Defining A Career In Technology

Trying to establish a career in tech may be daunting to some, especially if you come from a non-technical background. Whether you're an absolute beginner or you have some level of experience, there's always the pressing question: what do I do next?
In this talk, we'll cover how to properly define a career in technology. From deciding which area of technology works best for you to finding your first job and developing soft skills that would be useful to you.
I will be speaking about my personal experience with a career in front-end development, from self-learning to a full-time job. I will also be sharing the resources and tools I used to find jobs and other helpful career opportunities.

Transcript

1. Defining a Career Path in Technology A Presentation by Jemima Abu
2. Jemima Abu Front End Developer @jemimaabu
3. My Career Path Internship Relocation Remote May 2017 Taught myself HTML and CSS using textbooks May 2018 Answered a job post I saw on WhatsApp September 2017 Attended an internship fair June 2019 Applied for a relocation program Self-taught @jemimaabu
4. 01 Choosing A Tech Area How do I know which tech field I want to work in?
5. @jemimaabu
6. Narrowing It Down Interest What do I like to do? Design? Code? Strategize? Supervise? Requirements What languages do I need to learn or tools do I need to use? Demand What’s the job market looking like? What’s the average salary range? Community How easy is it to get access to resources or support? @jemimaabu
7. How to choose the best tech career path for you - Colin Smith | FreeCodeCamp Further Reading @jemimaabu
8. 02 ‘Qualifications’ Do I need a Computer Science degree to go into tech?
10. — Facts. “The best qualification is proof.” @jemimaabu
11. 03 Languages Which languages/frameworks do I need to learn?
12. @jemimaabu
13. @jemimaabu
14. — Truth. “You can't know everything - and that's okay.” @jemimaabu
15. 04 Soft Skills How do I build my non-technical skills?
16. Soft skills: - Communication - Attention to detail Getting Started: - Look out for CFPs online - Think up potential talks - Reach out to local meetup organizers Resources: https://www.cfpland.com/guides/speaking / Public Speaking @jemimaabu
17. Soft skills: - Story telling - Comprehension Getting Started: - Write as you learn - Keep a blog or use an online platform - Share your articles Resources: https://edidiongasikpo.com/technical-writin g-what-and-how-ckastwm2705xq4us1l0cbv v2h Technical Writing @jemimaabu
18. Soft skills: - Social skills - Teamwork Getting Started: - Volunteer or apply to teach - Organize classes - Be approachable Resources: https://medium.com/@benlesh/thoug hts-on-mentorship-in-tech-d46c8401c 23c Teaching and Mentoring @jemimaabu
19. Soft skills: - Problem-solving - Critical Thinking Getting Started: - Look out for beginner-friendly issues on Github - Create an issue on existing projects Resources: https://www.firsttimersonly.com/ Open Source Contribution @jemimaabu
20. 05 Finding A Job How do I find and when should I apply for internships/jobs?
21. Finding Jobs Online - LinkedIn.com - Angel.co - Remoteok.io - Twitter.com (search for “hiring *job title* *location*”) @jemimaabu
22. Look out for opportunities - Join communities - Attend local meetups - Grow your network - Follow blogs and people @jemimaabu
23. Basics You have a good grasp of the basic necessities Proof You have a couple of projects to show for it Research You know the type of industry you want to work in When’s the right time to start looking for a job? @jemimaabu
24. — Word. “You literally have nothing to lose.” @jemimaabu
25. - How I Got My First Remote Job - Jemima Abu Further Reading @jemimaabu
26. 06 Final Advice
27. @jemimaabu
28. @kamranahmedse
29. CREDITS: This presentation template was created by Slidesgo, including icons by Flaticon, and infographics & images by Freepik. Thanks! Do you have any questions? www.jemimaabu.com @jemimaabu