A first job in tech is usually a junior role in engineering, support, testing, data or IT where you spend more time learning a large existing system than building new things. You land one with two or three finished projects you can explain, targeted applications and referrals from people you have actually talked to. You do well early by asking clear questions, shipping small changes reliably and writing down what you learn.
What entry-level tech jobs actually look like
Job titles vary a lot, but most first roles fall into a handful of groups:
- Junior or associate software engineer: small bug fixes and features, code reviews, reading far more code than you write. See how to become a software developer.
- Quality assurance and testing: writing test cases, reproducing bugs and learning the product inside out.
- IT and technical support: tickets, troubleshooting and documentation, often a doorway into systems or security work. See how to become a cybersecurity analyst.
- Data and analytics: cleaning data, building reports and answering questions from other teams. See how to become a data analyst.
- Design and product-adjacent roles: junior UX work, implementation or customer onboarding for a software product.
If you are still choosing a direction, compare a computer science degree with an information technology degree.
How to land one
- Finish a few projects. Two or three complete, working projects with a short written explanation beat a dozen half-built tutorials. Be ready to explain every choice you made.
- Practice the interview format. Many teams use a coding exercise or a take-home task. Practice out loud, explaining your thinking as you go.
- Get referrals the honest way. Short informational interviews with people a few years ahead often lead to a referral once they know your work.
- Apply to adjacent roles. Support, testing and data jobs are common first steps toward engineering.
- Start early in senior year. See the college senior job search plan, or getting into tech with no experience if you did not study it.
Your first 90 days
Our general guide to the first 90 days in a new job applies, with a few tech-specific steps:
- Weeks 1 to 2: get your setup working and write down every step, then offer the notes to the next new hire.
- Weeks 3 to 6: ship a small fix or task through the full process: review, testing and release. Learning the process matters more than the size of the change.
- Weeks 7 to 12: take ownership of one small area, learn who depends on it, and ask your manager what a strong first six months looks like.
For engineers specifically, see your first year as a software engineer.
Habits that get new hires noticed
- Write clear descriptions of what you changed and why, so reviewers can approve quickly.
- Set a time limit on being stuck, then ask with what you tried and what you expected.
- Keep tickets and status updated without being reminded.
- Volunteer for unglamorous work: documentation, tests, cleaning up old issues.
- Learn what the product does for customers, not just how the code works.
Common mistakes
- Rewriting working code because you would have done it differently.
- Staying stuck silently for days to avoid looking inexperienced.
- Pasting in AI-generated code you cannot explain. See entry-level jobs and AI.
- Treating code review comments as personal criticism.
- Going quiet with your manager. Managing up is a skill, not flattery.
More in common first job mistakes.
Remote, hybrid or in the office?
Many tech teams offer some remote work, and it is tempting to take a fully remote first job. It can work, but beginners learn a great deal by overhearing how experienced people solve problems, and that is harder through a screen. If you are remote, make up for it on purpose:
- Turn your camera on in meetings and speak early, even briefly.
- Ask for a standing short check-in with a teammate, not just your manager.
- Post questions in team channels where others can learn from the answer.
- Keep a fixed start and stop time so the laptop does not follow you all evening.
- Get out of the house daily. Isolation creeps up quickly when you live alone and work remotely.
Where a mentor helps
A mentor is not a technical advisor and will not review your code. What a mentor does is keep the rest of the plan moving: a weekly target for projects and applications during the search, practice explaining your work out loud, and once you start, a routine that keeps late nights and screen time from swallowing sleep and exercise. See early career mentoring and career and education.
Related
- First job in engineering
- First job in finance
- Your first job after college
- Unwritten rules of the workplace
- Your first job in marketing
Common questions
Do I need a computer science degree for a first tech job?
Not always. Many people enter through support, testing or data roles, or with a strong set of projects, though some employers still screen for a related degree.
How many projects should I have?
Two or three finished, working projects you can explain in depth usually do more than a long list of unfinished ones.
What should I focus on in my first month?
Getting your setup working, learning the team’s review and release process, and shipping one small change all the way through.
Can a mentor help me prepare for coding interviews?
A mentor can help you set a practice schedule and stick to it, and rehearse explaining your thinking, but does not teach technical content.
Get started
Want a weekly plan and someone to keep you on it while you break into tech? Call (888) 305 5422, email contact@blackburnmentoring.com or start with a short assessment. A member of our team reviews every assessment personally and sets up a free intro call.