Entry-level roles within the tech industry

The tech industry is more accessible today than ever before. While many people used to believe one could only work in tech if they had a technical background, today we are seeing more professionals with a diverse range of backgrounds and levels of experience breaking into the industry. There are a few reasons for this massive exodus to tech. First, technology is growing at a rapid rate. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, occupations within the Computer and Information Technology industries are predicted to grow 13% over the next decade—far above the average rate.

Second, tech has expanded beyond the common internet and computer hardware segments that are associated with FAANG companies and into other industries. Tech now has many other sectors such as fintech, health-tech and edtech, which allow people from various backgrounds to apply their transferable skills to the industry. And last, many organizations within the tech industry are making a big push to become more diverse and inclusive. Google, for example, offers training and mentorships programs to give underrepresented communities the tools to break into the industry. Tesla, Apple and IBM are among the many companies that no longer require employees to have a college degree to join their teams.

So if you’re interested in working in the tech industry and seeing what the hype is about, know that there is space for you. In this guide, we have compiled a list of eight roles commonly seen at tech companies that require little to no previous experience in the industry.

8 entry-level tech jobs

1. Sales development representative

A sales development representative (SDR) is a critical hire needed for almost every organization. These professionals work within the sales team to prospect potential customers and make outbound calls that will help the organization continue to expand its revenue. This role is commonly available to newly grads, individuals without a college degree or anyone looking to switch careers.

If you’re a goal-driven worker, enjoy customer-facing roles and are interested in developing a career in sales, this role is for you.

2. Talent acquisition coordinator

Recruiting is a highly in-demand skill, moreso now than ever before. The changing labor market has made businesses place a greater value on the professionals that help them attract and retain top talent. Recruiting or talent acquisition coordinators work alongside recruiters and talent acquisition managers to guide potential candidates through the hiring funnel. They schedule interviews, prepare applicants throughout the interview process, draft and organize necessary paperwork and much more.

This is a great position if you pride yourself in being organized and a people-person, and hope to have a career in People and Culture.

3. Rotational program associate

A great opportunity for professional’s early in their career who may not know what field they want to enter is a rotational program. A rotational program is an employment strategy a company uses that allows its employees to move across different areas of the business, changing every few months. This enables these individuals to gain broader professional expertise and discover in which area their passion lies.

While this program is more traditionally seen in financial institutions, the tech industry has started to adopt the strategy. Yext offers an 18-month rotational program for professionals with one or more years of professional experience, and The Org recently launched its first rotational program for recent graduates.

4. Social media manager

Are you great at coming up with captions for instagram and viral video ideas for TikTok? If so, you could either have a great future as an influencer or social media manager. Social media managers are responsible for ideating and maintaining the social media presence of a brand. They create engaging copy that resonates with their target audience and increases engagement and traffic.

These professionals need to be creative, stay up to date on social media trends and have analytical skills to perform audit reports. While no specific degree is required, one should have proven experience crafting messaging for social media platforms.

5. UX designer

The User Experience (UX) designer is a great role for individuals who want to apply their creativity and artistic skill set to a technical career. UX designers are responsible for conceptualizing the visual aspects of technology and ensuring that everything the customer will see and interact with is user-friendly. They will collaborate both with customers and the technical team to better understand human behavior and consistently refine the brand’s interface.

Although this role should not require a technical degree, it will likely necessitate a certification in graphic design and certain technical tools.

6. Web developer

In simple terms, a web developer’s job is to create websites. However, like many software engineering or development roles, this professional’s duties will differ depending if they are a front-end, back-end or full-stack developer.

A back-end web developer is responsible for creating the website’s structure, writing code and refining any changes on the back-end. On the other hand, the front-end developer will work on the visual component of the website by adjusting the layout and graphics to create a better user interface. A full-stack developer is able to do both front-end and back-end development.

Although some technology companies do require a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science or something similar, many will accept coding bootcamp certifications. The most important skills to have for this position is familiarity with an organization's tech stack. Some of these tools include HTML, CSS, JavaScript/TypeScript and React.

7. Business analyst

If you have analytical skills, there are many roles within the tech industry that would be a great fit for you. One of those roles is a business analyst, which is responsible for analyzing large data sets to identify ways of increasing organizational efficiency. They gather information, evaluate current processes and bridge gaps between departments to make for a more cross-functional, streamlined company.

This role is great for those that enjoy understanding the ins and outs of a business and hope to pursue a career in business operations or growth.

8. Customer support specialist

As a customer or technical support specialist, you will have the unique opportunity to be an integral part of the business while becoming an expert of its technology. A customer or technical support specialist’s responsibilities usually include working closely with customers to assist and guide them through any technical difficulties or questions surrounding the product.

This person will work closely with the customer support and customer success teams to review and categorize customer inquiries, craft online support articles and offer excellent customer service. People who will succeed in this role will have excellent customer service and project management skills and have strong technical knowledge.

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