Hi Melissa,

Thanks for reaching out to Cancer and Careers! I will pass along your inquiry to one of our career coaches, but in the meantime I'd like to dig a little deeper into what you're thinking and provide some resources.

When you say you want out of the software development space, does that mean specifically that space or technology in general? Overall the lack of a college degree isn't necessarily a hinderance for the tech sphere, as experience is sometimes valued more than educational background. However, if you are looking for a complete career change, we have a ton of resources available to help you navigate what can sometimes feel trickier than it is. It's all about setting a plan for yourself, so that you don't get completely overwhelmed. First off, you need to narrow down what your interests are. This doesn't need to be a really formal process but rather, just brainstorm what you like to do, where your strengths lie and how you would want to apply them. For instance, in your software experience, you were likely working with a lot of data and technical information, so your analytical skills may be particularly strong. It would be a good idea, then, to look into what industries and positions would place a lot of value on a more analytical approach to work. Perhaps something in the research realm? Or the dissemination of data. Those are needs in every sector, not just tech. So first step is identify your strengths and then decide which ones you would like to use.

Next, begin looking at jobs and job descriptions. See what stands out to you, go through the responsibilities and the role requirements and see where there is overlap with what you have done and/or what you feel you have strengths that would transfer. Try to narrow down a few roles that stand out and explore the companies, see if you can have an informational interview with someone in a role you are interested in. What this does, is it gives you a sense of what's really involved in the roles, what the company is like in terms of expectations and workload, and from there you will be better equipped to situate yourself to be a good candidate. Additionally, networking is key when looking for work, and especially when considering a career change. Make sure to reach out to your network on LinkedIn and elsewhere. With that said, you are going ot want to make sure that your LinkedIn profile is updated and gives a clear picture of you as a professional. If you would like some tips and tools for creating an effective LinkedIn profile, check out the recording of our webinar on Building an Effective LinkedIn Profile. Networking is helpful as this will let others know you are looking and they may reach out should any appropriate roles arise, and help you to get a foot in the door.

Finally once you have a sense of what employers are looking for in terms of skills and experience, you can use this information to then update your resume (please feel free to submit your resume to our Resume Review Service) with the appropriate and relevant information for those roles. Think through how to tell your story. If you don’t have the exact experience they’re asking for, that’s fine! There is no one singularly perfect candidate. It’s about showing your potential. Draw parallels, describe scenarios that could translate into the work you’d like to do (i.e., problem solving, critical thinking, projects, etc.). Once you’ve got an updated resume and you begin applying for jobs, be sure to brush up on interviewing. We have a number of articles focused on best practices for interviewing that can be really helpful as you prepare. At CAC we encourage job seekers to practice, practice, practice. This means doing mock interviews with loved ones or former colleagues, to get used to the specific language you use and any particularly salient examples you plan to bring up.

Hopefully the above is a good starting point for some considerations and actions to take while you wait to hear from one of our career coaches. If you have any questions at all, please don’t hesitate to reach out to cancerandcareers@cew.org to set up a time to chat.

Warm regards,

Nicole Jarvis, LMSW

Assistant Director of Programs

Cancer and Careers

Hi Melissa,

Nicole asked me to weigh in as a professional career coach. Her advice to you is spot on so I will just add a few ideas. The first step is to do a thorough self evaluation of your existing skills and break them down into skills you are still interested in using, skills you don't want to use any longer, and even skills that you would like to develop.

I would also take a personality test such as MBTI (Myers Briggs) because each personality types prefer and gravitate to specific types of work.

And your interests such as music, art, crafts, sports, animals, etc. are important to think about because these can be incorporated into jobs.

Also are there industries that you are curious about? And, of course you should identify the tangible aspects of working that you need such as working remotely or hybrid, the amount of money you need to earn, benefits, etc.

And it's important to know what your core values are so that you identify work that fulfills these. 

There are many self-assessments available on-line or as you mentioned, you can hire a career coach who can help you through the self-assessment process.

if you want to learn more about your strengths, reach out to former colleagues or bosses who can share their observations of you.

Then as Nicole mentioned, looking at job postings and connecting with people who are working in jobs that seem interesting to you is the next step. 

Please write back if you have any additional questions!

Take care,

Julie