Returnship in Canada
February 21, 2022 9:06 AM Subscribe
How can I return to the tech industry?
I worked in the tech industry for about 10 years, doing marketing, sales, product, business planning, etc. About ten years ago, due to caregiving pressures, I focused on my own business and switched into more human services roles, like university teaching and business coaching, although my own business could be presented as tech in many ways and I still had some tech clients. I’ve worked with a wide variety of companies and industries. Now I would like to get back into STEM as my main focus. I could consider consulting but I’m also open to job roles. The problem is that I can’t see how to get back in.
I don’t have my tech contacts anymore and, while I’m building those, it’s not in context — it’s just people I meet in online events. I don’t have the kind of work experience employers would expect — no recent enterprise-level marketing tech stack experience.
I do have extensive experience in many areas and lots of transferable skills. I’m in this weird space where I am not a stay-at-home mom but I have this uneven executive experience with gaps in things juniors would have (eg recent marketing tech stack) or recent responsibility for a huge budget.
I feel like I need an internship or a co-op, just to get back in the swing of things. Other people tell me I’m minimizing my experience. But I can’t see how else to get back in. Canada doesn’t seem to have “returnships” like in the US. I definitely have lots of experience but my track record looks unconventional. And most internships are for recent grads and people under 30. And I’m not old enough for programs for people over 55. I also don’t qualify for programs for stay at home parents because I have had income, although I have been working way below my potential.
Any suggestions for how to tackle this? I’ve tried government programs but they tell me just to get out there and that I’m not the kind of person who needs help because I have such amazing experience. But I don’t look right to employers or clients and I feel like I need some sort of hands-on experience to give me experience, contacts and confidence. I don’t have to go back to a job — it could be consulting — but I feel like the tech landscape has changed and I don’t know where I belong anymore. I could probably get a job in a non-profit but I don’t want that. It’s that I want back into STEM. Thanks.
I worked in the tech industry for about 10 years, doing marketing, sales, product, business planning, etc. About ten years ago, due to caregiving pressures, I focused on my own business and switched into more human services roles, like university teaching and business coaching, although my own business could be presented as tech in many ways and I still had some tech clients. I’ve worked with a wide variety of companies and industries. Now I would like to get back into STEM as my main focus. I could consider consulting but I’m also open to job roles. The problem is that I can’t see how to get back in.
I don’t have my tech contacts anymore and, while I’m building those, it’s not in context — it’s just people I meet in online events. I don’t have the kind of work experience employers would expect — no recent enterprise-level marketing tech stack experience.
I do have extensive experience in many areas and lots of transferable skills. I’m in this weird space where I am not a stay-at-home mom but I have this uneven executive experience with gaps in things juniors would have (eg recent marketing tech stack) or recent responsibility for a huge budget.
I feel like I need an internship or a co-op, just to get back in the swing of things. Other people tell me I’m minimizing my experience. But I can’t see how else to get back in. Canada doesn’t seem to have “returnships” like in the US. I definitely have lots of experience but my track record looks unconventional. And most internships are for recent grads and people under 30. And I’m not old enough for programs for people over 55. I also don’t qualify for programs for stay at home parents because I have had income, although I have been working way below my potential.
Any suggestions for how to tackle this? I’ve tried government programs but they tell me just to get out there and that I’m not the kind of person who needs help because I have such amazing experience. But I don’t look right to employers or clients and I feel like I need some sort of hands-on experience to give me experience, contacts and confidence. I don’t have to go back to a job — it could be consulting — but I feel like the tech landscape has changed and I don’t know where I belong anymore. I could probably get a job in a non-profit but I don’t want that. It’s that I want back into STEM. Thanks.
Dell has a Women Returners programme, I'm not sure if they are running it in their Canadian offices but do check, if you qualify. Also I've never heard the term Returnship but Women Returners is a term you can Google to find more local programmes and support.
posted by DarlingBri at 9:30 AM on February 21, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by DarlingBri at 9:30 AM on February 21, 2022 [2 favorites]
Response by poster: Thanks. Neither of those companies offers my stream in Canada.
posted by shockpoppet at 9:36 AM on February 21, 2022
posted by shockpoppet at 9:36 AM on February 21, 2022
Do you have people you used to work with who would think well of your work, even if you haven't stayed in touch with them? There are loads of former coworkers who, if they reached out and said, "Hey, I've been out of the workforce taking care of family stuff for the last few years but I'm looking to get back in - do you know of any positions that would make sense for me/can you take a look at my resume and give me a reality check about what kinds of positions I might be able to succeed in?" I would at least try and give them a hand up, even if we hadn't talked in a long time. (Also at at least in the US there are lots of companies with bounty programs where you get a bonus for recommending someone who gets interviewed or hired - you could actually be doing an old coworker a favor!)
Also I don't know, I feel like you might be underestimating how employable you are as-is. You can learn an enterprise marketing tech stack on the job (or you might even be able to get somewhat proficient taking a relatively-inexpensive Lynda course or something). I don't think the basics of managing a large budget have changed all that much in the last ten years. You seem like you could probably apply for mid-level roles, maybe a click down in responsibility from where you were 10 years ago (to give you time/space to catch up on new stuff).
If I were you I'd just start applying for jobs that sound interesting/like something you can succeed at! Tailor your resume carefully to highlight your relevant experience. Write a kick-ass cover letter (although I find that in tech a lot of people don't read them).
posted by mskyle at 9:55 AM on February 21, 2022 [9 favorites]
Also I don't know, I feel like you might be underestimating how employable you are as-is. You can learn an enterprise marketing tech stack on the job (or you might even be able to get somewhat proficient taking a relatively-inexpensive Lynda course or something). I don't think the basics of managing a large budget have changed all that much in the last ten years. You seem like you could probably apply for mid-level roles, maybe a click down in responsibility from where you were 10 years ago (to give you time/space to catch up on new stuff).
If I were you I'd just start applying for jobs that sound interesting/like something you can succeed at! Tailor your resume carefully to highlight your relevant experience. Write a kick-ass cover letter (although I find that in tech a lot of people don't read them).
posted by mskyle at 9:55 AM on February 21, 2022 [9 favorites]
Response by poster: Thanks. I took the LinkedIn (Lynda) course on Marketing Tech Stacks after reading the above and got all the questions without reviewing the content, so maybe I just need to change my inner narrative.
posted by shockpoppet at 1:05 PM on February 21, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by shockpoppet at 1:05 PM on February 21, 2022 [2 favorites]
In case you have not yet worked in the open source side of the software industry, and doing an internship-type program would help you with a structured and mentored way back into being an individual contributor, consider Outreachy. You could be paid for a 3-month stint doing marketing or related work for an open source project, learning that domain and networking along the way.
posted by brainwane at 4:54 PM on February 21, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by brainwane at 4:54 PM on February 21, 2022 [1 favorite]
IBM has a Tech Re-Entry Program in Canada, but I don't know if it offers your stream in Canada.
I know you said no non-profits, but I wonder if you're thinking of STEM and non-profit work as being mutually exclusive. Have you looked into non-profits that operate in the B2B tech capacity building space like TechSoup?
posted by blerghamot at 8:16 PM on February 21, 2022 [1 favorite]
I know you said no non-profits, but I wonder if you're thinking of STEM and non-profit work as being mutually exclusive. Have you looked into non-profits that operate in the B2B tech capacity building space like TechSoup?
posted by blerghamot at 8:16 PM on February 21, 2022 [1 favorite]
The vendors and tools may change in 10 years, but "marketing, sales, product, business planning" has the same goals. Keep talking with folks, spreading the word. You now have experience consulting with a wide variety of businesses and running your own business, so you're even more valuable. You're a tech-savvy business operator. (It's so disheartening to work with somebody who just knows how to use a tool but doesn't know why and doesn't know how what they do connects to the rest of the business. You're now the opposite of that.)
Specific advice:
1. Keep networking. Go to (virtual?) tech meetups and mixers.
2. "But I don’t look right to employers or clients" = get somebody to take a look at your resume. Emphasize accomplishments, strengths, not tools.
3. Take some free online trainings. Especially from marketing stack vendors since that seems to be your interest - you'll now know enough to nod familiarly when they are mentioned. And maybe one of them will look interesting and you can dig in and specialize in it more. Or per brainwave above, check out open source as well if that seems interesting.
posted by troyer at 8:49 AM on February 22, 2022 [1 favorite]
Specific advice:
1. Keep networking. Go to (virtual?) tech meetups and mixers.
2. "But I don’t look right to employers or clients" = get somebody to take a look at your resume. Emphasize accomplishments, strengths, not tools.
3. Take some free online trainings. Especially from marketing stack vendors since that seems to be your interest - you'll now know enough to nod familiarly when they are mentioned. And maybe one of them will look interesting and you can dig in and specialize in it more. Or per brainwave above, check out open source as well if that seems interesting.
posted by troyer at 8:49 AM on February 22, 2022 [1 favorite]
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by fingersandtoes at 9:13 AM on February 21, 2022 [1 favorite]