At our recent Next Tech Ready event, designed to equip young women with practical tools to land their first tech role, we hosted a How to Get Hired panel featuring industry experts from across the sector.

One of those panellists was Maddie Clingan, Agile Delivery Lead at ControlPlane, who shared honest, experience-led advice on how candidates can stand out - even without a “traditional” tech background.

Here are three powerful lessons from Maddie that every aspiring technologist should hear before their next application or interview.

1. Lead With Your Strongest Skills (Not Your Job Titles)

Recruiters don’t read CVs - they scan them. In many cases, you have around 10 seconds to show you’re worth a closer look.

Maddie’s advice? Put your most relevant skills and experience right at the top.

Instead of listing roles chronologically and hoping the right experience is spotted, tailor your CV to the job description. Look for skills and phrases repeated in the job ad - for example, problem-solving, teamwork, or analytical thinking.

Then match your experience to those requirements - even if it came from a university project, a hackathon, a part-time job, or something you’ve built or learned independently.

For example, if you’re applying for a junior data or tech role and worked in retail, don’t hide that experience. Tracking stock, resolving customer issues, or improving processes are all evidence of skills tech teams value.

💡 If it proves your potential, it belongs near the top.

2. Shout About Your Results (Yes, Really)

One of the biggest mistakes early-career candidates make is describing what they did - but not how well they did it.

Maddie recommends using the final bullet point of each CV section to highlight outcomes and impact. Even better? Bold it.

When reviewing your experience, ask yourself: what was the goal - and did you achieve it? What feedback did you receive? Did you influence any metrics, grades, or outcomes? What did you learn if it didn’t go to plan?

Early in your career, results might look like positive feedback from a manager, mentor, or judge; placing in a hackathon - including the ranking or category; or solving a problem using technology - no matter how small.

📌 Helping something work better is impact. Don’t downplay it.

3. Your Background Is an Asset - If You Own the Story

Maddie is refreshingly honest about this. “I have a Master’s in Chinese Law and Society. Everything is learnable.”

You do not need a computer science degree to work in tech. What you do need is a clear narrative.

Your background becomes a strength when you connect past interests to future ambitions, show steps you’ve already taken to explore tech, highlight transferable skills, and use language that mirrors the job description.

✨ A non-linear path doesn’t make you less credible - it makes you memorable.

Bonus: Practise Talking About Your Skills (Not Just Learning Them)

Having a skill and explaining it clearly are two different things.

Many candidates struggle in interviews because they haven’t practised articulating what they know. You don’t need scripted answers - just low-pressure practice.

This might include talking through examples out loud, explaining your thinking to a friend, or practising concise explanations.

This is a skill in itself - and one that improves fast with repetition.

Rejection Isn’t the End of the Story

Maddie closed with a powerful reminder: rejection can be redirection.

Early in her career, she was rejected after a final interview for a role she really wanted. Instead of closing the door, the company suggested alternative paths, and she ended up being hired by one of their clients, with training support along the way.

That opportunity became the foundation of her career in tech.

Sometimes, making a strong impression matters just as much as getting a “yes.”

Final Thought

If you take one thing from Maddie’s advice, let it be this: you don’t need to be perfect. You need to be visible, confident, and willing to own your potential.

Huge thanks to Maddie Clingan and ControlPlane for sharing such practical, empowering insights with the Next Tech Girls community - and for supporting young women taking their first steps into tech.

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