Starting Strong: Landing Your First Tech Job and Rising Higher
Starting Strong: Landing Your First Tech Job and Rising Higher is a practical, no-nonsense guide for anyone looking to break into tech and grow deliberately beyond entry level.
Written from real experience in the Nigerian and African tech ecosystem, the book walks you through preparation, learning strategy, job hunting, workplace survival, career growth, client management, and health—the things most people learn the hard way.
You’ll learn:
- How to choose the right tech path and learn effectively
- How to build a competitive profile without relying on “connections”
- How to land your first tech job and grow into intermediate, senior, and leadership roles
- How to navigate office politics, soft skills, and company culture
- How to manage clients, set boundaries, and protect your value
- How to protect your health while building a demanding tech career
This is not motivational fluff.
It’s a field manual for beginners, career switchers, freelancers and early-career professionals who want clarity, structure, and long-term success in tech.
About the Author
Ikechukwu Vincent Unegbu is a Nigerian software engineer and tech entrepreneur with over five years of full-time industry experience. Trained as a physicist at the University of Nigeria and later at ALX–Holberton School of Software Engineering, he built a successful tech career without a completed BSc - by focusing on skills, consistency, and real-world problem solving.
He has worked across multiple industries, including fintech, healthtech, education, utilities, and government systems, building products used by millions. He is the founder of Viviane Health Technologies Limited, a growing health-tech company.
Ikechukwu writes from lived experience - learning during power outages, debugging under pressure, navigating difficult workplaces, freelancing, mentoring juniors, and growing into senior and leadership roles. This book reflects the lessons he wishes he had at the start of his journey.