit your job and find a job in tech?
Your job isn’t aligned with your interests and you don’t feel like you’re growing — you just don’t see yourself there any longer.
You find yourself wondering what else you could do and you keep hearing about your friends getting jobs in tech and loving it. Your friends are working on exciting products you actually use yourself and they seem to be moving ahead.
Maybe you want to transition to tech from consulting or banking like everyone else in your start class. Maybe you’re burned out from your non-profit and want to get a taste of the private sector at a tech company. Or, maybe you’re just out of grad school and you want a fresh start in tech.
Regardless, you’ve made up your mind that you want a job in tech.
Inevitably, a flood of questions and insecurities start to cloud your thinking
- How do I know what roles to apply to or even what some of these tech companies do
- Do I need to learn how to code?
- Am I too old to be in tech?
- I don’t have any of these “requirements” in these job descriptions, can I even get a job?
- Where do I even start?
You’re not alone. I’ve been there too.
For the first four years after graduating college with an Econ degree, I was jumping between one random thing to another to pay the rent. I was stuck. Amongst other things, this included trying to sell ebooks and pants (yes, like real pants) online.
At that time, I was living out in the Bay Area and my good friend, Sam, was working at Facebook. I remember the first time he took me to lunch at the Facebook office, back when it was at 1601 California Ave in Palo Alto.
It was insane.
🔥 There was so much energy there.
The office felt alive with people who actually seemed to like what they were working on. Also, my mind was blown that I was in the place where people built the product I was spending hours and hours using every day.
After eating at every station (Sam said he was embarrassed at how much I ate), taking 3 Red Bulls to go, and packing a handful of Cliff bars in my backpack, I left dreaming about working at a place like Facebook, but self-conscious about if I could ever make that happen.
I knew I wanted to work at a tech company, but I was really insecure.
I didn’t think I had the right degree, experience, and background to work in tech.
I spent hours reading job postings online, but most times I was too scared to even consider applying because the job requirements were too intimidating. When I did apply to a few roles, I’d either get an auto-reject email or I’d never move beyond the first disastrous phone interview.
It wouldn’t be for another two years of trial and error before I was able to figure out how to break into tech.
I knew I wanted to work at a tech company, but I was really insecure.
I didn’t think I had the right degree, experience, and background to work in tech.
I spent hours reading job postings online, but most times I was too scared to even consider applying because the job requirements were too intimidating. When I did apply to a few roles, I’d either get an auto-reject email or I’d never move beyond the first disastrous phone interview.
In 2013, I landed my first real tech job at Dropbox, my life has changed completely since then.
I’m not just saying that. I know the difference a great job and situation can make on your overall well-being as a human. It’s not just about the superficial stuff like your career trajectory, finances, or social status.
What’s more is knowing that everyday, you’re in an environment that brings out the best in you.
That’s what I want for you.
Ever since I joined Dropbox in 2013, I’ve been encouraging and helping my friends get jobs at tech companies.
Friends (and even strangers!) have been reaching out to me about making the transition into tech. After countless emails, coffee chats, and mock interviews to help my friends get jobs in tech, I’ve noticed the patterns that lead to landing great tech jobs.
I’m excited to bring all of those experiences together in one place to help guide others who want to land a job in tech. And not just any job, but a job where you can flourish.
You spend most of your waking hours at work, let’s start the journey now to where you want to be.
Onward!
Ready to get a job in tech?
I’ve outlined step by step strategies to get the job you want in tech and included the EXACT resume I used to get a job at Dropbox.
Click here to get the resume that got me the job at Dropbox!