As the tech landscape continues to evolve, we asked 14 industry leaders, CEOs, and founders to share their perspectives on whether technology remains a good career path. From considering the individual goals and challenges of a tech career to exploring a career in the emerging dimensions in tech, these experts provide valuable insights to help you make an informed decision about your career in technology.
Consider individual goals and challenges
Whether technology is a good career path depends solely on the individual’s career goals. Technology offers individuals the chance to be advanced, innovative, and to experience the ever-changing industry. It allows for unending collaboration with other tech professionals who can share knowledge and experiences. The IT and cloud sectors, in particular, are growing rapidly and offer job security as well as potential career advancement opportunities.
That being said, technology comes with its own set of challenges. Many tech jobs require long hours in front of a computer, which can lead to mental and physical exhaustion. There is also the risk of being laid off due to automation—something which has been seen across many tech companies, especially during the pandemic. Some are due to the high cost of maintaining a skilled technology workforce.
—Boris Jabes, CEO, Census
New paths of learning and growth
Technology offers tremendous job opportunities in almost every field imaginable. From software engineering, game development, and cybersecurity to data science and AI, there’s an abundance of possibilities for those interested in tech careers.
The perks of being a technologist are plentiful—a high average salary, the chance to solve complex problems using cutting-edge tools and techniques, and chances for innovation on both individual and organizational levels. Plus, given that tech moves at such an accelerated pace, you can stay ahead of the curve with ever-evolving skill sets, often leading you down new paths of learning and growth.
That said, technology comes with its fair share of risk—namely in terms of job security because of layoffs or other changes within organizations. Also notable, we’re seeing increasing regulation globally around data protection as well as society’s need for responsible use with AI capabilities.
—Travis Lindemoen, managing director, Nexus IT group
Potential to work in underdeveloped areas
I believe it is vitally important for young people to run headfirst into tech, especially for those from underdeveloped areas like in Brazil and Africa. AI is about to open up so many amazing opportunities that they would not have maybe had access to or were priced out of before. I think AI is the great equalizer.
Tech and AI have excellent potential to create jobs across multiple industries at an unprecedented rate that we have yet to witness since the start of the internet. With AI, we are seeing new tech being created every single day, all while creating more job opportunities in related fields such as programming and software engineering.
Developing nations like Brazil and Africa stand to benefit from advancements made with AI since it can help them leapfrog over traditional development processes that often take much longer than necessary due to the lack of resources or infrastructure challenges faced by local governments. All you need is a mobile and a keen sense of curiosity.
—Bernardo Castro, founder, Bybrand
Opportunities in nontech industries
There was a time when the distinction between technology businesses and other businesses was fairly clear. Somewhere around 2013, that distinction started to blur, and it continues to this day.
Utilizing technology to increase efficiency and market share is now part of the explicit strategy of every company that plans to exist for the next decade. A large number of recent tech layoffs were absorbed into other industries, where up until recently it was very difficult to hire skilled tech employees. Salaries may correct in the short term, but the skills will be in high demand.
—Trevor Ewen, COO, QBench
Low unemployment and high pay
Technology jobs don’t just mean working at Google, Facebook, or Twitter; that’s just media headlines and sound bites. In the U.S., technology jobs had a 1.5% unemployment rate, and that’s after all the hundreds of thousands of layoffs in 2022. In February 2022, that number jumped to 2.2%, but it’s nowhere close to other industries.
Tech jobs typically pay more than other industries. Yes, there are layoffs, like in any industry, and jobs at startups come with more risks versus more mature companies.
Will AI threaten some professional-level jobs, in and out of technology companies? Absolutely. If I need to write a press release or article, generative AI will become a common go-to tool for ideation, research, etc. It won’t be perfect, but with human review and grammar-checking applications, I’ll save a lot of time and can focus on the final 20% of the article.
—Jonathan Duarte, founder and CEO, GoHire
Combine tech skills with emotional intelligence
There may be a temporary disruption to technology as the workforce adjusts to the potential of AI in automating certain aspects of work. There are elements, however, that AI can never do as well as humans—specifically, emotional intelligence, judgment calls outside of the purview of logic, and prioritization of tasks and objectives with a view of both short-term and long-term strategies.
I believe the biggest area for career growth in technology will be individuals who can leverage their technical knowledge as well as (human) intelligence to put AI to work for them and find where AI can make their jobs—and companies—work as efficiently as possible.
—Lara Roizen, project manager, ECA Partners
Creating new roles through AI
I lost my CMO position at a Series B tech startup because of company-wide layoffs. But I still think technology is a great field to be in. It’s tough now, but historically tech creates the most opportunities when compared to other industries.
AI is a great example. While it might take away some jobs, it’s also creating new jobs like prompt engineers. It’s also helping content marketers with AI experience stand out in a crowded employee market.
—Andrew Bolis, fractional CMO, marketing consultant, and B2B growth adviser
Drive ethical change
I think it’s essential that the younger generations who have grown up experiencing the downsides of technology take a big role in shaping its future (rather than reject it outright).
It’s like politics—you can grumble that all politicians are corrupt and fold your arms, or you can participate and drive change yourself.
Ability to choose based on values
Yes, technology is a good career path. It’s not like opting for something that involves no technology is a better path to take. Technology is part of our lives—every part of our lives—how we shop, pay our bills, and get our paychecks; and it influences the way we work and learn.
The question, though, is which part of technology do you want to be part of? What type of technology do you believe will help humanity in some way (if that is something you care about personally)? If you do, you might pursue a career in fields such as health tech, education technology, or renewable energy. These industries are using technology to address some of the most pressing issues facing our world today, such as climate change, access to quality healthcare, and improving educational outcomes.
Technology is the way work gets done and the way we live. The question is, what will your role be in it and how do you determine that a company aligns with your values?
—Amy Spurling, CEO and founder, Compt
Access to education online
You don’t need an expensive four-year degree to make $100,000-plus salaries in tech roles. The demand for innovative tech skills, like AI design and data science, is only increasing, despite the layoffs we see as the economy wanes.
Fortunately, there are plenty of open roles for those laid-off tech professionals to land softly. And the future of tech is very promising. While expensive degrees can sometimes pay off, they’re by no means necessary to secure a successful future.
You can find virtual courses that allow you to learn these cutting-edge skills for a fraction of the time and cost, setting yourself up for success without resigning yourself to spending the next 10-plus years paying off a mountain of student debt. Alternative learning makes the risk of entering tech much smaller than it once was, and the rewards are just as promising as ever.
—Anthony Martin, founder and CEO, Choice Mutual
Passion is the key to success
Technology is ultimately a labor of love. Some people just want a steady paycheck, which is understandable, but it also means they may be first on the chopping block when times get tough. In many companies, a small group of elite techs have inordinate power—they know how everything works, and they often spend their free time working on technology without even getting paid.
There’s absolutely nothing wrong with tech being a career, but for many, tech is a calling, an obsession, a part of them—something they would no more give up than they would an eye, a hand, or a foot.
In short, if you’re asking the question, then yes—you should reassess your future in tech.
—David Berube, president, Durable Programming
Always be prepared to pivot
If you’re the type who prefers to clock out and stop thinking about your work, this may not be the career path you’re looking for. Increasingly, being successful in tech means maintaining a finger on the pulse of the entire sector. You must love the challenges inherent in a progressive field and be excited to shift focus whenever the wind blows. Are you the type to lose interest in last year’s hot-ticket item quickly? That may actually be a benefit in this industry.
—Rob Reeves, CEO and president, Redfish Technology
Inclusiveness through innovation
There is incredible opportunity and responsibility for those creating new technology. Now, more than ever, the humans building tech must represent the communities we serve. With the rapid rise in independent workers, this sector is uniquely poised to build an inclusive, blended workforce of employees and nonemployees.
This sector, rich in resources, can uniquely leverage diversity to boost innovation. As a career path, technology is the single biggest lever for sustainable culture change as we cocreate a society that works for more people.
—Brea Starmer, CEO and founder, Lions & Tigers
Building emerging dimensions
What has not changed is the crucial role technology is playing in reshaping industries, influencing societies, and defining the way we interact. What is changing, though, is the increased need for sustainability, focus on inclusiveness, and awareness of ethics. Professionals can build a career path in these new and emerging dimensions of the technology ecosystem.
—Rajiv Renganathan, IT and supply chain digital director, Schneider Electric
Brett Farmiloe is the founder of Terkel.
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