I'm guessing you're new to the tech world. Desperately trying to understand the ins and outs, the first step to take, when to do what, and how to do it.
Discovering your interest
The first thing you should ask yourself is, "Who am I as a person? What are my interests? What are my skill sets? What am I naturally good at? What are my short and long terms goals within my career?” It’s important that you sit and answer these questions, ponder upon them and give specific honest answers to them. This is so you can identify what role best fit you in tech. The Tech-world has various careers, there’s; front end, backend, data, mobile developer, product designer, product manager, etc. Each one comprises of specific and different skill set, so you need to just go for what you want.
Search the basic requirement
YouTube is your best friend in the tech world. There are many videos of people who are already in the field you are interested in: basic tutorials, beginner tasks, expectations, tools and software you must have, books to see, podcasts to listen to, people to follow, and much more. But don’t stop there; read various articles and be sure that, based on what you have learned so far, this is the path for you. If you have doubts, search the other tracks you are interested in, and then you can compare. If you are still unsure or confused, contact The ADA Team and explain your concerns and interests; you will then be guided on what is best for you.
Organize your research and links to the things you believe to be helpful in a document. There are so many tools out there. You can use the basic Google Doc, Notion, Figjam, etc, The web is your playground, so discover tools that you can best use to keep track of your research and be accountable.
Try beginner tasks and others
As you begin the program, don’t hold back on improving yourself outside the class. “The best of you in tech are those who do not limit themselves to what they have been taught" (Aasiya, 2023). The second worst thing in tech is to be mediocre; the first is to believe tech is not for everyone. Learn to copy existing works, try simple tasks, challenge yourself outside your comfort zone, gather inspiration or coding tools online, and test your skills from time to time. Most importantly, pay attention to the resources shared by your facilitators; they contain key information that you will need in the future. If you want to create good work, you need to research like a pro, practice like a perfectionist, and learn like a beginner, because there’s always room to improve.
Don’t Limit your skills
Skills aren’t limited to coding and designing (hard skills). You also need to work on your soft skills, such as teamwork, confidence, communication skills, critical thinking, problem-solving, etc. Employers are looking for these skills, so don't rely solely on your talent to develop them. Learn to work with your track-mates in the program and build a relationship with them so you can learn from each other. Join online communities and find or join mentorships that can help you improve.
Build your Presence Online
Gradually, as you complete tasks, write about the challenges and share them on a website like Hashnode. Post the tasks you are proud of online and talk about them on Twitter, Instagram, or LinkedIn. Add it to your portfolio if you believe it is good enough. If you have a YouTube channel, talk about the process of creating it in a video, the resources you used, and what you would do differently. Sell yourself, be confident in your identity, and advertise yourself like fresh Coca-Cola (this relies on the fact that Coca-Cola advertisements make one desire it).
Learn to take risks and bet on yourself; you don’t know who's watching or just where you might land yourself. Of course, be smart in your decisions.
Conclusion
The first part of tech is investing in yourself by learning, learning, and then exploring. The second is selling yourself. There are times when you might question your intention, second guess yourself, or worse, look down on your ability. This is all part of the process, unfortunately; don’t let the inner voice win. Every time you finish a project, have it in your heart that you did your best.
Tech is really interesting and never boring; there's always something new out there being created or a model that is developed. Have fun with them and attempt to try other tracks too. Good luck on your journey!