I Haven’t Had an Office Job Before. Will I Fit in Tech?

Like every good question, “Can I make it in tech?” has multiple answers. If we’re talking about whether you can master new skills, then yes, we’re confident you can — students with diverse backgrounds were once where you are, and they’re now working at places like Spotify_{From Tourism Sales to Data Science at Spotify: TripleTen Grad Rachelle Perez Lands a Career in Tech}. If you want to know whether you’ll land a job post-bootcamp, then, once again, yes, we’re 87% sure you’ll successfully launch a new career.

But there’s often something else people want to know: “Can I thrive in tech even if I’m coming from a different work culture?”

Maybe you’ve only ever had a regimented clock-in-clock-out environment. Maybe collaboration was never encouraged. Maybe you spent your whole career getting skilled at carrying out tasks as opposed to determining which tasks should be carried out in the first place. Maybe you find the insular world of tech just plain intimidating.

Regardless of where you’re coming from, the answer is the same as to the first two questions: Yes.

Yes, you will find your fit in tech. Here’s how we’re so sure as well as some tips to help you along the way.

Why we’re confident you can make the shift

It’s simple: We’ve seen people just like you make the transition and launch amazing careers.

After getting more than halfway to earning his degree in economics, Luke Schmidt_{Forging His Own Path to Tech: Luke Schmidt’s TripleTen Story} dropped out of college. Following that, he held a series of odd jobs, none of which particularly inspired him. But then one day, he started fiddling with code, eventually writing a script to control the lights on an LED light strip. It sparked something in him.

I hadn't really experienced that before: where I had done something from a work-related standpoint and had actually been excited about the process and the completion of it. And I think it was at that point where I said, 'Okay, I'm going to give this a try. Maybe this is for me. Luke Schmidt, TripleTen grad

He wanted to learn more, so he enrolled in TripleTen’s Software Engineering Bootcamp. He mastered the know-how that could launch a career in tech, and soon enough, he’d landed a job at a fintech company. Since then, he’s fully immersed himself in a career in software, and has adapted to a new culture that encourages exploration.

I plan to continue to allow myself the freedom to do the things that I want to do, and put 100% into my job and my work. Because it's been really rewarding to me. Luke Schmidt, TripleTen grad

And he’s not the only one. Jeremy Rivera_{Balancing College, Work, Family, and a Part-Time Bootcamp to Find Tech Success: Jeremy Rivera’s TripleTen Story} would wake up at three in the morning to throw boxes and fulfill orders in his distribution warehouse. But he knew that career wasn’t sustainable, and he started looking to transition to working in tech, something he saw as more reliable. 

I saw the market value of being a software engineer or a web developer. Jeremy Rivera, TripleTen grad

He discovered TripleTen and enrolled. Like Luke, he also gained new tech skills, so when he started looking for work, he was ready. After a dedicated search, he ended up landing a job at a tax planning, education, and support company. In his new career, he’s also eagerly embracing the culture of growth he’s discovered. “On top of JavaScript and React, I’m learning TypeScript and other React frameworks,” he said.

The culture you can expect in tech

Okay, so you can absolutely make it, but this leads to another question: what is the tech work culture? The first thing to know is that most tech organizations have moved beyond the tech-bros-in-hoodies stereotype. And while it’s a diverse field populated by numerous different companies, each of which has its own culture, there are still some overarching core tenets:

1. Work-life balance

As we’ve discussed before_{Are Coding Bootcamps Worth It in 2024? Part 2: What the Numbers Don’t Show}, tech does offer unique options for flexible work. Tech experts often have the ability to shape their schedules to meet their needs. And sometimes, they might even have the option to work remotely for all or some of their weeks, freeing up time to do the things that make life vibrant — picking up kids from school, going for a walk while the sun is still out, sharing a meal with a loved one. For many positions in tech, this sort of flexibility is absolutely achievable. As long as you deliver the project on time, how you arrange your day isn’t all that important.

To be fair, tech does have a bit of an advantage because of the nature of the work itself. Consider it: you can’t exactly be a retail sales clerk from home, and you can’t deliver packages from your living room. As a coder, all you need is an internet connection, digital tools, and know-how.

In tech, many organizations encourage people to prioritize life as long as the work is getting done, and this makes the culture less rigid.

2. Continuous growth and advancement

Tech never stays still, so people working in tech positions are expected to stay up-to-date on the latest tools, languages, and approaches. This means that you’ll regularly refresh your skills — maybe through internal training, maybe by taking additional courses.

Most likely, you won’t be left to fend for yourself here, though. Tech companies often have a budget set aside for their employees who want to improve their existing skills or learn something new.

And “learn something new” is a crucial addendum, so we’ll underline it. See, in tech, the philosophy of growth extends beyond simply staying current with the industry. Tech companies also encourage their employees to specialize, and they provide the resources for people to pursue their niche interests in coding or other digital tools.

This infuses tech companies with a sense of curiosity and enthusiasm. If you want to go for something that excites you, you’ll likely find yourself encouraged to pursue your passion.

3. Collaboration and communication

This is one key way in which the culture of tech companies can differ from those you might find elsewhere. In many industries, there is a clear hierarchy, and the relative levels of authority have to be respected. For example, as a bricklayer, you likely didn’t sit down with the architect and discuss just exactly how the facade you’re building should come together.

In tech, people from all levels and of all specializations are included throughout the development process. You have specific knowledge and niche expertise, so project managers want your input during planning and feedback sessions.

This easily leads to the second element in the heading above. Because collaboration is so crucial to how projects get accomplished in tech, communication is paramount. After all, collaboration is impossible without communication. Find a bug? Flag it! Think the direction the project is heading is ill-advised? Let people know!

Not only does this fuel more egalitarian processes in tech companies, it’s also the basis for a culture of personal agency and impact.

Tips on adjusting

We fundamentally believe you can make the shift with ease, but to prevent imposter syndrome before it can even start, here’s some advice to keep in mind if you find yourself struggling in tech’s new, unfamiliar work culture.

How to adapt to a more flexible workplace

There is something deeply comforting about a set schedule. You know that at 9 a.m., you clock in, and at 5 p.m., you clock out. But in a tech job, schedules can be much looser. So here’s some advice that can help you when you switch from a more regimented environment:

‍Establish a routine

If a 9-to-5 setup works for you and your new employer, there’s no reason to give up that schedule. The main thing here is to establish a structure that works for you, your company, and that ensures you have the consistency that’ll help you thrive. This will help you build a rhythm for when you’re working and when you’re resting, which will support a healthy approach to your tasks, and thus higher productivity.

Set boundaries

When the pandemic hit, this was a huge issue. See, when people were working in-office, their professional duties were location-specific. However, if you work remotely or in a hybrid format, you might not have physical distance between where you work and where you live. So if you say you’ll log off at 5 p.m., stick to it. This will keep you from burning out.

Think more about progress and less about hours

In many jobs, paychecks are based on hours worked. And in some tech jobs, this might still be the case. However, typically, the amount of time you spend on a project is less important than if the project is hitting milestones. So it’s helpful to shift your mindset to instead prioritize progress. Did you do everything you needed to do that day in only six hours? That’s what matters, and the rest of that time is yours.

Practice understanding

In a tech job, you might find yourself collaborating with people across the country — if not around the world. And that means you’ll encounter different schedules; some of your coworkers might not be active while you are, and vice-versa. This is the nature of a modern, distributed workforce, so if you need something from someone who’s offline, understand that their workday may be over even if yours is just beginning. Patience and empathy will keep you from succumbing to frustration spirals, which do no one any good.

How to thrive in a culture of continuous growth

If your profession was once focused on doing the same thing over and over and using the same skills day-in and day-out, then a culture that expects you to keep advancing may seem intimidating, but it doesn’t have to be. Here are some tips:

Explore

Give yourself a few hours each week to poke around. See what resources your organization provides that can help you pursue new paths of inquiry. Dig into the offerings to see if any pique your interest. Reflect on the obstacles you encountered and look into tools that could have been useful in that situation had you just known about them.

Follow your curiosity

This flows naturally from the previous bit of advice. Once you find something you want to learn more about, let your natural internal drive for discovery guide you. An intrinsic, honest engagement in a new subject will be a reliable fuel that will help keep you motivated as you upgrade your knowledge. This might even fuel further career growth — from data scientist generalist to AI engineer specialist, for example.

Make the most of feedback

Most tech teams engage in some form of regular review. Use this to its fullest extent — if you struggled with a certain section of a project, ask for advice on how you can improve your skills in that area. Often, the person giving you feedback will have advice on ways you can actively improve your abilities.

Seek ways to apply your new knowledge to your job

The great thing about upgrading your skills in tech is that they tend to be immediately applicable. If you’ve just started learning a new technique, new tool, or new language, try to use it in a real-world project. You’re not just learning for the fun of it, after all. You’re trying to magnify your skills. Applying them as you learn them is one of the best ways to really lock them in.

How to flourish in a culture of collaboration and communication

Many jobs expect you to simply take orders and properly execute them. That’s usually not the case in tech, where your input is valued, and more than that, often imperative. But the transition from doer to active participant can be difficult. So here are some tips: 

Don’t hesitate to speak up

If you’re new to tech, you might feel like you have nothing to bring to brainstorms, or you might doubt that others want to hear your opinions. We’ll tell you right now: that’s bunk. Your fresh perspective can be the key ingredient in a lively, productive discussion. In addition, you’re not going to help yourself or the team if you decide not to clarify something you’re fuzzy on. Embrace the initial discomfort this brings on, and soon enough, you’ll find yourself enjoying the collaborative process.

Make the most of the tools at hand

As we mentioned earlier, tech teams might be located across diverse time zones. That means that not all interactions will take place face-to-face — whether by Zoom or in person. However, tech companies often have robust suites of communication tools that allow people to stay in touch. Never hesitate to send a message to a colleague, and make sure you also respond to questions you get in a timely manner.

Take initiative

If something is unclear, get in touch and get details. If some part of a project isn’t going as planned, flag it. Never assume something will get fixed or clarified for you, and don’t hesitate to send the first message, to call the necessary meeting, or to post a comment. Turn off that doubt in the back of your mind that you might not know what you’re talking about.

Prioritize transparency

When working with a team of people, all of whom have their own backgrounds and specialities, don’t assume they can intuitively grasp every nuance of the work you’re contributing. If you’re coding, it’s a great practice to include clarifying comments. And if you’re building a dashboard, be sure to provide any vital context others might not have when you send it in for review. However you can provide context, do it — this extra clarification will make you a reliable and trustworthy colleague.

Three last tips

We’d like to end this section with advice that is admittedly less practical, but that we believe is nonetheless important. Adapting to a new culture does take effort, and you might feel out of place, so here are just three bits of general advice to keep in mind:

Ask about culture in interviews

As we mentioned, there is no single culture present at every tech company. Each organization will have its own quirks, some of which will feel right to you, and some of which won’t. Ask about these nuances in interviews. By checking out a company’s culture before you even start there, you can determine if it’s the place for you and set yourself up for a lively career that feels right.

Give yourself room

You’re making a big change. There will likely be moments of friction and times when you feel entirely foreign to the new profession you decided to go for. Don’t let this discourage you — you were hired for a reason, and you’re in that job because you have the skills and know-how that proved you were the right hire. Remind yourself of that and remember that mistakes are a valuable element of the learning process.

Seek support

In your new tech role, you’ll likely have a manager. This person can be your first contact to reach out to when anything feels confusing or you feel overwhelmed. But as you spend time in tech, you’ll also forge relationships with techies who’ve been in the business for years — these people can also help you navigate your new environment. Never hesitate to lean on these coworkers. In fact, they might even feel honored you decided to reach out to them.

The first step is to gain skills

But before all that, you’re going to need the tech know-how that powers a pivot. And skills are what truly matter — according to our Employer Report that surveyed over 1,000 decision makers, these capabilities are paramount.

In fact, skills occupied the two top positions in terms of the qualities that employers said they were looking for in candidates.

This is exactly the knowledge that TripleTen focuses on providing to its students. And it works — according to our 2024 Outcomes Report, 87% of grads land jobs in tech within six months of finishing their program. In addition, the new career sticks — 90% of employed TripleTen alumni stay with their first employer for at least a year. The kicker? The vast majority of our students come from non-STEM backgrounds.

And all of that’s not to mention our externships, which are hands-on tech projects with real companies. It’s a chance not to be missed: you can start becoming fluent in how things are done in tech by, well, actually doing things in tech.

See if a bootcamp is right for you

Want to know if this is the path for you? We’ve got you covered — find your road to tech by taking our quick bootcamp quiz.