The first time I heard the phrase “tech money is like blood money”, it was from a friend who I had told I started a career in tech. It was a funny phrase which also holds some truth because some people make a lot of money as Techies. Although this is the case for some people, for others, it's pretty much like they're just trying to get by. It is also plausible that some folks live unsatisfied lives despite the income they make. For a newbie, it's important to know that making significant progress in tech takes a lot of time, dedication and commitment. It could also impact every other aspect of your life in ways you do not wish for. And the “blood” in that starting phrase, it isn't someone else's but yours.
Here are 5 Reasons tech isn't as easy as they make it seem;
Indecision about What Specific Path to Stick with
As someone who's thinking of or just entering tech, your biggest challenge could be deciding what career to actually stick with. Whether it's data science, Artificial intelligence, programming, product management and marketing, etc., this is something you should give much thought to. For some people, they already know what they'd rather play around with based on their strengths and weaknesses. However, there are others who would like to try several paths before making a decision. For the latter, this can be really challenging because you might not be sure how much time you need to devote to a path before trying out something else. This can be telling on you because it would come across as you've wasted time and effort every time you change. In this case, it's good to develop tough skin and keep going whether you're changing or sticking to a skill. Whatever it is your decision is, have a mindset of “I'm in it to give my best”.
You Don't Master the Skills in 3 Months
There are various tech careers and these paths require different timeframes to master and that's due to the nature of each. For instance, you can make significant progress in product management in a few months as opposed to programming. You might be interested in programming but just as some people have more strength than others in learning new spoken languages, it could take you years of constant usage to master a particular programming language. So when you see a 3-week boot camp or a 3-months training in programming, just know you're not there to master that skill at that time you're on the training. I'm saying this so you don't end up getting disappointed and blaming yourself or the trainer.
First Good Pay Doesn't Come Until a Few Years
Yes, tech skills are in high demand and they come with fat remuneration. In many cases, however, the latter doesn't always hold true. Many companies who require the skills of techies cannot afford to pay them the average amount their skills are worth and in most of these cases, they would want you to handle tasks that should be done by several people. The mistake techies make, especially those just starting out, is that they always have high expectations for every tech role they see. It's advisable to do a background check on the company before accepting any offer. But you should also know that for most starters, the pay from your first roles would not mostly be great. Don't let that deter you. Have expectations, start somewhere but don't let anyone common the work that you do.
Yes, tech skills are in high demand and they come with fat remuneration. In many cases, however, the latter doesn’t always hold true.
Time is Traded for High Pay
For many really high-income earners, they almost never have time to do anything else that might be of interest to them since they have to devote their time to work. Even with the work time indicated, they'd understand that tasks would still extend into their non-work hours. For tech skills, because you can't know all there is to know, there's a need for constant research on how to scale a particular phase in a given task. The breakthrough might not even come during work hours so you'd constantly need to be in a state of work even when you're supposed to be closed for the day. Trading of time for high pay should be an ideal scenario but that's not usually the case as some people still devote a larger share of their time to work with a disproportionate compensation in return. The only consolation here is the skills you build but you still need money to survive, right?
Don't Compare Your Progress with That of Others
It is very important to understand that everyone has different paths. The fact that two people have the same skills doesn't mean they have the same life. Therefore, comparing where you're at with someone else's doesn't always end well. You take up traits that you do not want along the line. For instance, from a space like LinkedIn where professionals share their experiences unreservedly, you can begin beating yourself up for not achieving what they have or getting envious of their success. Success doesn't always mean the same thing for all people. Also, you don't always get the whole story of how people get where they are. So define what would be a success for you at the phase you are at, develop a strategy towards achieving it and diligently follow it. There's no need to be angry at yourself or jealous of someone else. A social media fast is recommended every now and then.
With all that has been said, techies are amazing and they are the building block of the digital age. Without techies, there'd be retrogressing advancements. However, before you venture into any endeavour as demanding as a tech career, make sure you're resolute. If along the line you feel you need a break, that's very much okay too. Many times, you'd feel like you're probably on the wrong path, that might just be the time to take a break, talk to someone, get in a community, and get back when you feel quite relieved. Break down success, define what it is to you at every phase of your life and run with that understanding. You'd be fine. Always remember, tech isn’t a get-rich-quick scheme. You need to put in the work to get results and that work is great work.
