From Social Work to Tech Startup🚀
A roadmap for those looking to transition into tech and startups
One month after becoming a licensed clinical social worker, I quit my job and pivoted to tech. It all began with a transponder.
I was working at an organization for those facing housing insecurity and had spent 6 months trying to get a transponder for my team’s vehicle so that we could drive on the highway. Our job was to connect with homeless clients across the county, but because we didn’t have a transponder, we had to take the inner roads. And so, what would usually take 20 minutes would sometimes take over an hour.
I had fought tooth and nail for this transponder. I had followed up with people in long email threads multiple times, reminding them that we were still waiting. To me, it was a point of pride—an indication that things could be done more effectively, and that I could actually bring about changes within the organization. But after 4 years of navigating stifling bureaucracies that seemed allergic to innovation and progress, I was done.
I handed in my two weeks before I was even licensed, timing it precisely so that I wouldn’t waste any more time after licensure.
One month later, I joined the What if Ventures Fellowship, an 8-week bootcamp for mental health startups and entrepreneurs. During this time, I tried to create a “Dropbox for the homelessness ecosystem.” I had worked for an organization that supports those that face housing insecurity and noticed that the software was clunky and outdated. And so, I decided to take the leap and try to create better software for the industry.
Unfortunately, the business never got from 0 to 1. I had completely underestimated how much time and money the endeavor would take, especially given the fact that I did not have a substantial background in software. Instead of continuing to push forward with my own startup, I decided to try and find a job at a mental health tech startup that I felt passionate about.
Over the next 6 weeks, I applied to many companies, interviewed with a few, and received multiple offers. I ended up signing with Uplift, an incredible mental health tech startup. Here’s a roadmap based on how I successfully made the transition:
Step 1: What do you want?
What kind of role are you looking for?
There are many different roles within the tech and startup ecosystem. Some of the jobs that have natural transferable skills from the clinical realm include sales or account management. If you’re interested in more technical jobs, such as engineering or product management, you would probably need to obtain experience before getting the job. You could also look for roles in corporate social responsibility at tech companies. Finally, if you’re interested in transitioning as quickly as possible, then remain open to many different roles.
What kind of a company would you like to work for?
You should take into consideration size, funding, mission, and location, among other factors.
For me, the most important thing was to join a small startup with less than 10 people. This would give me the ability to play a larger role in a rapidly growing organization. I also sought out startups that had already obtained funding. This provided me with a greater sense of ease and stability. Furthermore, I was looking for software-based mental health companies. I love software and felt it was a natural fit.
Step 2: Stay organized
Your mom wasn’t wrong when she emphasized the need for organization. In the job search, it's important that you stay organized. This will save you time and energy in the long run, and you won’t end up re-applying to the same company multiple times because you forgot that you had applied. Start the process by creating an Excel or Google sheet and keeping track of:
The company name
The company’s website URL
The date you applied
Which position you applied for
The link to the application
Any other relevant information
Step 3: How do you find job openings?
Now that you know what you’re looking for and have a way to keep track of your progress, it’s time you start finding and reaching out to companies. How do you do this? Here are some of the ways I found job postings:
Google "mental health technology company." You will get numerous results. Also try the Google news section. You can filter by time specifics such as "past month" or "past week" and search for keywords such as "mental health technology company funding." You want to find companies that recently raised a funding round because they may be on a hiring spree.
Find the company’s leadership team on Linkedin and connect with them. This will help you build your Linkedin network and you will get updates from them once they have future openings. By directly messaging some CEO’s/industry leaders, I ended up receiving direct interview.
Find similar companies in the space that have raised funding. Figure out who their investors are and go to the investor’s website. The investors usually have a page that features the jobs at the startups where they have invested.
Search Y-Combinator-funded companies here: https://www.ycombinator.com/jobs. Y-Combinator invests in companies and helps them grow, so they have access to many businesses that are currently hiring.
Follow influential people in the field and investors such as Stephen Hays on social media. Many post about job openings at startups they fund or support.
Find startup jobs on angel.co, Linkedin, or other job boards such as Top Startups.
Find websites where startups and tech companies post in your market. For example, in NYC we have Built in NYC.
Tap into your connections. Don’t be afraid to cold message or email other therapists who work in tech. We look out for one another.
The application process is more of a numbers game than anything, especially when you are breaking into a different field. I recommend you don’t waste your time or or that of others in applying for jobs that are completely outside of your realm of expertise. I applied to many tech companies that were outside of mental health, and it just didn't work out.
Good luck! It might seem like a difficult task to break into the tech and startup scene, but there are simple ways to build on the expertise you already have and to use it to your advantage. I’m definitely not the first one to do this, and I won’t be the last.