How to Find Your Way in Tech

Start with the three F’s

Credit: Pexels

Over my career, I’ve explored the “three F’s of tech”:

• I freelanced for almost a decade
• I founded a tech company with a software developer
• I now work full-time as a tech consultant

The biggest surprise?

I did all of this without learning how to code.

You see, thanks to my own background in design and business, I’m a fierce advocate of getting into tech without following the same conventional wisdom we’ve heard for decades:

“Learn how to code.”

Sure, learning how to build technology can give you a different perspective and even a greater appreciation for the industry as a whole, but it isn’t a “must have.” I see it as more of a “nice to have.”

As someone with a non-technical background, I’ve learned that one of the best parts of working in tech is the ability to choose your own adventure.

For some like myself, this also means piecing together your own career using one or more of the three F’s.

When it comes to your career, there’s a good chance your looking for something more:

• More money
• More flexibility
• More purpose
• More impact

Regardless of what it is, I believe you can find it by working in tech. The first step in getting what you want is figuring out how you want to work.

Do you want to freelance?

As a stubborn college junior, I knew I wanted to give freelancing a shot. I just didn’t realize it would be for almost a decade and right out of college. While all my friends were getting internships or looking into grad schools, I was reaching out to potential clients and creating my first promotional website. Looking back, it’s safe to say I learned more in my first year of freelancing than I did during my entire college career. If you’re also a “trial-by-fire” type of person, then freelancing may be right up your alley. However, if you shy away from risk and the thought of constantly finding new work chills you to the bone, then freelancing may not be…