Technology Career Pathing

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

That “boring” job? It’s hiding a 40% raise. Women in tech are future-proofing with pivots. Marketing Ops → AI Governance Lead Senior Analyst → Data-as-Product Leader Operations VP → Future-of-Work Architect These aren’t fantasy career progressions. They’re real pivots women in tech are making right now. Last month, I mapped 20 career transformations for women leaders— Each one a ‘Future Me’ plan that repositions their existing skills for emerging roles. The pattern? Your current skills transfer more than you think. Real examples: Marketing Ops → AI Governance ✓ You already have: metrics orientation, systems thinking, cross-functional influence → You need: AI ethics frameworks, basic prompt engineering Analytics Lead → Data-as-Product Leader ✓ You already have: data pipelines, insights-to-decisions → You need: product thinking for data, marketplace economics Operations VP → Chief Future-of-Work Architect ✓ You already have: operations excellence, culture design → You need: hybrid tools knowledge, change management The best part? These emerging roles often pay 20-40% more. Because they combine deep operational expertise with future-focused capabilities. And companies desperately need leaders who can bridge both. Your years of "boring" ops work? That's your competitive advantage. 💬 Which of your skills could lead to your Future You career move? 📎 Use my AI prompt to map YOUR skills to emerging roles and get a skill-up plan: https://lnkd.in/eeT5-Xd8 🔔 Follow me, Jen Phillips, for healthy career pivots without burnout

This is what I always tell first and second year Computer Science students 👇🏽 It's what helped me get into programs with Microsoft, Capital One, and ServiceNow. 1️⃣ Start with exposure, not perfection. You don’t need to know your exact path right away. In fact, most students don’t. Your first priority should be getting exposed to what’s out there: tech roles, career paths, skills, tools. The easiest way to do that? Hang around people who are already figuring it out. Student orgs have students who have gone through similar paths as you and are more than happy to share what they’ve learned. Whether it’s through workshops, mentorship, or casual convos after meetings you’ll pick up more than you think. Ask around, search online, ask classmates. It varies by university, but here are a few you’ll find at Florida International University: INIT FIU SHPE @ FIU ALPFA FIU Break Through Tech StartUP FIU 2️⃣ Learn by Trying. You don’t figure out what you like by thinking, you figure it out by trying it. Start small. Try a course, build a project, mess around with a new tool. Here are some solid places to start: CodePath: https://www.codepath.org/ ColorStack: https://lnkd.in/ekeun-4y Extern: https://www.extern.com/ DeepLearning.AI: https://lnkd.in/eW4bRXWR Most of them offer hands-on projects, recommended courses, and strong communities. #Hackathons and #personalprojects are also a solid way to: - Get out of your comfort zone - Meet other builders - Connect with recruiters - And most importantly -> learn Bonus: Everything you do here can go on your resume. Need help making one? Use this template: https://lnkd.in/eg-mUX5a You’ll need that resume to... 3️⃣ Apply to programs, conventions, summits, and internships. Almost every org or club mentioned above will constantly share links to these opportunities. My advice? Don’t spend all your time applying blindly. Dedicate 10% of your time to applications. Spend the rest doing Steps 1️⃣ and 2️⃣, which is what actually matters. That way, you’ll know where you want to apply, and you’ll stand out when you do. 🎯 If you’re an international student: Your best move is to attend hackathons and conventions where you can talk directly to recruiters. How do you find those? Again, student orgs. Most host their own or can even sponsor you to attend other ones. Some conventions to check out: ALPFA Inc - Association of Latino Professionals For America Convention: https://lnkd.in/eg2fvsRp SHPE National Convention: https://lnkd.in/eEnWyTsb Anything you think is missing? Let me know. I’m also open for any call, just send me a DM!

This morning I had the opportunity to share some advice with a recent computer science graduate. She found it helpful so I thought I'd share it here, too. Whether you're a recent graduate or considering a career change, here are some key insights from my experience hiring and working with 15 early career developers at Cloudburst: Build Your Portfolio: Showcase your skills through personal projects on GitHub. Demonstrate not just what you know, but what you can create. Embrace AI-Powered Tools: Familiarize yourself with development aids like GitHub Copilot, Cursor (cursor.com), and Claude.ai. These aren't just productivity boosters; they're becoming essential skills in the industry. Consider Adjacent Roles: Quality Assurance (QA) or customer support positions can be excellent entry points, offering valuable industry experience and potential pathways to software engineering roles. Focus on Depth: Master a few key technologies rather than attempting to cover everything. Showcase your problem-solving skills and ability to create functional solutions. Engage with the Tech Community: Attend local events like Twin Cities Startup Week (this week!), Minnestar (https://minnestar.org/) meetups, or Hack the Gap (https://lnkd.in/gjuXJG9A) workshops. These are invaluable for networking and learning about job opportunities directly from employers. Commit to Continuous Learning: The tech landscape evolves rapidly. Demonstrate your passion by staying current with new technologies and methodologies. Differentiate Yourself: In a competitive job market, stand out through unique projects, contributions to open-source initiatives, or innovative solutions to real-world problems. Remember, success in tech often follows a non-linear path. Persistence, continuous building, and openness to unconventional opportunities are key. The tech community is vibrant and supportive – I encourage you to dive in and make connections. What advice would you offer to those beginning their tech careers? What worked for you? Share your insights in the comments. To those hiring: Consider the enthusiasm and fresh perspectives these emerging professionals bring to the table. You might just discover your next standout team member, like I have. #GETSTARTED #TechCareers #SoftwareDevelopment #CareerAdvice #ContinuousLearning #MNTech

Careers Don’t Just Happen — They’re Built Intentionally, with a Framework. Early in my career, I focused on becoming the best technologist I could be. That meant diving deep into tools, methods, platforms — becoming an expert in my domain. Later, I realized that it wasn’t enough to level me up to my next career milestone. I needed to understand my colleagues and customers, as well as business models, priorities, purpose, trends, and industries. And I had to learn how to listen actively, communicate clearly, influence effectively, collaborate without ego, and connect the dots between technology and real business value. That shift didn’t happen overnight — but it reshaped how I think about professional growth and how I intentionally designed my own career journey. It’s also what helped me become a more effective mentor and coach, a university professor who teaches beyond theory, and a colleague who supports others in shaping their own career paths. For years, we talked about the T-shaped professional: - A deep vertical in technology - And a horizontal layer of soft skills — collaboration, empathy, communication But in today’s world of digital business transformation, that T is no longer enough. What we need now are Π-shaped professionals: - One leg grounded in technology - The other in industry and business context - Tied together by curiosity, leadership, and the ability to influence real outcomes I’ve seen this time and again in practice — transformation doesn’t succeed just because of brilliant code or technical excellence. It succeeds when professionals connect innovation to business value (purposeful innovation)— when we focus not just on doing things right, but on doing the right things that move the business forward. I use the image below as a simple way to visualize that shift — from T to Π. From a technologist to digital business transformer. And it’s a journey I believe every technology and business professional must embrace to stay relevant and create real impact. Let’s keep building our careers with intention — and help the next generation of professionals do the same. What shape is your growth taking? #CareerStory #PiShape #DigitalTransformation #ProfessionalGrowth #TechLeadership #EnterpriseArchitecture #Mentorship #CareerCoach #ContinuousLearning #LeadershipDevelopment #PurposefulInnovation #University #DigitalBusinessTransformation #Technology #Technologist