DETROIT – One of the best aspects of a career in technology is that there are so many ways to progress your career. Most fields have multiple levels, which means that the ceiling is very high and there is the potential to have an influential, lucrative, and rewarding career in your chosen field. While there are always next levels to reach, it is not always clear how to go about reaching the next level with your career, particularly when many of these roles are relatively new. So, if you want to take the next step in your tech career but you are unsure how to, read on to discover the course of action you should be taking.

Assess Your Options

First, before you start taking action, you should take some time to weigh up your options. Career paths are often flexible with tech roles, so you may have different options available to you whether you want to rise to a more senior position, find work with a different company, or move industries. You may want to retrain in a different area or even move to a city with larger, more recognizable tech firms. Once you weigh up your options, it then becomes much easier to develop a plan to help you to achieve your goals.

Speak To Your Boss

No matter what you decide, you should always speak to your current boss before you start applying for different roles. If you want to stay within the business, they will be able to advise you on how you can go about doing this and possibly put your name forward for roles. It will also alert them to the fact that you are looking for a change, so they are more likely to take the situation seriously and find ways to keep you happy at your current place of work. Even if you have no plans of staying at the company, it is still a good idea to let them know in advance so that they can prepare for your departure before you hand your notice in.

Ask Around In Your Professional Network

Having a professional network is useful for a number of reasons, but perhaps its best usage is when you are looking for a new opportunity. Start asking around in your professional if there are any opportunities going, and this might help you to find an exciting, unique opportunity that you may have struggled to find otherwise and have someone put in a good word for you. People are often happy to help those in their network, especially if you have maintained this relationship over time (you should also be willing to do others a favor if you are able to).

Earn New Qualifications

In many cases, you will need to have a certain qualification in order to reach the next level. Even if you don’t, it is still a good idea to improve your resume, develop new skills and show your commitment. An online MS computer science degree is one of the best qualifications that you can get for those working in any computer science field and will prepare you for the highest roles in leadership. Plus, the fact that it is an online course makes it much easier to complete and allows you to fit it in with your current work and personal life.

Update Your Resume & Portfolio

At this time, it is also a good idea to update your resume with information on your current role,  mentioning any new skills that you have developed and including new references. You should also update your portfolio and/or professional website if you have one with new information that will appeal to potential employers and show your experience, skills, background, and any other relevant information.

Browse Job Boards & Sign Up For Alerts

Now, you can start to search for jobs and see what is out there. These days, online job boards are one of the best ways to find work, especially with the ability to set different filters. Keep in mind that jobs can get filled quickly (particularly with tech roles), so it is a smart idea to sign up for alerts so that you can apply for vacancies as quickly as possible.

Use Recruitment Agencies

Another smart step to take is to sign up to a recruitment agency, particularly one that specializes in tech roles. This means that they will do a lot of the hard work for you, and often, you will get access to vacancies that would have otherwise been hard to find. Recruitment agencies, equipped with advanced CRM tools can speed up the process of finding a new job, free up time for you to focus on other areas (such as brushing up on your interview skills), and help you to find the best roles.

 

Another smart step to take is to sign up to a recruitment agency, particularly one that specializes in tech roles. This means that they will do a lot of the hard work for you, and often, you will get access to vacancies that would have otherwise been hard to find. Recruitment agencies can speed up the process of finding a new job, free up time for you to focus on other areas (such as brushing up on your interview skills), and help you to find the best roles.

Connect With Relevant Companies

Another approach to take is to get in touch with companies that you would want to work for. This is a proactive approach that can impress and help you to get on the radar of companies that you want to work for, even if they do not have any vacancies at the moment. Crucially, make sure that you do not just send over dozens of emails and cover letters that are the same and instead take your time to personalize each one – you will get much further by casting a line as opposed to a net.

Get Prepared For Interviews

As with any industry, interviews are the key stage when looking to take the next step in your career and what causes many people to struggle to progress. The key to success with interviews is preparation, which will include things like researching the company, carrying out practice interviews, choosing an outfit, and even doing the journey beforehand so that you feel confident on the route on the big day.

If you feel that you are ready to take the next step with your tech career, then these are the key steps that you will need to take. It can feel overwhelming in tech because there are so many different paths to follow and choices available, but the above will hopefully help you to find the perfect opportunity.

Bio: James Daniels is a freelance writer, business enthusiast, a bit of a tech buff, and an overall geek. He is also an avid reader, who can while away hours reading and knowing about the latest gadgets and tech, whilst offering views and opinions on these topics.