Navigating Your Tech Career: Proven Strategies for Success

Introduction

In this insightful article, Torc’s VP of Global Community, Taylor Desseyn, shares his wealth of knowledge on navigating the ever-evolving tech landscape. Drawing from his extensive experience, Taylor provides practical advice and actionable tactics for thriving in your tech career. This article delves into the importance of leveraging transferable skills, broadening your job search, and effectively utilizing AI in your professional journey. Whether you're just starting out or looking to elevate your career, this guide offers essential strategies to help you excel in the competitive tech industry and secure your ideal role!

Topics covered in this article include:

Utilizing Your Transferable Skills: Leverage your existing skills to gain a competitive edge in tech.
Broadening Your Job Search: Explore diverse opportunities and stay informed about industry trends.
Navigating AI in Tech Careers: Learn how to effectively integrate AI into your work to enhance productivity.
From Layoff to Rehire: Strategies for bouncing back and securing new opportunities after a layoff.
Building Your Network: Expand your professional connections to uncover hidden job opportunities.
Financial Preparedness: Plan for financial stability during career transitions.

Article Concept Overview

Problem:

Navigating the tech industry can be daunting, especially with the rapid pace of change and the increasing reliance on AI. Professionals often struggle with job security, adapting to new technologies, and effectively utilizing their existing skills to stay competitive. The challenge lies in broadening job searches, leveraging transferable skills, and integrating AI into their careers without becoming overly reliant on it.

Solution:

This article offers practical advice from community leader Taylor Desseyn, providing strategies to thrive in the tech landscape. It emphasizes leveraging transferable skills, expanding job searches, and effectively using AI to enhance productivity. Additionally, it covers strategies for recovering from layoffs, building a strong professional network, and ensuring financial preparedness during career transitions. These insights are designed to help tech professionals excel and secure their ideal roles in a competitive industry.

Job Security Insecurity

The days of working for one company for 30-plus years and retiring, for the most part, seem to be behind us; we all feel an unsettling insecurity about job security. So, it is more important than ever to have plans in place to help you navigate your career throughout the years! Taylor Desseyn has been on the front lines from before the pandemic to after the rise of AI, and is here to share actionable tactics YOU can use to thrive throughout your career!

Utilize Your Transferable Skills

Taylor states that a key factor for success in landing a developer job is pursuing programming careers that leverage your transferable skills. Host Matt supports this by recalling his podcast interview with Scrimba founder Per Borgen, where Per confirms that this tactic is successful among many students. Leveraging your non-technical background will help you stand out, and your experience provides valuable skills, making you a strong candidate with unique insights that give you an edge over developers without industry experience.

Taylor leveraged his transferable skills and credits his 11+ years of experience as a traditional recruiter for his transition into his current role at the tech company Torc. His extensive “non-technical” recruitment experience made him a stronger candidate for the VP of Global Community role, outperforming developers who also applied for the same position, which lacked his expertise.

A great tip Taylor recommends is for you to perform a “skillset self-assessment” and target job roles where you can leverage those skills to gain a competitive advantage!

Broaden Your Job Search

In the constantly evolving field of web development, new skills will be necessary to qualify for emerging in-demand job roles. Besides continuous tech learning, Taylor suggests expanding your job search by researching current hiring trends. Focusing your learning on current in-demand skills will better position you to secure those roles.

Here are some additional tips to broaden your job search:

Join online forums and communities related to your field to stay updated on job openings and industry news.
Utilize job search engines and set up alerts for specific roles or companies you are interested in.
Consider remote work opportunities to expand your job search beyond your local area.
Reach out to tech recruiting specialists to gain insights into the job market and potential opportunities.
Leverage LinkedIn to connect with professionals in your industry and follow companies you are interested in to stay informed about job openings.
Attend industry conferences and networking events to learn about emerging trends and connect with potential employers.

Navigating AI in Tech Careers

Unlike other tech trends, the general opinion is that AI is here to stay. While views on AI’s influence in the tech industry differ—some cautiously, others confidently—we will all inevitably have to deal with it one way or another.

Taylor explains that the tech layoffs are mainly due to overhiring during the pandemic, not to AI's impact, as many believe. He does, however, observe that AI used by skilled workers results in smaller teams in the recruitment industry, as it boosts individual performance. I believe this also applies to almost all types of careers, especially in tech. So, teams will naturally shrink, making jobs available to talented individuals who can effectively use AI.

How does one effectively use AI, do you ask? The overall consensus favors those who use AI as a tool to be effective and views those who rely on AI as a crutch as ineffective. So it is in your best interest to have a solid understanding of fundamental programming concepts and to be capable of building projects independently.

Real-World Example: As a personal challenge, I pair-programmed with Hashnode’s AI to build a Star Wars Ahsoka React fan website and documented the entire process in an article series. Throughout the process, I realized that working with AI works best when you ask it to help you with coding 1 level above your current knowledge. Meaning, you have to have a solid understanding of what you are trying to build (ex., a drop-down menu). Once I tried to go beyond my current knowledge, I encountered problems, specifically when attempting to implement React Router, because I had not yet built a multi-page React App.

Here's a quick summary of my findings from my pair programming with AI:

The pros of building with AI

It's like having a personal mentor who never gets tired.
You can build code a step above your current knowledge.
You can ask AI to explain how each line of code works.
You can use AI to add comments explaining how each block of code functions.

The cons of building with AI

It can mislead you.
Provides inconsistent code.
Become overly reliant on it
You have to explain your work every time in a new session (depending on your AI tool).

From Layoff to Rehire

Taylor compares the job search to a marathon; it’s tough, but the only way to get through it is to keep going! He offers the following advice to help you regain momentum and reach the finish line.

Edit Your Resume

When applying for jobs, tailor your resume to the specific job. Read the job description to understand the required skills and experiences, and then adjust your resume to highlight relevant experiences and skills. You can rephrase job titles, emphasize achievements, and include keywords from the job posting. Customizing your resume improves your chances of passing the initial screening.

Be Sure to Follow Up

After the initial contact, reach out again to the people you connected with to follow up. As people are busy, and there will most likely be many other candidates, follow-ups can help you stand out from the crowd and show your dedication, if done correctly, of course. Although you may feel discouraged after several follow-ups, it’s imperative to keep a professional tone! Taking a humble approach will yield better results.

Post Your Progress

Sharing your journey from being laid off to being rehired on social media can benefit you and others in a similar situation. Documenting what’s working and what’s not working not only provides valuable insights to help others, but it also helps let others know you are back on the market for a new job role. This tactic will work even better if you have an extensive network.

Several people in my network achieved success by sharing their journeys, including James Q. Quick, Brian Morrison, Kyle Tryon, and, most recently, Joshua Berrios!

Build Your Network

The larger your network, the better your chances of getting a job! Companies often recruit internally, including through their networks, either before or instead of posting jobs publicly. You can build your network by attending in-person and online events, joining tech communities, and engaging in discussions on platforms like LinkedIn, X, and Discord. Taylor also suggests having daily one-on-one talks, which allow others to get to know you and strengthen your professional relationships, which can lead to opportunities down the road.

DM Managers/Employees

Taylor highlights that using LinkedIn's direct messaging feature to reach company managers and employees is a great way to get your foot in the door at companies you're interested in. Although you may not hear back from most, the contacts you do secure can lead to career-changing opportunities! A friend of Taylor's used this cold messaging strategy to initially ask a manager at Netflix for help with a technical problem he was facing. Several chat sessions, which started with his technical question, eventually led to his friend getting a job at Netflix!

Build Your Financial Cushion

According to Taylor’s observations, it often takes 6 to 9 months (on average) to be rehired after a layoff. Keep this in mind and consider building an emergency fund to strengthen your financial security and prepare for this potentially challenging time.

Empowering Your Tech Career with Torc: Community, Innovation, and Opportunity

To help you accelerate your job search and advance your career, Taylor introduces Torc, a career platform that connects tech professionals with job opportunities, emphasizes community, and provides resources and support to promote career growth and simplify the job search!

Especially during challenging job markets, Taylor believes it's crucial to have someone advocate for you. With thousands of resumes, including those sent by automated systems, for each opening, it becomes very difficult for your application to stand out. Torc is developing innovative strategies to tackle the oversaturated process.

Instead of sending out resumes, Torc shares curated profiles. When you create an account with Torc, you build a user profile. Like LinkedIn, you can write an “About Section” to showcase your skills and experience. You can also highlight your projects, which display your tech stack and abilities.

This new method of submitting profiles instead of resumes offers several benefits. First, the profiles approach addresses the problem of “automated system resumes” by implementing a strict verification process that ensures each Torc profile represents a verified person. This helps companies because they no longer need to sift through resumes to find suitable candidates.

Torc promotes community and offers resources and support for career growth through their Discord events. Weekly sessions feature resume and LinkedIn reviews, the “Laid Off Lounge,” live Q&A, and more! They are also developing a Career Hub that will supply resources to help you further.

‍Being an active member of the Torc community by consistently participating offers a significant advantage: priority status! Active members receive top consideration when Torc connects with companies that are hiring. This system benefits both the developers in the Torc community and the staff by rewarding active members and streamlining the process of identifying the best candidates for recommendations to the Torc team. Be sure to attend events and engage with the community to enhance your chances of landing your ideal tech job!

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The image above shows my Torc profile, where I share my elevator pitch with potential employers.

The image above displays my Torc Projects section, where I showcase my work and the technologies I know and use.

As shown in the image above, you can link your GitHub as I did. Your GitHub stats are visible if you choose to display them, so make sure to keep your GitHub active to impress potential employers!

Taylor’s Links

Taylor’s Link Tree
YouTube
Guidance Counsellor 2.0 podcast (Apple Podcasts | Spotify)
Torc platform
Torc’s Discord

Be sure to listen to the Podcast episode!

🎙 Landing a Developer Job in a Tough Market | w/ Taylor Desseyn (VP at Torc)

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Conclusion

As it is seldom nowadays to work at one company and retire, to achieve long-term success in a tech career, you need to learn how to navigate the constantly evolving tech landscape. Continuous learning, acquiring new skill sets, and expanding your personal network are essential.

Strategies for creating career opportunities include leveraging your transferable skills. Your specialized experience can give you a competitive advantage by providing the practical knowledge that other tech applications might lack, making you a more qualified candidate. You can also boost your career opportunities by researching current in-demand skills, exploring both local and remote jobs, and learning these technologies to broaden your career prospects further.

When it comes to AI, the consensus is to use it as a tool, not as a crutch. Developers who truly understand fundamental programming principles and concepts will have an advantage over those who rely too heavily on them, achieving better results, while those who don't won’t.

To further boost your tech career prospects, it's essential to refine your job application strategy. Begin by tailoring your resume to highlight relevant skills and experience for each role. Consistent follow-ups with potential employers can show your enthusiasm and dedication. Sharing your job search journey on social media can also boost visibility and attract new opportunities. Building a strong professional network is key; connect with industry peers and reach out directly to managers or employees at companies you’re interested in. Additionally, having a financial cushion provides stability during career changes, allowing you to focus on finding the right opportunity without unnecessary stress.

Finally, consider using Torc! Torc connects tech professionals with job opportunities by focusing on community and career growth resources. They use curated profiles instead of traditional resumes, ensuring each profile is verified and stands out. This approach simplifies hiring for companies and prioritizes active community members, boosting their chances of landing tech roles. Torc also offers events and resources, such as resume reviews and a Career Hub, to help YOU improve your skills and advance your career!

Let's connect! I'm active on LinkedIn and Twitter.

You can read all of my articles on selftaughttxg.com

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Written by...

Michael Larocca

Front-End Web Developer | Writer | Musician