5 answers
Adam
Student
Rosenberg, Texas
3
Questions
Updated
554 views
I recently completed a software engineering bootcamp after working in HR and logistics, and I’m now pivoting into the tech world. What’s the best way to stand out to hiring managers when transitioning from a non-technical background into tech I’d especially love advice on how to highlight transferable skills, show growth through projects, and make my story resonate with recruiters who may not see a traditional tech path. #Fall25?
I'm 42, worked in Talent Acquisition the last 4 years, Logistics and Supply Chain for 6 years prior to that in the Oil & Gas Industry. I have a Bachelor of Science in Computer Information Systems, graduated back in Dec 2006. I completed a coding bootcamp, MERN stack, back in Jan 2025 this year. Also, I have completed 4 out of 5 Google IT Support Professional certificates so far.
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5 answers
Denise Heffron, PSM, PMI-ACP, PMP
Experience Strategy
48
Answers
North Aurora, Illinois
Updated
Denise’s Answer
Hello Adam,
Great question and congratulations on your recent accomplishments! Here’s a streamlined approach to help you stand out as you transition into tech, with an emphasis on tailoring your story, highlighting transferable skills, and showcasing growth through projects:
1. Tailor Your Resume to Each Job
Before anything else, customize your resume for every role you apply to—this maximizes your chances of getting noticed by hiring managers. Use tools like theprofessional.me/gap analysis/ to compare your resume against job postings, aiming for at least a 70% match. This ensures your language aligns with the role and helps you clear ATS filters.
2. Craft Your Narrative: Connect Past Experience to Your Tech Goals
Frame your career shift as intentional and logical:
Emphasize skills gained in Talent Acquisition, Logistics, and Supply Chain such as problem-solving, project management, analytical thinking, and stakeholder communication.
Leverage your Bachelor of Science in Computer Information Systems and recent MERN stack bootcamp to show consistent technical foundation.
Highlight your ongoing learning through Google IT Support certificates as proof of dedication.
Example:
“With a solid foundation in information systems and extensive experience managing complex projects and talent pipelines, I bring a unique blend of technical understanding and people-focused problem-solving to software development.”
3. Highlight Transferable Skills Explicitly
Map your past experience to tech-relevant skills:
Project Management & Process Optimization: Parallel to Agile and sprint planning.
Communication & Collaboration: Cross-functional teamwork in Talent Acquisition aligns with dev team environments.
Analytical & Troubleshooting Mindset: Logistics experience translates to debugging and systems thinking.
Customer/User Empathy: Understanding workforce needs supports user-centric software design.
Add a “Transferable Skills” or “Relevant Skills” section in your resume and LinkedIn to clearly articulate these connections.
4. Showcase Growth with Practical Projects
Build a portfolio (GitHub or personal site) featuring your bootcamp projects. Emphasize:
Technical complexity (full MERN stack, APIs, authentication)
Real-world problems solved
Collaboration and iteration processes
Contribute to open source or community projects to demonstrate initiative and teamwork.
Share your learning journey through blog posts or LinkedIn articles for added visibility and proof of passion.
5. Resume & Profile Tips
Use a hybrid resume format: Start with a Summary/Profile focusing on your tech goals, followed by a “Relevant Projects” section before your work history.
Incorporate keywords from job descriptions to pass ATS.
Quantify past achievements where possible, e.g., “Reduced candidate screening time by 30% using data-driven sourcing,” showing analytical ability transferable to tech roles.
6. Network and Leverage Your Unique Background
Use your Talent Acquisition experience to connect with tech recruiters — your insider knowledge of hiring challenges is valuable.
Attend tech meetups and hackathons to build relationships and stay current.
Be open about your pivot story; recruiters appreciate intentional and motivated candidates.
7. Prepare for Interviews Using Storytelling
Use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to illustrate how your prior roles prepared you for problem-solving, teamwork, and continuous learning.
Discuss challenges from bootcamp projects to highlight resilience and technical growth.
Summarize your pivot succinctly:
“After a rewarding career in HR and logistics, where I honed analytical and communication skills, I chose to pursue software engineering to directly craft solutions through technology.”
By combining your rich professional background with strong technical skills and a clear, authentic narrative, you’ll position yourself as a well-rounded candidate who “knows the code” and understands the broader business and human context.
Best of luck on your Fall25 tech journey!
Great question and congratulations on your recent accomplishments! Here’s a streamlined approach to help you stand out as you transition into tech, with an emphasis on tailoring your story, highlighting transferable skills, and showcasing growth through projects:
1. Tailor Your Resume to Each Job
Before anything else, customize your resume for every role you apply to—this maximizes your chances of getting noticed by hiring managers. Use tools like theprofessional.me/gap analysis/ to compare your resume against job postings, aiming for at least a 70% match. This ensures your language aligns with the role and helps you clear ATS filters.
2. Craft Your Narrative: Connect Past Experience to Your Tech Goals
Frame your career shift as intentional and logical:
Emphasize skills gained in Talent Acquisition, Logistics, and Supply Chain such as problem-solving, project management, analytical thinking, and stakeholder communication.
Leverage your Bachelor of Science in Computer Information Systems and recent MERN stack bootcamp to show consistent technical foundation.
Highlight your ongoing learning through Google IT Support certificates as proof of dedication.
Example:
“With a solid foundation in information systems and extensive experience managing complex projects and talent pipelines, I bring a unique blend of technical understanding and people-focused problem-solving to software development.”
3. Highlight Transferable Skills Explicitly
Map your past experience to tech-relevant skills:
Project Management & Process Optimization: Parallel to Agile and sprint planning.
Communication & Collaboration: Cross-functional teamwork in Talent Acquisition aligns with dev team environments.
Analytical & Troubleshooting Mindset: Logistics experience translates to debugging and systems thinking.
Customer/User Empathy: Understanding workforce needs supports user-centric software design.
Add a “Transferable Skills” or “Relevant Skills” section in your resume and LinkedIn to clearly articulate these connections.
4. Showcase Growth with Practical Projects
Build a portfolio (GitHub or personal site) featuring your bootcamp projects. Emphasize:
Technical complexity (full MERN stack, APIs, authentication)
Real-world problems solved
Collaboration and iteration processes
Contribute to open source or community projects to demonstrate initiative and teamwork.
Share your learning journey through blog posts or LinkedIn articles for added visibility and proof of passion.
5. Resume & Profile Tips
Use a hybrid resume format: Start with a Summary/Profile focusing on your tech goals, followed by a “Relevant Projects” section before your work history.
Incorporate keywords from job descriptions to pass ATS.
Quantify past achievements where possible, e.g., “Reduced candidate screening time by 30% using data-driven sourcing,” showing analytical ability transferable to tech roles.
6. Network and Leverage Your Unique Background
Use your Talent Acquisition experience to connect with tech recruiters — your insider knowledge of hiring challenges is valuable.
Attend tech meetups and hackathons to build relationships and stay current.
Be open about your pivot story; recruiters appreciate intentional and motivated candidates.
7. Prepare for Interviews Using Storytelling
Use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to illustrate how your prior roles prepared you for problem-solving, teamwork, and continuous learning.
Discuss challenges from bootcamp projects to highlight resilience and technical growth.
Summarize your pivot succinctly:
“After a rewarding career in HR and logistics, where I honed analytical and communication skills, I chose to pursue software engineering to directly craft solutions through technology.”
By combining your rich professional background with strong technical skills and a clear, authentic narrative, you’ll position yourself as a well-rounded candidate who “knows the code” and understands the broader business and human context.
Best of luck on your Fall25 tech journey!
Wong Loke Yuen
Head of Programme cum Senior Lecturer
645
Answers
Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia
Updated
Wong’s Answer
Hi Adam. Many people entering technology today come from non-traditional paths, and employers increasingly value diverse experiences. The key is to show how your past work in HR, talent acquisition, and logistics connects naturally to your new technical skills. With clear storytelling, strong project examples, and confidence in your transferable abilities, you can stand out as a well-rounded candidate.
You already have a foundation in technology through your bachelor's degree in Computer Information Systems, which shows that your interest in tech isn't new. Completing a software engineering bootcamp in the MERN stack and earning Google IT Support certificates proves your dedication to continuous learning. These recent achievements demonstrate your commitment to staying current with modern tools and practices, which is something hiring managers respect.
In addition, your years in talent acquisition show that you understand hiring processes, communication, and teamwork. These are the skills that are vital in any tech role. From logistics and supply chain work, you've developed project management abilities, analytical thinking, and a focus on efficiency. When describing these experiences on your resume or in interviews, connect them directly to technical outcomes. For example, mention times when you optimized a process, used data to make decisions, etc.
If possible, build a small portfolio website that highlights both your technical work and your professional story. On LinkedIn, update your profile and write a short summary about your journey from HR and logistics to tech. Also, explain how your past experience gives you a unique perspective as a developer or IT professional. All the best.
You already have a foundation in technology through your bachelor's degree in Computer Information Systems, which shows that your interest in tech isn't new. Completing a software engineering bootcamp in the MERN stack and earning Google IT Support certificates proves your dedication to continuous learning. These recent achievements demonstrate your commitment to staying current with modern tools and practices, which is something hiring managers respect.
In addition, your years in talent acquisition show that you understand hiring processes, communication, and teamwork. These are the skills that are vital in any tech role. From logistics and supply chain work, you've developed project management abilities, analytical thinking, and a focus on efficiency. When describing these experiences on your resume or in interviews, connect them directly to technical outcomes. For example, mention times when you optimized a process, used data to make decisions, etc.
If possible, build a small portfolio website that highlights both your technical work and your professional story. On LinkedIn, update your profile and write a short summary about your journey from HR and logistics to tech. Also, explain how your past experience gives you a unique perspective as a developer or IT professional. All the best.
Jeff Sloan
Software engineer - firmware Retired
115
Answers
Updated
Jeff’s Answer
Hi Adam,
Great question! Any good manager will understand that technical skills can be taught. Employers are looking for soft skills like team building, public speaking, team leading, motivating team members, coordinating between technical folks and customers/ users, conflict resolution. In high tech, teams are huge and global. If you can add specific examples of how you brought team members together, found a comprise, resolved a conflict, etc, you will stand out. Make sure you give concrete examples. Employers do not want generic buzz words like team player.
Best of luck! It's an exciting change!
Great question! Any good manager will understand that technical skills can be taught. Employers are looking for soft skills like team building, public speaking, team leading, motivating team members, coordinating between technical folks and customers/ users, conflict resolution. In high tech, teams are huge and global. If you can add specific examples of how you brought team members together, found a comprise, resolved a conflict, etc, you will stand out. Make sure you give concrete examples. Employers do not want generic buzz words like team player.
Best of luck! It's an exciting change!
Jonathan Echegaray
HR Data Processing Manager
2
Answers
Orlando, Florida
Updated
Jonathan’s Answer
Have you thought about staying in HR but moving into HRIS (Human Resources Information Systems)? With your HR experience and interest in technology, it sounds like a pretty good fit. HRIS is a big field, and you can use your HR knowledge while learning more about technology. Every company uses HRIS for different functions, like improving talent systems and HR systems.
I was in a similar situation and learned about HRIS through networking. Now, I combine my love for HR and technology. When you talk to your managers, be open about why you want this change. It takes time, but your skills in analyzing and understanding business needs are valuable, especially since you have experience in logistics and data analytics that you used in HR. You could start by networking within your company to find out who handles the Talent systems. This way, you can learn more and maybe even shadow someone.
In tech, recruiters are usually open-minded. Show your confidence and skills, and explain how they relate to the role you want.
Good luck with your new interests!
I was in a similar situation and learned about HRIS through networking. Now, I combine my love for HR and technology. When you talk to your managers, be open about why you want this change. It takes time, but your skills in analyzing and understanding business needs are valuable, especially since you have experience in logistics and data analytics that you used in HR. You could start by networking within your company to find out who handles the Talent systems. This way, you can learn more and maybe even shadow someone.
In tech, recruiters are usually open-minded. Show your confidence and skills, and explain how they relate to the role you want.
Good luck with your new interests!
Krunal Patel
Software Engineer
1
Answer
Chicago, Illinois
Updated
Krunal’s Answer
Be authentic and leverage your extensive HR experience by identifying commonalities between the two roles. One shared challenge is the ability to persuade team members toward a common goal. In software engineering, disagreements on solutions are common. To navigate these situations effectively:
Stay customer-focused: Align discussions around delivering value and removing blockers.
Use data-driven reasoning: Gather relevant data and present clear, concise points in a structured manner.
Communicate professionally: Frame your ideas in a way that is easy to understand and respectful.
Seek alignment quickly: Aim for agreement, then move forward without unnecessary delays.
This approach helps build trust, fosters collaboration, and ensures progress toward shared objectives.
Stay customer-focused: Align discussions around delivering value and removing blockers.
Use data-driven reasoning: Gather relevant data and present clear, concise points in a structured manner.
Communicate professionally: Frame your ideas in a way that is easy to understand and respectful.
Seek alignment quickly: Aim for agreement, then move forward without unnecessary delays.
This approach helps build trust, fosters collaboration, and ensures progress toward shared objectives.