Tech industry is one of the most innovative industries in the corporate space. This explains why many people want to enter the industry. However, a good number of these people don’t have the flair for coding.
If you are interested in tech but not in coding, then you should explore any of these 20 skills that are equally as valuable, challenging, and lucrative as any tech skill out there. Let’s get right into it.
1. User eXperience Design (UX Design)
If you can conceptualise, iterate and execute ideas, then, this is the tech skill for you. Users experience designers shape the products and services we use everyday. They try to blend user’s desires with technical feasibility and business viability. Basically, they design the entire journey and interaction of users with an app or website
What UX designers primarily do include testing, iterating, developing content, analysing competitors, carrying out research on customer needs or behaviour, creating product structure and strategy, collaborating with developers and user interface designers, etc.
2. User eXperience Reseacher
A little known but lucrative tech skill. It’s a niche segment but a critical part of UX design. UX researchers target users, their requirements and the motivation behind their buying decisions.
They employ different methods to reveal exactly what users need and how to provide them with the best solutions. A background in Psychology will come in handy for this skill. Read more on UX Research here.
3. User Interface Design
Another pivotal part of user experience. User interface designers create interfaces in software or computerized devices which users find easy to use and pleasurable. They focus on making the user’s visual and navigation experience smooth, effortless and simple.
Rather than coding, they use tools like patterns, spacing, colours, fonts, animations, icons, scroll bars, and touch points to guide the user. UI designers try to inject some personality into their software, website, or computerized devices.
4. Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) Specialist
SEO specialist is a relatively young but lucrative career path. Apart from tech startups, every organisation that has a digital presence online requires an SEO specialist. The SEO specialist ensures a website ranks high to optimise them on major search engine.
This is the career choice for anyone who possesses a competitive streak, is interested in digital marketing, sales and digital marketing. They ensure the visibility and growth of site traffic, brand awareness and leads generation. SEO specialist tests, analyses, tweaks websites, conducts keyword research and leverage SEO tools (Google Analytics, Semrush, Ahrefs, etc) to ensure search results are relevant to their organisation’s content.
5. Data Analyst
One of the skills of the future of work. Data analysts collect, clean, analyse and interpret data to help inform effective business decisions. This is a skill that is valuable in different industries. They proffer solutions to business problems by gleaning insights and eliminating inefficiencies after studying data.
Some business problems they help managers and decision makers solve include which product to develop, what market to enter, which investment to make, what customers (demography) to target, which ad is most appropriate to use, etc.
6. Growth Hacker
Growth hacking is using low cost strategies to quickly scale up a startup. A growth hacker employs various cost efficient tools like referral rewards, rewards for using services, etc. In growth hacking, the singular metric which matters is rapid growth.
Growth hackers possess a combination of skills in product marketing, digital market, persuasive marketing, sprinkled with a little bit of product engineering knowledge. Although it’s also a new career path, it offers an opportunity if you want to break into tech.
7. Technical Writer
Technical writing could be the field for you if you enjoy writing, sharing, and explaining your ideas on paper. Technical writing can be defined as conveying your ideas, views, an instruction, explanation or suggestion in a logical and technical manner.
Technical writing has to do with press releases, reports, announcements, business proposals, product descriptions, press releases, white papers, user manuals etc. The skills required for a career in technical writing are excellent communication, storytelling, and a good grasp of English grammar.
8. Technical Recruiter
These are the human resource specialists of the tech industry. They are in charge of sourcing, shortlisting, screening, and recruiting top tech talents. They are also in charge of onboarding, employee relations and retention, compensation, learning and development, and other basic HR duties.
To succeed in a technical recruiting role, you need a combination of soft skills and technical knowledge. They include negotiation, analytical, organisational, critical thinking, interpersonal, ATS software proficiency, Microsoft office proficiency, etc.
9. Product Manager
This is one of the most lucrative professions around the globe. Here’s a description of what product managers do – they identify a customer need, aligns it with the business objective. Ideate and articulate a product that will meet that need, then, mobilises a team to turn that vision to reality while maximizing returns on investment.
Some of the things product managers do is talking to customers to identify their needs, strategic planning, documenting specific product features, data analysis, etc. Some of the requisite skills needed to thrive as product manager include empathy, communication, grit, ability to learn quickly, ruthless prioritization, etc.
10. Technical Project Manager
One of the less known skills in tech. A technical project manager plans, schedules, and manages IT related projects. They ensure the smooth running of complex IT or IT related projects, within a specific time frame and within a budget. To get this done, they brainstorm ideas, plan a project, schedule and designate projects, execute by collaborating with unit leaders, manage the different teams and budgets.
Some of the skills needed to perform excellently as a technical project manager are excellent organisation, communication, leadership, ability to motivate a team, negotiation, initiative, time management, problem solving, critical thinking and analytical skill.
11. Mobile Designer
This role could be a slight leap for you if you already possess design skills and are familiar with design tools like Photoshop. Mobile designers develop apps for mobile devices such as tablets or mobile phones. You can specialise in Android, iOS, or work on multiple platforms.
As a mobile designer, your job duties will involve developing fully functional apps, creating web application designs, testing and analysing apps to ensure they are user and mobile friendly. A knowledge of programming or coding is not necessary but can be useful.
12. Tech Journalism
Tech Journalism overlaps with technical writing, but it is slightly different. It is providing tech related news and events through audio, written and video content. Tech journalism involves reporting developments in the technology industry, tech culture, tech business, reviewing tech product features, reviewing startup laws and politics and giving technology tips.
To excel in a tech journalist role some of the skills you need include research skills, design skills, communication skills, writing skills, organisational skills, good grammar construction skills, and editing skills.
13. Technical Support
Although this skill requires a background in IT, it does not require coding. A technical support personnel helps in diagnosing and resolving customers technical issues. They troubleshoot, manage and maintain their organisation’s software and hardware problems.
Their responsibilities involve speaking directly to customers to discover their technical problems, following up with the customers till the problem is solved, providing customer feedback, repairing or replacing the necessary parts, diagnosing, resolving, and repairing faults, testing and evaluating new technologies, troubleshooting technical issues, etc.
14. Web Analytics Specialist
Web analytics specialist is for you if you are self-driven and have a competitive streak. They are also called web analysts or digital analysts. Digital analysts seek to improve user experience, convert more visitors into customers and increase page views by troubleshooting a website’s design using data analytics. They do a thorough analysis of their organisation’s website design in order to understand users and they can serve them better.
The activities that make up the working hours of Web analytics specialists include planning, developing, managing web and mobile campaigns, tracking channels, monitoring performance with channel managers, determining important KPIs, discovering and discussing customer experience with the marketing team, collaborating with the sales, marketing, and technical.
15. System Administrator
System Administrators rarely get spoken about today, but it is equally as valuable as any other role in any tech organisation. They ensure the smooth running of IT operations to optimise systems’ performance and prevent problems. Typically, they install, upgrade and monitor software and hardware. They need to be up to date with recent technological developments so as to deploy the latest tools for their organisation.
Their job duties include setting up computers, backing up files, creating firewalls, maintaining operating systems, security tools, web-servers, email, business applications, local and wide area network for both hardware and software, etc.
16. Software Quality Tester
If a software is created before it is released to the market, it is tested by quality assurance personnel. These quality assurance personnel are called Software quality testers or quality assurance testers. They examine and evaluate softwares to discover and eliminate glitches, bugs and other technical issues that will deter smooth user experience.
The things they do include designing test scenarios, executing software usability tests, evaluating test results on database, preparing reports on software testing carried out, interacting and getting feedback from customers to understand their requirements and expectations.
17. Information Architect
One of the less known tech skills which is both valuable and lucrative. An information architect facilitates positive user experience by organising and designing the information structure for websites and web applications in a user friendly manner. They ensure that the structure, interface, shapes, texts and all the tools used to create the sites are done with the target audience in mind.
A typical day in an information architect’s working hours will be spent finding areas of improvement in information architectural designs, formulating and creating informational designs, creating prototypes for informational architecture flows, working with the UX/UI team, making the organisation’s site interactive and user friendly, etc. Some of the skills required include copywriting, Adobe Photoshop proficiency, digital marketing, design, marketing, etc.
18. IT Business Analyst
This role is an overlap of knowledge in information technology and business administration. As an IT business analyst you will liaise between the business executives and IT to improve the quality of IT services after analysing business needs. You will provide businesses with technology solutions in a cost effective way. IT Business analysts provide data to inform business decisions.
Some of their duties include being the bridge between IT and business aspects of the organisation. Improving the quality of IT products and services, examining business needs, sourcing and executing new business technology, producing application development and implementation reports, etc.
19. SAP Consultants
SAP means systems, applications and products. SAP consultants help organisations to find the right software that suits their needs. They identify their clients’ business needs, design tailored made customized SAPs while smoothly integrating the solutions into existing IT infrastructure.
As an SAP consultant, you will consult with senior management to identify business needs, develop and deploy SAP solutions and evaluate the performance of the IT infrastructure. Some of your duties will include finding business needs, examining IT infrastructure, recommending improvements, developing and deploying SAP solutions, troubleshooting and resolving issues to optimise solutions, etc.
20. ERP Consultants
ERP (which means) enterprise resource planning is a suite of software organisations and corporations use in running their daily activities. The activities range from procurement, to compliance, supply chain operations, risk management, accounting, planning, financial reporting, data management, and so many others more.
ERP consultants create resource planning systems customized to the specific needs of each organisation. You’ll also manage the execution of these systems to ensure they are seamlessly integrated into the daily activities of the business.
Closing Thoughts
There are so many more non-coding job roles in tech which you can explore depending on the stage you are. Also, there are emerging jobs being created everyday as technology continues to disrupt and redefine the future of work. There are countless roles in cryptocurrency, AI, Web 3.0, NFT, etc.
So you don’t have to be daunted if you are interested in pursuing a career in tech and do not possess any coding skill. All you need is to find a role that aligns with your interest, strengths, and experience. If there’s a will there is a way.
