Forget what the nerds say, coding is hard! Well, learning it anyway. I know that’s probably an unpopular opinion considering the sector I’m currently in, but really, who likes constant quantitative thinking? Even with this mindset, I have somehow managed to find myself thriving in my own little tech bubble. Tech jobs are on the rise today, it dawns on everyone to key in to the trend.
How?
Well, I realized that successful tech businesses aren’t built by the coders alone – thank goodness – but by a mix of great minds with the ability to think critically, be creative, and communicate properly; regardless of what they studied in school.
So, if you’re looking for a spot in our growing tech ecosystem, but you have zero programming experience, I have great news for you; there are an amazing number of jobs that are open to you, you just have to be willing to work hard and prove yourself.
Marketing
At the core of almost every company – whether they like to admit it or not— profit-making is the ultimate goal. This means they need to sell their products/services, and this is where marketers come in. From search engine optimization to social media marketing, there are a slew of important fields that are relatively new within marketing, and tech companies are often in tune with these up-and-coming methods of marketing, so it’s unlikely you’ll ever get bored.
Project managers are essentially team leaders. Project management certainly isn’t tech-specific, it exists across a number of fields, but project managers are an essential part of the tech industry. They plan projects, assign tasks, follow up with team members, and ensure each team member has the resources they need to complete the project on time. If you have a knack for leading, then project management may be your way into the tech ecosystem.
Business Analysis
Business analysts have to perform extensive research in the particular market their tech company is operating. They have to monitor trends, analyze market data, and then present the most relevant information to the team in the simplest way possible. If you love carrying out research then this may be your way in.
User interface (UI) specialists work on the designs for websites, computers, smartphones, applications, and software to make sure they are understandable and usable by the average customer. The job involves thinking about how the visuals of a website or an app could be improved and to communicate that to the programmers by drawing mock-ups.
User experience (UX) specialists don’t just focus on the visual interface; they consider the entire subjective experience of the user. They decide the features and information most important to the users, how to structure the product so that those are easily accessible, how to keep the product consistent throughout, and other similar concerns. They usually have to conduct user testing, so good communication skills and empathy are all you really need.
Content Strategy
Content strategy focuses on making sure that a company’s message stays consistent across every platform and this often involves creating content. The job could include writing blog posts, working with designers to create infographics (my new obsession), or just thinking of other ways to share information with customers; current and potential. So, if your talents lie in crafting succinct, useful prose instead of in crafting apps, content strategy might just be the right choice for you.
I currently do content strategy and business analysis for a tech startup and believe me, it is beyond rewarding. So you don’t like coding, who cares? It doesn’t mean you can’t find a satisfying career path in the tech sector that’ll push you to be the most creative version of yourself.
