Making the transition from the finance or banking sector to IT is a classic path for professionals with a background in economics. But how can you make this transition less painful and avoid dragging out the preparation process for years? Today we’re looking at the practical experience of Daryna-Maria, a PM at Sombra, who went from five years in banking to managing software development.
🗺️ Priority Training Plan
To avoid drowning in a sea of information, Daryna-Maria advises focusing on specific modules:
- English is your “ticket.” An Upper-Intermediate level is critical. It’s not just about communicating with clients, but also about accessing the latest professional literature. Set your phone to English, listen to podcasts, and don’t be afraid of speaking clubs.
- Specialized IT courses. Don’t wait until your English is perfect to start learning PM. The key is to choose courses with a specific focus on the IT industry, since project management in construction or banking involves entirely different processes.
- Methodologies (Agile, Scrum, Kanban). You need to know the Scrum Guide as well as an economist knows a balance sheet. This is the foundation upon which the team’s daily work is built.
- Technical literacy. You don’t have to write code, but you must understand developer terminology. Courses like CS50 will help you understand “how it all works under the hood.”
📢 Personal Branding: How to Stand Out Among Junior Candidates?
In the 2026 job market, there will be hundreds of candidates with no experience. To get noticed, your LinkedIn profile needs to work for you:
- Update your profile: include a professional photo and a clear description of your skills;
- Share your experience: explain how you apply Agile approaches even in your current studies or work in another field;
- Visibility: your activity in the professional community often carries more weight than a certificate.
💡 “The path of a switcher is a marathon, not a sprint. The main thing is to know your goal and move at your own pace,” summarizes Daryna-Maria.
📚 Material prepared based on information from DOU.ua: https://dou.ua/forums/topic/58986/