7 Tech Jobs for Non-Techies
Technology is the future of every industry. But what if coding just isn’t your thing? Here are some jobs that are great stepping stones into the tech industry, even if you aren’t coding.
Have you ever witnessed a conversation between two coders and wondered if they were speaking a completely different language? Is your non-technical background keeping you from entering the world of technology? Jessey Roth, Talent Hacker at Logfire, says that the key to being non-technical in tech is to be willing to learn the absolute must-knows to do your job well, and to not be afraid of the rest. Check out these tech jobs that are open to those without a computer science background, but instead call for skills like creativity, effective communication and organization:
User Interface (UI) Design
User interface designers create and improve designs for websites, computers, and applications to make sure they are easily usable and understandable by the average user. Their job is to consider how the visuals of a website or an app could be improved to better serve the user, and to efficiently communicate that to programmers.
User Experience (UX)
Similar to user interface design, UX designers have a broader application. Rather than just focusing on the visual interface, you are looking at the entire subjective experience of the user. What’s the job like? You would be making decisions about which features and information are most important to the user, how to structure the product so that those are easily accessible, how to keep the product consistent throughout, and other similar concerns. Will probably involve conducting user testing (asking people to test out your design and interviewing them about the experience) is common, so good people skills are invaluable. Who’s a good fit? People who can empathize with the average customer and understand their experience.
Interaction Design (IxD)
Quite similar to both user interface and user experience design, interaction design is decidedly non-programming focused, emphasizing the human rather than the computer side of human-computer interaction. IxD designers focus heavily on behavior. Questions you’ll find yourself answering include: How do people interact with the technology they use? What are the themes? How do things change dynamically over time? What types of organizing systems best express these trends? If you’re a big-picture type of person with an interest in psychology, you might find yourself drawn to interaction design.
Information Architecture
Are you great at organizing?
Information architecture generally refers to how information is structured—how it is categorized, divided, and stored. In terms of websites, it means carefully considering each piece of information on the website and how it should be classified, which other pieces of information it should be grouped with, and how users should be able to access it. For example: should this event come up when users search “party,” or “carnival,” or both? Should it appear on the homepage, or only on the events page? How long should the post be available after the event is over? An intuitive understanding of websites and a love of organization are great for this job. The many hours you spent browsing the internet instead of doing your homework are now a marketable job skill!
Search Engine Optimization
Do you like seeing results?
Have you ever wondered how the first website that pops up on your google search got there? It’s called search engine optimization. This job involves staying informed on how search engines work (Google is always improving their strategy, which means SEOs need to keep up), what people usually search for, and the search terms they most often use. SEOs then adjust the content and HTML to increase the chances that a page(s) will show up higher in search results. Problem-solvers who enjoy seeing the tangible results, will enjoy this field. Basic knowledge of coding languages is a plus.
Project Management
Do you like managing results?
Project management isn’t necessarily tech-specific, but it is a vital part of the technology industry. They plan projects, delegate and assign tasks, follow up with team members, and make sure each team member has what they need to meet their deadlines. Remember group projects and how someone always seemed to end up in charge? If you were that person, project management might be the job for you.
Business/Research Analyst
Do you love research?
A business analyst’s job is to become an expert in a company’s target audience, or the market they operate in. Analyzing the market data, staying informed on trends, and then communicating the important information all affects how a product fares in the market. It involves a great deal of research, and learning everything there is to know about a product.
To view more non-technical careers jobs, please visit: The Mashable Job Board, which connects job seekers across the U.S. with unique career opportunities in technology.