What people get wrong about working in tech, according to tech workers

• Business Insider asked six tech workers about their biggest misconceptions in the industry.

• Workers have challenged assumptions about artificial intelligence, big tech, and what their jobs actually entail.

• Some have said that AI is changing the nature of technology work, but not in the way many people think.

if you Ask tech workers They’ll tell you the things people misunderstand about working in their industry – a lot of things.

In interviews with Business Insider, tech professionals at companies like Amazon, Google, and Snap said their jobs are mostly coding and artificial intelligence made their job easierand Big Tech is the only worthwhile career path. Some focused on misunderstandings from people outside the industry, while others pointed out misunderstandings from people already working in tech.

These professionals, including engineers, data scientists, and product managers working in an industry This is changing rapidly. They say many people’s understanding of tech jobs is inadequate.

Here are what six tech workers believe are the biggest misconceptions about working in tech. (Answers have been edited for length and clarity.)

My job goes beyond coding

Priyanka Devi Ramesh is a business intelligence engineer at Amazon. He is 30 years old and lives in Virginia.

One of the biggest misconceptions is that works in technology It’s all about coding. People assume that if you work in tech, you sit in front of a screen and write code all day. But as a business intelligence engineer, my job is to understand the business, talk to stakeholders, clean up messy data, and tell stories through dashboards.

A big part of my job is communication; turning complex data into something a non-technical customer or vendor can act on. Technology is much more cross-functional and human-focused than most people out there think.

The benefits are real. So is the pressure.

Sreeja Apparaju is a machine learning engineer at Snap. He is in his 20s and lives in New York.

One misconception is that tech jobs are all about hoodies, ping-pong tables, and a pair of sneakers. four hour work day. The benefits are real, but they exist alongside the real intensity of on-call rotations, launch exercises, performance reviews, and constant pressure to keep learning as the stack evolves under you.

There is also an assumption that the work is entirely solitary and dependent on the screen. Technical issues are only half of it; the other half is people: understanding what users really need, negotiating priorities with partners, and communicating clearly enough to ensure the right decisions are made even when you’re not in the room.

Business Insider speaks with tech workers who find themselves at a corporate crossroads due to a layoff, resignation, job search or changing workplace expectations.

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Artificial intelligence can’t do your thinking for you

Udit Mehrotra is a product manager at Amazon. He is in his 30s and lives in Seattle.

The biggest misconception I currently encounter is that you can outsource your thinking to AI. Many people discovered this AI tools It’s really impressive at producing output quickly, and its appeal is to let the tools run.

The problem is that the quality of what comes out is almost entirely determined by the quality of the thought you put forward. Garbage in, garbage out, but now it looks faster and flashier.

The bar continues to rise

Mike Kostersitz is senior director of product management at Nike. He is 60 years old and lives in Oregon.

A common misconception is that tech workers make a lot of money for very little work because AI does the rest. This takes him back. Artificial intelligence does not give you free time; It eliminates repetitive work that leaves out important work.

The job didn’t get any easier; The bar has been raised. We’re expected to think more clearly, decide faster, and drive more change in a quarter than in a year.

Technology is much bigger than software engineering

Prerit Pathak is a security engineer at Google. He is in his 20s and lives in New York.

I think many people mistakenly believe that being a “tech worker” is synonymous with being a tech worker. software engineer. The truth is that technology is a broad ecosystem of roles like Product Management, UI/UX Design, Data Science, and Cybersecurity.

These experts act as architects, maintainers and guardians of the digital world, ensuring that technical tools solve important problems for our future generations.

Big Tech isn’t the only way

Iren Azra Zou is a software engineer at trucking logistics company Double Nickel. He is in his 20s and lives in New Jersey.

I think some people in tech are too focused on working the hardest famous technology companies. These can be great, but they aren’t the only way and often aren’t the best way for everyone.

There are countless small and medium-sized companies doing interesting, meaningful work. I see a lot of people limiting themselves because they think it’s either “Big Tech” or something boring and non-technical. That’s not what the industry actually looks like.

Do you have a story to share about how you navigated a career crossroads? If so, please contact the reporter via email at: jzinkula@businessinsider.comor via Signal at jzinkula.29.

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