Before diving into the blog, let us begin by congratulating you on choosing a career path that paves the way for innovation. A career in IT enables you to contribute and develop meaningful solutions that shape the future of the tech industry. According to a report by Statista, IT executives are the highest-paid professionals. This also indicates that the competition to land a lucrative job opportunity in this booming sector is fierce.
At a time when every qualified individual is vying for a promising career in IT, how do you position yourself to succeed in this domain? This is where efficient job search comes into play. When looking for a promising job opportunity in the IT sector, you must consider how to approach the recruiters and employers appropriately and what relevant skills you can acquire to land an excellent job role.
Thankfully, the processes of IT job search have been simplified in this digital age. If you’re seeking some valuable advice to continue your IT job search and attract better opportunities, then you’ll find this post useful.
1. Gain Valuable Perspective on IT Jobs
If you plan on having a lucrative career in IT, it’d be wise to develop proper clarity on what it would look like and what kind of jobs are out there. A great first step is to ensure that you research and read up about the IT career landscape. There are various YouTube channels, Quora platforms, Reddit threads, and blogs that can help you learn what it’s like working in IT and what kind of IT job will be the right fit for you.
Put together a list of jobs that you’re interested in. Do you have expertise in developing mobile or web applications? Are you interested in software testing and quality assurance? What kind of organisations seem appealing to you?
Mulling over the right questions will help focus your job search. Additionally, it’ll help you get acquainted with the vocabulary used in the process of IT job search.
2. Sharpen Your IT Skills
IT professionals are required to master a wide array of skills to excel in their careers. These skills can differ based on the role. For instance, an IT professional who develops software will require strong coding skills. Consider developing industry-related technical skills when you are just starting out in the IT sector. An IT professional may require to hone the following skills:
- Computer programming
- Coding
- Cybersecurity
- Data security
- Data analysis
- Data mining
- Robotics
- Cloud migration
According to the data collected by Statista, JavaScript, HTML/CSS and SQL have been the most in-demand programming language skills in 2022
3. A Strong Digital Presence is Pivotal
Having a presence on job portals and social media profiles has its advantages. Make sure your profile on these websites is complete and position you as a strong candidate for jobs in the IT industry. This means you must browse through the profiles at regular intervals and use specific keywords that hiring managers would be looking for if they were in search of candidates. If you need assistance with the keywords to use, look for open positions in your field and find the keywords that companies are using.
Depending on your professional level and expertise, you may also want to consider building your work portfolio. This enables you to share your knowledge and what you’ve accomplished so far.
4. Visit Company Websites
If you have shortlisted the companies that you wish to work for, make sure to check their website regularly to find out if they’re hiring. Many companies don’t advertise their job openings on job sites, but instead may just post them on their own website and share them on social media.
When you keep tabs on the company websites, you’ll be aware of a position that suddenly becomes available.
5. Focus on Strengthening Your Resume
When applying for positions in the field of IT, consider tailoring your resume for each role you plan to take on. Incorporate the technical and soft skills you’ve acquired so far in your career. Consider your internship experience, volunteer work, adjacent roles, and the transferable you’ve mastered.
For instance, if you took on a summer internship program at an IT firm, you may have hands-on experience with how an IT firm operates. Consider elaborating on this experience on your resume to highlight your technical skills. Additionally, for modern job seekers, updating the resume involves providing links to social networking sites and keeping your online presence as professional as possible.
Moreover, you may have to prepare a cover letter for any job application to stand out. These cover letters need to be specific to each job role and must be proofread by someone other than yourself.
6. Put Your Networking Skills to Test
It’s essential to network and communicate with others in the field to maintain a thorough understanding of a career in IT and learn from different perspectives. Look for online communities to gain knowledge from seasoned professionals working in the kinds of job roles you’re interested in. The following are some of the Slack chat groups with an active channel for jobs.
Peer-to-peer social interactions are also excellent ways to attract new career opportunities. Identify potential industry leaders who can offer you constructive feedback and advice on moving up the ladder in IT.
A study also suggests that 70% of all jobs are never posted publicly. Hence, effective networking allows you to learn about the company culture of an organisation and provide more opportunities you wouldn’t have heard of otherwise. Your network can include old co-workers, friends, family, and alumni of your alma mater.
7. Be Open to Upskilling
Whether you’ve landed a job or are still searching for it, honing your skillset is always a great idea irrespective of the level you’re at in your IT career. Always aim to expand the horizon of your knowledge and consider positions that will present challenging work opportunities.
For instance, companies are woefully shorthanded when it comes to cybersecurity and anyone with the relevant knowledge will be more desirable in the job market. Similarly, developing a clear understanding of cloud technology and how it’s shaping IT will also be a valuable skill to master. Another growing trend in IT is the implementation of DevSecOps which merges security with the software development cycle.
8. Prepare For Job Interviews
Once you have secured an interview or two, devote a substantial amount of time preparing for each of them. Your preparations will play a significant role in making a great first impression. During the interview, emphasise your skillsets and experience that match the job description. After the interview, always ensure you follow up professionally and convey your gratitude for the interviewer’s time and attention.
Even if don’t get the job you applied for, maintaining professionalism always works in favour of your career prospects. Sometimes, this may result in another interview with the same company in future.
9. Ask Questions to the Recruiters
Asking the right questions is a critical aspect of the job search process in the IT sector. Accepting a job opportunity is a crucial decision, and you’ll need enough details to help you with your decision-making.
Imagine giving interviews for a company you’d love to join. You meet all the criteria, the listed sound promising, and all in all, you think it’d be a great fit. However, you notice a few concerning comments on sites like Glassdoor. These are huge opportunities to find out more about the company.
Asking relevant questions can also result in detail that’ll be useful for you to perform better in future interviews.
Final Thoughts
The success of your IT job search depends on multiple factors. So, whether you’re looking for your first job or second or third, the key is to always follow the right strategies to attract the right opportunities. Feel free to refer to the aforementioned ideas to ensure your job search is less overwhelming and more rewarding. Happy job hunting!