TECH CAREERS
I have been meaning to write a breaking into tech blog for a long time now. The tech industry is one of the highest paying and most lucrative industries on the planet. Tech is sweeping away old analog systems and processes and is fundamentally changing how we work, interact, play and live our day to day life. That being said, it is an industry that values different skills than the typical post MBA job. The recruiting process is much different and requires that you to demonstrate how you would fit into a fast moving technology company. A good portion of the following article was sent in by a contributor and covers tech jobs where you are building a product. This is different than working a corporate role in tech (Finance, Strategy, Marketing, HR, Supply Chain, Operations etc) where an MBA is more traditionally valued and needed. In the case of a traditional corporate job within tech, the standard MBA recruiting process and rules apply. NOTE: This is a work in progress and as I receive more content I will add more.
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So you've heard that tech is hiring still in this COVID world and you want to jump in on the fun. Here is some advice as you transition from the military and into tech: leave your ego, your tab, and your best (NC)OER w/ your parents.
Things tech does not care about:- Your tab- Your "leadership experience"- Your "people skills"- Your service academy education- Your HBS / Wharton MBA (seriously, they don't care)
Things tech does care about:- Your coding skills- Your understanding of cloud & agile- Feelings- Your passive aggressive power moves- Your Stanford / MIT STEM education
NOTE: Zoom/pinch in to get a better view of the tech pyramid
How to do a networking cold call in Tech
Believe it or not you already have a lot of the skills to start a new career in tech. The first step is connecting with veterans in tech and getting an understanding of their roles and also of any available opportunities. The number #1 thing you should keep in mind is that everyone had to start somewhere, and not being sure of yourself, not knowing the exact terminology or what a role entails is OK.
Task: "Cold Call" 5 veterans a week. Search LinkedIn for veterans who went to your school, served in your unit, and send a friendly, well crafted message. Start with positions/people you really are not interested in to get your feet wet and then expand.
Expectation management is always key. So here are a few pointers
DO NOT expect them to answer right away. It might take a couple tries.
DO NOT expect them to be in awe of your aide-de-camp position or Ranger Tab
DO NOT expect them to offer you a job right off the bat
EXPECT to sound cringe-worthy stupid the first couple of calls
BE HUMBLE AND COACHABLE
Purpose: The goal of cold calling is twofold-- to expand your network and to conduct an information preparation of the battle field (IPB) prior to planning your transition
Example Message: Hi XXXX,
I am a transitioning {army, airforce, navy, etc} {officer, NCO, etc} and I am interested in tech as my next step. If you don't mind, I would appreciate 15 minutes of your time to discuss your transition, what you do, and any tips you have for me. Please let me know your availability. Thank you very much! Respectfully, {YOUR FIRST NAME}
Example Questions:
What's your favorite part about your job?
What was the most challenging aspect of your transition?
How did you end up at {company they work at}?
What does your day to day look like?
During happy hour, what are the top things you complain about with your co-workers?
Are there any other questions I should be asking?
Can you introduce me to other people you think I should talk to?
The goal of these questions is to get the person to talk about themselves and for you to decide if: a) Can you picture yourself in this person's shoes b) Are you on the right track in your transition? c) Is this person happy in their job? Will you be happy in this person's job? d) How does the civilian world work? In all likelihood they will recommend Breakline or Shift as tech transition programs. Research these programs on your own to see if they are a good fit.
Tech Learning Resources
AGILE Learning Resources
Udacity AGILE software development nanodegree
Coding
Python (code academy, learn python, udemy)
SQL (code academy, khan academy)
Cloud
Data Visualization
Udacity Data Visualization in Tableau
LinkedIn Data Analytics for Business Pros
Data Science, Machine Learning and AI (do not try until you are comfortable with the above)
Stanford Courses are AWESOME, but pricey-- you can't go wrong with one of their courses because:
1) Stanford carries the most weight in west coast tech
2) The "zoom" discussions are super useful and the teachers are engaged
3) The material covered is more than what you would get in a free online class and in a much better format
Transition Resources
The following resources either help veterans with seed money to start a business OR help them break into tech
Microsoft Software & Systems Academy: Provides an 18-week (or two 9-week terms) training for high-demand careers in cloud development, cloud administration, cybersecurity administration, or database and business intelligence administration. Program graduates gain an interview for a full-time job at Microsoft or one of their hiring partners.
Code Platoon: For 14 weeks the students are immersed in learning the full Ruby on Rails stack, including Ruby, Rails, JavaScript, HTML, and CSS. No previous programming skills are required.
Breakline: Tech Transition program that helps get veterans in product manager roles within tech firms
Shift: Using Skillbridge Intership (starting 6 months prior to transition)
Vets In Tech: Free tech education and networking events
Our Farm Salutes: Grant program developed in partnership with The Mission Continues that will award three $25,000 business grants to deserving veterans who submit a video sharing their business idea and a plan demonstrating a solid business concept
Streetshares: Annual grants for veteran owned business ($15,000, $6,000, $4,000)
WeWork: Accepted veteran applicants earn six months of fully sponsored workspace.
Bunker Labs: Bunker Labs supports military veterans throughout the journey of starting a business: from the idea stage—where active-duty service members are thinking about what to do post-service—to the growth stage of successful companies looking to hire, raise capital, and expand into new markets.
Entrepreneurship Bootcamp for Veterans: Offers experiential training in entrepreneurship and small business management to post-9/11 veterans
Patriot Boot Camp: Provides active duty service members, veterans, and their spouses with access to mentors, educational programming, and a robust community of experts and peers to help them innovate and build impactful businesses.
Vet to CEO: Online course for veteran entrepreneurs
Department of the VA - Veteran Entrepreneur Portal: Government provided information on how to start your business
Stanford Ignite: Stanford Ignite offers a program tailored to recent U.S. veterans who want to bolster their know-how about innovation and entrepreneurship and ease their transition to civilian life.
FedEx Small Business Award: The FedEx Small Business Grant Contest is a grant program by FedEx to award ten (10) small businesses with grants up to $25,000 and up to $7,500 in FedEx Office print and business services.