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Preparing for a Career in Tech: What Employers Tell Me Behind Closed Doors
National Careers Week is a brilliant moment to spotlight the huge range of opportunities in digital and technology. Apprenticeships, graduate schemes, career-switcher pathways, emerging roles in AI, cyber, green tech and more.
In my role at TechSkills, working closely with tech employers across our Employer Advisory Board and network I often hear a slightly different conversation.
Employers are not just asking, “Do candidates have the right qualification?” but they are also asking, “Are they ready for work?”
That question is more nuanced than it sounds.
Through my work at TechSkills, particularly around our employer-led Tech Industry Gold accreditation, I see this tension regularly. Employers consistently tell us that technical knowledge is only part of the picture. They are looking for people who understand the business context they are operating in, who can contribute within projects, and who bring professional behaviours that strength a team.
That is why the programmes we accredit are shaped around four core areas: business understanding, technical expertise, project delivery and professional capability.
When these elements are intentionally built into the learner experience, work readiness becomes something that is developed over time, not just something left to chance at the point of entering industry.
Visibility Matters
At a cyber student event I recently attended, I was struck by a comment from Chijioke Okoye, Security Analyst at Landmark Information Group:
“From my experience on interview panels, we can often identify genuine interest before an application is even submitted. Preparedness reveals itself in the way candidates engage, the kind of questions they ask, and the follow-up afterwards.”
He wasn’t talking about qualifications. He was talking about visibility, meaning:
- Learners who attend events.
- Who ask thoughtful questions
- Who follow up afterwards.
- Who connect on LinkedIn with a message rather than a blank request.
This is not about self-promotion but it is about creating a professional presence.
Rob Illidge, CEO of software platform Vulse shared:
I recommended that students start building their network before they need it. It can feel uncomfortable at first, what many call ‘post anxiety’ is completely normal. Putting your thoughts out there, sharing achievements, or even commenting on industry conversations can feel daunting, especially early in your career.
often the ones who stand out. They create visibility, demonstrate curiosity, and show initiative. Over time, that consistency builds a professional presence and meaningful connections.
Those who engage early are remembered and being remembered matters. When internship and graduate opportunities arise, it’s often the students who have shown up, contributed to conversations, and built relationships who secure roles faster. In a competitive market, visibility and credibility can be just as important as a CV.
Early in my own career, I assumed that if I worked hard and delivered good results, that would be enough. Hard work is of course necessary but not enough. Technology roles are collaborative. Employers are looking for people who communicate what they are learning, where they are struggling and how they are contributing. Understanding not just your own role but the roles of the team around you, will help you understand how to deliver work in the most helpful and collaborative way.
LinkedIn, used well, can become a showcase of your portfolio. It doesn’t need to be perfect, but rather evidence of applied learning and personality. For example, you could share reflections on the learning gained from a hackathon, a short post about a cyber challenge, or highlight a project you built because you were curious. It is well worth getting involved in groups that match your interests and comment on other people’s posts.
Employers Notice Initiative
Another recurring theme from employers across sectors, from financial services to cloud and software engineering, is initiative.
As Nicola Drury, Chair of the TechSkills Employer Advisory Board puts it:
Employers expect more than technical capability , they’re looking for people who know how to think, collaborate, lead, and grow. Technical skills matter, but they are only part of the story. Real success comes from our behaviours - how we show up, how we work with others, how we respond to challenges, and how we keep learning. Technology will always evolve at speed, but it’s our mindset, character, and ability to connect with others that determine how powerful that technology truly becomes.
That’s why students must be proactive. Don’t wait for opportunity ... create it. Get involved in events, step outside your comfort zone, find a mentor, ask questions, build relationships, and take ownership of your development. Start early. Invest in yourself. Because when you combine technical expertise with strong behaviours and self-leadership, you don’t just keep up ...you accelerate. And that’s what sets you apart.
The apprentices and graduates who accelerate most quickly are often the ones who put their hand up.
- They volunteer for cross-team projects.
- They support internal innovation challenges.
- They get involved in outreach with schools.
Within reason, saying yes builds exposure. And exposure builds capability faster than staying in the safe lane.
That does not mean overloading yourself. It does mean leaning into opportunity.
Build Something and Share It
Employers consistently value evidence of applied problem-solving.
It does not have to be commercially polished. It might be:
- A simple app solving a niche problem.
- A data dashboard on a topic you care about.
- Contributing to an open-source community.
- Supporting a local charity with digital skills.
What matters is not the scale of the project, it is the demonstration of initiative.
If you are not sure where to start, just start small and document it. A simple GitHub repository showing your thinking, even if the project is imperfect, gives employers tangible evidence of how you think and how you solve problems.
When employers see that technology is something you use to create value, not just something you study, it changes the conversation.
Understand the Bigger Picture
The strongest early-career talent understands that technology does not operate in isolation. Employers are navigating AI governance, sustainability commitments, Scope 3 emissions, cyber risk, regulatory pressure and customer trust, often simultaneously.
If you can articulate how your technical skills link to business impact and societal responsibility, you immediately stand out.
That awareness signals maturity.
So, What Does “Work-Ready” Actually Mean?
Again, it does not mean perfection.
It means:
- Managing your time.
- Communicating clearly.
- Taking accountability.
- Being curious and not frightened to ask questions
- Being resilient when things do not work the first time but learning from mistakes.
- Demonstrating critical thinking skills and apply them in daily work
In many cases, when employers are choosing between technically similar candidates, demonstration of these behaviours are decisive.
National Careers Week is an opportunity to celebrate pathways into tech. But preparing for a digital career is not only about choosing the right course, it is about developing career supportive habits, active participation, visibility and showing initiative and critical thinking.
The senior leaders who inspire me most are the ones who stay curious and keep learning throughout their whole career. Babatunde Akinkugbe, Technology Platform lead for Lloyds Scottish Widows, recently told me that he dedicates two hours every evening to his own personal learning reading white papers, policy documents, listening to relevant tech podcasts and more.
From what I hear across our employer network, those who take ownership of their professional identity early do not just secure roles, they and quickly become an indispensable part of the team.
Through the Tech Industry Gold accreditation, we aim to ensure that digital programmes are shaped by not only technical standards, but also by the realities of modern workplaces, where business understanding and project thinking are just as important as coding skills.
About the campaign
In our pursuit to shape a more equitable future, our March TechTogether campaign will focus on supporting the next generation by joining the National Careers Week campaign, empowering women in tech, advancing equity by design, and evolving the landscape of online safety.
Career related industry insights:
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