Working in Tech Without Tech Background

Working in Tech Without Tech Background A version of this article previously appeared on Skillcrush, an ansprechbar education program for creatives, thinkers, and makers that gives total tech newbies the tools to make major career changes.Haele Wolfe, SkillcrushIm a Junior Editor here at Skillcrushmy job is to work with our editorial kollektiv to edit this website youre reading at this very moment. When you picture editing, you probably think about someone staring at long blocks of text on a computer and making cuts or even marking up a manuscript with a big red pen. And youre not wronga lot of editing does look like that. It can be super low-tech and there are certainly editing jobs that dont require any tech skills. But those are becoming fewer and farther between, and as someone who doesnt come from a tech background, it welches clear that my career wasnt moving in any positive direction taking the analog approach. I just knew I wouldnt be able to keep up with the changing media l andscape if I were only to rely on my red pen. I never expected this, but if I wanted to keep editing with any type of job security, Id need to start applying my tech skillsand up skillto my career as an editor.When I started at Skillcrush, I had just the basics of HTML under my belt and a solid background in tech skills like video production and sound editing. There was sgeschiebemergel a learning curve with the amount of skills I needed to gain to be a digital editor, but luckily, zupflmmeling up things on the fly is kind of my favorite thing, and learning tech skills isnt exactly a huge time investment.In addition to more job security, moving from media to tech gives me flexibility I couldnt have imaginedespecially in the form of remote work. Since I began this ort seven months ago, Ive logged in everywhere from Ohio, to Chicago, to Dallas, to Marthas Vineyard A typical day for me is filleuchtdiode with equal parts chatting with coworkers, organizing marketing strategies, adding to my growing tech skills, and of course, a lot of writing Heres a breakdown of how I spend my time.730 a.m.On a good day, I like to get up, start the coffee, and prioritize my to-do list before jumping on the computer. Im currently based in Brooklyn and live with roommatesthree human, one felinewho all work outside the home (except aforementioned feline, who is my daily co-worker). Mornings can be quite busy at our place, with people vying for bathroom and kitchen space. I like to avoid the cluster and sip my coffee while plotting out the day or catching up on reading for one of my book clubs. (Right now, Im very behind in three of the book clubs, but doing okay in one. Making a mental note to carve out some extra reading time this week.) Taking time to assess what I need and want to get done for the day has been critical while adjusting to my position with Skillcrush. I also have a background in the arts, and enjoy having several side projects going in addition to my day job, so i ts vital that I create at least twousually threedaily to-do lists to address the separate needs of each facet of my life.900 a.m.Time to log on Depending on the day of the week and what projects Im helping facilitate, I may get on a little earlier to make sure things are running smoothly. Skillcrush was my introduction to many tech tools, but the one that has most dramatically reshaped my thinking is SCRUM.My day runs on the principles of SCRUMa project management strategy that began in the software industry and is now widely used to track projects and help keep team members connected. We use a program called JIRA to track our SCRUM progress, which allows us to break projects down into smaller tasks and move them from To Do, to In Progress, to Done. I love this system becauseas I mentioned aboveI love checklists SCRUM also bakes in time to check in daily, to have hard and fast deadlines, and to spend time looking back over the last working period (these are called sprints) to see wh at went well and what needs to change. In fact, Ive just schliffed implementing SCRUM to every facet of my personal, creative, and professional lives and use free online tools to manage my own projects. (Airtable and Trello, I love you.) Ive been SCRUM-ing my life for about a month now, and Im already seeing improved results. So first thing in the morning, Im likely looking at our JIRA dashboard to see what tasks I need to do today, see if theres anything I need to run by my co-workers, and make a plan for what I hope to move to the Done column by the end of the day.Oftentimes, the first thing on my agenda is to build posts in our content management system, WordPress. Sometimes I think of WordPress as the coworker with whom I spend the most time. WordPress is a staple for any editortech or otherwisesince so many sites run on the platform. Every story that appears on our site has to be formatted and scheduled through WordPress, which requires some HTML know-how. One of my big goals r ight now is to dive deeper into HTML and to finish learning PHP, the coding language associated with WordPress.In the last minutes before I start our big meeting bloc, I spend a few minutes every morning checking in on our social media platforms like Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. This ends up being one the most fulfilling aspects of my day, since the Skillcrush community is so active, funny, and supportive. Getting to celebrate goals with students, check out the work theyre posting, and laugh at the latest corgi gif being passed around is a pretty perfect way to start the day.1100 a.m.100 p.m.The Marketing Team works across several time zones, and 11 a.m. is our sweet spot for daily check-ins, planning, weekly reviews, and the hottest gossip about everything from goat yoga to paragliding. We use Google Hangouts to connect with each other, as well as the chat program HipChat to talk throughout the day. Though it was weird only connecting on video at first, I now absolutely love t he balance between facetime and digital chatting. Having focused meeting time makes it easier to concentrate on hitting goals, and makes my workday way more efficientand we use this time for my favorite thing SCRUM Every day we have a 15 minute daily check in where we provide updates, resolve blockers, or ask for support, and then we either have a planning session for our next sprint, a presentation of the sprint thats just ended, or a review of how we think the sprint went. Theres also one-on-one meetings with my boss or worksessions with other coworkers where we collaborate on projects.100 p.m.200 p.m.Lunchtime Stepping away from the computer for a bit helps me to refocus after a block of meetings, so I try to force myself to take this break. It can be tempting to just keep going, but I need the down time so that I can shift into writing or editingwhich for me requires more uninterrupted concentration.Since I have chronic back pain and often have trouble sitting for long periods, I also use my lunch break to do yoga or go to a class at a local studio around the corner from my apartment. I feel super strongly about how the flexibility of remote work helps me to accommodate my physical needswhich change day to dayand have often been difficult to work around at other jobs. Although this daily exercise may seem insignificant, it has radically improved my physical and mental well-being.300 p.m.500 p.m.The second half of my day is reserved for writing and editing, since its usually not as meeting-filled as the morning. I start by checking in with the Editorial team about what stories were working on, what stage my teammates are in, and what we need to plan for in the coming weeks. Then its knocking out edits, fact checking, telling our writers what changes I need from their articles, marking the stories as done and ready to be built in WordPress the following morning. I also write a fair amount of articles for the site, so that means researching, interviewing expe rts, and thenof coursethe actual writing. My favorite editorial task is interviewing Skillcrushersboth current students and alumnifor articles we run about learning to code, remote life, or their winding career paths. Ive picked up so many new tips and tricks just from having to do research for this position, everything from how to timebox my day like a pro, to the smartest ways to gain clients as a freelancer.600 p.m.1000 p.m.After work I like to cook dinner, look at my personal and creative to-do lists, and start knocking some things out before I have to hit the hay. In a perfect world I get to roll into bed around ten, read for a bit, and the turn out the lights. But living in Brooklyn, there always seem to be events, creative meet-ups, dinners, or other fun things to attend, that often keep me out laterwhat a great problem to have Depending on what kinds of artistic projects Im working on that are most pressing, Ill look for events that sound like theyll help me network or will add to my skill set. Often, Im working on deadline and am stuck drawing or editing right up till bedtime, but the satisfaction of finishing something I love is totally worth the late nights. And, having a packed schedule forces me to be more conscious of my time and more organized at the beginning of every day. So whether Im logging in from my house or the highway, I know what I need to do and how long it should take me. In another seven months, Ill be moving onto new coding languages, video calling in from even crazier places, and still touting the magic of SCRUMwatch out. One of the biggest challenges in almost all industries today is achieving gender parity. Gender diversity provides huge benefits in the workplace. pWhile some industries have made significant advancements in gender diversity, some industries lag further behind... and the construction industry is well-known for being in the latter category. If someone says, construction workers, youll likely picture a group of men in yellow hard hats analyzing an architects plans or laying bricks on top of a scaffold. And men at work signs only help to reinforce this image.pThis stereotype is rooted in reality. When was the last time you actually spotted a woman on a construction site? Or hired a female plumber or carpenter? Your answer is most likely never. In fact, the Bureau of Labor Statisticsreports that only 3.4% of the total of 8.3 million construction employees are women.pBut the construction industry has a lot more to offer than steel-toed boots and hard hats, and it needs women to help advance the industry in this era of rapid change. Here are 5 reasons why women joining the workforce or looking to make a pivot should consider a career in construction.h21. Fuel Innovation/h2pNot only is diversity the socially and morally right thing to do, but it is also actually an excellent business strategy. pResearch presented in the Harvard Business Reviewshows that diverse teams develop more innovative ideas. This is further supported by a study conducted by Gallupon the performance of gender-diverse teams versus single-gender teams, which found that the difference in backgrounds and perspectives led to better business performance and problem-solving. h22. Capitalize on Demand/h2pThe construction industry is currently experiencing a labor shortage. The industry itself is booming and projected to be one of the fastest-growing industries, with total spending projected to exceed $1.45 trillion in 2023/a. However, most construction companies are unable to meet the rising demand. pAccording to the Associated General Contractors of America/a, more than 80% of contractors are experiencing difficulties filling hourly craft positions that represent the bulk of the construction workforce.pAnd demand isnt limited to individual contributor roles. Given the industry boom, there are a number of open stable and high-paying roles (any project managers out th ere?) waiting for the right candidateh23. Leadership Opportunities/h2pAccording to the Bureau of Labor Statistics/a, women compose only 7.7% of the total 1 million managerial positions in construction.br/pBut given the highly collaborative nature of construction work, more women in leadership roles would help drive innovation and enhance productivity.Furthermore, as a woman in construction in a leadership position, youd have the unique opportunity to drive change for the industry and make it a more attractive vorkaufsrecht for other women.h24. High-Income Potential/h2pSalaries for many skilled positions in construction are on the rise, making a construction career a prime choice for women looking for a high-paying job,pThe 2018 Construction Craft Salary Surveyconducted by the National Center for Construction Education and Research revealed that salaries for many skilled craft areas are increasing. Project managers and project supervisors topped the list at $92,523 and $88,355, respe ctively. The next set of highest-paying jobs include those of combo welders ($71,067), instrumentation technicians ($70,080), pipe welders ($69,222), power line workers ($68,262) and industrial electricians ($67,269). Of the 32 categories of workers in the survey, 19 positions earned an average salary of $60,000 or higher.h25. Sense of accomplishment/h2p The construction industry can give employees a unique sense of achievement. Yes, the job is stressful and the work can be demanding, but nothing beats the feeling of being able to build something from the ground up. pHow many professionals in other industries can point at a school, a hospital, or a skyscraper and say I helped build that?pThe construction industry has a long way to go in combating gender bias and supporting women in the workforce, but given the current demand for workers, theres no better time to pick up a sledgehammer (figurative or literal) and smash the gender stereotypes plaguing the construction industry.