Tech is not for everyone but clearly this is an industry that isn’t going away anytime soon. If you are interested working in tech, but aren’t a coder or computer programmer, don’t worry – there are plenty of routes in.
And the timing couldn’t be better. The industry is facing a shortage of workers; plus, it generally offers great pay and benefits, lots of employment opportunities, and most you can do from home. But where do you want to apply your skills?
We’ve made a list below of some of our favorite tech jobs that don’t need coding skills.
1. Graphic Design
Coding can be an artistic trade in many ways, but graphic design is all about the look of a product or service. If you’re creative and artistic and want to become involved in tech, consider becoming a designer.
There are several areas that you can specialize in. For example, you could be designing products and packaging for companies that produce tangible goods. You might also be interested in designing ads and brand imaging, or even web pages.
Understanding of some commonly used design tools like Adobe Creative Suite or Sketch is always really useful to have and demonstrate when applying to these jobs.
2. Marketing and Sales
Almost every tech company’s goal is to make money, which means they need to sell products. People who have the skills to market and sell those products are in high demand.
There are various jobs within this sector, including search engine optimization, campaign marketing, content marketing, email marketing and social media marketing. In a small company, the marketing team (or person) might be responsible for doing all of these tasks; in a larger organization, one to two employees might specialize in each.
Some of these jobs require more technical expertise than others, but they don’t involve coding. Having a good understanding of the company’s marketplace will be much more beneficial.
People in sales and marketing tend to be very creative and results driven. They are comfortable using data to help inform strategy and decision-making and love to test their approaches continually before deciding on the best route forward.
3. Quality Assurance & Software Testing
Another great job is software testing. This covers all manner of apps and services, from tools for managing industrial machines to games on your phone or the newest gaming systems.
Testing any type of software includes running through various scenarios within the application and checking for correct or incorrect responses. Bugs need to be found, reported, and then resolved by the developers. All that you need to do is be able to take a screenshot or accurately note an error code.
People who are good at quality assurance and software testing tend to be good with attention to detail and working independently.
4. Business Analyst Jobs
From the outside, the software development cycle might seem simple. Someone has an idea for a computer program, such as a mobile banking application, an inventory management system, or a scheduling platform. Then someone else, often a team of developers, analysts, and designers, collaborates to turn that idea into functional and efficient software.
However, a great product takes more than developers creating what customers tell them that they want. This is where the business analyst comes in, bridging the gap between customer needs and the work of the developer. By gaining a solid understanding of what the customer wants the software or product to do, the business analyst turns those requirements into a plan grounded in the logistics of what is feasible.
For those who enjoy the feeling of being a diplomat, are analytical and like seeking compromise, business analysis will be one of the most appealing technical jobs without coding to choose from.
5. Project Manager Jobs
Project managers are in charge and often coordinate the priorities and work of several cross-functional teams at once. All corners of the organization answer to the project manager. This includes developers and engineers, marketers, analysts, salespeople, and designers. The project manager keeps everyone in line and makes sure that important deliverables remain on track and are completed on time.
If you like the sound of that, you may also want to look at program management. Program managers do the same thing at a higher level within the company. They may oversee many project managers at once, working to further the company’s overarching goals in a big-picture sense. Typically, they work closely with project managers to oversee the progression within each team. They steer the ship, middling between the executives and those with their boots on the ground. This makes program management one of the most important non-programming tech jobs in the industry.
People that excel in these roles are great time managers, they’re very organized and they are very good at managing people and getting them aligned on common goals.
6. IT System Administrator
Are you good at problem-solving and quick at learning new things? If so, you’ll find plenty of IT and systems careers that don’t require coding at all.
‘Sysadmins’, as they’re commonly called, are often viewed as the handymen of the IT department. They cover everything from unboxing and setting up equipment to getting an email server back online when it goes down. They may also be tasked with backing up files across the entire company or creating firewalls to protect the network. It’s a busy job.
Successful sysadmins have a wide range of skills at their command. These include people skills, imperative when working with frustrated coworkers who can’t check their email or submit their project reports.
While coding outright will not usually be necessary, having some programming experience will be useful. At the very least, you need a solid understanding of how to run a computer from the command line.
There are, of course, other IT jobs that don’t require coding, too, such as desktop support and help desk operator. Many consider system administration to be the best job in IT without programming, however. It feels good to be the big man in charge.
7. Technical Writer Jobs
If your talents lie in crafting concise, useful prose, technical writing is one of the most abundantly available jobs in tech. Forget creating apps or databases; programs, websites, scripts, and nearly every other type of product need extensive documentation and all sorts of copy.
Technical writing can include instructions for users, requirements for developers, press releases, technical reports, specifications, or other miscellaneous documents. Being knowledgeable, concise, descriptive, and well-organized are all very useful skills to have in this role. Many technical writers get their start in the field that they work in, but others begin as freelancers.
If your base of knowledge is extensive, technical writing is one of the best non-programming jobs for software engineers. It’s the perfect way to apply what you know about various technologies without coding a single line.
8. UX and UI Researcher & Analyst Jobs
Some of the most obvious non-programming tech jobs are in User Experience (UX) and User Interface (UI) development. Careers in UX and UI have the potential to be some of the most fulfilling and meaningful tech careers.
When websites, programs, and apps are being developed, UX/UI specialists sketch out wireframes and mockups. These are tested on users, enabling the development of guidelines for designers to complete the user interface in order to make it feel whole and optimally functional.
Several roles fall under this category, each related to how users interact with a website, program, or app. These roles involve skills in design, psychology, human-computer interaction (HCI), and others.
UX experts come from a wide range of backgrounds. They hold degrees in all sorts of things, often at the master’s level, such as in HCI specifically. When asked which skills they found to be most useful, some prevalent responses were web design, writing, psychology, design, and research methodology.
9. Cybersecurity
Information and cybersecurity experts protect computer systems and networks from cyber threats. They monitor systems looking for security breaches, analyze security risks, and implement security measures to keep the threats out.
In the event of a security breach or cyber attack, security experts need to respond quickly and effectively to contain the incident, minimize damage, and restore normal operations.
While some aspects of cybersecurity may involve scripting or basic programming, it’s not always a primary requirement, especially for entry-level positions.
10. Data Analyst
If you are skilled at interpreting data, analyzing results, and providing insights to help companies make better business decisions, being an data analyst might be perfect for you. These skills are in high demand as companies increasingly rely on data-driven decision-making to gain a competitive edge.
Many companies offer remote or flexible work arrangements for data analysts, and there is a clear path to advance into roles such as data scientist or business intelligence manager.
11. Data Entry
Data entry isn’t a glamorous job, but it’s straightforward and an important part of an organization. They maintain accurate records regarding accounting, inventory, customer information, trends, etc. that provide the foundation for data analysis and reporting. Organizations use this information to make strategic decisions and identify opportunities for improvement.
The role also involves accurately capturing and documenting information in accordance with legal and regulatory requirements. Compliance with data protection laws, industry standards, and internal policies is essential for protecting sensitive information and maintaining trust with customers – so don’t underestimate how crucial data entry is.
12. Tech Support
Virtually every business has some sort of customer service or support role, including the tech industry. From not being able to log in to troubleshooting a computer program that isn’t working properly – we’ve all relied on tech support at some point. These specialists are there to provide assistance when these technical problems happen.
Technical support specialists often work directly with customers or internal teams to resolve technical issues and provide guidance on using technology effectively. If you are patient and have strong communication skills, companies are always looking to hire tech support staff, so it’s a fairly easy, and stable job to get.
Often used an entry-point into the industry, tech support roles usually allow for specialization in specific areas (such as software applications, hardware troubleshooting, networking, or cybersecurity). These specializations create opportunities to advance in your career into some of the more prestigious tech roles.
The Best No-Coding Tech Jobs
Just because you don’t like coding doesn’t mean you can’t have a job in the tech sector. There are so many software jobs without coding involved at all for you to peruse.
These in-demand tech jobs, for example, are open to you if you’re willing to work hard and prove yourself. Although some understanding of the principles of programming can be very helpful, for most of these jobs, you won’t need to know more than the basics.
I really appreciate the informative articles you shared about jobs that don’t require a coding background. The explanations were clear and easy to understand.