5 Reasons to Make a Career Change Into Tech this Fall

January and February are two of the best months to look for jobs due to the likelihood of less competition, more open positions, and higher earning potential at the start of a new year. As such, fall is a great time to prepare for a career move by gaining new skills, especially if you’re considering making a career change into tech.

Technical roles offer an attractive option for professional advancement due to the high demand for skilled employees across the U.S., the availability of accelerated training programs, and the rapid growth of fields like machine learning and cloud computing.

Read on to learn five more reasons why you should make a career change into tech this fall to get ready for new-year job opportunities:

1. Improve Work-Life Balance

The top reason for wanting to change careers is better work-life balance, according to a survey by Flexjobs. Whether you’re looking to escape the 9-5 entirely or simply want more job autonomy, a career change to tech could be the solution.

Many tech professionals, such as web developers and software engineers, work for companies remotely from the comfort of their homes—or almost anywhere in the world! Alternatively, as you build new skills and experience, you may consider starting your own entrepreneurial or freelance venture and setting your own work hours.

2. Explore Personal Interests

The second reason to consider a career change is to pursue a role more aligned with your personal interests, strengths, and goals. For instance, if you’re an avid gamer, see what jobs gaming companies are hiring for and the required qualifications. Or, creatively think about how your gaming skills may transfer to a tech role and explore ways to leverage your natural interests into a fulfilling career.

3. Increase Earning Potential

Changing to a career in tech can be a daunting decision, but one that could pay major dividends in the long-run. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, tech areas like cybersecurity and data analytics are growing 4-6 times faster than other occupations.

With high demand typically comes higher pay—often in addition to increased autonomy and other attractive perks and benefits as companies look to meet this demand. For instance, entry-level cybersecurity professionals average a yearly salary of $73,629 (Glassdoor, 2023). You can also move into higher-paying roles as you gain more professional experience and your career progresses.

4. Pursue Career Growth Opportunities

It’s easy to feel stuck in your career if your organization, field, or industry provides a limited upward trajectory. Making a career change can pave the way for a more opportune future with greater earning and growth potential.

Tech roles, in particular, provide significant growth opportunities due to the demand for skilled workers in emerging sectors such as cloud computing and machine learning. The CompTIA State of the Tech Workforce report projected over 272,000 net new tech jobs in 2023, adding to the total of around 9.4 million U.S. tech jobs. It’s also important to note that more tech employers are hiring based on skills rather than formal educational background, thus lowering the barrier to entry for career changers.

5. Expand Your Professional Skill Set

With this increasing demand for tech skills, the fifth reason to change careers is to build your professional skill set. Developing unique, expansive skills creates your own personal niche of expertise—increasing your value to companies and boosting your career potential.

Shifting to a career in tech can allow you to build in-demand hard skills that expand upon your existing soft skills. For example, if you love to organize and have an eye for detail, you could become a proficient product manager or data scientist with additional tech skills training. Or perhaps you are creative and enjoy problem-solving, which could translate well into an IT or software engineering career.

Ready to Make Your Career Change Into Tech?

Career pivots can better align your work with your personal interests, financial goals, and professional aspirations. Plus, by moving into tech, you can make a difference—whether it’s keeping valuable cyber data safe, supporting technological advancements, or harnessing the power of AI for good.

Online tech bootcamps are a great option to close the gap between your existing skill set and the technical skills necessary to support a career change. Grace Hopper Program Tech Bootcamps provide immersive technical training and individual career support to help you succeed. For more tips, read our article on how to overcome barriers to a career change.