How to Find a Tech Job Without any Experience or a Degree?

Entering the world of tech.

Are you interested in the field of technology or are you some sort of computer science wizard, but you don’t have any formal experience or degree to show for it? No problem! In technology, more than anywhere else, what matters the most is your skillset. If one has the skill that can keep him ahead in one particular technological sector, it would be quite easy for him to secure a job even if he doesn’t have a degree or any experience to back up. Many people who are able to end up working in tech jobs or have their own tech-based businesses typically don’t have a degree. Even if they have a degree, it may not at all be in computer science or any other tech-related area.

Are you willing to put in the effort?

If you are willing to put an effort and work hard, a tech job may be the most rewarding experience and highest paid job that you can get. If you don’t have a degree but are you willing to use the internet to learn. Then a tech job should not be too hard to get. Several people who are coding masterminds were able to learn it on their own through tutorials online and studied how code was explained in public forums. It is actually a lot easier than it looks. All you have to do is stay focused and consistently committed to what you are learning and practice regularly.

Patience is a virtue when studying and learning computer science on your own, but it can be a very fulfilling experience to even write a simple console application on your own.A lot of people don’t get tech jobs because they do not know the first thing about the world of technology. This is because financial reasons or inadequate funding most likely hold them back from pursuing higher education in computer science or technology.

If money is what holds you back from pursuing your desired tech field, but you still have the passion to learn and study it – there’s a lot you can do. Several courses online that teach programming languages are free and they teach you from scratch where they assume you do not know the first thing about the world of computer science and technology. These websites even offer theory-based learning so you understand the fundamental principles and logical concepts that govern the field of technology. They even have quizzes and assessments to figure out just how well you know so you can refer back to a course if you didn’t understand it the first time. Put in the effort and yield the reward if you want a tech job without a degree or experience.

Finding what to focus on in tech.

However, computer science itself is a very vast field. Every minute detail of our life heavily relies on information technology. To excel in the tech industry, you have to pick a particular niche or a certain category within that broad subject which you can master. That really shouldn’t be too hard to determine. Focus on what you find most interesting and how you can grow more in that area of expertise.

Know the basics of any job!

There are certain aspects of the tech-based knowledge that is fundamental to do well in any field of computer science. For example, knowing how to code is something that anything from a database manager to an IT analyst should be able to do. Similarly, knowing the basics of hardware, software, simple electronics, querying databases are all things that you should know anyway. Try practicing coding every day so that you can get into the habit of programming regularly. This will allow you to gain expertise and become a professional coder who does not make simple syntax or logical errors. Finding a tech job should not be hard at all once you are able to master these basic skills which should not be too difficult if you are passionate enough and genuinely like doing computer science.

However, when you first apply for a tech job without having any prior experience formally working in the field or having a technical degree in it you might face some challenges. First of all, even if you are a computer science mastermind who learned everything on his own you will still need to have something to show for it. Try attending hackathons with sufficient preparation if you think that is up to your alley so you can prove your tech-based knowledge. Or, try creating a piece of software on your own that will blow away the people conducting your interview.

For example, make a video game of your own or use your computer science knowledge to solve a real-world problem in everyday life like programming a robot that collects trash in your workplace. Such forms of experience under your hood will not only showcase that you are good at computer science but will also reflect just how interested you are in the field. It will allow the interviewers to recognize how you were able to overcome the odds to pursue your interest in computer science to secure a tech-based job and is bound to impress them.

Have soft skills which are just as important as hard skills.

Finally, like any other job, getting a tech job is not about being a genius in computer science. As much as it requires technical skills or ‘hard skills’, it also requires you having certain ‘soft skills’. First of all, your CV/resume should reflect how you’ve enhanced your communication skills that make you listen, write, and speak well.

You will often have to make pitches in a tech business in front of a large team of CEOs and business owners, to whom you will have to convince that your idea is the next best thing. This requires the linguistic mastery of expression. However instead of simply stating that you have ‘excellent communication skills’ try explaining or proving to readers through some justification. Taught at a school? Write down about it. You need to show the people interviewing you that you are more than just a set of tech skills.

Showcasing your passion.

Even if you have no degree in computer science, information technology, or a related field, you need to prove that you are interested in the field itself. If organizations see that you are passionate about the subject itself, and are genuinely interested in it, they will be keen to hire you and help you grow and learn more on the job.

You have to understand that the very first job you get will not necessarily be a high-paying one. Hence, you must be ready to work up the career ladder, proving yourself and your tech at each step. However, once you can get your first job, you’ve already passed the most difficult test.

Now all you have to do is maintain this consistency and always look out for ways to improve your tech-based knowledge. Be competitive and up-to-date on the latest trends and knowledge of what’s new and what is no longer new about the tech industry.

Having a personal profile of your own.

Finally, as a budding tech enthusiast, you must document all the work that you do and have it online to be shown to anyone and everyone. Maintain a personal profile of your own that highlights your interests, experience and what you are passionate about in the field of computer science. Use it as a means of demonstrating your skills and it might be worthwhile mentioning how you managed to achieve a lot despite never having studied computer science professionally or worked in a tech firm before.

Good luck!