Picture this: You’re great at solving problems. You light up when you figure out why something isn’t working. You’re the person your friends call when their Wi-Fi acts up or their phone won’t connect. But when you think about a career in IT, you hit a wall. You didn’t study computer science. You don’t have a technical degree. So you assume the door is closed.
Here’s the truth: that assumption is wrong.
The idea that you need a traditional tech education to succeed in IT is one of the most persistent myths in the industry. And it’s holding back talented, capable people who could thrive in technology roles if given the chance.
At TenisiTech, we’ve seen it firsthand. Some of our strongest team members came from psychology, hospitality, operations, and other “non-tech” fields. What they brought with them (curiosity, problem-solving skills, emotional intelligence, and a willingness to learn) turned out to be far more valuable than any line on a resume.
In this blog, we’ll challenge the myth that tech belongs only to those with the “right” credentials. We’ll explore what actually matters when building a career in IT, how organizations like TenisiTech develop non-traditional talent, and why employers who rethink their hiring practices end up with stronger, more diverse teams.
Whether you’re considering a career change or you’re a leader looking to build a better team, this one’s for you.
Breaking the Mold: Why the Traditional Path Isn’t the Only Way In
Computer science degrees and technical certifications have value. They provide structure, foundational knowledge, and credibility. But they’re not the only way into tech, and increasingly, they’re not even the most common way.
The IT industry has evolved dramatically over the past two decades. Many of today’s most successful professionals didn’t follow a linear path. They were career changers who taught themselves to code at night. They were liberal arts graduates who discovered a passion for systems thinking. They were customer service reps who realized they loved troubleshooting more than sales.
The industry is richer for it.
Here’s why this matters for organizations: when you limit your hiring pool to candidates with traditional tech backgrounds, you miss out on creative thinkers who approach problems differently. You lose strong communicators who can bridge the gap between IT and the rest of the business. You overlook people who bring curiosity, resilience, and diverse perspectives that make teams more adaptable and innovative.
In a field that changes as rapidly as technology does, the ability to learn and adapt often matters more than what you already know. And the best learners don’t always come from the places you’d expect.
Beyond the Resume: What Actually Drives Success in Tech
Technical skills can be taught. Tools can be learned. But the traits that make someone truly effective in IT? Those are harder to train, and they’re often what separates good hires from great ones.
Here’s what we’ve learned matters most:
- Curiosity as the foundation: The best IT professionals want to understand why the problem happened in the first place. They dig deeper. They ask questions. They’re the kind of people who can’t help but wonder how things work. Curiosity drives continuous learning, and in a field that evolves as quickly as technology, that’s essential.
- Problem-solving over memorization: Tech changes constantly. What worked five years ago might be obsolete today. That’s why the ability to troubleshoot, think critically, and adapt is more valuable than memorizing syntax or knowing every tool upfront. Great IT professionals don’t panic when they encounter something unfamiliar. They break it down, test hypotheses, and figure it out.
- Willingness to learn: No one expects you to know everything on day one. What matters is whether you’re coachable, open to feedback, and committed to growth. The people who thrive in tech are those who see every challenge as an opportunity to improve.
- Communication and collaboration: Much of the job involves working cross-functionally, translating complex issues for non-technical stakeholders, and building trust with clients or colleagues. The ability to explain a security breach to a CFO or walk a frustrated employee through a fix is harder to train than learning Python. And it’s just as critical to success.
From Different Backgrounds to Key Roles: Real Growth Stories
We’ve seen this play out in our own team. One of our leaders in administration came from a background in psychology and social work. She didn’t have a technical degree, but she had emotional intelligence, organizational skills, and a genuine desire to learn. With mentorship and support from leadership, she has grown into a role where she now oversees critical operations and helps shape the organization’s culture.
Another team member joined us from the hospitality industry. He started as a Service Desk Analyst, learning the fundamentals and building technical skills on the job. His problem-solving mindset, work ethic, and ability to connect with people helped him excel. Within a few years, he was promoted to System Administrator, assuming more complex responsibilities and becoming a key member of the technical team.
These aren’t exceptions. They’re examples of what’s possible when you hire for potential and invest in people.
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How TenisiTech Builds Careers, Not Just Fills Positions
At TenisiTech, we build careers. That means looking beyond resumes and credentials to find individuals who are curious, collaborative, and eager to grow, then creating an environment where they can actually do it.
We hire for potential, not just credentials. When we’re reviewing candidates, we’re asking: Are they curious? Do they ask thoughtful questions? Can they think critically and communicate clearly? Do they align with our values? Technical skills can be taught. The right mindset and attitude? That’s what we hire for.
Unlike organizations where IT roles are siloed, we give team members the opportunity to learn across various disciplines—service desk support, cybersecurity, compliance, infrastructure management, and strategic planning. This cross-training helps them develop a well-rounded skill set and identify their areas of strength.
We’ve also built a culture where mistakes are learning opportunities, questions are encouraged, and growth is the expectation, not perfection. Psychological safety enables people to take risks, push their boundaries, and ultimately grow more rapidly. We invest in certifications, training, conference attendance, and continuing education because when our people grow, everyone wins.
For Leaders: Rethinking How You Find and Develop Tech Talent
If you’re a business leader or hiring manager, you have an opportunity to build stronger, more diverse teams by rethinking how you approach tech hiring.
Rethink your job descriptions. Are you listing “required” qualifications that aren’t actually required? Are you screening out great candidates because they don’t check every single box? Instead of requiring five years of experience with a specific tool, consider what you really need: someone who can learn quickly, troubleshoot effectively, and collaborate well.
Hire for curiosity and culture fit. Look for people who ask good questions, show genuine interest in how things work, and align with your values. During interviews, ask candidates to walk you through how they’ve solved problems in the past. Listen for how they think, not just what they know.
Build structured onboarding and mentorship. Create pathways for learning that include shadowing, guided problem-solving, and regular check-ins with mentors. Make it clear that asking questions is not only acceptable but expected.
Invest in training and certifications. Support access to courses, labs, conferences, and certifications. Give people time to complete training and recognize their achievements when they do. Investing in your people’s growth pays dividends in retention, capability, and morale.
Create a culture that values learning over ego. If people are afraid to ask questions, admit they don’t know something, or make mistakes, they won’t grow. Leaders set the tone by modeling curiosity, acknowledging their own learning gaps, and celebrating when someone identifies a problem or finds a better solution.
Learning from the Field: Nichole Robertson on Breaking Into Tech
I recently sat down with Nichole Robertson, CEO of Teledata, on the Tech Me Seriously! podcast to explore this topic: how to build a career in tech without a traditional technical background.
Nichole’s story perfectly illustrates what’s possible when curiosity meets opportunity. She didn’t study computer science or IT. She got a business degree because, as she puts it, “I had no idea what I wanted to do.” After college, she found herself at Teledata almost by accident through a friend’s parents, who were looking for someone in marketing.
“I said, gosh, I know nothing about data centers,” Nichole recalled. “But OK, I’ll give it a shot. Honestly, I think the connection that I made with the people here was instant.”
That culture fit became the foundation for nearly 20 years of growth at the company, where Nichole progressed through marketing, business development, account management, project management, and eventually Director of Client Services before becoming CEO in 2024.
One of the most valuable pieces of advice Nichole shared was about her early approach to learning: “I became, I’ll call it a shadow to all the people here. I went on every meeting that my boss had. I went to all the sales pitches. I went on job walks and learned.”
This willingness to shadow, observe, and absorb became her pathway to technical knowledge. She didn’t need a degree in workplace technology. She learned by being present, asking questions, and participating in the discovery process.
When I asked what she looks for when hiring, her answer was revealing: “A lot of the successful people who make the transition to our company are hobbyists, are people who have a lot of interests, who are willing to do research and figure it out because that excites them.”
She also shared a powerful example of transferable skills: “I recently met with a client who reminded me that him and the two other people on their workplace team all went to school for hospitality. And I was like, that makes so much sense.”
That service mindset—whether from hospitality, retail, or other customer-facing roles—often translates better to tech than a purely technical education alone.
Listen to the full episode here.
Opening Doors: Why Tech Needs More Than One Kind of Mind
The tech industry is at its best when it opens its doors to career changers, self-taught learners, liberal arts graduates, and anyone with the drive to learn and the curiosity to keep asking “why.”
For individuals: If you’re considering a career in IT but don’t have a traditional tech background, don’t let that stop you. The field needs people who think differently, communicate well, and bring fresh perspectives. If you’re curious and willing to put in the work, there’s a place for you here.
For employers: The best teams aren’t built by limiting your hiring pool to people with the “right” credentials. They’re built by investing in people with potential, creating environments where they can thrive, and valuing diverse perspectives and experiences.
At TenisiTech, we’ve seen firsthand what happens when you take a chance on someone with the right mindset and give them the support to grow. The results speak for themselves, with stronger teams, better client outcomes, and careers that transform lives.
The industry needs more of that. And it starts with challenging the myth that there’s only one way into tech.
Ready to explore what a career at TenisiTech could look like? Visit our careers page to learn more about open roles and what it’s like to work here.