Top Myths About Working in Tech Debunked by Experts

Tech workers unveil common misconceptions about their jobs, from coding to AI, and highlight the diverse roles in the industry.

Tech workers have plenty to say when it comes to misunderstanding about their industry. In interviews, professionals from prominent companies such as Amazon, Google, and Snap opened up about what people often get wrong regarding tech careers. Many of these misconceptions stem from outdated ideas about the nature of the work itself.

Priyanka Devi Ramesh, a business intelligence engineer at Amazon, emphasized that a prevalent myth is that every job in tech revolves around coding. “People assume if you work in tech, you sit in front of a screen writing code all day. But my role as a business intelligence engineer is deeply rooted in understanding the business, talking to stakeholders, cleaning messy data, and telling stories through dashboards,” she noted. Ramesh pointed out that a large part of her job involves effective communication—translating complex data for non-technical customers.

Sreeja Apparaju, a machine learning engineer at Snap, offered her perspective on the misconception that tech jobs are all about fun perks like hoodies and ping pong tables. While she acknowledged these benefits, she explained that they accompany the intense demands of the job, including on-call rotations and performance reviews. “The technical problems are only half of it; the other half is people: understanding what users actually need and negotiating priorities with partners,” Apparaju stated.

Udit Mehrotra, head of product at Amazon, addressed another misunderstanding, noting that many believe they can simply rely on AI tools for their work. “The quality of what comes out is almost entirely determined by the quality of thinking you put in. Garbage in, garbage out, except now it’s faster and looks more polished,” he explained.

Mike Kostersitz, a senior director of product management at Nike, reinforced the idea that many mistakenly think tech workers have it easy. “A common misconception is that tech workers are coasting — making a lot of money for very little work because AI does the rest. That gets it backwards. AI doesn’t hand you free time; it removes the repetitive work that used to crowd out the important work,” he remarked. He added that the bar has risen, requiring workers to think more clearly and make decisions more quickly.

Prerit Pathak, a security engineer at Google, expressed concern that many people mistakenly equate being a “tech employee” solely with software engineering. “The reality is that technology is a vast ecosystem of roles like Product Management, UI/UX Design, Data Science, and Cybersecurity,” he explained, highlighting the diversified landscape of careers in technology.

Iren Azra Zou, a software engineer at the trucking logistics startup Double Nickel, emphasized the narrow view some hold regarding working at high-profile tech companies. “I think some people in tech over-focus on working at the most famous tech companies. Those can be great, but they’re not the only path, and often not the best fit for everyone,” she observed, pointing out that many small and mid-sized companies offer meaningful work as well.

As the tech industry continues to evolve, these insights reveal that the landscape of tech careers is much more varied and complex than many may assume. By addressing these myths, workers hope to foster a better understanding of the diverse opportunities available in the field.