#GWCTalks: Your Tech Career Guide
So you have a CompSci degree. Now what? What kind of roles are available to you? What exactly should you type into that LinkedIn search bar? What sorts of other experiences do you need? Well, that’s exactly what we talked about in our latest GWC Talks. Check out our recap below, or do yourself one better — and watch the full session here.
Big thanks to our panelists — Linda Tennille (GPS Experienced Hire Recruiting at Deloitte) and Natasha Valani (Vice President, Human Resources at FOX) for participating. Thank you also to Keona Campbell, Recruiter, University and Diversity Programs at Xandr for moderating! And, of course, thank YOU for joining!
Don’t know how to define your dream job? That’s okay!
Of the viewers that joined our talk, 68% said they don’t know what their dream job is yet. And that’s totally normal! Why? Because you don’t necessarily know all the different types of tech jobs that are out there. So, first things first: get to know what sorts of roles are out there — beyond “Software Engineer.”
Google is your best friend, and both of our panelists agreed on that one. But before you head over to your browser, think about the sector you might want to work in — what interests you? AI? Automation? Data science? If you’re not sure, you could also consider the issues you want to work on, maybe you want to tackle climate change or housing equality or optimizing virtual education. Consider the startups solving for those problems, and work backwards to see what positions they’re hiring for.
Breaking news: Experience matters, but it’s actually not all-important
In fact, *interest* often matters more than experience — for entry-level roles. Okay sure, if you’re majoring in Communications but going for an engineering internship… you’ll raise some eyebrows. But beyond having a relevant major or minor, you shouldn’t be so worried about workforce experience. You are, after all, applying for entry-level internships or jobs. You couldn’t possibly have that much experience, and recruiters aren’t expecting you to. They do, however, want to hear about your extracurriculars, your hobbies, and how they might be related to the role.
In fact, Natasha said, “give me a college dropout who is interested in coding and has done a lot of stuff on the back end.” Your interest and commitment really matters, and they want to hear about it!
What if I’m a CS major — but I’m not sure if I want to be a coder!
We loved this question from the audience. It’s okay if you’re majoring in CS but aren’t sure if you want to be a full-time coder!
Like Linda said, “the degree opens the door, but go after what you’re passionate about.” She said she’s seen folks with CS degrees who go onto something like strategy. She suggested finding a company that you’re interested in and then looking at their employees’ career paths on LinkedIn. It’s a great way to assess your options!
And by the way, an engineer is never “just” an engineer.” And a coder is never “just” a coder. You are problem-solvers! Natasha said “we’ve seen brilliant engineers come in but they don’t go as far as someone who’s always had an appetite for innovation.” Be curious. Always ask, why?.” Suggest alternative solutions. Be creative. The people who do these things are typically the ones who get the furthest!
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Huge thanks again to Natasha, Linda, and Keona for making this conversation so informative and so delightful!
#GWCTalks is a free virtual event series for our alumni and our community, to come together to address uncertainties around college, internships, and careers in tech during the COVID-19 pandemic.
To view prior sessions, see links below:
Session #1: College During COVID-19
Session #2: Career Pathing in a Crisis
Session #3: No Internships, Now What?
Session #4: How to Be Brave Not Perfect in a Crisis
Session #5: The CompSci Class Experience & How to Succeed
Session #6: How to Craft the Perfect Tech Resume
Session #7: Virtual Career Fair Etiquette
