Career Advice
Paul Brown
11.04.22
Demand for tech skills is at an all-time high and growing, but so is competition for the best positions. It’s tough enough landing any graduate job, let alone one that inspires you and offers serious prospects. So, if you had any interest in following a career in tech, without a STEM major degree that can seem out of reach.
However, as many are discovering, not only could that dream career in tech be a real possibility, it doesn’t even matter what your degree.
Say you graduated with a liberal arts degree but, now that you’re holding the piece of paper, you can’t actually see yourself doing a related job. Why? That’s not important right now. What is important, is what you are attracted to. What’s in your heart.
Maybe you’ve always harboured a penchant (isn’t that a nice word?) for things tech but didn’t see it as a career option. Besides, your degree isn’t STEM-y – a dream tech career is… a dream.
But wait! That’s not the way we think at FDM. We already know you have the application and aptitude to see a qualification through. On top of that, all experience is good experience and can contribute in ways that might surprise you.
As far as we’re concerned, if tech is where you’re at – our door is open.
So, is a tech path something you can realistically consider? Ask yourself…
Are you passionate?
Chances are the signs were always there. What are those little giveaways that tell you that tech is the path you really wanted to go down?
Perhaps it’s not enough to just use the tech we all take for granted every day – you’re curious, you need to understand how it works. When you see challenging problems, they aren’t annoying, they’re appealing. Maybe you right-click to ‘view page source’ on websites, just to dive into a little code.
You can see that technology touches every aspect of life, is constantly evolving and you feel you want to be a part of that. Yes, that sounds like passion.
What about the relevant skills you already have?
IT jobs are so much more that bashing out code on a monitor. In a tech environment being adept at interpersonal communication is crucial, especially for careers in IT such as project management.
People with non-STEM degrees often have the advantage of more highly developed human-centred skills and those who can approach problems in entirely new ways will always be in demand for technology jobs. Indeed, soft skills like organisation, communication, problem-solving, project management and work ethic are universally sought after, regardless of the industry.
Do you believe in yourself?
Mindset is everything. Well, it’s a whole lot. If you have a burning desire and are armed with good critical thinking and analytical skills, nothing can stand in the way of you achieving your dream career. Many before have shown the results of powerful self-confidence. The key is to keep the mindset strong and focused and keep actively trying to improve yourself.
When we interview applicants, attitude is one of the key factors we assess for tech jobs. We know that any lack in technical knowledge can be more than made up for by a drive to succeed.
Love learning?
A tech role is not, as the cliché goes, a destination – it is a step on a journey. If you’re hungry for continual learning, you can go as far as your appetite takes you.
Your drive to succeed is enough to get your foot in the door, and your desire to learn will open up more opportunities. It’s that self-belief thing. You’ll start within your skillset and experience level then develop and branch out into unlimited possibilities.
Do you welcome support and guidance?
Ambition is good, in fact it’s kind of vital – but no one really achieved greatness on their own. Collaboration is the magic sauce that propels success – in every step and stage of any career journey.
Our recruiters get this – they’ll help steer you on the path that best suits you.
Our trainers get it – they’re dedicated to your success and provide the support you need to ace the FDM Academy.
Our well-being ambassadors get it – they check in and provide guidance every step of your consultant journey.
In fact, everyone on the FDM team understands that together we are stronger – it’s one of our core values. And it’ll be what makes the difference to your progress as a professional.