What Does it Mean to Work in Tech?
For many people who pursue tech careers, it is their dream to work for common household names like Netflix, Facebook/Meta or Amazon as people often associate successful tech careers with Big Tech companies. However, if you are trying to become a technology professional, or if you are already a tech professional, you should be aware that tech careers can blossom at any company. While Big Tech companies might pay well and potentially enable bragging rights on someone’s professional profile, there are several companies that don’t fall in the “Big Tech” category, but still require technical employees. That’s the beauty of being a tech professional - you don’t have to work for a tech company or one of the FAANG companies (Facebook, Apple, Amazon, Netflix, Google) to actually do technical work.
Tech professionals are needed in every single industry: healthcare, energy, retail, education, banking and even in government. It’s a common misconception for people to think that if you don’t work for a “Big Tech” company, you’re not “working in tech” but this is completely false. As long as you’re using technology to solve problems, you are working in tech. This also begs the question of which type of company is better to work for. The answer is - there is no right answer. There is no one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to deciding whether you should work for a Big Tech company, a startup, a government agency or any other organization. Each individual must consider factors that are important to them during their job hunt. These factors mirror what you value in a job, like job security, company reputation, level of innovation at the company, ability to work remotely, or your personal passion. These are a few examples of things to consider to help you determine which direction you would like to take your tech career.
In recent times, we have seen a lot of layoffs in the tech industry, especially with some Big Tech companies affecting both new and tenured employees alike. While no one can predict being laid off, it is always good to keep one’s options open when working in tech because you can still innovate, gain experience, build a portfolio and do a lot of the same tech jobs in a variety of industries. In summary, working in tech means that your job entails the use or development of computer programs, hardware, software, networking, and technical maintenance to solve problems. With this knowledge, as you venture into the world of tech professionals, you can choose to focus on your skills and passions as opposed to which specific company you work for.
