Author: Summer White

Most In-demand Human Skills You Need for a Tech Job in 2023

Posted on by Summer White

According to Indeed’s ‘Best Jobs of 2023’ report, tech positions account for eight out of the top ten most in-demand and well-compensated jobs in 2023. This is reaffirming news in the wake of the recent mass layoffs.

However, while workers remain uncertain about what their futures look like, CWJobs has reported that 53% of UK-based tech professionals are pre-emptively applying for new jobs over fears of redundancies at their companies.

If you’re considering getting back into the job market, you might be reflecting on your current skill set and what you need to improve. While technical skills are important, research by Stanford Research Institute International found that the individuals who enjoyed the most long-term success in a role were those with strong human skills, like being able to communicate clearly, work under pressure and collaborate effectively.

Job posts frequently cite the need for someone with a range of soft skills, as well as technical ones. We took a look at dozens of tech vacancies to find out the top human skills needed to land in-demand positions to help give you a different perspective on what you might need to work on if you’re making a career move.

*The examples provided are not all-encompassing. They provide an idea of the roles that list that specific skill in their job specs.

Top 10 human skills you need to land a tech job in 2023

1) Communication

The ability to clearly explain your process, approach and motivation to multiple stakeholders – even those who aren’t technical – is essential for those working in tech. Written communication skills are equally important, such as writing clearly and precisely when documenting a project scope or creating a user manual for a new database, for example. Communication skills are also important for tech roles that require direct interaction with clients.

*Examples of jobs that require good communication skills:

  • Data Scientist
  • Data Analyst
  • Product Manager
  • UX Researcher
  • Technical Leads
  • Sales Engineer
  • Technical Customer Support Engineer

2) Innovative thinking

Being a creative thinker is powerful when working in tech. Coming up with fresh ideas that lead to progress and further development is highly desirable, with almost every employer actively seeking out individuals who are curious, willing to challenge assumptions, ask questions and embark on experiments in pursuit of creating value and improving processes.

*Examples of jobs that need innovative thinkers:

  • Site Reliability Engineer
  • Software Engineer
  • Hardware Engineer
  • Solutions Architect
  • AI Engineer

3) Teamwork and collaboration

Working and collaborating well with your colleagues is an important skill in any tech role where many moving parts and teams come into play. Being a productive team member who comes to work with a positive attitude, ready to support co-workers and engage with different ideas is crucial.

*Examples of jobs where solid teamwork is important:

  • Software Engineer
  • Product Manager
  • Engineering Manager
  • UX/UI Designer
  • QA Engineer

4) Leadership abilities

Large-scale tech projects need everyone involved to demonstrate leadership abilities, like taking accountability for actions, being open to feedback and actively engaging with different ideas and opinions. Whether or not you’re interviewing for a senior role, employers are looking for people who are decisive and self-aware, good at managing conflict, and reliable team members.

*Examples of roles where behaving like a leader will get you far:

  • Product Manager
  • Project Manager
  • Release or Delivery Manager
  • AI Engineer
  • Data Scientist
  • Systems Analyst
  • Technical Team Leader

5) Problem-solving

Problem-solvers are usually top performers. Being able to assess problems and find the right solutions quickly is a highly desirable skill that recruiters and hiring managers look for. As technology and business increasingly overlap, for example, a strong candidate is able to understand challenges that impact both domains and take a holistic approach to solving them.

*Examples of jobs that require problem-solving:

  • Software Engineer
  • UX Designer
  • Site Reliability Engineer
  • Cyber Security Analyst
  • Cloud Architect
  • Blockchain Engineer

6) Critical thinking

Critical thinking skills feed into almost every part of a technical job. From questioning hypotheses, identifying biases associated with question framing, and selecting appropriate models to questioning the accuracy of analyses and results and validating assumptions before deriving actionable insights, the ability to think logically and operate consistently and systematically is crucial for several roles.

*Examples of jobs that require critical thinking:

  • Data Scientist
  • Data Analyst
  • Software Developer
  • Computer Systems Analyst
  • Information Security Specialist
  • AI Engineer
  • DevOps Engineer

7) Emotional intelligence

In a fluid and fast-changing workplace, tech employees need to have a high degree of emotional intelligence to ensure solid relationships between team members. Being self-aware, with the ability to remain calm under pressure and interact productively with individuals around you by accepting feedback, listening and practising sensitivity is key.

*Examples of jobs where having strong emotional intelligence helpful:

  • UX Researcher
  • Information Systems Manager
  • Product Manager
  • Technical Project Manager
  • Solutions Architect

8) Being organised

Tech professionals need strong organisational skills to keep track of information and organise it in such as way that they can create structure and prioritise tasks. Being well-organised is as much a mindset as it is being able to use effective methods, tools, and techniques to manage multiple tasks and meet deadlines.

*Examples of jobs where being organised is a strong point:

  • Technical Lead
  • Product Manager
  • Application Developer
  • Data Analyst
  • Software Developer
  • Network Architect

9) Detail-oriented

Much of technology professionals’ work requires executing complex tasks with utmost precision, and for that, being detail-oriented is key. It means being observant, meticulous, and thorough in everything you do. Employers value people who can catch mistakes before they have any impact.

*Examples of jobs where having an eye for detail is important:

  • UX Designer
  • Data Analyst
  • Frontend Developer
  • Full-stack Developer
  • Mobile/Web Designer
  • Site Reliability Engineer

10) Flexibility and adaptability

Working in fast-paced environments means that tech professionals often face setbacks or unexpected changes. To handle these with ease, tech employees need to be flexible enough to accept these change requests without taking them personally or getting frustrated and prioritise finding a solution. Being willing to change direction if a teammate suggests an alternative idea, for example, is also important, as it shows commitment to learning and an open mind.

*Examples of jobs where being flexible is beneficial:

  • UX Researcher
  • Site Reliability Engineer
  • Cyber Security Analyst
  • Backend Developer
  • Frontend Developer
  • Software Test Engineer

Develop a holistic skill set

Writing in Quartz, Tara Chklovski, Founder and CEO of Technovation, said, “…the engineers of tomorrow will need to do much more than write code. They will need to do the messy work of navigating uncertainty, solving problems collaboratively, and anticipating the implications of launching a technology product into the world.”

As someone who has empowered 370,000 participants across 100 countries to tackle local problems using cutting-edge technologies, she knows what she’s talking about.

If you’re wondering how to improve how you navigate conflict, communicate with your teammates, manage your time or receive feedback before looking for your next job, consider speaking to a Career Coach. They can help you assess your strengths and create an action plan to address any weaknesses. They can also work with you to set short- and long-term career goals so that you can step into a new position or industry with confidence.

Career coaching plays a fundamental role in our Career Accelerator programmes. If you’re interested in finding more, please book a call with one of our Enrolment Advisors. They’ll gladly tell you more about our approach to career-focused education, as well as provide details about any of the programmes.

New Launch: FourthRev Partners with King’s College London on a UX & UI Product Design Career Accelerator

Posted on by Summer White

Continuing on the strong partnership built through the launch of the Product Management Career Accelerator, FourthRev is delighted to announce our next Career Accelerator with King’s College London – this time in UX and UI product design.

Why product design?

Having an online presence in today’s post-pandemic world is non-negotiable. For businesses to stand out, however, they need to connect with their audiences in a meaningful way. Product design has become critical in facilitating this sense of connection by providing seamless digital experiences that ‘make sense’ for users, encourage engagement and, in turn, secure customer loyalty.

The demand for UX and UI designers – across all skill levels – is rising. Shaped by the Department of Digital Humanities at King’s in collaboration with experts across several industries, our new Career Accelerator has a strong focus on the fundamentals of UX and UI design, as well as the essential human skills required to work within cross-functional digital teams.

“We are proud of the incredible talent we have in this important area, placing us at the forefront of digital developments. Providing the skills and knowledge to enable us to live better with technology is an essential part of King’s mission, helping tackle the major challenges of the twenty-first century. This course ensures our expertise intersects with industry practice, driving positive change through inspiring interactions.”

Professor Marion Thain, Executive Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Humanities at King’s College London

What you need to know about the King’s UX & UI Product Design Career Accelerator

Whether you’re looking to start your design career or move into this exciting field, the King’s UX & UI Product Design Career Accelerator has been designed to help you achieve your career goals.

You’ll learn from esteemed faculty members at King’s, as well as leaders from companies like Creative Navy, Mailchimp, Dropbox, Atlassian and more. You’ll also get the chance to engage with your peers on a weekly basis during live lecture sessions and community forums.

The project-based learning approach of this programme ensures that you develop a portfolio of evidence by applying your new capabilities in industry-backed projects attached to each of the three courses. At the end of the programme, you’ll undertake a final Employer Project, whereby you work with peers to solve a real-world industry problem set by a company such as Creative Navy, a UX/UI design agency that ranks among the top 10 global UX design agencies.

“We’re excited to be involved as an Employer Partner on this Career Accelerator. The Employer Project is a real-life application of design practices; it’s the learner’s chance to do some real work and to get their hands dirty. It will be fun, but more importantly, it will be precisely something employers are looking for.”

Dennis Lenard, CEO of Creative Navy

Kate Parker, an expert in product and UX design who has contributed to the programme says “Co-designing the Career Accelerator has been a brilliant opportunity to help shape a future wave of UXers. The goal for me was to create a course that enables the learner not only to design and solve problems but to build an informed and balanced view of how UX/UI fits into the broader ecosystem of product development – and I think we’ve done just that. The UX & UI Product Design Career Accelerator is a brilliant combination of industry experience and world-class academia, bringing a new and practical approach to discovering more about UX and learning how to apply the skills in reality.”

To ensure that this investment in your career helps you achieve what’s meaningful to you, you’ll have the support of a dedicated Success Manager and Career Coach throughout. Together, they will help you set professional and personal goals that will set you on the path to whatever success looks like for you.

At the end of the Career Accelerator, you’ll receive a certificate from King’s to recognise your achievement.

Get more information

If you’re interested in finding out more about the King’s UX & UI Product Design Career Accelerator, you can download the programme brochure here.

5 Ways to Win at Online Learning

Posted on by Summer White

Online learning has grown in popularity over the past few years as more and more people are looking for ways to further their education without having to attend a traditional college or university. Plus, technology has made it easier for students to access educational materials and resources from anywhere in the world. However, succeeding at online learning can be a challenge. Isolation, distractions, technical issues and bad time management all could work against you. Luckily, these can all be managed and overcome. 

In a recent edX talk, Olav Shewe, Educas CEO and instructor for Learn Like a Pro, remarked on why some students excel at online learning while others don’t:

“I used to think success in learning was dependent on some innate ability, but then I realised the techniques you use are even more important.”

Here, we take a look at five areas to focus on when preparing to study online and provide some tips to help you succeed.

Top 5 tips for self-directed study

1 Manage your time carefully

Unlike traditional setups where students attend classes at set times every day, taking a course online allows you to set your own timetable and learn asynchronously. This means you can access complete lectures, assignments, readings and other learning materials at any time that fits with your personal schedule. However, it does require some planning.

  • Set a schedule: Establish a regular schedule for when you will work on your coursework. This will help you stay focused and motivated and ensure you meet deadlines.
  • Prioritise your assignments: Review your weekly/monthly/yearly assignments and prioritise the most important or time-sensitive tasks. Start by making a weekly plan so you know what you need to do for the upcoming week, then divide your weekly tasks into daily ones.
  • Use a planner: Use a planner or calendar to keep track of important deadlines and assignments. This will help you keep everything in one place and ensure you don’t miss any important due dates.
  • Eliminate distractions: Remove distractions by turning off your phone, closing unnecessary tabs on your computer, and finding a quiet study space. Here’s a list of apps that help you focus and block distractions.
  • Seek help if needed: Reach out for help if you’re struggling to manage your time. Your instructor or a Career Coach can help you develop a plan to manage your time more effectively.

2 Choose a dedicated study area

Some advocate for a quiet place in your home where you can devote yourself to your studies. Others encourage mixing it up, as studying the same material in different locations has proven to increase your ability to retain information. Here are some more tips to optimise your study space – wherever you feel the most productive.

  • Minimise noise: Invest in noise-cancelling headphones or, if you’re willing to elicit some curious stares, a focus cap that’s said to block out visual noise, quieten mind chatter and allow you to enter a “super-human FLOW-state of optimal cognitive performance”.
  • Block out time: Add a study block to your work calendar for colleagues to see, and put a printed calendar on your fridge at home so your family/housemates don’t disturb you during your dedicated study time. 
  • Get yourself into the right physical space: If there are too many distractions at home, head to a campus or public library where there are plenty of quiet nooks. Being in an environment where silence is compulsory will help you settle in and focus.

3 Ensure you have the right tools

Studying online means you’ll learn in a multitude of ways, such as engaging with videos and graphics that break down complex concepts, working through quizzes and reading in-depth materials. To navigate these different learning methods, you might need to install different apps to attend webinars, live sessions and coding workshops.

In most cases, you’ll be given free access to a Learning Management System (LMS) with all the tools needed for an immersive learning experience. These include UI elements such as calendars, messaging, quizzes, discussions, assignments, modules, and videos. These platforms also often enable social learning via a student community and provide around-the-clock tech support.

You’ll need the following to get the most out of your online coursework:

  • A laptop or desktop computer
  • The latest software updates for your operating system 
  • Internet connection (download speed at least 25 Mbps, upload speed at least 3 Mbps)
  • Basics such as Microsoft Word and a PDF reader
  • Microphone, speaker and webcam
  • Zoom client

Note that for some of the more technical courses, such as the LSE Data AnalyticsCareer Accelerator, you will need a setup that can handle the same tools used by data analysts, such as Microsoft Excel, PostgreSQL, Tableau, Python, and R.

4 Set goals

Goal-setting is a powerful tool that can be used to build motivation, improve academic success, and bring meaning to your actions. Setting goals that are achievable is the most important to avoid becoming overwhelmed.

  • Make your goals specific: Instead of setting a general goal, like “I want to do well in my online course,” set specific (yet realistic) goals that are measurable. For example, “I’ll complete all assignments by the due date,” or “I want to achieve 80% or higher for my online course.”
  • Break your goals down into smaller steps: To make your goals more manageable, break them down into smaller steps. This will make it easier to track your progress.
  • Use a goal-tracking tool: Use a goal-tracking tool, like the ones found in this list, to break down the steps toward a goal by separate tasks.  
  • Review your goals regularly: Review your goals to track your progress, and check in with an accountability partner, like a friend, Career Coach or programme support provider, if you’ve fallen behind and don’t know how to catch up.

SAGE Journal author and online education expert Dr Linda Dale Bloomberg advises students who feel pressure to meet all their personal and study commitments and worry they won’t succeed:

“Keep the momentum going. Multi-task if necessary, but don’t procrastinate or give up.  Adopt an “I can do this” attitude! A constant eye on the end goal will help you stay motivated and on track.”

5 Set up one-on-one sessions with a Career Coach

Career Coaches play an important role in online learning by helping students set and achieve goals and boundaries, but also to align their dreams with their strengths and what they’re good at. Adele Leah, one of FourthRev’s Career Coaches, shares her approach to inspiring students:

“Balance the work you do with freedom, flexibility, growth and challenge – for your version of success – and not someone else’s.”

Here are ways one-on-one coaching can help online students:

  • Study with intention: In career-focused education, a Career Coach helps learners prioritise their career goals from the start and work through the study programme with the focused intention of getting ahead professionally. 
  • Develop human skills needed for the workplace: While a lot of time is spent learning hard skills, a Career Coach helps students develop career-specific human skills – such as personal leadership or critical thinking skills – that are crucial job requirements. 
  • Enhance your personal brand: A coach helps you prepare your personal brand for entering the workplace upon graduation. This includes interview prep, creating an effective LinkedIn profile, and a winning CV. 
  • Get into the right mindset: Online study can be isolating, making it difficult to stay motivated. A Career Coach helps build your confidence, define your short- and long-term goals, and provides actionable steps to stay focused and keep up in the course.

Accelerate your career through FourthRev’s online Career Accelerators

FourthRev’s Career Accelerators have been designed to make learning relevant, in-demand digital skills engaging and manageable for professionals who are looking to make a move in their careers. Presented by top university faculty and industry experts, the course content balances theory with practical application to ensure you put everything you learn into practice. This boosts your confidence and provides you with a portfolio of real-world evidence that you can present to prospective employers.

You’ll also have access to one-on-one support from a dedicated Success Manager and Career Coach. They’ll help you to establish what your career goals are and how you can work towards them during the six-month programme and going into the future.

We’re currently running two Career Accelerators, with more coming soon! If you’d like to find out more, please book a call with our friendly Enrolment Advisors.

How to Become a Product Manager in 2023

Posted on by Summer White

As companies increasingly focus on digital products and services, the role of the Digital Product Manager has become proportionally important and in demand. Product management is a hugely diverse role that comes with a lot of responsibility and exciting career growth opportunities. As more and more companies shift their focus to digitally-enabled products, Digital Product Managers are becoming crucial to their success, offering PMs exciting opportunities for growth and specialisation. 

Job seekers with a passion for working with people, technology, and business may find product management an ideal career choice, with ample job opportunities in the current market. Let’s dive deep into exactly what the role of a (Digital) Product Manager is, how it fits into a business’s structure, and how you can upskill yourself for this role.

The rise and rise of Digital Product Managers

Product Managers have been around for many years – albeit often as a function without a clear definition. But with technological transformation rapidly changing businesses’ processes, people, and systems, the job title has evolved and the associated responsibilities have become more solidified. This essential role now sees its incumbents as responsible for the end-to-end life cycle of digital products – from concept to launch, the customer journey, and beyond. 

Today’s Product Managers drive innovation and are responsible for the larger business objectives that a product or feature will fulfil. They map out how to turn visions into reality and articulate what success looks like for that product.

Product Managers have become one of the most sought-after new hires across every business around the world and are listed as one of the top most in-demand tech jobs for 2023.

US-based management consulting firm, McKinsey & Company, says, “The role of the Product Manager is expanding due to the growing importance of data in decision-making, increased customer and design focus, and the evolution of software-development methodologies”. 

Product management jobs are quickly becoming a way for people with non-technical backgrounds to earn the high salaries that come with working in the tech industry. With high job satisfaction and a median base salary of £69,888, Technojobs rates product managers as one of the top 10 IT and tech jobs in 2023.

Where do Product Managers fit in a company’s structure?

Product Managers act as the central point of communication and work closely with company management and clients, as well as designers and sales, marketing and engineering teams – just about everyone involved in a product’s lifecycle. 

McKinsey estimates that around 80% of Product Managers are involved in design activities and go-to-market decisions, while 50% are involved in decisions around pricing. Interestingly, the report shows 60% of Product Managers have the basic data analytics skills needed to draw insights from metrics without relying on analysts.

What background do you need to become a Product Manager?

Product management really is a diverse role. Generally speaking, a Product Manager will have knowledge of business, marketing, data analysis and technology, plus excellent communication and organisational skills. Essentially, the ideal PM will have a solid mix of technical, business and human skills.

Many of our King’s Product Management Career Accelerator learners come from diverse career backgrounds, and not all of them are wanting to pursue traditional product manager roles. Take Malavika for example. She’s not a product manager, but the King’s Career Accelerator still benefited her career by giving her new frameworks to apply to her work – and career.

Delving a little deeper, product management requires being able to think strategically, having a good dose of business acumen, and being able to manage complex projects and processes. This means anyone who has worked in business analytics, marketing, or engineering, for instance, or has people and project management skills, will have honed some of the essential skills needed for the role. Similarly, those who have worked in customer-facing roles, such as in retail, sales, and customer service, and design-related disciplines such as UX/UI, will already have the user-centric mindset of a Product Manager.

Product School, a Silicon Valley company specialising in product management, recently published their third annual Future of Product Management report. They surveyed 5,000 Product Managers to get to the heart of what it means to work in this field and found that while Product Managers were once largely drawn from tech backgrounds, this is no longer the case. In fact, it’s reported that the most successful Product Managers don’t come from any one specific background. Instead, their success in the role comes from their ability to draw on their transferrable skills and approach problems with varying perspectives.

Typical Product Manager responsibilities

The responsibilities of a Product Manager vary greatly, depending on the company you’re at or the product you’d be working on. In general, a digital Product Manager’s daily tasks involve both inbound and outbound tasks:

Inbound tasks – or a focus on product development

  • Planning and strategising
  • Product roadmap development
  • Product testing and launch
  • Project and people management
  • Monitoring the performance of the product

Outbound tasks – or a focus on marketing and sales 

  • Product branding
  • Promotion and marketing 
  • Sales and distribution
  • Customer communication and feedback analysis
  • Monitoring the business success of the product

To get a more comprehensive overview of the responsibilities a PM would have, scour job boards and take a look at job postings to see what the requirements are. This will help you identify trends across industries and seniority levels.

How to develop the skills needed to become a Product Manager

The most successful Product Managers are equipped with the technical, business and human skills required by the role. The King’s Product Management Career Accelerator offers a project-based learning programme that allows you to apply what you learn to real-world examples, giving you a holistic idea of what working in the role entails. Developed in partnership with leading industry partners and digital humanities experts from King’s, you’ll get to connect with people who have years of experience in product management. You’ll also have access to a dedicated Career Coach and Success Manager, who will help you identify where your current skills are, which ones can be easily transferred to the PM role, and which growth areas you need to focus on.

Whether you’re wanting to start your career as a Digital Product Manager, pivot into the role or advance in your current position, the King’s Product Management Career Accelerator can help you:

  • Gain strong foundational product management knowledge and skills in product design, prototyping and testing. You’ll also learn agile methodologies, launch strategies, product growth and analytics, all in the context of product and organisational strategy.
  • Develop the human skills you need to thrive, such as communication and influencing, stakeholder management, prioritisation, decision-making and problem-solving. 
  • Acquire the relevant, practical abilities that get you hired through an Employer Project that has been co-designed by tech and employer partners. This not only gives you a sense of what a real-world business case might look like but also gives you exposure to an industry network.
  • Develop key employability traits and personal skills by attending 1:1 sessions with a Career Coach.
  • Learn from leading industry experts and academics throughout the course.

Ready, set, go

If you think the Career Accelerator might be the right choice for you, reach out to one of our friendly Enrolment Advisors to discuss where you’re at and where you’d like to go. They’ll give you more information about how our Career Coaches and Success Managers can enable you to harness your transferable skills and keep you on track to meet your present and future career goals.

Hear From Our Learners – What a Career Accelerator in Data Analytics is Really Like

Posted on by Summer White

To give you more insight into what our Career Accelerators are really like, we’ve invited learners to share their experiences in live Q&A sessions. 

Most recently, we were joined by Eleonora Bacchi and Adrienn Szollosi, two past learners from the LSE Data Analytics Career Accelerator. They spoke to Daniel Cairns, Head of Enrolments at FourthRev, about how they found the programme, how it’s benefitted them and what their future career plans look like. 

Some of the questions they answered included:

  • How much of a technical background is needed to do well in the programme
  • Time management and balancing commitments
  • Whether the programme is suitable for people at different stages of their career
  • What it was like working with a Career Coach 
  • The structure of the Employer Project and how it enabled them to apply their new data analysis skills to a real-world problem 
  • What their career outcomes have been

Watch the full event recording here

Snippets from the Q&A webinar

Do you need prior experience with programming and the languages covered in the course? 

Adrienn: No, I didn’t have any background in Python, R or SQL. It is really about your commitment. You don’t need any knowledge going in because the course material is really well explained. There are written and video explanations to cater for different learning styles. Without any background, you can get through.
Eleonora: Yeah, I had zero previous experience. Adrienn is so much more experienced in Excel than me – I didn’t even know how to do a pivot table. You go really deep into the languages, which I personally loved. I remember the day I started programming in Python because it was my birthday. I knew nothing in the beginning, and now I do everything in Python, like easily. So from zero to the top.

Can you provide some insight into how the Employer Project works and what projects you had to choose from?

Eleonora: First you’re assigned to a team, and you discuss your roles and what you personally want to get out of the project. Like, for example, this was a very important project for me because I wanted to put it on my portfolio as a highlight. Next, you choose which employer you will work with and get more information about your project. I did a very hands-on project with Zoomo, an automotive B2B and B2C company that provides long-term rentals to delivery drivers. They gave us data to help them build a feature in their app. 

Daniel: Another project through Thoughtworks was related to the City of London Transport for London and their goal of reducing 80% of traffic within the London CBD through the use of foot, bicycle or public transport by 2041. The measurement of the progression towards that was proving challenging, so students worked with the data sets to improve that tracking. It is a really meaningful, impactful opportunity that they had.

Adrienn: I kicked my project off yesterday. I’m working with Agent3, but because we only got the information and data so recently, it’s still very new to me. We’ll be looking at mortgages in the US, which is interesting. 

How do you feel your work with a Career Coach will help you move forward in your career?

Eleonora: The coaches are equipped to help everyone. Adrien is a “career advancer”, and I am a “career changer”, meaning I made a complete switch. I’ve found the career coaching tips have been helpful. What I appreciated is you get advice that is useful to everyone, like how to set up your LinkedIn profile, how to reach out to people, worksheets, readings, and tips on how to present yourself – all sorts. But you also have the one-to-one time where you can work on what is specific to you. When you connect with the right person, this makes a real difference. 

If you’re interested in finding out more about the LSE Data Analytics Career Accelerator, please reach out to our friendly Enrolment Advisors. They’ll be able to answer any questions that you might have. You can also ask them to keep you updated about when our next learner Q&A webinar will be taking place.


10 Practical Steps for Career Progression in 2023

Posted on by Summer White

The last couple of years have been rough on the workplace. Redundancies, company restructuring and rapid technological transformation, have forced many employees to frequently reskill, upskill and even change jobs to remain relevant. 

New research from Workplace Intelligence and Amazon shows that 58% of employees are afraid that their skills have gone stale since the pandemic started, while 70% feel unprepared for the future of work. As we move into 2023, however, workers are laser-focused on remedying this situation. An impressive 89% said they were motivated to improve their skills, and 88% are already putting a significant amount of time and effort into this.

If you’re looking for a promotion, more responsibility at your current job, or to explore a new industry altogether, it’s important to know how to take action and meet those goals. This article shares ten steps you can take to supercharge your career progression.

10 steps to accelerate your career

1) Set goals and create a career roadmap

A career development plan – or roadmap – creates a framework for your development by outlining where you are, where you want to be, and how to get there. Consider your personal interests, values, and financial resources, then define what success means to you – is it reaching the C-Suite, or simply finding a fulfilling career that pays well? Create a chart of each position and title you’ve held up to now, and then fill in the blanks of where you want to be in one, five and even ten years. Link short- and long-term goals to a timeline to keep you on track to achieve them.

FourthRev Employer Partner, Robert Walters, has some great tips on how to create a plan for your career.

2) Ask your manager to work on a detailed career growth plan

Managers and tech leads are busy, but it’s in their interest to support their reports in all aspects of their careers and lives. Set up an initial 30-minute session with your manager to raise issues that are stopping you from taking steps to achieve your goals, and communicate where you want to be. By engaging with your manager and letting them know what your aspirations are, you put yourself on their radar.

If you’re unsure where to start, check out this template for creating a practical career progression plan.

3) Position yourself online

Your positioning on social networks and websites can create opportunities if you do it right. When setting up a LinkedIn profile, for example, use keywords associated with the career you want to boost your presence in recruiters’ searches. Update your status frequently with engaging links and insights, and post relevant articles to boost your profile views.

If you’re active on other social channels, cross-post this content to your other accounts to improve your reach and recognition. This will help establish you as an expert in the field.

4) Set time aside just for learning

Learning is essential to practical career progression, but you must make time for it. You could approach your employer for an agreed sabbatical to study or gain work experience abroad, filling gaps in your CV. Or, you could ask for dedicated study leave days once a quarter. If that’s not possible, evaluate how much time you can reasonably set aside during the evening or weekend to take online courses or fine-tune a specific skill.

Subscribing to relevant publications and committing ten minutes a day to reading is perhaps the easiest way to keep you in the loop on industry developments and trends.

5) Engage with a mentor

A mentor can help you stay focused on your career and improve your skills and self-confidence. Some larger organisations have mentor or alumni management software where you can connect with people who are in more senior positions. If your current organisation doesn’t offer this, start by researching inspiring leaders and approach them via a cold email or social media. 

Alternatively, you could register as a mentee on a mentor-matching platform, like Meet-a-Mentor.

6) Get a Career Coach

A Career Coach helps you understand what you want to get out of your career and overcome ways of thinking or behaving that might be holding you back from achieving your professional goals. They’ll help set you on the path to holistic career success by looking at your strengths, values and career drivers. Career Coaches can help you develop key outcomes, such as building an effective LinkedIn profile, CV, brand statement and cover letter. Generally, Career Coaches are also versed in soft skill cultivation, helping you develop leadership and networking abilities.

Here’s more insight into how a Career Coach can help you build a more fulfilling career.

7) Follow notable people on LinkedIn and Twitter

Twitter is a thriving career hub with thousands of knowledgeable people tweeting about tech news and trends and leadership advice. Follow companies and leaders you’d like to work for to get to know them better. If their DMs are open, approach these experts about how they broke into the industry and the skills they’ve developed at their job. Add these skills to your career progression plan as must-haves.

LinkedIn is great for finding inspiring people who do the job you dream of. Analyse their experience, activity, education, interests, skills – everything on their page – to see how they got to where they are.

To start you off, here’s a good list of Twitter and LinkedIn career influencers to follow.

8) Attend or arrange a meetup

Meetups are a great, informal way to do some serious professional networking. You will meet people in your industry or in an entirely different profession that might prompt you to consider a career shift. These events are also a place to learn about new business opportunities and establish working relationships with potential employers, partners and clients. 

If there are no meetups in your field of interest, set one up. This can be a speed networking and business matchmaking night, a mutual learning meetup, or a casual get-together of people with a common interest. 

Use social media or tools such as meetup.com to find events – like Tech Meetups in London, for example, or to arrange one yourself.

9) Attend online conferences and events

Conferences and external events offer valuable knowledge about your industry and allow you to see the bigger picture. They allow you to meet thought leaders, network with others interested in the same learning path and discover new ways of thinking about your job. 

Eventbrite has an updated list of tech-related events and conferences in London. Alternatively, try UK-based techUK, which brings together people and organisations to explore the positive outcomes and opportunities of digital technology.

10) Refresh your CV and craft a personal brand statement

Go back to your CV and add all your recent relevant experience, courses you’ve taken and new skills you’ve developed, including soft skills. 

Prepare a strong personal brand statement for the top of your CV, where it will catch recruiters’ attention. This can also be used in emails, your personal website, or your LinkedIn page. A personal brand statement comprises three key sections: what you do, what value you offer, and what you’re looking for next.

Here are some great tips for crafting a brand statement.

Take the next step in your career

If you’re looking for an online programme that will equip you with the technical, business and human skills you need to thrive in the digital economy and provide you with the support you need to gain clarity on what your long-term ambitions are, take a look at our Career Accelerators. Please feel free to reach out to one of our friendly Enrolment Advisors if you’d like to get more information.

What a Career Accelerator in Product Management is Really Like – A Learner’s Perspective

Posted on by Summer White

Before making any decision, it’s often useful to get more information from someone who has firsthand experience. That’s why we invited Adam Stead, one of our learners currently enrolled in the King’s Product Management Career Accelerator, to speak to us about how he’s found the programme so far and to answer any questions from prospective learners in a recent Ask Me Anything webinar.

Adam enrolled in this programme in order to move towards a more product-focused role at his current place of work. He has more than 15 years of experience working in the rail sector and is currently working as the Product Strategy and Concepts Manager at Transport for Wales.

During the webinar, Adam and FourthRev’s Head of Enrolments, Daniel Cairns, discussed: 

  • How the Career Accelerator is structured 
  • What made it stand out to Adam compared to other online offerings
  • How he balances studying with a full-time job and two young children
  • The practical nature of the coursework and how he’s been able to apply what he’s learning at work 
  • What it’s like to work with a Career Coach 

There were several questions from the audience, which Adam and Daniel addressed too, including: 

  • What technical experience do you need to have for this Career Accelerator?
  • Can you give examples of the real-world projects you’re working on and how they can help your employability? 
  • What are the programme facilitators like, and what’s the experience been like learning from them?

You can watch the full recording of the Q&A session here:

Highlights from the Q&A

What stood out to you about the King’s Product Management Career Accelerator?

I was starting to look into product management as a potential career avenue. Having researched the course, the fact that it’s very industry-led with practical content was a key factor in making my decision. There are lots of certifications out there, where you can attend for five half days and go well, we’ll learn a lot. I could also just read a book. But this course looked to be more practical and actively involved people who’ve done the job before, which I liked. Being able to engage with them was a real draw.

How practical have you found the content to be, and can you see ways it can be applied in the real world?

It’s very practical. I actually recently ran a workshop at work using all of the contents of the first assignment. A lot of the work we did for that involved building a business case for a new product or feature being introduced. For the assignment, it was for a hypothetical company that offered an online streaming service – not at all related to what I do for work – but it gave me a chance to learn some new techniques and methods for exploring ideation and prioritising solutions, which are all things that I’ve read about, but never worked through before. Having gone through the assignment, I now feel I’m not a total novice. So, when I was asked to run a product strategy workshop – even though I’m not a Product Manager yet, I’ve been seen as the guy to go to to help the business explore this space – I felt confident enough to do it. The agenda for the workshop was basically the content of the first assignment. 

How do you fit this programme into your life alongside a full-time job and two kids?

The way this course is structured helps a lot. It’s not just a case of reading some content, watching some videos, absorbing it all and then going away. You learn and then work through some exercises that you might share with peers, or discuss with them, which means you very much need to commit a block of time to focus. 

I’ve been going through quite a stressful period at work because it’s a bit of transformation going on. It’s also been the autumn in England where everyone’s got a cold or some of the illness – I think I’m recovering from my third or fourth now – so I’ve had to be quite good at focusing in the evening. We get the kids to bed, have some dinner and then I sit down for a few hours and study. I’ve also had to preempt things like if we’re going away for the weekend, I have to get more done earlier in the week so that I can go away and not panic that I haven’t done the work.  

I try and plan out my week to keep on top of the content by deciding what I’m going to do on which evenings and when I’m not going to be doing anything as well. Regular commitment is really the key.

My Success Manager has been great too because I explained my normal learning style at the start, and he helped me to plan during the induction phase so that I could start building better habits from the beginning and change my behaviours to be ready to learn. He also checked in when he hadn’t seen me do much to make sure I was okay. Once, we had a big assignment due, and I was worried about how much work there was. He helped put me at ease. I got a little email last Monday too, saying, “You’re doing great! Keep going!” and yeah, all that helps just to keep motivated and working towards those goals.

How have you found engaging with your Career Coach?

Invaluable. We’re going through a bit of a transformation at work, which caused me to question what my short-term career goals are and whether I see my future where I work right now or whether I should be looking for product opportunities elsewhere. My Coach was really useful in helping me frame what I want to achieve and what I value out of a career – and even out of my life. She coached me through my CV, creating a cover letter, applying for a job and looking at the experience through a different lens to understand what the hiring manager or target company might be looking for. It was really a really useful process. She helped me bring a whole new perspective to it. I had no product management experience on my CV, but there were elements I could draw out and tell a story about that could explain why I was right for the role. She was really, really helpful.

Is there anything you wish you had known about the programme before you started that you can share with others who are in the process of making a decision?

I hadn’t quite realised how practical it would be. From my academic background, I thought that it would be a lot more taught. It is taught, but I thought there would be more emphasis on that. It’s extremely practical. Another thing is the peer engagement. It’s a big thing. And it’s good. The peer review task, where you submit your exercise to someone else for them to comment on whilst you also received someone else’s to review, helped me reflect differently on what I’d done and really kind of grounded me a little bit. So I think the peer engagement on the course has been the most useful, almost surprising thing that I didn’t expect to find, and where I’m getting a lot of value from.

If you’d like to book a call with one of our Enrolment Advisors to start the application process or ask any questions, please download the programme brochure here and book a call today.

5 Ways a Career Accelerator Will Help You Achieve Long-term Career Success

Posted on by Summer White

FourthRev has partnered with the world’s leading universities and technology companies to build the Career Accelerator model – a project-based online programme designed to develop the digital and human skills sought after by employers in today’s digital economy.

The Career Accelerator programmes have been designed to equip you as a learner with the relevant skills you need right now to take the next step, as well as set you up for long-term career success. This means helping you understand what your career goals are and how to continuously work towards them as your career progresses over the years. Important skills like goal setting, presenting yourself with confidence and collaborating with peers are taught alongside the practical information to ensure a holistic approach towards career advancement.

Here’s a closer look at five key ways the programme sets you up to thrive in your career, both now and in the future.

Practical content designed by industry and academia

As the digital economy is advancing, it’s becoming increasingly important for candidates to demonstrate relevant, real-world experience. At the same time, employers still look for a quality education when considering CVs. We’ve brought together experts from both industry and academia to equip you with all of the skills you need to stand out to employers and gain the confidence you need to make your dream career move. The project-based learning approach ensures that you apply everything you learn to real-world challenges that you will likely face when working in the field. There are industry-backed projects attached to each of the three courses, as well as a final Employer Project, where you’ll work with your peers to solve a problem set by an employer.

One-on-one career coaching

At the start of the programme, you’ll meet with a Career Coach who will work with you to understand what your long-term career ambitions are. You’ll meet as frequently as required during the six-month programme, and they’ll help you set goals for yourself as you progress and plan for what comes next after the Career Accelerator. Depending on where you’re at in your career, they can help you prepare for future job interviews or discussions with your manager about a promotion. When working with a Career Coach, you are very much in the driver’s seat. They are there to help you and provide guidance and support where you need it most. Here’s some more insight into the value a Career Coach can provide for you.

A dedicated Success Manager

We very much believe that undertaking a career change is something life-changing and not something you should do alone. In the first week of the Career Accelerator, you’ll meet your Success Manager, who will work directly with you throughout the six months. They will be your go-to person for any advice, tips, queries and ideas. You’ll meet frequently over video calls where you’ll get the chance to discuss how the course is going, career advice or extra support you might need as you fit studying into your daily routine. Your Success Manager will be your biggest cheerleader and your first port of call as you work through the programme.

The opportunity to work and network with peers

Despite the Career Accelerator being a fully-remote, mostly self-paced programme, we recognise that interacting with peers is crucial for developing the human skills needed in the workplace. During Orientation week, you’ll have the chance to meet other learners on the programme, and once the course kicks off, you’ll have access to the online forum where you can interact with your peers. Once a week, there will be a live lecture that all learners are encouraged to attend so that they can engage with the experts leading the programme and each other in real-time. At the end of the programme, you’ll collaborate as part of a small group on the Employer Project, where you’ll be tasked with solving a real business problem. This will help you form relationships that you can take forward even after the Career Accelerator ends.

Certification from a top university

We’ve worked closely with some of the world’s most prestigious universities, like The London School of Economics and King’s College London, to develop our Career Accelerators. These institutions recognise the value that an industry-backed education provides and have invested time and resources into creating high-quality content that will accelerate learners’ career growth. At the end of the six-month programme, you’ll earn a certificate from the university that will make you stand out to employers.

We’re currently accepting applications for the next Career Accelerator cohorts:

LSE Data Analytics Career Accelerator
King’s Product Management Career Accelerator

Book a call with one of our Enrolment Advisors to get your application started.

Age is Irrelevant in Today’s Workforce: Building an Inclusive Team at FourthRev

Posted on by Summer White

Over the last five years, I’ve worked at a handful of tech companies. While the industries differed, I found that I quickly fit in with my colleagues because of how similar we were in age. A quick Google search revealed that the majority of people who work in tech are in their late 20s. At Amazon, 54% of the workforce is between the ages of 20 and 30, compared to only 8% who are older than 40. At Meta, 48% fall into the former bracket and 11% into the latter. 

At my previous jobs, the older team members were typically in more senior leadership positions, and they often felt removed and unrelatable. When I joined FourthRev six months ago, one of the first things I noticed was the balance of older and younger people in all teams. For the first time, I, at 26, was one of the youngest employees. 

Being surrounded by colleagues who have several more years of experience than I do is very refreshing. I feel mentally stimulated every day, and because I’m working with people who have become experts in their field, I’m challenged to rise to their level. This experience has been very positive for me, as someone at the beginning of their career.

Ageism can be a real problem – especially for women

However, when I started looking into the topic of ageism in the workplace, I realised that, at many companies, there is a bubble of opportunity for women working in tech. You have a handful of prime years before the ‘risk’ of wanting to start a family arises, and you head downhill from there, fast. As Kathy Gurchiek writes, “If you are a woman over 30 in tech, you’re considered old. Once you’re a mother and in a tech company, you’re already an outsider and considered in a different category and class … marginalised.” 

I sat down to talk to one of the most vivacious and experienced team members at FourthRev, our Director of Market Development, Tara Rodoni, about her work experience over the years. “After you’ve been around for a while, you’ll often notice younger colleagues have a preconceived notion that your knowledge isn’t relevant or innovative. People are quicker to dismiss your input or leave you out of things,” she says.

While this is, unfortunately, the case at a lot of companies, Tara reassured me it’s not all doom and gloom. “If you can find an organisation that values your skills and appreciates what you can bring to the table, then things like gender and age don’t feel as big of a deal,” Tara says. She started working for FourthRev as a consultant before leadership asked her to join full-time. “It was an easy yes for me because of the people here,” she says. “Everyone here shares the same values. It’s always about the person first and what their strengths are. Mine lie in the knowledge, experience and extensive industry network I’ve accumulated over the years, and here that’s recognised as an asset.”

Prioritising an inclusive work environment

As a remote team that all have such different lifestyles, there are several factors we’ve had to take into account to make sure that everyone feels included and can do their best work. Tara shares a few that are most impactful for her:

Learning opportunities

Even though she’s found a professional position that she feels fulfilled in, Tara enjoys the learning opportunities and resources, like LinkedIn Learning and HubSpot training, offered by FourthRev. In addition to this, because we work remotely and use a range of tools and processes, different team members volunteer to host learning sessions on a regular basis. These sessions are all recorded and stored in a central place, which makes it easy for individuals to go back to in their own time. With the majority of the FourthRev team being based in the southern hemisphere, Tara says that this form of asynchronous connection is useful for her in the US because it helps her stay in the loop, even if it’s not always in real time. “I’m at a point where I’m not looking to climb the corporate ladder anymore, but I do want to keep learning and gain new skills.” 

In Long Life Learning: Preparing for Jobs that Don’t Even Exist Yet, Michelle R. Weise writes that people’s careers are going to last 100 years. That makes 60 the new 30 for the modern workforce. In such an extended amount of time, individuals will have to upskill continuously as changes occur. As an organisation, implementing support structures that allow good people to keep adding value over time is going to be key. “FourthRev recognises the importance of ongoing skill development and gives all of us the opportunity to actively participate in it,” says Tara. “I like that the focus is on us as people. The company appreciates our strengths and does what it can to enable our growth. I feel like my contributions are relevant and add value.”

Flexible working 

As someone who has had an industry presence for a few decades, Tara says that FourthRev’s flexible work policy helps her maintain her network and invest time in professional interests, like serving on a board. “The team at FourthRev knows and respects that everyone will get their work done without having to set a schedule. This helps me meet my deliverables and keep up with other responsibilities that are meaningful to me.”

Regular opportunities to connect with each other

Beyond the meetings we have with our regular teams to discuss the projects we’re working on, we try to encourage engagement across the broader FourthRev team. Tools like donut and Shuffl make it easy to connect with different people for short ‘coffee chats’, and scheduled company-wide check-in sessions and quarterly updates create the opportunity for as many of us as possible to come together. “It’s good to meet people and put a face to a name that you otherwise just see on Slack or in your inbox. Interacting with someone in a way where they can get to know you professionally and personally is the best way to break down ideas that they might have of you after just seeing your picture.”  

If you’re interested in joining a team that values you for the skills you have – whether you’re 26 or 56 – take a look at the roles we have open on our careers page. 

Written by Summer Smith and Tara Rodoni