The 7 Essential Secrets of the Tech Job Search
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The document outlines essential secrets for successfully navigating the tech job search, emphasizing that non-technical majors can secure tech jobs. Key insights include embracing unconventional backgrounds, presenting oneself as a unique candidate, and challenging traditional application methods to stand out in a competitive field. The author shares personal experiences and encourages leveraging diverse skills and experiences to enhance job prospects in tech.
The 7 Essential Secrets of the Tech Job Search
- 1. THE 7 ESSENTIAL SECRETS OF THE TECH JOB SEARCH
- 2. T H E R E ’ S N O D E N Y I N G I T: T E C H I S H O T
- 3. I N O U R B E D S W E WA K E U P W I T H I T
- 4. T O O U R D I C T I O N A R I E S W E ’ V E A D D E D I T
- 5. W E E V E N PAY $ 1 2 T O WAT C H B A D M O V I E S A B O U T T H E M A N D T E C H J O B S A R E S O D E S I R A B L E
- 6. I T ’ S N O W O N D E R : B R E A K I N G I N T O T E C H I S H A R D
- 7. A N D I ’ M L I V I N G P R O O F
- 8. K I N D E R G A R T E N T E A C H E R I B E G A N M Y C A R E E R A S A
- 9. T H AT N E V E R R E S P O N D E D B U T WA S T E D D O Z E N S O F R E S U M E S O N T E C H C O M PA N I E S
- 10. … U N T I L I F I N A L LY C R A C K E D T H E C O D E
- 11. N O W, F O R T H E F I R S T T I M E , L E T M E S H A R E T H E S E C R E T S
- 12. F R O M H E R E T H A T T O O K M E
- 13. H E R E T O
- 14. S E C R E T # 1 : Y O U D O N ’ T N E E D T E C H S K I L L S T O G E T A T E C H J O B
- 15. A S A N O N - C S M A J O R , I S TA R T E D T O TA L K M Y S E L F O U T O F J O B S B E F O R E I E V E N A P P L I E D
- 16. H E A D L I N E S L I K E T H E S E B E C A U S E E V E RY D A Y I ’ D WA K E U P T O
- 17. B U T H E R E ’ S T H E D I R T Y L I T T L E S E C R E T O F T E C H
- 18. G E N E R AT E S 4 N O N - T E C H N I C A L J O B S E V E RY T E C H N I C A L J O B L A U N C H I N G A M A J O R A P P R E Q U I R E S : • P R O D U C T M A N A G E R S • D E S I G N E R S • M A R K E T E R S • A N A LY S T S • P R O J E C T M A N A G E R S • H R • A C C O U N TA N T S • C U S T O M E R S U P P O RT • L AW Y E R S
- 19. T E C H C O M PA N I E S H AV E 3 X A S M A N Y N O N - T E C H N I C A L W O R K E R S A S T E C H I E S T H E S U R P R I S I N G R E S U LT ? T E C H N I C A L R O L E S # I N F O R M AT I O N T E C H N O L O G Y 6 4 , 2 6 4 E N G I N E E R I N G 3 9 , 3 7 8 O P E R AT I O N S 3 3 , 7 6 6 Q U A L I T Y A S S U R A N C E 5 , 2 0 5 T O TA L 1 4 2 , 6 1 3 N O N - T E C H N I C A L R O L E S # E N T R E P R E N E U R S H I P 9 0 , 3 3 7 S A L E S 4 4 , 3 1 2 M A R K E T I N G 3 7 , 9 7 8 A R T S A N D D E S I G N 2 6 , 4 8 7 M E D I A A N D C O M M U N I C AT I O N 2 6 , 0 8 7 S U P P O R T 2 2 , 9 2 9 C O N S U LT I N G 2 0 , 4 8 3 B U S I N E S S D E V E L O P M E N T 1 4 , 4 4 7 P R O D U C T M A N A G E M E N T 1 4 , 1 4 1 P R O G R A M A N D P R O J E C T M A N A G E M E N T 1 2 , 1 7 2 A D M I N I S T R AT I V E 1 1 , 4 8 1 F I N A N C E 1 0 , 4 6 4 E D U C AT I O N 9 , 3 6 1 R E S E A R C H 8 , 9 9 4 H U M A N R E S O U R C E S 8 , 3 5 3 C O M M U N I T Y A N D S O C I A L S E R V I C E S 7 , 2 7 2 H E A LT H C A R E S E R V I C E S 5 , 2 0 4 A C C O U N T I N G 4 , 7 6 5 L E G A L 3 , 6 0 0 R E A L E S TAT E 2 , 2 0 4 M I L I TA RY A N D P R O T E C T I V E S E R V I C E S 1 , 3 7 6 P U R C H A S I N G 1 , 2 0 8 T O TA L 3 8 3 , 6 5 5 Source: LinkedIn, US Internet Workers
- 20. T H E B O T T O M L I N E : T E C H J O B S A R E O P E N T O Y O U , E V E N I F Y O U W E R E N ’ T A C S M A J O R . S O D O N ’ T G I V E U P B E F O R E Y O U S TA R T.
- 21. S E C R E T # 2 : T E C H WA N T S W E I R D O S
- 22. T H AT N E V E R W E N T A N Y W H E R E ? R E M E M B E R A L L M Y R E S U M E S
- 23. S O I D I D N ’ T S E E M O U T O F P L A C E M Y S T R A T E G Y WA S T O H I D E M Y E D U C A T I O N B A C K G R O U N D
- 24. T U R N S O U T I WA S A P P R O A C H I N G T E C H A L L W R O N G
- 25. W H O F I T I N T O T H E S Y S T E M W H I L E S C H O O L S A N D T Y P I C A L C O M PA N I E S WA N T P E O P L E
- 26. W H O H AT E D T H E S Y S T E M T E C H C O M PA N I E S W E R E F O U N D E D B Y P E O P L E
- 27. “ I D O N ’ T B E L O N G ” S O S U B M I T T I N G A B L A N D C O V E R L E T T E R S A Y S :
- 28. T H AT I G O T M Y F I R S T I N T E R V I E W S I T WA S O N LY W H E N I S TA R T E D P L A Y I N G U P M Y C R A Z Y T E A C H I N G E X P E R I E N C E S My actual cover letter to Apple!
- 29. T H E B O T T O M L I N E : T H I S I S T E C H . L E T Y O U R F R E A K F L A G F LY.
- 30. S E C R E T # 3 : Y O U ’ R E T H E P R I Z E
- 31. O N T H E P E R F E C T P R E S E N T ? R E M E M B E R W H E N Y O U W E R E A K I D A N D H A D Y O U R H E A R T S E T
- 32. W O U L D D O ? A N D N O T H I N G E L S E
- 33. S C A R C I T Y M I N D S E T W I T H T E C H R E C R U I T I N G , I T ’ S E A S Y T O G E T I N T H A T S A M E
- 34. I C E R TA I N LY D I D G O O G L E R E J E C T E D M E F O R T H E 3 R D T I M E . G U E S S I ’ M J U S T N O T C U T O U T F O R T E C H .
- 35. B U T H E R E ’ S T H E T R U T H
- 36. TA L E N T, N O T J O B S I S T H E N E W S C A R C E R E S O U R C E T H E R E ’ S S O M U C H M O N E Y F L O O D I N G I N T O T E C H T H A T
- 37. A N D I F E V E N A T E C H G I A N T L I K E Y E L P I S S T R U G G L I N G , H O W D O E S A N E W E N T R E P R E N E U R H AV E A N Y C H A N C E O F F I N D I N G TA L E N T ?
- 38. T H AT ’ S W H E R E T H E P R I Z E M I N D S E T C O M E S I N
- 39. I N T O A S I N G L E B A S K E T I N S T E A D O F P U T T I N G A L L Y O U R E G G S WA R N I N G : S C A R C I T Y M I N D S E T !
- 40. W H O ’ S J U S T B E E N F U N D E D ? W H Y N O T R E A C H O U T T O A N E N T R E P R E N E U R WA R N I N G : P R I Z E M I N D S E T AT W O R K !
- 41. C H A N C E S A R E T H E Y N E E D G R E AT P E O P L E , P R O N T O
- 42. Y O U C A N G E T A N I N S TA N T I N T E R V I E W S O F O R T H E P R I C E O F A C O F F E E , My email to an edtech startup
- 43. D O N ’ T B E J U S T A N O T H E R S C A R C I T Y- B O T I N O T H E R W O R D S
- 44. T H E P R I Z E B E
- 45. T H E B O T T O M L I N E : T E C H E M P L O Y E R S N E E D Y O U . S O H E L P T H E M F I N D Y O U .
- 46. S E C R E T # 4 : T H I N K L I K E A M A R K E T E R
- 47. C O F F E E , M P 3 P L AY E R S , A N D S O C I A L N E T W O R K S I N M Y M A R K E T I N G C L A S S , W E S P E N T A L O T O F T I M E L E A R N I N G A B O U T
- 48. W H Y ?
- 49. A L L R E P R E S E N T G E N E R I C P R O D U C T S T H AT B E C A M E D I F F E R E N T I AT E D B E C A U S E S TA R B U C K S , T H E I P O D , A N D FA C E B O O K
- 50. B U T T H E Y C O N V I N C E D C U S T O M E R S T H E Y W E R E B E T T E R T H A N T H E R E S T N O N E W E R E T H E F I R S T I N T H E I R C A T E G O R I E S , W H Y E L S E W O U L D Y O U PAY $ 6 F O R D I RT Y B E A N WAT E R ? ? ?
- 51. S O H O W C O M E W E T U R N O U R M O S T P R I Z E D A S S E T - O U R TA L E N T - I N T O A C O M M O D I T Y ?
- 52. C O P Y- A N D - PA S T E C O V E R L E T T E R S , G E N E R I C R E S U M E S , A N D S TA N D A R D I N T E R V I E W A N S W E R S Y O U K N O W T H E D R I L L :
- 53. E V E RY C A N D I D AT E I S T H E S A M E S O O N E N O U G H ,
- 54. B U T E S P E C I A L LY I N T E C H W H I C H I S A R E C I P E F O R FA I L U R E I N A N Y I N D U S T RY, VS VS VS I N T H I S R A P I D LY C H A N G I N G W O R L D , D I F F E R E N T I AT I O N R U L E S !
- 55. I S TA R T E D D O I N G T H I N G S M Y WAY - M Y O W N F O R M AT S , M Y O W N WAY O F S AY I N G T H I N G S O N C E I L E A R N E D T H I S L E S S O N ,
- 56. I S T O O D O U T F R O M T H E PA C K E V E N T H O U G H , I WA S N ’ T T H E F I R S T O R E V E N M O S T- Q U A L I F I E D A P P L I C A N T
- 57. PA R T O F T H E T E A M W H I C H E A R N E D M E A S H O T T O B E
- 58. T H E B O T T O M L I N E : D O N ’ T B E A C O M M O D I T Y. D I F F E R E N T I AT E Y O U R S E L F.
- 59. S E C R E T # 5 : O N LY S H O T S O N G O A L C O U N T
- 60. A B O U T T E C H T H E S E D AY S S O M U C H ( D I G I TA L ) I N K I S S P I L L E D
- 61. I T ’ S E A S Y T O C O N F U S E R E S E A R C H W I T H P R O G R E S S
- 62. “ W O R K I N G ” O N G E T T I N G A T E C H J O B I ’ D S P E N D W H O L E W E E K S
- 63. W I T H N O T H I N G T O S H O W F O R I T
- 64. Y O U O N LY S C O R E W H E N Y O U S H O O T T H A T ’ S W H E N I R E A L I Z E D :
- 65. S O I R E P R I O R I T I Z E D M Y T I M E T O M A X I M I Z E S H O T S O N G O A L
- 66. A P P L I C AT I O N S / D AY I S E T Q U O TA S F O R B O T H S H O T S :
- 67. N E T W O R K I N G C H AT S / D AY A N D S H O T S O N G O A L :
- 68. M I G H T N E V E R R E A C H T H E G O A L S I N C E I K N E W A N A P P L I C A T I O N B Y I T S E L F
- 69. T O F I V E I N A M O N T H , I W E N T F R O M Z E R O I N T E R V I E W S
- 70. T H E B O T T O M L I N E : P R I O R I T I Z E Y O U R T I M E O N W H AT M AT T E R S - N O T W H AT F E E L S G O O D .
- 71. S E C R E T # 6 : T H E A P P L I C AT I O N I S J U S T T H E S TA R T
- 72. R E M E M B E R H O W I D I S T I N G U I S H E D B E T W E E N S H O T S + S H O T S O N G O A L ?
- 73. T H AT ’ S B E C A U S E T H E W O R S T M I S TA K E I E V E R M A D E WA S FA L L I N G I N T O T H E O N L I N E A P P L I C AT I O N T R A P
- 74. I ’ D D O A D O Z E N I N A R O W O N C E I F I N A L LY S TA R T E D A P P LY I N G F O R J O B S , I T ’ S S O E A S Y !
- 75. T H E R E WA S J U S T O N E P R O B L E M …
- 76. H E A R D B A C K I N E V E R T H E O N LY R E S P O N S E I E V E R G O T !
- 77. I T WA S O N LY Y E A R S L AT E R , W H E N I WA S H I R I N G AT L I N K E D I N , T H AT I L E A R N E D A B O U T T H E M O S T D I S T U R B I N G F O R C E I N T H E T E C H R E C R U I T I N G G A L A X Y
- 78. B L A C K H O L E T H E O N L I N E A P P L I C A T I O N
- 79. I B E G A N T O G I V E U P S TA R I N G A T T H E H U N D R E D S O F S I M I L A R A P P L I C A T I O N S ,
- 80. U N T I L I L E A R N E D A B O U T T H E 2 N D - M O S T P O W E R F U L T E C H R E C R U I T I N G F O R C E : R E F E R R A L S
- 81. M Y J O B B E C A M E E A S Y A S S O O N A S M Y C O L L E A G U E S S TA R T E D R E C O M M E N D I N G C A N D I D A T E S ,
- 82. A F T E R A L L , W H Y TA K E A R I S K O N A N U N P R O V E N S T R A N G E R W H E N I ’ V E G O T A S U R E T H I N G ?
- 83. A N D S U R E E N O U G H , M Y O W N E X P E R I E N C E A S A N A P P L I C A N T B O R E T H AT O U T
- 84. W H O C O U L D V O U C H F O R M E A F T E R Y E A R S O F R E J E C T I O N , I F O U N D A N A L U M @ G O O G L E
- 85. G U E S S W H AT WA S I N M Y I N B O X ? A N D T H E N E X T D A Y,
- 86. A R E J E C T I O N L E T T E R O F M Y O W N … : ) W H I C H A L L O W E D M E T O S E N D
- 87. T H E B O T T O M L I N E : A N A P P L I C AT I O N I S A S H O T. B U T A R E F E R R A L I S A S H O T O N G O A L .
- 88. S E C R E T # 7 : F O C U S O N F I T O V E R P R E S T I G E
- 89. I F I N A L LY M A D E I T T O T H E T E C H P R O M I S E D L A N D A F T E R Y E A R S I N T H E W I L D E R N E S S
- 90. S O W H Y WA S I S O M I S E R A B L E ?
- 91. M Y F I N A L M I S TA K E WA S P R I O R I T I Z I N G P R E S T I G E O V E R F I T
- 92. I T ’ S T E M P T I N G T O G O F O R T H E C O M PA N Y T H AT E V E N Y O U R G R A N D M A K N O W S W H E N T E C H I S S O H O T,
- 93. E G O - S T R O K I N G T H A N K S G I V I N G D I N N E R S B U T W H I L E T H A T M I G H T M A K E F O R
- 94. I T ’ S A L O U S Y PAT H T O H A P P I N E S S
- 95. T H AT ’ S B E C A U S E P R E S T I G E D O E S N ’ T: • Get you out of bed in the morning, excited to get to work • Keep you motivated in the face of challenge • Satisfy the hunger to do awesome things that brought you into tech in the first place
- 96. T H E O N LY S U R E PAT H T O S AT I S FA C T I O N I S T O : • Find something that you love doing every single day • Find people that you love doing it with
- 97. W H E N I G AV E U P A L L T H I S P E O P L E S A I D I WA S C R A Z Y
- 98. B U T W O R K I N G W I T H A N A W E S O M E T E A M O N T H I N G S T H AT I C A R E A B O U T ?
- 99. T H AT ’ S T H E U LT I M AT E P E R K
- 100. T H E B O T T O M L I N E : C H O O S E Y O U R J O B W I S E LY. O P T I M I Z E F O R H A P P I N E S S O V E R S E X I N E S S .
- 101. S O T H E R E Y O U H AV E I T.
- 102. T H E 7 U LT I M AT E S E C R E T S T O T E C H R E C R U I T I N G 1. You don’t need tech skills to get a tech job Tech jobs are open to you, even if you weren’t a CS major. So don’t give up before you start. 2. Tech wants weirdos This is tech. Let your freak flag fly. 3. You’re the prize Tech employers need you. So help them find you. 4. Think like a marketer Don’t be a commodity. Differentiate yourself. 5. Only shots on goal count Prioritize your time on what matters - not what feels good. 6. The application is just the start An application is a shot. A referral is a shot on goal. 7. Focus on fit over prestige Choose your job wisely. Optimize for happiness over sexiness.
- 103. B U T I T ’ S S O W O RT H I T. T H E J O U R N E Y T O T E C H I S A L O N G , H A R D O N E
- 104. A N D H AV E T H E T I M E O F Y O U R L I F E D O I N G I T ? W H E R E E L S E C A N Y O U I N V E N T T H E F U T U R E
- 105. H E L P A L O N G T H E WAY I ’ M H A P P Y T O E M A I L M E AT J E R E M Y @ B R E A K I N T O . T E C H
- 106. F R E E I N S I D E R S E C R E T S A N D S H A R E M O R E G E T I T G E T I T S U B S C R I B E T O T H E N E W S L E T T E RDon’t miss any new reports!
- 107. PAY I T F O R WA R D A L L I A S K I S T H A T Y O U As a former teacher, I believe in sharing everything I’ve learned. So, in that spirit, please share! CLICK TO SHARE
- 108. G O O D L U C K O N T H E J O U R N E Y ! H E R E ’ S W I S H I N G Y O U