What after being in Tech?

It is okay to feel like the field you chose to pursue is not for you and that you would have been better off doing something else. A career path is anyway a big commitment, and if you feel that being a techie is not it, then here are a few other options you can explore to keep your mind and worries at rest. The field of tech is broad and always growing so there will always be a wide range of roles to choose from depending on your interests. 

Some of the options that you can consider are:

1. Management and/or leadership roles

If you have always thought of yourself as a leader, and feel comfortable with roles where you have to show responsibility, then management roles might be something you would want to look into. You can start setting yourself apart in your tech role as a team lead and progress from there in acquiring new skills that will help you down this path.

Roles involving management and leadership may require you to distribute and delegate tasks, train juniors, solve conflicts, ensure the team’s top-notch performance, etc. You can be promoted to positions like Chief Technical Officer (CTO) or Chief Information Officer (CIO) but they are harder to be hired into, a lot of managers do not get opportunities to hit the top of the ladder, but still, these roles can offer satisfying job perks and good salaries. 
 

2.  Enhancing your business skills 

Many businesses are recruiting people who have technical skills in addition to business and analytical thinking skills. If you can get better at these skills then this will broaden your horizon. You will have to get better at working with data and being able to present them in an insightful solution-focused manner. Several roles that you can get if you choose to do this are those of data scientist and business analyst, and both roles pay well in the form of salary and job satisfaction.
 

3.  Using tech knowledge in non-tech roles

Even if you do not end up in a technical field, your knowledge and education will not go to waste. You can always use your skills to work in non-tech roles. Some options are:

• Technical Sales

You can use your technical skills to have an edge over others as you have a complete understanding of what you are selling. This is a sales role, so if you are an extrovert who is comfortable talking to people then you can start on this.

• Technical Writer

If you have good writing skills in addition to your tech skills then you can make a career out of writing technical articles for people who are not as technical as you. 

• Project/Product Manager

Depending on the company, this can be either a technical or a non-technical role, and in both cases, it pays well. You might have to work with either external clients or collaborate with internal technical teams and will have to oversee projects, set timelines and handle budgets, and ensure that the teams finish their projects on your schedule while maintaining the quality of the product. This option will give you the ‘manager’ label and you can climb ladders from there.

• Research and development

Research is key in tech as it is constantly looking for the next big thing. The only thing to be kept in mind is that usually only big companies have R&D roles, so they might be extremely competitive to get into. But once you are in, they offer really good salaries and if you love to make things then this might just be for you.
 

4.  Learn some new skills

There are several roles that you can access after getting some more skills. If you love designing and aesthetics, then you can try to get skills in creative fields like UX (User experience) designing or graphic designing. To start off you can talk to the people in your company who are already working in graphic designing teams to figure out a path that might work for you.
 

5.  Change industries

Pretty much every industry requires technology these days. So if you have tech skills then there will always be a job for you no matter the industry you want to step into. You can try to get into tech roles in the healthcare, education, banking, and automotive industries. 
 

6.  Be your own boss

Open your own company. It would not be easy, and the struggle might be longer than the other options on the list, but if you have the commitment, motivation, and willingness to put that much effort for an extended period of time for your long-term goals, then you might just make it. In your initial days, you might have to do all the number crunching, research, and everything by yourself, but if that’s your calling, then there can be nothing as satisfying as being an entrepreneur.
 

7.  Start teaching

If you love technology but hate working in a tech company, then this field might be your calling. You can use your knowledge to nurture the next generation of people like you. This field is rewarding in more ways than just salaries and job satisfaction. You won’t be preparing and helping out in projects, but actually making a change in the lives of several students who would be looking up to you.
 

8. Try out new domains and roles

Technology is changing the world every day, and because of new innovation and research, the field itself is changing at a fast rate. This results in new jobs and roles, especially in fields like robotics, AI, and augmented reality, so if you feel good in such exciting roles and always look forward to new challenges and opportunities, then you can try out new domains and roles as they come.