GETTING INTO TECH
The TECH influx
In recent times there has been an influx of people into the tech space. Numerous people have slid into my dm, called or texted me to seek my advice on entering the space. While this is definitely a good thing because of the many things tech represents, it has also left me with some thoughts.
I recall a certain instance where a good old friend chatted me up about joining the tech space. At first, I thought she was merely teasing but on probing further, I discovered she was dead serious about it. Over the course of the conversation, I was able to deduce that this decision was based on certain misconceptions that society has built around the tech space. Even though there may be some elements of truth to these reasons, it never paints the full picture hence, it is mostly misleading. Perhaps, the part that is more appalling about this is the fact that several other people who have made this transition or are in the process of doing so, do so mostly due to one or several of these reasons.
- Tech is where the money is. This is surely the most common of all the reasons I have heard and more often than not, it makes me laugh hard and long. While there is some element of truth in this because the world dynamics is changing and we see a lot of businesses and processes become more technology backed and IT reliant. FinTech as we know it means financial technology which is the art of using technology to perform financial services. Nothing complex, just the good old financial services now backed by technology, that’s all. Nothing entirely foreign about it. Same goes for EduTech, SportsTech and all the others, just doing the normal thing but this time, using technology as a form of leverage. So, why is it perceived to be where the money is? The answer is, the tech space is still growing and many people mostly investors and venture capitalists are trying to get a piece of the pie so there is a lot of money being pumped in in terms of YCs, seed funding, grants and so on. This means, that the market is quite volatile, there is a lot of mismanagement, misconception, and yes, the market will stabilize with time. So, the money you hear circulating is supposed to be for infrastructure development and talent acquisition which does make the tech space quite lucrative but, this lucrativeness responds only to skills. If you have great tech skills, with great results (results go with experience) to show, and you are a proven hard worker, you can get a lucrative deal. Notice the use of the word “can” because there is so much more involved in this process that it really becomes a battle of the bravest, strongest, most-skilled and determined. So, if this is your major reason, then you may choose to buckle down and get going with building the skills already and we will see you in a couple of years. Else, you may wish to have a rethink.
- My field will become irrelevant in the future. While this seems like quite a strong reason, more often than not it is usually backed by FOMO (Fear of missing out). Yes, most of the people with this reason are just scared without good reason. I agree, some jobs will become less relevant which is common for every stage of industrialization. However, the major problem here is, most people never carry out any form of research on how technology will affect their fields or jobs. If more people did this, how beautiful it would be. Firstly, I believe whatever skills you have gained over the years working should never go to waste, there is always something of relevance that can be leveraged there. Lawyers, doctors and farmers are some of the people I admire the most in this regards because they have found a way to embrace this change and leverage it. We see lawyers who have taken several courses and achieved certain certifications to be able to handle technology based cases because these tech firms and businesses do need the lawyers to conduct their businesses, interpret the laws governing their businesses to them, help draw up contracts, cybersecurity laws, data protection laws, and so many things. Farmers leverage data and analytics for crop production, cattle rearing, diseases control and so on. Today, with the help of IoTs and proper data analysis, doctors can diagnose diseases several times faster, identify patterns and develop cures or adequate preventive measures for ailments. They have all had to go the extra mile to do some form of studying or learning but they are all getting a piece of the pie too. So, what is your decision?
Energy can neither be created nor destroyed, but can be converted from one form to another. — Law of Conservation of energy.
- The Buzz. I would be outrightly lying if I deny that there isn’t a buzz to being in the tech space, there is. The “TechBro” and “TechSis” funk or being called a “creative” is such a vibe. It’s good to go for the vibes, it is always a fun experience but are always two sides to a coin. On the flip side of the funky lifestyle is a rather unattractive, completely humbling way of life. Truth is, for every flamboyant lifestyle you see, there has been several hours of toil and sweat. Like I said earlier, the tech space is still growing and constantly evolving therefore, there is so much learning to be done. You have no idea how fast it is moving till you are about to release an app and find out several libraries on your not-yet-released app is outdated and you have to do an upgrade which could extend release date for another couple of weeks or months. Every cent is earned in this space. Every other day is spent behind screens, with heads buried between pages of books and textbooks, several hours spent searching for solutions, hours gone by without food not due to lack but due to work demands, we often forget ourselves. The learning never stops. You want the big bucks and the buzz, you have to work hard and smart for it that is the absolute truth. Everybody in this space at one time or the other must pay their dues. You want the buzz and the funk, embrace the work.
In summary, the essence of this write up is not to discourage anyone from coming into the tech space because we actually do need more hands on deck. Instead, the essence of this write up is to put things into perspective, help with decision making and most importantly, to be candid about happenings in the space.
So many people jump ship and do so for the wrong reasons therefore, they experience a lot of mishaps. I do not believe in wasted experiences like I pointed out in point two. However, if you do want to trade in your experiences, leverage them or choose to adopt a fresh canvass, I hope that this article will help you do so with some measure of clarity.