Breaking into the tech industry can be both exciting and overwhelming. As someone who has navigated this journey, I know firsthand the challenges of starting from scratch and finding your path in a fast-paced, often exclusive industry. With the right support systems, strategies and mindset, you can build a successful and fulfilling career in tech.
5 Tips for Young Tech Professionals
- Pursue and immerse yourself in community.
- Seek inspiration and advice from others who have paved the way.
- Learn new skills that could come in handy later in your career.
- Let failure teach you to be resilient.
- Align the company you work at with your values — not the other way around.
Find Your Communities
While attending Broward College, I participated in a hackathon organized by Code2040, and that event changed everything for me. I realized the power of tech to create solutions for underrepresented communities and understood the impact my own background could bring to the industry. Code2040 connected me with a community and mentors and showed me that I belonged in tech and that my contributions were valuable.
I later joined Hack.Diversity and NSBE, aka National Society of Black Engineers. Being surrounded by Black and Brown professionals with similar goals of success and perseverance created a powerful sense of camaraderie. Seeing my peers excel inspired me to do the same, and the cohorts before us acted as beacons, showing us what was possible and where we could go.
These programs prepared me technically and equipped me with the tools to navigate the less tangible aspects of being Black in tech, like dealing with microaggressions or feeling like you have to prove your worth in spaces where you’re often the only one who looks like you.
This preparation was invaluable when I started at Snap Inc., where I secured an internship and later signed on full time. There, I began making an impact as an engineer and later led initiatives to improve the product for underrepresented communities — efforts that ultimately made the product better for everyone.
Set Career Plans With Buoys
In the often unpredictable journey of building a career in tech, you need specific role models and goals that act as buoys: guiding markers that help you stay focused. These buoys represent people or milestones that reflect where you want to go, whether it’s mastering a technical skill, landing a specific job or even leading a team.
Some of the most impactful buoys for me were the ones closest to my own experience. These were peers who were just a year or two ahead of me in their careers. Their proximity to my own challenges made their success feel achievable, and the advice they shared was immediately applicable.
Then there were the more distant buoys: people further along in their careers who provided a roadmap for where I wanted to go. Tammarrian Rogers, director of engineering at Snap Inc., was one of those figures. She served as both a mentor and an inspiration, embodying the leadership and technical expertise I aspired to attain.
But don’t just observe buoys from a distance. Reach out.
That’s exactly what I did with Evan Spiegel, the chief executive officer of Snap Inc., when I was an intern. Although not a direct mentor, his journey as a young founder was something I looked up to. As an intern, I DM’d Evan via HipChat (before we used Slack) to pick his brain about an app I was building. He set up a meeting and his advice proved invaluable for future projects I’d go on to lead. His success reminded me that age doesn’t limit impact, a lesson that stuck with me when I later pitched Inclusive Camera to him.
Don’t hesitate to ask for guidance and advice from those who have paved the way. By connecting with your buoys and applying their insights, you’ll be better equipped to make meaningful progress toward your goals, no matter how far or close those goals may seem.
Treasure Your Time to Learn, Learn, Learn
If I could give my younger self one piece of advice, it would be to cherish the time you have to learn. Early in your career, you have the freedom to make mistakes, experiment and dive deep into learning without the pressure of high-stakes projects or deadlines.
Looking back, I wish I had made more time to master topics like machine learning and product design. They turned out to be essential in the areas I eventually worked in. While I gained understanding and experience on the job, the lack of early exploration meant I had to be more selective and strategic in learning these skills later. Learning became more about understanding the concepts quickly and applying them with a clear goal in mind, often under pressure.
If you’re just starting out, seize every opportunity to learn. Go beyond your daily tasks. Explore new programming languages, attend meetups and dive into topics that may not seem immediately relevant but could be critical in the future.
The skills and knowledge you gain now, without the high stakes of job performance, will equip you to handle complex challenges later. Treat every day as an opportunity to grow, because the work you put in today will shape the future leader you become.
Learn to Fail Fast — With Intention
One of the most important lessons I’ve learned in my tech career is the value of learning to fail fast. When I was at Snap Inc., innovation was fast-paced and mistakes were inevitable. Instead of seeing failure as a setback, however, we viewed it as an opportunity for rapid iteration. This mindset allowed us to improve quickly and efficiently.
Failing fast is not about being reckless. It’s about recognizing when something isn’t working and adjusting course without delay. In tech, this could mean anything from writing a bad line of code to pitching an idea that doesn’t resonate with stakeholders. The faster you learn from those experiences, the quicker you’ll progress.
Learning to fail fast is about more than just speed; it’s about growing thoughtfully. Resources are limited — whether it’s time, budget or opportunities for experimentation — and the places you work will expect you to grow quickly. Learn to assess your mistakes, extract the lessons and apply them strategically.
This skill is one of the most valuable things you can develop as an engineer, product manager or overall innovator. Understanding how to course-correct, when to pivot and how to optimize your learning process will set you apart. The faster you can turn failure into progress, the more effective you’ll be both for yourself and your team.
Be Steadfast in Your Values When Job Searching
When I was deciding where to work full time after graduating, I was torn between two appealing opportunities: Snap Inc. and another company. Unsure of which path to take, I reached out to Tammarrian for guidance.
She asked me one simple but powerful question: “What are your values?” That question shifted everything. I took the time to list out what mattered most to me: impactful work, holding diversity and inclusion dear and having a clear path of growth within a company.
Snap Inc. aligned closely with these values, making the decision obvious. I learned that you should never compromise your values, especially early in your career. The companies you work for will shape your growth, so choose organizations that both align with your professional goals and support who you are as a person.
Setting clear boundaries and understanding what you will and won’t tolerate in a workplace is equally important. Your values should be non-negotiable because, in the long run, they’ll guide your success and fulfillment in any role.
As you embark on your tech career, remember that your values will guide you, your community will support you and your ability to grow from failure will be your greatest strength. Stay curious, stay open and take every opportunity to learn, grow and lead with intention.
