Pathways: a step-by-step guide to a paid job in technology

About Joyous

Joyous is an open feedback solution for large agile enterprises. We are a venture-funded software company - headquartered in Auckland, New Zealand.

Introduction

Less than 25% of people in tech in New Zealand are women. We've put together a guide to help women and other underrepresented people get into a paid software technology role in six months to a year - without needing a degree first.

Traits of a good technologist

Technologists are quick learners, natural collaborators, good at receiving feedback, and adapt easily.

Software organisations as a place to work

Working for a software company you're likely to be well-paid, part of a great culture, and have opportunities to progress your career quickly.

Five steps to getting a role in tech

There are five simple steps to complete in order to get a role in tech: exploring options, short courses, building relationships, internships, and entry-level roles.

Which roles to go for

Learn about common technical and non-technical roles in tech and what each of those roles entails.

Forget about the stereotypes

Many people still have outdated perceptions that software technology roles are more suited to men than women. This simply isn't true.

Alice's story

Alice shares the story of the roundabout way she landed in tech as a software engineer.

Jae's story

One of our Software Developers, Jae Huh, shares the story of how she made the switch from a teaching role to tech.

Farhat's story

Our Data Scientist, Farhat Jehan, shares the story of how she landed in tech.

Laura-Jane's story

Laura-Jane Booker, a Product Manager at Joyous shares the story of how she landed in tech from an organisational psychology background.

Opelo's story

One of our Reporting Analysts, Opelo Kebaitse, shares the story of how she landed in tech from a background in Chemical Engineering.

Kat's story

One of our Product Managers, Kat Rodriguez, shares the story of how she landed in tech from a position as a Relay Operator where she was a “human telephone wire".

Davina's story

Product Specialist, Davina Png, shares the story of how she landed in tech from a background in Business Development.

Ruby's story

Ruby Kolesky, Heart of Product and Co-CEO, shares the story of how she landed in tech after starting her career in drama and musical theatre.

Explore further before deciding

Use our recommended resources to explore what a role entails before deciding.

Overview

Here we cover everything you need to get ready for a role including resources, courses, and funding options.

Resources you might need

Set yourself up for success by having the right setup and equipment.

Non-university short courses

University can be expensive and take many years to complete. Consider enrolling in one of these courses, most of which take six months or less.

Funding options

We recommend top options for funding your pathway into tech.

Overview

We’ll talk you through how to build relationships with people who might help you get a role, how to get an internship, and how to land an entry-level role.

Build relationships

Get started by building your network, comparing start-ups and scales ups to corporates, creating a LinkedIn profile, and joining some Tech Slack groups.

How to get an internship

Learn some tips for creating a good cv and cover letter and where to look for internships.

How to get an entry level role

Update your cv, apply online, and when you land a role, don't be afraid to ask many many questions.

How organisations can help

This is our call to action for organisations to: 1. Consider opening internships to candidates from non-university pathways 2. If you already have an internship program, consider expanding it to cover more roles 3. If you don’t yet have an internship program set up, consider starting one

Overview

Learn how to run successful summer internships including recruiting, selecting, and onboarding interns.

Recruiting candidates

There is a big diversity imbalance in tech at the senior level. However, there is a lot of diversity at the junior level. Use your internships as an opportunity to recruit diverse candidates.

Selecting the ideal candidates

Seek diverse candidates with strong capabilities. Providing a take-home exercise will give you a sense of a candidate's ability before you interview.

Onboarding your interns

Onboard your interns the same way you would onboard your engineers. They should work on high impact problems that match their skill level so that they are always making a meaningful contribution.

Our top tips!

Our top tips for running a successful internship program include recruiting and retaining top talent, as well as full integration and collaboration with your permanent engineers.

Conclusion

Our plan is to begin approaching more organisations to create internship opportunities, support and funding to help people transition into software technology roles.

Thanks

A huge thanks to everyone who shared their tips, wisdom, resources, and stories with us. We couldn't have shaped this guide without you!