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Information technology is a fast-growing industry and brings with it a vast number of

career opportunities and options when it comes to jobs. However, like any other career, getting

your foot in the door is not as simple as just getting a degree or having the necessary skills. I

watched three Ted Talks about this very subject which gave insight and some tips for how to

approach the professional world of information technology.

The first video I watched was “Looking for a job? Highlight your ability, not your

experience” by Jason Shen which is aimed at shifting your mentality about the hiring process,

job searching and talent. This video explains that currently many companies and businesses hire

based off experience, but in an advancing world especially when it comes to technology, we must

shift our approach if we want to break into the industry. Shen explains that while many

companies still use this old-fashioned approach, we must look at the bigger picture in ourselves

and the field and cites his experience in getting hired for his first big job opportunity. He changed

from trying to show he had the experience to showing his ability as he designed a website and

used it to explain how he believed their business could be improved and through this effort he

got the job. After watching this video, I now see that putting in the extra effort and showcasing

excellent ability are bound to get attention from employers.

The second video presentation I watched was “Computer Science is for everyone” by

Hadi Partovi, which describes that Computer science and technology is filled with opportunity

and not just in the computer sense but in many other aspects of the world. Technology is being

implemented into health, entertainment, transportation, etc. This creates so much variety and

allows us to be able to find technology careers in areas where we are passionate. Not only is

computer science the future but computer science is open to anyone and there are endless

possibilities for careers in this field.

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The last video I watched was “Belonging in technology – what I learned from Steve jobs”

by Andrew B. Williams. Williams speaks about how people tend to have a close-minded view on

what technology-based careers are, where only geniuses and master computer scientist belong.

Williams shows through describing his own journey that there is a place for all sorts of people in

technology, and that creativity and passion are just as important as good math skills and

experience. I gained a new perspective for my future career from this video, I may not be what

every company is looking for, but I have skills and traits that can help the right company.

After watching the presentations, I have changed my view because job searches aren’t as

one sided as I thought, where we tend to think we must earn a job at the best company and do

only what they are looking for. Instead, we need to look for the right place, where we are

passionate about the work, where our skills are needed, and where we are given a chance to show

what we can bring to the table. Technology is a growing industry and while it can seem

overwhelming to attempt to find a place in it, we must change our view to find where we belong.
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References:

- Partovi, H. (2014, Dec). Computer Science is for everyone [Video]. TED.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FpMNs7H24X0

- Shen, J. (2018, Mar). Looking for a job? Highlight your ability, not your experience

[Video]. TED. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=guXxy8LH2QM

- Williams, A. (2014, Nov). Belonging in technology – what I learned from Steve Jobs

[Video]. TED. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xv544iQi1GE