I Work in Sales. Is It Possible for Me to Transition to Tech?

This is an entry in our series of FAQ articles in which we answer questions from the community. We’ve changed the names for the sake of privacy, but the things they asked haven’t been touched. So―fake names, real questions. To ask us a question, just fill in the form in our newsletter. Subscribe for the newsletter today!

Eric’s question:
Hi, TripleTen. After working as a sales agent for three years, I was recently promoted to manager. But the thing is, I’ve been thinking about starting a career in tech for some time. Do you think it’s possible for someone like me to break into tech? I only have limited technical knowledge. What skills do I need to get a tech job? Can people from sales succeed in tech?

Our answer:

First off, we should say that tech is open to all, regardless of age, gender, or background. This is what we at TripleTen believe, and it’s what our graduates have proven over and over again.

TripleTen’s bootcamps are designed for everyone, including absolute beginners. People from all walks of life have studied with us to reskill and reboot their careers. Many of them had doubts in the beginning. But let us assure you, there are many qualities that you already have that will help you succeed in a tech career. 

For example, the soft skills that you honed over your years in sales are also in demand in tech. As for hard skills, you can master them in a few months. That’s where TripleTen comes in.

What you already have that will help you succeed in tech 

Even if you don’t use a computer to make a living, by working in sales, you probably have gained a wealth of soft skills_{Can My Liberal Arts Degree Get Me a Job in Tech?} that will come in handy as you transition to tech. Here are some:

• Communication skills. Those who work in sales often have excellent verbal and written communication skills. In their work, they often speak with dozens of people a day. In tech, you’re also expected to be able to listen actively and convey your ideas clearly — even if you freelance from home as an app developer. And if you work for a company, you’ll be part of a team in which communication is key to getting projects done quickly and efficiently.
• Problem-solving skills. In sales, a big part of the job is about facing all sorts of challenges, from understanding the customers’ needs to addressing their concerns to offering tailored solutions. As a tech specialist, you’ll encounter obstacles such as debugging, rewriting your code, or collecting and analyzing tons of raw data to present meaningful insights. In the end, this all boils down to the same thing: finding the right answers to your client’s needs.
• Product knowledge. In order to sell something, you must know the ins and outs of your product. The same is true in tech, where you need to fully understand what you are building to eventually create a high-quality end product. Having in-depth knowledge also helps you explain your findings and plans more clearly to your colleagues, managers, and stakeholders.
• Time management. This skill is crucial in many industries, including both sales and tech. Prioritizing your tasks and focusing on the ones that will get the job at hand done faster is a sure way to succeed. Plus, in tech, you’ll be working on a tight schedule most of the time. As someone experienced in sales, you already have the skills you need to tackle this with ease.
• Resilience and flexibility. Setbacks are something that salespeople and the tech crowd should be accustomed to. You might not get the result you were hoping for in your first attempt. But in both sales and tech, you need to bounce back, learn from your failures, and try to turn obstacles into opportunities.

What about hard skills?

The tools and hard skills_{Becoming a Front-End Engineer} needed to start a successful tech career really depend on your chosen speciality. Often, people think the first step is mastering a coding language. And it’s not a bad instinct; unless your profession is no-code, it’s usually worthwhile to know at least one programming language. This is especially true for jobs in software engineering and data science, as coding is crucial to the work you’ll end up doing day-to-day. But no-code roles are out there — in quality assurance and business intelligence analytics, for example.

Next, there are certain tools and frameworks that make your job just a bit easier and help you work in a tech team. This includes version control systems like Git, or data visualization tools like Tableau. And we can teach you how to use them as well. All our bootcamps cover the most in-demand tools used by tech companies worldwide. In fact, our curriculum is open source, so you can look up job postings for the roles you’d like and compare their requirements with what’s taught in our program. 

After less than a year of intensive studies, you will have all the necessary hard skills to pass a technical interview and get hired. Our interactive platform_{A Guide to TripleTen’s Unique Learning Platform} with code review_{TripleTen Code Reviews: Why, Who, How?} and instant feedback is an affordable and engaging way to practice your skills.

What are the chances of getting a job in tech? 

At TripleTen, only 13% of students have a background in STEM, that is, science, technology, engineering, and math. The rest are non-tech people—from former bartenders to sales reps to philosophers—who wanted more out of life and launched a lucrative new career.  

For more data: 87% of our students get a job in tech within six months of graduation and start earning a median yearly salary of $75,750. This means that, as long as you are interested in learning a new profession, you can absolutely go for it—even with zero previous knowledge or experience in this industry.  

Within months, you can become a software tester or a full-stack developer. But probably, as a salesperson, you might be most interested in trying your hand at business intelligence analytics. It’s one of the easiest and fastest ways to get a foot in the door — you don’t need to learn any coding at all to work as a BI developer or business analyst. As a BI analyst, you’ll process loads of corporate data before presenting your insights to managers to help them see how their company is performing.

Then again, with almost all avenues into tech being accessible to newcomers, it’s up to you to decide on which path to take. And if you find yourself in doubt about what profession is for you, take our quick career quiz to help you better understand your strengths and inclinations.

What if you want to merge sales and tech?

Being a salesperson, you might think that the tech industry is too remote from what you do in your current role. However, tech specialists work in sales, too. For example, business intelligence analysts help companies operate more effectively and boost their revenues. They analyze both historical and real-time sales data to create actionable advice tailored to the needs of their company.

Plus, so much shopping is done online these days that very few retailers manage to operate without a webshop. And it’s web and app developers who build all those e-commerce sites that make it possible to buy everything, or almost everything, in just a few clicks or taps.

Your knowledge of sales funnels, customer psychology, and buying habits will contribute to an advanced understanding of the needs of your future employer. When hiring for technical roles, many companies value domain expertise and past experience, even if it comes from positions outside of tech. Our career coaches advise that you look into companies_{How to Choose the Right Company in Tech} that will value your past experience. So yes, there is plenty of opportunity to combine sales knowledge with new tech know-how. The skills you gain at TripleTen will just make your future in sales even more assured.

Close the deal

At TripleTen, we know from experience that people of all trades, including sales, can become in-demand tech specialists. Our practical curriculum, supportive community, and career prep course have helped hundreds to break into tech. If you, too, want to launch a new career check out our courses and start learning now.