Community Osmosis: Watch, ask, and learn your way into a new tech role

Nothing is permanent but change. Finding a new job role in tech is tough—harder than it has ever been. Entry-level roles have disappeared, and when they do appear, they often require at least two years of experience. It’s inbox zero for thousands of candidates who’ve sent hundreds of applications. The process is exhausting and can feel like a full-time job in itself.

Playing to Your Strengths

Early in my tech career, performance reviews often focused on developing skills I didn’t have—skills I *needed* rather than *wanted*. There’s a difference: what you want is more motivating than what you need. But if you need something to progress, how do you turn it into a want? I recommend playing to your strengths.

Self-reflection is hard, but tools like CliftonStrengths can help. You could also solicit feedback from peers or use an AI tool (like Claude) to reflect on what you’re good at, what you enjoy, and how it maps to your needs and wants. Building on your natural strengths is easier than starting from scratch.

Knowledge Thirst

Legends like Prince and Charles Dickens didn’t just rely on 10,000 hours of practice—they went beyond, studying their peers and obsessing over their craft. They absorbed everything around them like sponges. While we may never match their genius, we can become more employable by learning from those around us in the same way.

Gut Feeling

If you’re currently employed, you’ll likely know when it’s time to move on—it becomes an insatiable itch. The challenge is deciding *what* to change into: a step up in seniority, a shift into management, a new domain, or a completely different role? Keep your options open, but at some point, you must take action into the unknown.

Community Osmosis

Showing up in tech communities is a great way to explore different roles. You might already have an idea of what other roles entail from colleagues, but workplace dynamics and bias can skew your perception. To get a clearer picture, seek out people outside your organization who are in roles you’re interested in. Observe how they engage in communities, what they share, and what they discuss. Even better—ask to speak with them. Take notes, spot patterns, and connect them to your strengths. This is Community Osmosis in action.

Community Confidence Activity

• Find three people in a tech role you’re interested in pursuing.
• Ask to speak with them on a video call (with permission to record).
• Ask questions about the role: what it entails, likes, dislikes, unexpected aspects, key skills, etc.
• Celebrate completing the calls! 🎉
• Create a skill* with an AI tool (like Claude) to:
  • Spot patterns in the meeting transcripts and build role profiles.
  • Identify and document your own skills (a "strength profile").
  • Cross-check the role profiles with your strength profile to find matches.
• Reflect on the output and plan your next steps.

*Note: The word "skill" is used in two ways here—hopefully it makes sense! Let me know if it doesn’t.

Go build your community confidence. You’ve got this!