Tips for Breaking Barriers in Technical Careers

Breaking into Tech: A Personal Perspective on Paving Your Pathway 🚀💡 1️⃣ Harness Transferable Skills 🧠🔄: Every profession equips you with skills that tech needs. My journey taught me that analytical thinking in healthcare or finance can be invaluable in tech. What skills can you transition? 2️⃣ Network Intentionally 🤝💬: From my experience, it's about who you know as much as what you know. Join LinkedIn groups, participate in tech discussions, attend virtual webinars, and be visible in tech circles. Engage, ask questions, and seek advice. 3️⃣ Invest in Targeted Learning 📜📚: I've seen peers transition swiftly with targeted certifications or bootcamps. No need for a full degree. Focus on niche areas like cybersecurity or AI that resonate with you. 4️⃣ Seek Tech-Adjacent Roles 🌐🔗: My colleague transitioned from a finance expert to a fintech project manager, using her domain expertise as a unique strength. Where can your experience be an asset in tech? 5️⃣ Pilot Side Projects & Volunteer💡🔧: A friend developed an app solving a healthcare problem and that became his tech portfolio. Consider creating solutions in your current field or volunteering your skills. 6️⃣ Stay Engaged & Updated 📰💻: Tech is dynamic. I ensure I'm subscribed to key tech newsletters and participate in forums. What's your strategy to keep up? Transitioning might seem a mountainous task, but remember, every tech leader started with a single step. Your tech journey is unique and valuable; embrace it. 🌟 I'd love to hear about your transition stories or any additional tips you might have. Let's form a reservoir of shared knowledge and experiences! #TechTransition #CybersecurityFuture

I started my career in healthcare. Two years later, I landed a role in tech sales at Microsoft. 7 tips I used to change careers (without experience): 1. I Focused On Clarity First Before I sent out resumes, applied, and networked? I focused on getting crystal clear about the specific types of roles and companies I wanted to work for. Juggling the possibility of multiple job titles and industries is overwhelming and stressful. When you have a single north star, you can invest 100% of your time and energy into it. 2. I Started With People Who’d Done It Before I crafted a list of criteria I wanted for myself: • Specific Job Titles • Specific Companies • Specific Locations • Specific Salaries Then I used LinkedIn to find people who met those criteria AND came from a non-traditional background like mine. 3. I Used Those Connections To Craft A Blueprint How do I build the right experience? How do I position my non-traditional background? What mistakes should I avoid? I used the connections I just mentioned to gain clarity on all of those things so I could craft a plan for building the experience I needed to fit the skills and narratives companies would buy into. 4. I Created My Own Experience I wanted to work in advertising technology (think Google Ads, Facebook Ads, etc). Rather than hoping someone would give me a chance to get experience? I went and created my own. I took courses, volunteered my skills for local orgs, then used those success stories to freelance. Employers want results, not education from career changers. 5. I Focused My Energy On Networking Online apps didn’t work. People would take one look at my resume and not see any traditional experience. When I networked with people? I could have a conversation with them. I could tell my story in my own words. And I could prove my value as the relationship built. That generated referrals and advocates. 6. I Spun My Background As An Advantage Most applicants had cookie cutter backgrounds. I told a story of how I had to learn this all myself, from scratch. I’d bring a new perspective, new takes, and new ideas to a take vs. simply adding someone with the same thought process as everyone else. 7. I Created Projects To Prove My Value When I landed interviews? I’d deeply research the company’s goals, challenges, and initiatives. Then I’d brainstorm ideas for how I could impact those and package them in a 5-7 slide deck that matched the company’s branding. I’d send it to my interviewers as proof of the ideas I could bring to the table. Showing them was far more effective than telling them. —— ➕ Follow Austin Belcak for more 🔵 Ready to land your dream job? Click here to learn more about how we help people land amazing jobs in ~15.5 weeks with a $44k raise: https://lnkd.in/gdysHr-r

I've been doing some thinking about our hiring process in healthcare technology management, and I wanted to share some thoughts with you all. We're in a field that values innovation and problem-solving, and I believe that should extend to how we approach hiring. Here are some areas where I think we could challenge our assumptions: Titles - What's in a Name? I've seen engineers overlooked for technician roles because they might be "overqualified." I've also been passed over for technician roles after being in leadership positions. It's a reminder that a title is just that - a title. It doesn't always reflect a person's skills or what they could bring to a role. Names, Appearances, and First Impressions: I've been told I was overdressed for an interview, had hiring managers make assumptions about my religious beliefs, and even witnessed age and gender bias. It's a stark reminder that we need to challenge our biases and ensure our hiring process is fair and inclusive. Employment Gaps - A Red Flag or a Red Herring? While I really haven’t taken any major breaks in my career. I’ve seen hiring committees question gaps when the candidate took them for personal growth and further education, but these gaps were sometimes viewed negatively. But isn't life more than just work? I’ve often confused a few employers when my history shows I hold several part time and full time roles at the same time, but that’s not a gap. Let's remember that these gaps can also be periods of learning and growth. Training, Education, and Certifications - The Full Picture: I've seen biases related to non-traditional education paths or hands-on experience. But isn't the proof in the pudding? Let's value a candidate's overall capabilities and potential, not just their formal qualifications. Different Career Stages - The Entry-Level Paradox and Beyond: I've faced the 'entry-level paradox' and biases when changing modalities. As my resume got longer, I faced biases related to age. It's a reminder that we should value a candidate's potential and adaptability, not just their current experience. I share these experiences not as criticisms, but as conversation starters. I believe we have an opportunity to lead the way in creating a more inclusive and equitable hiring process. Let's challenge our assumptions, look beyond the surface, and value the unique experiences and potential each candidate brings. Looking forward to hearing your thoughts!

I’ve launched over 5 new product categories over my 20+ year career, taking them from $0 to over $10M+ ARR. And this challenged me on scale trajectories I could never have imagined. Here's a candid rundown on why embracing challenges is not just about facing them but acting on them—learning, taking on new responsibilities, and collaborating with new teams. Setting the Stage: The typical advice goes something like what Steve Jobs critiqued: "Try not to bash into the walls too much. Try to have a nice family, have fun, save a little money." This standard narrative is about maintaining the status quo, living comfortably within the confines of what’s been handed down. Jobs then shared a powerful insight: "Life can be much broader once you discover one simple fact: Everything around you that you call life was made up by people that were no smarter than you and you can change it, you can influence it, you can build your own things that other people can use." This statement resonates deeply with anyone who’s dared to step beyond the traditional paths laid out before them. It's a call to action to reshape the world around us, regardless of the stage of life or career. My realization of growth and challenges takes these insights into perspective. 1️⃣ Learning by Doing Each new challenge is a portal to untapped knowledge. Whether it’s a new skill set, a new market, or a new business model. True learning begins when you roll up your sleeves and get to work. 2️⃣ Breaking Barriers It's about pushing past the usual limits of comfort and expectation. The journey involves navigating through a mix of failures and successes, and it’s these experiences that mold you. 3️⃣ Innovative Action Inspired by Jobs’ words, I’ve applied this 'action-oriented innovation' at various points in my career. From overhauling product strategies based on an intuitive understanding of market needs to adapting pitches in real-time during critical meetings. Thinking ahead of your customers is a critical skill for innovation. The good thing is that this skill can be acquired, honed and scaled over time. TAKEAWAY Facing and embracing challenges is fundamental to growth. It’s not just about what you learn theoretically; it’s about what you apply practically. The barriers you break, the actions you take, and the resilience you build along the way define your trajectory far more than any conventional success ever could. Like Jobs said, realizing that you can influence and create is a transformative discovery. It’s been a ride that's fundamentally changed my approach to business and life ... and what a ride it's been so far. 🚀

The Top 3 Barriers to Career Excellence and How to Overcome Them Drawing from my experiences in the Executive Search profession, I've had the unique vantage point of observing professionals as they navigate the complex terrain of their careers. From interactions with numerous talented individuals across varied industries, certain patterns emerge. While many individuals scale to remarkable heights, others seem to be held back by barriers – sometimes visible, often invisible. Here are the three most common barriers that prevent people from realizing their fullest potential in their careers and some insights on how to address them: 1. Lack of Self-Awareness:   - The Challenge: A profound understanding of one's strengths, weaknesses, motivations, and fears is critical for career progression. Without this self-awareness, individuals tend to either overestimate their capabilities leading to crucial missteps or underestimate, which can result in missed opportunities.   - The Solution: Invest in self-reflection. Consider tools like the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator or StrengthsFinder. Regular feedback from colleagues, mentors, and even a professional coach can offer illuminating insights into areas of improvement. 2. Fear of Failure:   - The Challenge: This is a ubiquitous barrier. Many professionals fear making mistakes and, as a result, shy away from risks. In today's rapidly evolving professional landscape, playing it safe can ironically be the riskiest move.   - The Solution: Cultivate a growth mindset. Recognize that failures are not dead-ends but rather stepping stones to success. Each setback offers a lesson that, when internalized, can pave the way for future triumphs. 3. Inadequate Networking:   - The Challenge: The phrase, "It's not what you know, but who you know," rings true in many professional arenas. Opportunities, insights, and mentorship often arise from connections. Those who isolate themselves or fail to nurture professional relationships may find their growth stunted.   - The Solution: Make networking a priority, but approach it authentically. Rather than sheer volume, focus on cultivating deep, genuine relationships. Offer value, seek mentorship, and remember that the most fruitful connections are mutual. From my perch in the Executive Search realm at Joseph David International (JDI), I've been privileged to witness the transformative power of these insights in real-time. By addressing these barriers head-on, professionals can unlock doors to opportunities they might not have even imagined, propelling them further and faster in their chosen paths. If you seek guidance in furthering your professional journey or need assistance in identifying standout talent, please feel free to connect with me at your convenience.