Insights From Tech Career Transformations

I am often asked how I transitioned from IT services into manufacturing. Some are also aware that this sectoral shift was preceded by my evolution across various roles and are curious how I handled it. My answer has invariably been that it was a mix of mindful choices and opportunities utilised, where every step felt organic and complementary. Each step added a new layer to the professional I am today. In IT services, I learnt speed, agility, and technical breadth; was trained to think fast, deliver faster, and solve complex problems by working together with other SMEs. It’s a world that taught me to be future ready, think on my toes, be customer-oriented, and deeply aware of delivery excellence. Moving into the industry changed the lens, since providing solutions and bringing change are very different asks. Where IT services promoted rapid innovation, manufacturing taught me to focus on adoption. Where services emphasized deadlines and delivery, industry stressed business alignment, ROI, and business value. In services, the deadline was always yesterday; in industry, the goal is to make every decision count — not for IT, but for the business as a whole. Leading digital transformation initiatives helped me shift from the breadth of technology to the depth of implementation — from “what can we do?” to “what truly moves the needle?” I realised the responsibility was from "strategy to change"; it was about enabling outcomes, shaping mindsets, and transforming operations at scale. As for my role transitions, everything added something unique to my toolkit: ☑️As a developer, I understood code and best practices. ☑️As a business analyst, I learnt the art of requirements elicitation . ☑️As a product manager, I understood strategy and how to balance priorities. ☑️As a consultant, I learned how to shape and sell solutions. ☑️As a digital transformation specialist, I became better at systems thinking and change enablement. ☑️And now, apart from all the above, I know the importance of asking the hard questions — Why aren’t the solutions accepted? Are we solving for the right problems? Every new role led to a mindset shift. Every transition was an opportunity to unlearn and learn. And I am still learning everyday! What lessons have shaped your career transitions? #lifelessons #newyearthoughts

This is one I’ll always be proud of. My final article for Forbes! and I couldn’t have asked for a better way to go out! I ended on the strongest possible note by doing what has always mattered most to me... using visibility to open doors for others and celebrate their successes. Through the City of London Corporation’s #TurnToTech initiative, I had the privilege of highlighting five extraordinary women who prove, beyond doubt, that careers are no longer linear; and don't need to be. These women didn’t follow a “traditional” route into technology. What they did have were transferable skills, courage, curiosity, and support; and that changed everything. ✨ Joanna Hawro — from global finance to SaaS implementation leadership ✨ Katrina Young — designing a tech career entirely on her own terms ✨ 🔐Alicia Osinibi MBCS Osinibi — pivoting from the classroom into cybersecurity ✨ Laura Wilson — rebooting a tech career after a career break ✨ Tasmia Niazi — from night shifts to engineering leadership Their stories challenge outdated hiring assumptions and prove that: 👉 Transferable skills are the real superpower 👉 Upskilling works when paired with belief and opportunity 👉 Visibility and community change what people believe is possible As someone who has spent years writing about inclusion, careers, and the future of work, it feels especially poignant to close my Forbes chapter by celebrating women who are redefining what a tech career looks like. If you’re considering a career pivot, hiring into tech, or questioning whether you “fit” then this article is for you. Going out on a high and deeply grateful to everyone who trusted me with their story. #InclusionIncludesYOU #WalkTheTalk #OpenDoorsForCareers

I used to run toward disasters. Now I build the tech that helps manage them. 🚨 The transition from Emergency Manager to Product Manager wasn't in any career guidebook. But that's exactly why it worked. Here's what I learned about pivoting careers when there's no obvious path: 1. Find Your Bridge 🌉 Your current role has transferable skills. In EM, I coordinated responses and solved complex problems under pressure. Sound familiar, Product Managers? 2. Be Strategically Curious 🤔 Don't just ask for a job - get curious about the problems. I spent months understanding pain points in EM tech before even mentioning product management. 3. Build Internal Champions 🤝 The best opportunities rarely come through formal applications. I built relationships across teams, showing genuine interest in their challenges. 4. Create Value Before Asking for Value 📈 I started sharing insights about user needs from my EM experience. By the time a product role opened up, I had already demonstrated value. 5. Embrace the Learning Curve 📚 Your unique background is an asset, not a liability. My EM experience helps me build better tech because I've lived the user's reality. 💭 What unique background are you bringing (or want to bring) to product management? #productmanagement #product #emergencymanagement #technology #innovation

🚀 My Career Transition: From Scientist to Data Analyst Career transitions are like peeling an onion—layered and complex, often revealing more as you dig deeper. Reflecting on my journey, I can relate to the nuanced process of "The Right Way to Make a Big Career Transition." Here’s my story of moving from a scientist to a data analyst, and the lessons I picked up along the way. ❇ My Journey After completing my Master’s in Chemistry, I started a career as a scientist. Over time, though, I realized my true passion was in data and analytics. The idea of making data-driven decisions and uncovering insights to drive business success was too compelling to ignore. This led me to pursue a second Master’s in Business Analytics. What Worked for Me 🌟 Experimentation: During my time in chemistry, I often took on data analysis projects on the side. This hands-on experience confirmed my interest and skill in this new field. Just as the article suggests, experimenting with a passion project before fully committing to it was key. 🌟 Skills Development: Gaining the necessary skills was crucial. I dedicated time to learning programming languages like Python and R and mastering tools such as SQL and Tableau. These skills weren’t just for my resume; they were vital for my transition. 🌟 Networking and Mentorship: Connecting with others in the data analytics community provided insights and opportunities. Mentors who had made similar transitions offered invaluable guidance and support. 🌟 Regret Minimization Framework: Like Jeff Bezos, I used a regret minimization framework. I asked myself, "What will I regret more at 80—staying in my comfort zone or pursuing a career that excites me?" The answer was clear, making my decision easier. Challenges Faced ✨ Overcoming Rejections: Switching careers is rarely straightforward. I faced numerous rejections, often because my experience didn’t perfectly match job requirements. Persistence was key. As the article notes, you only need one person to take a chance on you. ✨ Adapting to a New Field: Moving from a purely scientific role to a data-centric one required a significant mindset shift. I had to learn to think like a business analyst, focusing on how data impacts business decisions rather than just scientific discovery. 🚀 The Payoff Becoming a data analyst has been one of the most rewarding decisions of my life. It’s allowed me to combine my analytical skills with business insight, creating a fulfilling and dynamic career. This journey has reinforced the importance of following one’s passion and being open to change, even when it’s scary. Parting Advice If you’re thinking about a career transition, here are a few tips: Start Small | Seek Guidance | Build Relevant Skills | Be Persistent Career transitions are messy, but with curiosity, conviction, and commitment, they can lead to a future you’ll be proud of. 🌟 #CareerTransition #DataAnalytics #PersonalGrowth #ProfessionalJourney #businessanalytics

Most people think you need a technical degree to lead in tech. Here's how I proved that wrong. One unexpected question from my CEO completely reshaped my career trajectory. During our career discussion meeting, he asked, "Would you be interested in working on our app strategy?" At the time, I was working in his office on various initiatives, including some digital partnerships. Little did I know this would be the beginning of a complete career pivot. I was the "finance person" – numbers were my comfort zone. Tech felt like a foreign language. Or so I thought. 1. The Power of Seeing What Others Don't See We often limit ourselves by our own labels: • "I'm a finance person" • "I'm not technical" • "That's not my expertise" Yet great leaders can spot something I couldn't – how I lit up discussing user experience and consistently gravitated toward tech-focused solutions in our strategy sessions. The most powerful career moves often come when someone sees potential in you that you've missed in yourself. 2. Your Current Role Is Secret Training Looking back, I realize every project was preparation: -Those startup partnerships taught me product development cycles -Strategy presentations trained me to communicate complex ideas simply - Financial analyses gave me the metrics mindset crucial for app performance Your current job isn't just work - it's quietly building capabilities for opportunities you can't yet imagine. 3. Discomfort Is The Only Path Forward The transition was terrifying: • Leading tech teams when I had no formal technical background • Making decisions about features and architecture • Speaking a completely new professional language But here's what I've learned: If you're never uncomfortable, you've stopped growing. Today, I still work with numbers – but they're user engagement metrics and enrollement rates instead of balance sheets. And honestly? The career I never planned has become the work I love most. To the leaders who spot potential in unexpected places: Your belief can completely redirect someone's life trajectory. To anyone feeling stuck in their lane: Your perfect next role might be hiding in plain sight – in the parts of your current job that energize you most. And to Mayank Bathwal: Thank you for seeing my tomorrow when I could only see my today.

Just wrapped up an incredible conversation on The TechTual Talk Podcast with my former coaching client, Tavis Mitchell—and the gems were too good not to share! Tavis started his journey in IT in the help desk trenches, and now he’s a Systems Engineer II at a Fortune 500 company, tripling his salary in just two years. 🎉 His story is all about leveraging humble beginnings, building real skills, and never underestimating the value of foundational roles. Here are my 3 key takeaways for anyone looking to break into (or move up in!) tech: 🔹 Don’t Skip the Foundation Help desk roles might not be glamorous, but they’re the fastest way to build a wide range of technical and soft skills. Tavis credits his hands-on experience troubleshooting everything from Active Directory to school laptops as the launchpad for his success. 🔹 Package Your Experience Strategically It’s not just about what you do, it’s how you present it. We worked together to align Tavis’s job titles and resume bullets with the work he was actually doing not just what was on his HR paperwork. That positioning helped him stand out to recruiters and hiring managers. 🔹 Keep Building & Networking Certifications and knowledge matter, but so does your network and ability to tell your story. Tavis has continued building his skills (identity & access management for the win!), growing his LinkedIn, and even launching his own content to help others climb. Thinking about a career pivot or feeling stuck in your tech journey? Remember: Start where you are (help desk is more valuable than you think). Optimize your resume and LinkedIn to reflect your actual impact, not just your job titles. Keep investing in yourself and your network. Big thanks to Tavis for sharing his journey!👏 #ITCareers #HelpDesk #CareerGrowth #TechTransition #LinkedInTips watch and subscribe here: https://lnkd.in/gHv22ZsQ

Career pivots can be daunting but rewarding. Here's how to make it work... 👉 Find your Why Do some work on your values, narrow it down to 5 core values. Write down why you want to pivot, be honest here. What do you expect to find in the new career? I faced my pivotal point at 28, after a successful decade in telecoms. Despite career progression at a relatively young age, I wanted out. I saw the industry's decline - intense price competition, thinner margins, not much value differentiation for the customer. Back then, the career direction wasn't clear. I knew I needed a new challenge. 👉 Embrace the Advice The best piece of advice I got was straightforward: "Get to work, network!"  Assess your transferable skills. Are there any? If new qualifications are needed, pursue them. During the MBA years, I realised telco was in my past. A headhunter's candid feedback during a career session was a game-changer for me: "You need to rethink your approach. Banking after 10 years in telco? Why start from scratch? Find an adjacent industry, where your skills and experience matter." 👉 Put in the Effort Do the inner work first, be clear on your intentions. Dream Big, and stay realistic on the next step. Remember: where you are today is the start. I followed her advice, connecting with tech recruiters and shifting the job search from management back to an Account Executive role. I wanted to learn how to sell tech, be credible, be the best at it before I could confidently lead teams again. It turned out to be the best decision of my career! P.S. I hope my story encourages others to share their career pivot experiences and offer guidance through mentoring others. #linkedinnewsuk #careertransition

The $298k package wasn’t shocking. What unlocked it was. Amit had tech lead skills, years of impact, and leadership experience. But every application came back the same: ❌ “Overqualified.” ❌ “Not the right fit.” ❌ Silence. He knew he had the ability. What he didn’t know was how to prove it and what he was doing wrong. Then he sent me this message before booking a discovery call: “So I have been giving some interviews passively but I feel I am getting rejected for similar reasons. For some I feel I am failing at the start when I apply even when I feel I have got everything.” Sound familiar? Here is what happened next: Weeks 1–2: Resetting the foundation We tore his CV and LinkedIn apart and rebuilt from scratch. This time the focus wasn’t duties, it was outcomes: • Scaling systems. • Leading teams. • Solving business problems. → Specific details over general statements. Positioned this way and aligned to ANZ tech hiring trends, recruiters suddenly started calling. He was shocked. Companies like Xero, Canva, Culture Amp, CBA, Catch, wanted to speak with him. Weeks 3–5: Unlocking interviews Amit’s breakthrough wasn’t technical. It was psychological. Instead of rehashing his career, he reframed answers around: Problem → Action → Result (business value, not just tech). Context switching (bank ≠ SaaS). Speaking their language (less jargon, more clarity). And in his own words: “One of the most valuable insights I gained was learning how to present myself in a way that speaks directly to what interviewers are looking for, rather than just talking about my experience. This shift in mindset made a significant difference, the moment I started receiving interest from Australia’s biggest tech companies, I knew the strategy was working.” That shift turned silence into momentum. Weeks 6–8: The surge 👉 9 interviews running at once. 👉 4 final rounds. 👉 2 competing offers on the table. At that point, his message to me was simple: “Eli, please help me with negotiating and accepting the right offer.” Week 9: The win Principal Engineer. Big Four bank. $298k+ total package. His words, not mine: “For the first time, I wasn’t hoping they’d see my value. I knew how to prove it.” Takeaway for senior (or above) engineers in ANZ: →The market doesn’t reward experience alone. →It rewards clarity, positioning, and proof of value. If you keep hearing “overqualified” or “not the right fit”… It’s not your skills. It’s your story. Fix that → and the right doors open. That’s exactly what we teach inside The Careersy Community. How to position yourself, prove your value, and land the roles you deserve.

Well, LinkedIn…I’m back!   I may have taken a [social media] hiatus this summer, but AI most certainly did not. New models blew benchmarks out of the water, conversations around AI regulations heated up, and valuations are through the roof.   So what have I been up to? 🎤 Hard Fork Live: Snagged tickets for the first-ever, live taping of NY Times podcast #HardFork in June, which was equally full of meaningful insights and incredible jokes, as expected. Fan-girled over Kevin Roose and Casey Newton, as captured by photographic evidence. Figureheads like Sam Altman made an appearance, stirring both debate on the future of work and controversy. And there was some very cool magic reminding us of the tech innovation hub (and bubble) that is the San Francisco Bay Area. 💡 Human-Centered AI Workforce Transformation: Collaborated with companies and academics to analyze the anticipated impact of AI - digging way deep into the tasks performed in Today's jobs (in specific workflows and/or roles) to better shape Tomorrow's jobs. Leading companies aren't overly indexed on potential AI productivity savings - they are taking on the harder work of preemptively designing future jobs to meet business need and create clearer skill development pathways for their people. ⚙️ AI x Engineering: Launched a 'point of view' about the impact of AI on product and engineering roles across the software development lifecycle, given the early impact AI has already made in this space. Some of my key takeaways: 1) Coding jobs seem to be the canary in the coal mine for knowledge work—AI is clearly impacting these roles already, and the job market and AI product landscape seem to reflect this. 2) Product management and coding jobs will, in some capacity, merge. It remains to be seen whether engineers take on more PM responsibilities or PMs are expected to vibe code prototypes / take on more coding (the latter is gaining traction at the moment), but convergence is certainly on the horizon. 3) With so much unknown, the best thing leaders can do is get into the habit of continuous scenario modeling, identifying ‘no-regret bets’ and measuring impact, moving slowly but steadily toward a very different future. Big shout out to my co-authors Nate Drix Ricky Franks Dany Rifkin and all our collaborators. Read it here: https://lnkd.in/gTmUTTkC #AI #FutureofWork #Deloitte

The job market is changing fast. Driven by reorgs, layoffs, role eliminations, the impact of AI, and shifting career interests, more of us are exploring new roles and industries. My own career journey reflects this. I started in Public Relations (PR), working at agencies like Elmore Public Relations and companies like CenterPoint Energy, FMC Technologies, and Dow. My initial plan? Stay in communications. My experience was a good fit for my resume, but I wanted something different. Then, #Amazon came to my university recruiting for Operations Managers. I had a Supply Chain Management degree, some classes, and a capstone project—but no real operations experience. I needed a new approach. Here's what I did: - Job Description Deep Dive: I didn't just read the job description, I dissected it. I focused on the type of candidate they wanted—team dynamics, responsibilities, culture. It wasn't about matching my existing experience, but understanding the target. - Skill Categorization: I broke down the job description into key skills: communication, problem-solving, stakeholder management, leadership, etc. This gave me a framework to evaluate my strengths. - Experience Alignment: This was the toughest part. I had some great PR wins (1M media impressions, 25% social media growth), but they didn't directly translate to operations. It was a hard lesson: past wins DON’T guarantee future success if they're not relevant. My resume needed to reflect where I wanted to go, not just where I'd been. Key takeaways: 1) Thoroughly assess your target role. 2) Categorize skills. 3) Even huge wins might not be relevant if they don't align with your goals. My journey in tech at #Amazon, #Uber, #PayPal, and #Google has required me to repeatedly apply and adapt these steps. It wasn't easy, but it taught me about strategic thinking, adaptability, and the value of #transferableskills. What are your career transition tips? Share in the comments! 👇 #myjourneyintech #careerchange #operations #techcareers #google #jobsearch #careeradvice #pivot #skills #resumetips #transferableskills #careertransition #jobhunt #careerjourney #blackintech