When I first started out looking at careers in technology, I used to want to hide my humanities background. I would make vague allusions to my previous studies, or skip the question entirely….
Everything changed for me when I started owning my achievements to date, and advocating for the skills that I bring to a team!
I believe that storytelling is one of the most important skills for new graduates. By that, I mean understanding what makes you unique, and how to pitch that to potential employers and connections across your network.
However, it’s not natural, and it doesn’t come easy, especially in the tech world.
If you’re in this position, here are 3 starting points to reflect on what you bring to the table:
- You have a new perspective. Diversity of thought has been shown to have value for business. If you have a different background to everyone else at the organisation, chances are, you see what is unclear to external players, and will be able to notice and challenge different elements of the project.
- You’re here out of passion, not out of automation. If you’re working to make the switch into tech, that’s a conscious choice you’ve made. It requires hard work and a strong interest in the industry. This means you’re more likely to have thought through why this could be a great fit for you!
- You’re a resourceful, self-led learner. With the pandemic, there are more free, accessible e-learning resources than ever before. Whether it’s learning to code, reading articles and reports, speaking to people in the industry… your proactive, self-enabled learning journey shows your initiative and drive.
Ready to challenge yourself this week?
Sit down with your CV and see what high level “story points” you can see across your experience.
Then, think about how your unique traits, attributes and skills could be applied to a technology environment, and how it makes you a competitive candidate.
Once you have your story nailed, you will find it much easier to write job applications, and to grow your online presence. I’m looking forward to hearing about your next chapter!
Her Business Now 