5 tech career tips I wish I'd heard as a first-generation college graduate

When I started my first full-time job after college, I was scared. I was shy, and I’d just moved across the country from Kentucky to Seattle. As a first-generation college graduate, I had no network, no mentor, nothing but a couple of internships under my belt, and a vague sense of where I wanted to go in my career. 

I landed my first job as a public relations manager for a small tech startup in downtown Seattle. I learned a lot in my two years there, but I also made mistakes. I’ll turn 30 this summer with a portfolio I’m proud of, a strong network of peers and friends, and a clear picture of the road ahead. Here’s the career advice I’d give to my 24-year-old self and any other recent grads trying to figure out their next steps.

Tip #1: Negotiate

I got the call just an hour after leaving my interview. “We want to offer you the job before someone else scoops you up,” the manager said. He mentioned a number that was “the highest we can go,” and I enthusiastically accepted. It was a decent salary for my experience level back then, but today I cringe because it didn’t even occur to me to negotiate.

Instantly jumping on that first offer hurt my negotiating power later on when I had more experience and more responsibility at the company. That starting salary became the basis for all future pay discussions. 

Even if they didn’t agree to a higher starting salary, it would have been a good experience for me to ask for it. I missed a valuable chance to advocate for my future self. As they say, if you don’t ask, the answer will always be no. 

Tip #2: Build a network outside of your team.

The startup I joined was small. I don’t think we ever had more than eight people in the office at a time. I liked working with a lean team, but I wasn’t growing my network very much. Living in Seattle, there were networking opportunities all around me. I was still shy, though, and as a writer, I didn’t feel like I had much to offer at tech industry events.

I couldn’t have been more wrong. I had lots of value to share: marketing skills, encouragement, friendship, or even just connecting folks with other folks. Today I’m much more outspoken. I have a robust and growing network of friends, peers, and mentors, but sometimes I wonder how many valuable experiences I missed out on because of fear.

I’d love to tell younger me to join a LinkedIn group for women in tech or to attend an industry meetup just to get comfortable socializing.

Tip #3: Make friends with the women around you.

On my first day of work, I convinced myself that the woman sitting next to me didn’t like me. She was kind and welcoming, but my fear of rejection kept me from even trying to get to know her until months later, when she noticed me struggling with something personal. She made a point to check in with me, and we shared a vulnerable moment that meant the world to me. From then on, I had a friend at work who often went out of her way to advocate for my career growth. 

Even on our small team, there were several kind and supportive women I should have connected with sooner. Thankfully, I eventually did, and we still talk today. That experience helped me build confidence and address my negative self-talk. It was the last time I let my insecurities prevent me from making friends.

Tip #4: Take your vacation time.

I grew up with a scarcity mindset. Sometimes I still struggle to feel like I’m working hard enough, making enough money, learning enough new skills, and so on. I’m getting better about it, but five years ago-- not so much. Since I worked at a shiny tech startup, we had the ultimate perk: unlimited paid vacation. Guess how much time I took off in the two+ years I worked for that company. Go ahead, guess.

A week and a half, and I felt guilty the entire time I was gone.

Others on our team took weeks of vacation every year, and it always turned out okay. They came back feeling refreshed and ready to work. Take your vacation time, friends. It isn’t selfish, and you need to recharge.

Tip #5: You don’t have to be a software developer to belong in the tech industry.

For some reason, I felt like, as a writer, I could never truly belong in the tech industry (yes, even though I already worked for a tech company). Now I realize how silly that was. It takes all types of skills to make a tech company successful. 

Now that I have years of experience writing content for tech companies of all sizes, I can laugh about that misconception. But I hope young content writers interested in tech realize that the industry needs them too!

I’m thankful for my first tech job, the friends I made there, and the lessons I learned along the way. What’s one lesson you learned from your first full-time job?