The 5-Step Sequence to Pivot Into Tech Without Coding (And Why Most Women Do It Backwards)

You've been researching tech roles for weeks—maybe months.

You've edited your resume seventeen times. You've applied to customer success roles, project coordinator positions, maybe even executive admin jobs at tech companies because they seemed "entry-level enough."

And you've heard crickets.

So you start wondering: Maybe I'm not qualified. Maybe I need a certification. Maybe tech just isn't for me.

Here's the truth: You're not unqualified. You're out of order.

Most women approaching a tech pivot do the exact same thing—they skip straight to step 5 (applying to jobs) without doing steps 1 through 4. And that's why it feels so hard.

Let me show you what the sequence actually looks like—and why following it in order changes everything.

Step 1: Figure Out What You Actually Want + What You Already Bring to the Table

This is the step most people skip because it feels too slow.

You think, "I just need a job. I'll figure out what I want later."

But here's what happens when you skip this: you apply to everything that sounds "close enough," your resume doesn't speak to any one thing clearly, and hiring managers can't tell what you're actually good at.

This step is about two things:

1. Clarity on what kind of work energizes you (not just what you're capable of doing)
2. Identifying your foundational skills—the ones you use across every role you've ever had

Most women I work with think their skills "don't count" because they're not technical. But skills like stakeholder management, process improvement, cross-functional collaboration, and strategic planning? Tech companies pay six figures for those.

You just have to know what you're working with first.

Step 2: Identify Which of Your Skills Tech Companies Will Pay For—and What Those Jobs Are Called

This is where translation happens.

You've been calling yourself a "program coordinator" or an "operations manager," but tech companies are hiring for roles like:

• Customer Success Manager
• Technical Program Manager
• Business Operations Analyst
• Enablement Specialist
• Product Operations Coordinator

Same skills. Different title. Different salary band.

The problem? If you don't know what these roles are called, you can't search for them. You can't apply to them. And you definitely can't position yourself for them.

This step is about learning the language of tech—not coding languages, but job titles and functions—so you know where your experience actually fits.

Step 3: Get Your Resume in Shape and Stop Hiding from LinkedIn

Now—and only now—do you touch your resume.

Because here's the thing: resume edits without role clarity are a waste of time.

If you don't know what role you're targeting, you're guessing at what to emphasize. You're using vague language like "supported cross-functional teams" instead of "managed stakeholder alignment across engineering, product, and sales to deliver X outcome."

And LinkedIn? It's not optional anymore.

Tech hiring happens on LinkedIn. Recruiters search for candidates on LinkedIn. Hiring managers check your profile before they interview you.

If your LinkedIn still says "seeking new opportunities" or hasn't been updated since 2019, you're invisible.

This step is about building a professional profile that clearly showcases your value for the role you're targeting—not a generic version of your experience.

Step 4: Tap Into Your Network and Start Building Relationships in the Industry

Here's what nobody tells you: most tech jobs are filled through referrals and relationships.

Not because there's some secret club you're not in—but because hiring managers want to reduce risk. And a referral from someone they trust reduces risk.

So if you're only applying through job boards, you're competing in the hardest pool.

This step is about:

• Reaching out to people already working in your target role
• Joining industry groups and communities
• Engaging with content from people at companies you want to work for
• Making yourself visible so opportunities come to you

You don't need a huge network. You need an active one.

Step 5: Apply to Jobs Where You Can Actually Compete—Even as a Newbie

Now you're ready to apply.

But here's the shift: you're not applying to everything. You're applying strategically.

You know:

• What role you're targeting
• What skills matter for that role
• How to position your experience
• Who's hiring in that space

So instead of sending out 50 generic applications and hearing nothing, you're sending out 10 targeted applications—and following up with the hiring manager, engaging with the team on LinkedIn, and showing up as someone who understands the role.

That's how you go from crickets to interviews.

Why This Sequence Matters: Kim's Story

Let me tell you about Kim, a public school administrator, ready to leave education.

When she came to me, she'd been applying to customer success roles, executive admin positions, and business operations jobs for months. She was qualified for all of them. Her resume was fine.

But she wasn't getting interviews.

Why? Because she'd skipped steps 1 through 4 and gone straight to applying.

Her resume wasn't tailored. Her LinkedIn was outdated and still screamed I am an education superstar.

She didn't know which customer success role was the best fit for her background. She was just… guessing.

So we went all the way back to the beginning.

We worked through her foundational skills. We identified that her highest-leverage role wasn't just any customer success position—it was customer success for EdTech companies, where her background in education gave her an edge.

Then we rebuilt her resume. Updated her LinkedIn. Started reaching out to hiring managers in that space.

Within two weeks, she was getting interviews.

Not because she suddenly became more qualified—but because she finally had structure.

Maybe It's Time for a Structured System?

If you've been spinning in circles trying to figure out how to break into tech, it's not because you're missing some secret.

It's because you're doing this out of order.

You don't need more skills. You don't need another certification. You don't need to learn how to code.

You need a system that walks you through this sequence—step by step—so you stop guessing and start executing.

That's exactly what we do inside the Skilled Ambition Lab.

Ready to Stop Circling?

The Skilled Ambition Lab is a membership for non-technical women who are done researching and ready to execute their pivot into tech.

We walk through this exact sequence together—with templates, feedback, and a community of women doing the same thing.

Join the Lab here. 

Let's do this. 💪🏾