Being a programmer isn’t the only way into Tech, a guide for Latinx to break into the industry
We are living in the digital age, where access to information is like no other. For those of you who are curious about breaking into tech, I’d like to take away the mystery and give you some tips for getting into the field.
The truth is, tech companies are just like any other. Many of them are in the news often, and some have made investors very wealthy. One of the key factors allowing them to do so is that they’re leveraging digital technologies at a low cost that is easier to scale.
New companies are developing ideas that may impact our society with great implications. Especially for low-income Americans — primarily from communities of color.
Often, people with an established network of connections have a higher level of access to these jobs built on a system that is designed to be a school to office pipeline for those who already may come of privilege, power, and wealth. Therefore, the tech industry ends up skewing white and male.
We often think of tech employees to be Mark Zuckerberg clones and rarely do we see Brown or Black graduates holding positions throughout these organizations.
This results in major blind spots. We end up with technology that is not accounting for different skin tones (see google’s accidentally rasist algorithm) or technology that even considers the sociopolitical impact on low-income communities. This winds up shaping media through fake news and insensitive advertising campaigns. Bias is directly written into the code when diversity of people, socioeconomic status, and race is not present in an organization.
So we know that latinx staff is largely underrepresented in the tech space. Yet, we are one of the biggest demographics in the United States.
Many companies specifically work on reaching the Latinx consumer, but the products and services are by and large not built by people of the community. The outcomes can be devastating. Messaging can come off as tone-deaf, stereotypical, or even worse, appropriative.
So why aren’t there more Latinx folk in the tech industry?
It’s not for lack of want. Many of us have been surviving, navigating different spaces, and frankly didn’t have people to guide us into STEM fields. Lacking access to those points of entry, in addition to toxic and unwelcoming work environments, compound the issue.
Overall, there are many capable candidates yet many more people that don’t even realize the potential there is in tech simply because they lack resources.
Due to the lower overhead in producing a digital product, salaries tend to be higher, so for candidates of color who have grown up low-income, this has a huge impact on our financial independence, families, careers, and communities. It is a major way out of la pobreza.
So, I want to let you all know of the different areas that exist at tech companies you can be a part of, and while yes programming is one of them, it is not the only way in.
Businesses have many moving parts and that is not an exception for tech companies.
Yes, one can start a company with just an app and developers but there is more to a business than just the product. You do not need to be a programmer, computer scientist, or engineer to be in the tech industry. This is a necessary and important part but there are other roles that are needed.
If you’re at a startup the key ones most will start with our business development, strategy & operations, web development teams and often all folks wearing many hats. At larger companies, you will have many more specialized roles. The point here is there are many areas and roles available, these words may be scary-sounding but let me break it down a bit more in simple terms.
There are lots of people who study and go to university to get these specific roles. The beauty though of the tech industry it is more skills-based for the most part, after removing awkward biases one may encounter. The key is understanding your strengths and what these roles even mean all while building up your network, as an underrepresented individual joining organizations that get you will be key to your resiliency.
Overall, some roles are more external (client) facing meaning you will talk more to potential customers, existing customers, others are internally working alongside other teams in the company, and lastly more independent work. So whether you're an extrovert or introvert there is space for you.
Sales & Customer Service: These are the people in charge of making that cash money. They may be in charge of finding potential customers, reaching out to them, and essentially securing the bag. These are your people person. Most likely will be dining and winning over prospective clients, customers, sliding in the DMs/emails, building relationships with people to ensure they become a happy customer. For existing customers, they are the ones that are making sure clients are happy and profiting and ensures that clients have the newest products.
Roles Available: Sales Associate, Account Manager, Customer Success Manager
Strategy & Operations: This is what keeps the day to day running smoothly. Operations teams are in charge of putting out the fires that come up but also determining the best way to make sure there aren’t more fires in the future. They are the ones developing internal processes, building standard operating procedures, seeing all of the moving pieces and figuring out how do we all do less work while being strategic and intentional in what we do. Overall being more efficient across teams. Some people in operations specialize in one aspect or area at smaller companies that might handle all operations. They may interact with some clients but predominantly work with the teams internally ( I am biased and have had careers in both advertising/ media and digital operations . So personally, I think this is the backbone of organizations. Here is a deeper dive article).
Roles available: business operations manager, advertising operations coordinator, or digital operations strategist
Web/Mobile/App Developers: These are your programmers, they are the ones building the actual code for the software or apps. They are the ones that you probably think of when you hear Tech and often spending countless hours building a custom product. Often they work alongside product development and User Experience / User Interface (UI/UX)designers. They are able to work more independently usually than any other team.
Roles: Junior Web Developer, Software Developer, Mobile iOS Developer
Marketing: These are the teams that are thinking of creative ways to have you buy their company’s product, thinking of the best way to get your attention, reach you where you are ie: through advertising on social media, on your billboards, on the radio, or working with your favorite content creators and influencers. They’re the ones thinking of what is the best way to get a new customer and make them love our brand. They may interact more so with clients and potential customers for market research.
Roles: Brand Manager, Growth Marketer, Digital Marketing Manager
Product Development: this is the team that is developing what they are selling — the product which can be anything from service, software, to an app. They create new products to solve their client’s problems and can be modify existing ones as it fits with their company goals and customers.
Roles Available: Product Manager, Product Owner
Project Managers: They make sure things get done and everyone is on task. They are the ones responsible for assigning tasks to the right people, making sure that there are roadmaps in place. Essentially, they are the ones that are making sure the ship is being steered in the right direction.
Designers: These are the creative, the ones that make everything pretty and catch your eye. They are the ones behind the logos you see, the typeface used by companies. They work along with the marketing team usually as graphic designers or can work with the web developers as User Experience / User Interface (UI/UX) designers ensuring that apps and websites are easy for the user to navigate, colors are easy on your eyes and overall aligns with the company’s brand and aesthetics.
Roles: Graphic Designer, User Experience / User Interface Designer
Human Resources: They make sure that the employees are taken care of, they make sure that you have your insurance, you have your paperwork filled out, handle any complaints, ensure that the environment is not hostile and to be frank cover the company in case of any issues, and most importantly get paid. They may serve as recruiters, vetting and sourcing folk to fill roles at an organization. In all honestly most early-stage startups will not have an HR division.
Roles Available: Recruitment/ talent acquisition, People Ops, Chief Diversity Officer, HR generalist
Finance: This is the team in charge of the cash money, typically include planning, organizing, auditing, accounting for and controlling its company’s finances. They are the ones making sure that expenses are accounted for, that there are payroll, reimbursements and trying to make sure that the business does not get bankrupt. Might include your accountants, financial analysts,
If you’re at an early stage startup you will probably be a little bit of all of these wearing many hats — which can be great to about business overall. Now — the truth is you might be the first Latinx person at your company. You might be one of the only person of color on your team, you probably might face microaggressions, and I would be lying if I said it was easy. Know that you are not alone, there are many of us out here ready to offer support (come find us)
Remember you are there for a reason — you are paving the way.
You are learning and you will build knowing your ancestors are behind you. Once you get your foot in many others will come after you, bring more people to the table, and build for the younger version of you and for your community.
And as technology is exponentially evolving, together we will build a future that is better for all of us. A future that ensures that our community does not get left behind. We will learn, gain the skills then build our own.
