I’m sure you know about the recent layoffs.
They have affected the market in a drastic way.
For starters, it’s become a lot harder to secure a tech job.
It’s almost voiding out the unorthodox method of applying to 100 companies only to hear back from like 3 of them.
Here’s why this method should change.
Despite the negative outlook that we have on the tech industry, there’s still hope for us to succeed in the field.
Here are 3 strategies that we can use to stand out as techies.
Develop domain knowledge
Domain knowledge is having expertise in a specific subject or field.
Examples: Biology, Chemistry, Healthcare, or even Chess!
Domain knowledge paired with technical experience will definitely help you stand out from the crowd.
You could also discover intersection insights.
These are discoveries found in the overlap of 2 or more distinct fields.
These insights can form future research projects and software products.
My prediction is techies with domain knowledge will become a lot more valuable to companies.
Here’s why this is a good strategy for CS students to implement.
Build a strong professional network
Did you know that 70% of jobs are never published publicly?
Something like 85% of jobs are filled through networking.
In times like these, you cannot rely solely on job postings to find a tech job.
Your network is your net worth.
It’s been said time and time again.
But it feels like people don’t take networking seriously.
It doesn’t have to be complicated.
Networking is simply making friends at scale.
Reach out to people that you like, and start a conversation!
LinkedIn is a great place to start building your network.
Continue learning and adapting
Learning never stops.
Especially in an ever-changing field like technology.
You need to make sure you are constantly learning and improving your skills.
Read articles and newsletters (like this one 😉).
Take courses and watch videos.
Form your own opinions about different aspects of technology.
Remember: Strong opinions, loosely held.
Closing thoughts
There’s a lot we can learn from how the tech industry is shifting.
My main priorities are:
Developing my tech skills
Having honest conversations about technology
Meeting new people in the industry
What are yours?
I’m on Twitter and LinkedIn.
In a megabyte,
Demi The Techie :)
