TL;DR:
- Update your resume: Keep it fresh and ATS-friendly.
- Know what to learn: List the new tech you need for the job you want.
- Learn consistently: Spend 1 hour a day or 7-8 hours on the weekend.
- Always interview: Never skip an interview offer; it’s the best practice.
- Document your journey: Use a blog, LinkedIn, or GitHub to share your knowledge.
Background
Yesterday, I met with an ex-colleague who was feeling distressed. He was concerned that he wasn’t learning anything new because his company’s tech stack was so old.
I’ve been in that situation before, so I shared the steps that worked for me.
Make Time for Learning
You need to dedicate 1 hour per day to yourself. If that’s not possible, set aside 7-8 hours on a Saturday or Sunday to learn new things. It might take more time in the beginning, but you can eventually taper it down to 3-4 hours per week.
Identify the Gaps
Check the job descriptions for the roles you want to switch to. List the technologies you’re missing from your current job (e.g., Kubernetes, Docker, modern CI/CD, specific cloud services like AWS, etc.). I find roadmap.sh is a great starting point for this.
Learn by Doing
- Find good video tutorials and make a playlist.
- Limit your watching time to 20-25 minutes at a time.
- Immediately implement what you learned in your own test environment.
- Get hands-on experience by using cloud services like AWS, Azure, or GCP to deploy what you’ve learned.
Document Your Progress
Update your resume and make it ATS-friendly (Gemini is a great help here). Whatever you are learning, make notes on your blog, GitHub, or LinkedIn. This way, you can revisit it later, and you might help someone else who is in the same boat.
Practice Your Interview Skills
Apply, apply, apply to jobs. LinkedIn’s "Easy Apply" doesn’t take much time. If you get an interview call, never skip it. The best way to improve your interview skills is by actually giving interviews.