Changing Careers Back (or The Once and Future Techie)
July 31, 2013 7:43 AM Subscribe
I made a career change (technology to law) a few years ago, and now I'd like to change back, as I had a decent career before and have a pretty foul one now. How do I do this?
A brief précis of my early career: I went to a large, well-regarded public university in the Midwest where I majored in computer science and mathematics. I worked at a couple different places/capacities (a computer science researcher, a project manager) before deciding to go to law school as I'd had a few friends recommend I investigate it, and it seemed like a good way to advance my career. So I packed up and went to law school at another public institution in California.
In law school I didn't do as well as I might have, largely due to hubris (I figured anything without numbers in it couldn't be terribly difficult), but it's too late to alter that now.
The problem is that since I've graduated, all I've been able to get are document-review gigs (with one short stint doing patent work, which is what I'd prefer to be doing, but I haven't been able to get hired). Ironically, a large part of why I went to law school is so I'd never have to enter a cubicle again, but now they don't even give me a damn cubicle.
So I'm considering giving up the law as a bad job and getting back into the tech field, but I'm not sure how I can do it after having been out of the game for basically a decade. I'm still the go-to guy for my family and friends when it comes to technology, and my technology background has been extremely valuable in quite a lot of my legal work, but the last highly technical gig on my resume ended years ago.
How can I break back into the technology field, in any capacity from tech support/helpdesk to IT to testing to coding?
I'm in the SF Bay Area.
A brief précis of my early career: I went to a large, well-regarded public university in the Midwest where I majored in computer science and mathematics. I worked at a couple different places/capacities (a computer science researcher, a project manager) before deciding to go to law school as I'd had a few friends recommend I investigate it, and it seemed like a good way to advance my career. So I packed up and went to law school at another public institution in California.
In law school I didn't do as well as I might have, largely due to hubris (I figured anything without numbers in it couldn't be terribly difficult), but it's too late to alter that now.
The problem is that since I've graduated, all I've been able to get are document-review gigs (with one short stint doing patent work, which is what I'd prefer to be doing, but I haven't been able to get hired). Ironically, a large part of why I went to law school is so I'd never have to enter a cubicle again, but now they don't even give me a damn cubicle.
So I'm considering giving up the law as a bad job and getting back into the tech field, but I'm not sure how I can do it after having been out of the game for basically a decade. I'm still the go-to guy for my family and friends when it comes to technology, and my technology background has been extremely valuable in quite a lot of my legal work, but the last highly technical gig on my resume ended years ago.
How can I break back into the technology field, in any capacity from tech support/helpdesk to IT to testing to coding?
I'm in the SF Bay Area.
Have you given any thought to picking up e-discovery technology/platform skills and working either for a vendor or in-house at a firm? Your law background might be an asset there and you should be be able to find at least some pure technical jobs without so much administrative drudgery.
posted by Inspector.Gadget at 7:54 AM on July 31, 2013
posted by Inspector.Gadget at 7:54 AM on July 31, 2013
Start looking in LinkedIn and at specific companies for jobs that match your current skill set.
If you feel you'd need a refresher in a particular subject, look into taking one.
If you've got the dough, you might want to certify as a Project Management Professional.
I think the whole "Law School" thing can easily be addressed in interviews, "I, like many other law school grads have found that the reality of practicing law in today's climate is not as attractive as we had thought upon entering Law School. I really miss the tech field."
Full Stop.
I left Telecommunications to teach High School for two years. Trust me all I had to say was, "kids today, amiright?" And then I got hired back with no hassle.
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 8:02 AM on July 31, 2013
If you feel you'd need a refresher in a particular subject, look into taking one.
If you've got the dough, you might want to certify as a Project Management Professional.
I think the whole "Law School" thing can easily be addressed in interviews, "I, like many other law school grads have found that the reality of practicing law in today's climate is not as attractive as we had thought upon entering Law School. I really miss the tech field."
Full Stop.
I left Telecommunications to teach High School for two years. Trust me all I had to say was, "kids today, amiright?" And then I got hired back with no hassle.
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 8:02 AM on July 31, 2013
Seconding what Inspector Gadget said.
Finding work at an e-discovery vendor or doing in-house lit support at a firm shouldn't be too difficult for you.
Maybe pick up a certification in a program like Relativity, PreLAW Discovery or Concordance to get started.
I currently do lit support. Please email if you have any questions.
posted by cwarmy at 8:05 AM on July 31, 2013 [1 favorite]
Finding work at an e-discovery vendor or doing in-house lit support at a firm shouldn't be too difficult for you.
Maybe pick up a certification in a program like Relativity, PreLAW Discovery or Concordance to get started.
I currently do lit support. Please email if you have any questions.
posted by cwarmy at 8:05 AM on July 31, 2013 [1 favorite]
A person that can handle complex contract negotiations is well suited for a business development / partnership development gig in the tech world. Especially one that will actually understand the tech.
posted by COD at 9:29 AM on July 31, 2013
posted by COD at 9:29 AM on July 31, 2013
Have you considered working for the USPTO as a patent examiner? I presume that could be a stepping stone to a career as an IP attorney there or in the private sector.
posted by Dansaman at 10:07 AM on July 31, 2013
posted by Dansaman at 10:07 AM on July 31, 2013
If you've got the dough, you might want to certify as a Project Management Professional.
I don't know about that. Before I got my current Awesome Gig™ I considered sitting for the PMP but decided against it at the last minute. Passing the test is no problem (if you prepare) but getting it doesn't really open up the door to riches. Mostly it opens the door to boredom; PMBOK flavor Project Management might be one of the most torturous ways to make money outside of human trafficking.
If it's been a few years since you've done any form of Project Management you'd probably have a hard time meeting the appropriate educational and project management hour eligibility requirements. I'd look into D3, R, and Python if I were in your shoes. Living in the Bay Area there should be a good R users group to network with or at least get some in-person direction from on future gigs.
posted by playertobenamedlater at 10:13 AM on July 31, 2013 [1 favorite]
I don't know about that. Before I got my current Awesome Gig™ I considered sitting for the PMP but decided against it at the last minute. Passing the test is no problem (if you prepare) but getting it doesn't really open up the door to riches. Mostly it opens the door to boredom; PMBOK flavor Project Management might be one of the most torturous ways to make money outside of human trafficking.
If it's been a few years since you've done any form of Project Management you'd probably have a hard time meeting the appropriate educational and project management hour eligibility requirements. I'd look into D3, R, and Python if I were in your shoes. Living in the Bay Area there should be a good R users group to network with or at least get some in-person direction from on future gigs.
posted by playertobenamedlater at 10:13 AM on July 31, 2013 [1 favorite]
I don't know about that. Before I got my current Awesome Gig™ I considered sitting for the PMP but decided against it at the last minute. Passing the test is no problem (if you prepare) but getting it doesn't really open up the door to riches.
To clarify: I took some classes in PMP and I couldn't hack it. Too boring. BUT, if it's your thing, it can be A thing.
I took up Salesforce.com and that's opened SO many doors!
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 10:58 AM on July 31, 2013
To clarify: I took some classes in PMP and I couldn't hack it. Too boring. BUT, if it's your thing, it can be A thing.
I took up Salesforce.com and that's opened SO many doors!
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 10:58 AM on July 31, 2013
If you know your stuff and interview well, you should be able to get back into Help Desk without too much trouble. You're not going to make much money and will be forced to work your way back up, but it's very doable. Maybe look at doing Help Desk in law firms.
Talk about the support you do for other folks, any geeky stuff you do at home and you patience with and interest in helping people solve problems.
posted by cnc at 12:19 PM on July 31, 2013
Talk about the support you do for other folks, any geeky stuff you do at home and you patience with and interest in helping people solve problems.
posted by cnc at 12:19 PM on July 31, 2013
This thread is closed to new comments.
I'd look to some of the old work you did, still have connections?
Look into learning some data visualization tools and big data architecture (super hot, jobs cannot and I repeat cannot staff fast enough), throw your resume on Dice.
posted by sandmanwv at 7:52 AM on July 31, 2013