TL;DR: Ready to get hired? This job search guide breaks down how to get a tech role. We’ll fix your resume so it pops, show you how to network without feeling awkward, and get you prepped to sound like a pro in an interview. Whether you’re switching careers or leveling up, we’ve got a plan to help you land a job in tech.

Learning the skills was hard, but you did it! Congratulations.

Next is the most crucial step: get hired. It may sound intimidating, but the right preparation and strategy can help boost your confidence. But how do you know that you’re ready for a tech job?

Knowing how to get a job in tech is a skill in itself. And this skill is not taught very often. Let’s fix that.

We’ll walk you through everything from building a portfolio to preparing for the interview. After this guide, you’ll ditch being confused and start feeling fearless about applying for jobs.

Table of Contents

• How Do You Know When You’re Ready to Apply for Jobs?
• Translate Your Skills and Past Roles into a Hiring Story
• Build a Portfolio That Proves Your Skills
• Craft a Tech-Ready Resume
• Optimize Your LinkedIn and Online Presence
• Find Entry-Level Roles
• Reach Out to Your Communities
• Consider Short-Term Opportunities
• Participate in Mock Interviews
• Prepare for Tech Interviews
• Apply Consistently (and Track Everything)
• Get a Mentor
• Key Takeaways
• FAQs

Wondering why you're not getting hired?
Take our 3-min quiz.

You Will Learn:

☑️ What's holding you back

☑️ Exactly what to fix

☑️ A clear plan to move forward

How Do You Know When You’re Ready to Apply for Jobs?

A common misconception is that you need to know everything before you start applying. Instead, look for around 70% competency for the core skills listed in job postings.

Ask yourself: Can I complete most of the core tasks listed in the job description? Do I have 2-4 relevant portfolio projects? Am I comfortable with the key tech stack? Am I able to talk through my work? If your answer is yes, then you’re ready.

Don’t wait any longer until you know more. In tech, there is always more to learn.

Translate Your Skills and Past Roles into a Hiring Story

You don’t need a tech background full of struggles to tell a compelling story. Every job you’ve done has taught you something. Think about those moments when you took on a leadership role to navigate a tricky situation or collaborated across departments. Some other job stories you might tell include:

• How you managed a project
• Solved problems under pressure
• Communicate clearly
• Worked as a team
• Dealt with difficult people or situations.

All of these are stories worth sharing with your interviewer. But there is a calculated way to communicate your story.

Start with crafting an elevator pitch. It’s a short summary of who you are. The idea is that you could tell this pitch during an elevator ride. Keep it short and concise, but hit important points like what you’ve done and what you’re looking for in your next role.

Elevator Pitch Example

“I’ve spent five years running successful marketing campaigns and performing data analysis at a fast-paced agency. I optimized customer targeting to boost engagement by 30%. I self-taught Python and SQL and built dashboards to uncover key insights from large data sets. Now, I’m looking for a role where I can use my marketing experience and technical skills to turn data into actionable strategies.”

Build a Portfolio That Proves Your Skills

Collecting certificates is a great hobby, but it’s not enough to impress an employer. Building a portfolio shows proof of your skills.

To build an outstanding tech portfolio, make your work accessible. Here are a few tips:

• Host all your projects on GitHub or a personal website.
• Highlight a few projects that directly align with the role you’re looking for.
• Write clear descriptions of your projects, mentioning what they do, the tools used, and any problems solved along the way.

Quality beats quantity. You don’t need a bunch of portfolio pieces. Two or three well-documented projects are more meaningful than dozens of half-finished ones.

Craft a Tech-Ready Resume

Make your resume clean and neat. That also means making it ATS-friendly (a fancy word for scannable).

Your resume can include a skills section. You can list what technical tools and languages you’re proficient in.

Follow that with a work experience section. If you don’t have direct tech experience, you’ll want to highlight any transferable skills.

After that, add any relevant projects and your education.

There’s one golden rule when it comes to resumes: always tailor them to the job role. Jobs aren’t a one-size-fits-all, and neither is your resume. Tailor your resume based on the specific job description of that company. It will show how you’re a good fit for the role.

Optimize Your LinkedIn and Online Presence

Employers are real stalkers, but harmless ones. They will most likely Google your name and check out your LinkedIn profile. So check that your online presence is showing off the right things.

On LinkedIn, write an “About” section that tells who you are, what you’re looking for, and links to your portfolio. Use the “Featured” section to flex your best projects, case studies, and GitHub repos. A complete and active LinkedIn signals that you’re serious and reliable.

Wondering why you're not getting hired?
Take our 3-min quiz.

You Will Learn:

☑️ What's holding you back

☑️ Exactly what to fix

☑️ A clear plan to move forward

Find Entry-Level Roles

Job boards are your friend, but not all of them. Start with the big ones like LinkedIn Jobs, Indeed, and Glassdoor. You can also explore tech-specific job platforms like:

• PowerToFly: For diversity-focused employers.
• We Work Remotely: For remote-first tech jobs.
• Built In: For startups and tech companies.
• Wellfound: For early-stage startup roles.

These platforms are great, but don’t sleep on company websites either. If there’s a company you’re interested in, go straight to their site and check out their career page.

Reach Out to Your Communities

Trust me when I say this: some of the best tech jobs are not found on any platform. Many jobs are filled through referrals. And that’s exactly why networking matters so much.

Let your connections know that you’re looking for a job. Post about it on your LinkedIn. Join local meetups, Slack communities, and online forums. Get into alumni groups from any college, bootcamp, or course you’ve completed.

The most important thing about communities is that you can’t just show up and ask for a job. A lot of people don’t know you and won’t refer you to jobs. You get the most out of communities when you put in the work and contribute to conversations.

Consider Short-Term Opportunities

If you’re struggling to land a permanent full-time role, then consider short-term opportunities. They can be a powerful way to gain experience in tech, along with building your resume.

Look for internships even if you’re switching careers. Volunteer for unpaid projects, or do freelance gigs and contract roles. All of these count as real experience and give you something solid to talk about in interviews.

Participate in Mock Interviews

The best way to prepare for an interview is to participate in one. Mock interviews help you get familiar with the setup. You can practice thinking out loud, explaining your work, and answering unexpected questions.

Practice walking employers through your projects. Describe your thoughts and tell stories using the STAR method: Situation, Task, Action, and Result. Following this method makes your answers focused and memorable.

Here are a few tools you should try:

• Google’s Interview Warmup: It’s free, backed with AI, and great for practicing responses.
• Pramp: It offers free peer-to-peer mock interviews.
• Exponent: It’s paid but very powerful for product and technical roles.

Prepare for Tech Interviews

Tech interviews ask a mix of behavioral questions, technical challenges, and sometimes a take-home project or a live coding task.

Here’s how you can ace yours:

• Clarity before you solve: When a problem is assigned to you, ask questions before jumping in. This shows your critical thinking skills.
• Think out loud: Interviewers want to see your reasoning skills, not just hear your answers. Own your logic. Even if you’re not 100% sure, walk the interviewer through what you’re thinking.
• Revisit your basics: Brush up on the fundamentals relevant to your role. For example, data structures and algorithms for engineering roles. For data roles, study up on SQL. Meanwhile, UX designers can focus on design principles.

Apply Consistently (and Track Everything)

Getting hired in tech is like skincare. You’ll only see results if you’re consistent.

Start by creating a template for a cover letter. For each job, you can personalize it to the role.

You can also create a spreadsheet to track what jobs you applied for. It helps you stay strategic with sending follow-up emails. Following up on your application is a crucial job-searching strategy. A short email after a week of applying or right after an interview shows genuine interest.

A job application tracker can also help you notice trends that may indicate your resume or cover letter isn’t effective. In the spreadsheet, add columns for the company, role, date applied, contact name, and a follow-up date.

Are you hearing crickets from employers? Take this 3-minute quiz to find out why you’re not getting hired.

Wondering why you're not getting hired?
Take our 3-min quiz.

You Will Learn:

☑️ What's holding you back

☑️ Exactly what to fix

☑️ A clear plan to move forward

Get a Mentor

Rejection is a hard pill to swallow, but it’s a part of the process. Sometimes rejection has nothing to do with your skills or interview performance. It’s just the market. A mentor or career coach can help you figure this out.

They can also review your resume and do a few mock interviews. And, based on that, they will give you some honest feedback on where you can improve. You can look for mentors through your network. You can also check out platforms like ADPList that provide free mentorship.

Key Takeaways

Getting a job in tech demands more than just technical skills. It asks for strategy, consistency, and a willingness to experience exposure.

If you’re ready to take the next step, then Skillcrush is with you. Our Get Hired Program provides you with the support, structure, and community you need to land your first tech job.

FAQs

Which Tech Job is Easiest to Get?

The tech jobs that are easiest to get require little experience and education. Some roles to consider include a tech support specialist, a help desk technician, or a junior QA tester. These positions have lower barriers to entry and favor problem-solving and communication skills. They can serve as a launchpad to other technical roles over time.

What Tech is Most In-Demand?

AI engineering is currently the most in-demand role in tech, according to LinkedIn. However, there’s also a demand for web developers, data analysts, and cybersecurity professionals.