Ask AdaMarie: How should I be thinking about positioning as a career-changer?
“I recently transitioned into tech from a nontraditional background. I feel like my skills are solid, but I’m not sure how to shape my story so decision-makers see my full value. How should I be thinking about positioning as a career-changer?”
Dear Career Chameleon,
First, take a breath. You did the hard thing already. Transitioning into tech from a nontraditional background is not a detour, it’s proof you can learn, adapt, and deliver in unfamiliar terrain. The unease you’re feeling isn’t a flaw in your story. It’s a sign you’re early in the part where you get to shape it.
Here’s the reframe that unlocks everything: early-career positioning isn’t about proving you belong. It’s about helping decision-makers quickly understand where you create value and why it matters now.
Here’s how to start doing that, concretely.
Translate, don’t downplay, your past.
Your previous experience is raw material, not baggage. Identify the transferable signal underneath it. Maybe you led people, navigated ambiguity, explained complex ideas, or shipped work under pressure. Name those skills in plain language that maps to tech outcomes: velocity, risk reduction, user insight, system reliability.
Anchor your story to problems, not titles.
Decision-makers don’t hire “backgrounds,” they hire problem-solvers. Practice describing your work as: “I help teams do X by doing Y, which results in Z.” This shifts the focus from where you came from to what you consistently deliver.
Be early and visible with your thinking.
If you wait until work is finished to speak up, you’ll be seen as execution-only. Share how you approach problems, the tradeoffs you notice, or the questions you’re asking. That’s how people learn to trust your judgment, not just your skills.
Borrow credibility strategically.
Early on, proximity matters. Volunteer for cross-functional work, ask to support a more senior teammate, or align your updates with team goals leaders already care about. You’re not seeking permission. You’re creating context.
Choose a lane before you’re chosen for one.
You don’t need a 10-year plan, but you do need a current direction. Decide what you want to be known for in the next 6 to 12 months. Learning fast? Clean execution? Bridging technical and nontechnical teams? Let your actions and language reinforce that signal repeatedly.
Here’s the quiet truth most people won’t say out loud: positioning early in your career is less about polish and more about clarity plus repetition. When people hear the same value from you, see it in your work, and feel it in how you collaborate, belief follows.
You’re not behind. You’re building the scaffolding.
Keep going.
We’re rooting for you.
