How to Navigate the Tech Job Market Without Any Experience

Over 9.1 million people work in the U.S. tech job market, a number that has been rising 3% annually over the last decade.

However, as more people get into the industry, and with artificial intelligence taking up jobs, competition for employment is getting stiffer. Breaking into this job market can be especially hard if you don’t have any prior working experience.

Who’s going to hire a novice when there are thousands of experienced tech pros looking for the same jobs?

Don’t fret! You need someone to hold your hand and show you around this unforgiving job market.

Come with us.

Arm Yourself with the Right Professional Credentials

A compelling candidate for a high-paying tech job is someone with a combination of experience and professional qualifications. If you’re looking for cybersecurity jobs, for example, employers are also interested in your academic/professional qualifications. Are you self-taught or did you go to college and get a tech degree?

So, if you don’t have any tech experience, ensure you have the right credentials. Academic qualifications can in some cases make up for what you lack in occupational experience.

Let’s consider a data analyst path for those without experience. Do you have any relevant training? A degree in data science will come in handy, but it’s barely enough.

Having a professional certification in data analytics, like the Google Data Analytics Professional Certificate or the IBM Data Analyst Professional Certificate, can give you an added advantage.

Most professional tech certifications take a few weeks to complete, and can be done entirely online. You have no reason to lack these certifications as you embark on finding a job without experience.

Build a Portfolio of Personal Projects

A portfolio showcases what you can do. If you’re in tech career that involves building things, it’s almost impossible to get hired without a portfolio. In a world where job seekers can fabricate resumes, no employer is going to hire you based solely on what they see on the resume.

You don’t have to have a job to get an opportunity to work on projects that you can later use on your portfolio. Take on several personal projects as you look for a job. If you’re an application developer, build a few personal apps and go all in.

Build a Professional Network

Networking has long been established as an effective way to get ahead in a career. There are reports that about 70% of job openings are not published publicly and are filled through networking.

As a tech professional, you have many opportunities to build your network. Tech events are happening every other day. All you need to do is show up at those events, shake some hands, strike relationships, and exchange contacts.

Most of the people you’ll meet won’t be employers, but they might have insider information that could give you a leg up. For example, someone in your network can inform you about job openings in their company, some of which may not be posted publicly.

As you build your professional network, be sure to make the most of it. It’s of little value to add contacts to your phone if all you do is meet up at events and have a cheer. Be proactive and ask them to point you in the direction of job opportunities.

Focus on Entry-Level Tech Jobs

If you’re a first-time job seeker, it’s easy to think that all jobs require some level of occupational experience.

Well, that’s not always the case. In fact, it’s not uncommon for a job profile requiring 10 years of experience to be filled with a person who has far less experience.

While you’re free to take your chances with such jobs, it’s more prudent to focus on entry-level tech jobs with little to no experience requirements. There might be an experience requirement, but don’t let that deter you. Armed with professional certifications and a compelling portfolio, you’d be an attractive candidate for most entry-level jobs.

Update Your Resume

As a techie, writing a resume probably isn’t one of your strong suits. You may have gone the extra mile and hired a resume writer to put one together for you.

Good move, but if you’re using that same resume for all your job applications, you’re hurting your chances of impressing tech employers.

Each job application ideally requires an updated resume. You need to optimize it to better fit the requirements of that job.

Hiring a resume writer to refresh your resume every time you’re making a new job application isn’t feasible, so you might as well learn how to edit it yourself.

Use a Tech Staffing Agency

Over 90% of companies use staffing agencies to find new talent. This tells you that applying directly to the companies you’d like to work for is more often than not an exercise in futility.

The jobs are with these staffing agencies, so that’s where you should be looking. The good news is that these agencies also offer placement services to job seekers like you.

Find a few reputable staffing firms in your industry and submit your resume and other particulars. At a fee, you can also access career coaching services that can help mold you into a compelling candidate for employment.

Prepare for Interviews

An interview can make or break your chances of finally landing a job and kickstarting your tech career. You might have the most impressive resume and portfolio, but if you underwhelm in an interview, most employers will look the other way.

An interview is an opportunity to show the other side of yourself, your soft skills. Employers want to know if you’re a good communicator. They want to evaluate your personality and establish if you’re a good cultural fit for their organization.

Adequate preparation for interviews will help you cross the finish line.

The Tech Job Market Has Something for You

The tech job market is ultra-competitive, especially if you don’t have any relevant experience. With some know-how, though, you can navigate your way and possibly land the job of your dreams.

Make the most of this advice, and keep reading our blog for more career advice.