The Great Resignation has many workers contemplating a switch in career and with the current technological advancements, the tech industry is a flourishing space with plenty of opportunity for career growth. 

So, whether you are currently studying for a career in tech, or looking into changing careers from a completely different sector, Linaro, an open-source collaborative engineering organisation, has shared their seven best industry secrets that will give you an advantage when applying for a job in tech.

Learn Tech Skills   

It may not be possible for everyone to enrol in a four-year degree but some form of education or training is worth the time and investment. With plenty of online courses, night schools and crash courses to suit different lifestyles, learning new tech skills is easier than ever.  

Research your area of interest to find what is the most used technology or coding language. Often jumping ahead into a newly emerging area also gives you an opportunity to showcase an in-demand skill that others lack.  

Take on Technical Projects  

Outside of studying or your current job, the best way to see if you are technically inclined and gain experience with the basics is to expose yourself to the field. Side projects will help build your confidence and understand where your specific interests lie within the world of tech and as a beginner, this is the best time to find your niche. If you are considering a career in Open Source, there are often sample applications and demos you can try to get started.  

Use Best Practices 

The tech industry is a lot about trying things out, so it is important to learn and always use best practices for software development, whether it be design patterns, common coding standards or testing.  

Systems are complex with lots of dependencies, and it is pretty uncommon that things just work on the first try. You often must solve issues in areas in adjacent technologies which can be quite tricky to do. But by doing this repeatedly, you will gain more and more experience and you can often re-use tricks, patterns and solutions that you came up with in the past. 

Network  

Going beyond expectations will highlight work ethic and passion to employers, trainers, and teachers. Show that you are immersing yourself and exploring the industry by attending networking events, workshops and conferences, in addition to your learning.  

It may seem like an impossible task to get into certain tech communities but by showing up, listening, engaging in discussions and suggesting things, you can become an appreciated community member. 

Find a Mentor  

If you are studying at university or attending online classes, finding someone to learn from will help you further grow and begin to create industry connections. Working with a mentor who has in-depth tech experience will both build your confidence, as well as help you develop your skills faster. For underrepresented groups, finding a mentor can also be critical to getting a successful start. 

It can be hard to find a mentor you can relate to but be positive, don’t give up and never sell yourself short. 

Stand out from the Crowd 

To make yourself stand out from other candidates for roles that are in demand, be sure to impress with more than just a CV. As well as technical strengths, it is key to highlight important people skills, such as adaptability and perseverance, including examples of your work in a portfolio.  

Open-source projects, big and small, offer a great way to showcase both your technical abilities and people skills. Don’t shy away from offering small contributions such as bug reports or documentation improvements as joining a new developer community is a skill that tech companies increasingly value. 

Target Start-ups   

Start-ups may offer more flexibility on experience and roles than a more established company if you can assist them with well-rounded skills to help them grow. Start-ups often require employees to wear many hats, so by showing potential employees that your skills are well-rounded, you are more likely to succeed. Much like start-ups, open source projects are a great place to learn as you can be coached to write code that is reliable, maintainable and meets requirements.