How to position yourself as an ideal candidate for IT jobs
The technological industry is growing exponentially, and IT professionals are looking for bigger roles and career development. The sector has prospects for both entry and expert professionals. So, you may be looking to get a job at Google, Twitter or a startup. How do you convince the hiring manager that you are the best fit for the job?
Many IT professionals undermine the need to position themselves as the ideal candidate and feel their work should speak for them. This notion is not entirely true. Except in cases of referral or platforms that host your portfolio, you need to apply for jobs more often than not.
Companies would not hire incompetent IT professionals anyway, so where’s the tiebreaker? This article details tips and career development pivots on positioning yourself to land that tech job.
Gaining relevant skills for your career development
An IT job in, say, cybersecurity, software development or UX design, Software development and operationalization, cloud, etc expects only qualified individuals to apply. They also require specific skills for an individual to thrive in their work environment. For example,
Technical skills: various companies require applicants to be familiar with various software tools and have relevant technical skills like UI/UX development, front end, backend, full-stack, IT analyst, cloud stacks of AWS, Google and Microsoft etc.
Security: Computer/internet security like encryption of data at rest or in transit, identity, access management and credentials, authentication and authorization are top security skills recruiters look for when hiring.
Interpersonal Skills: Recruiters look for professionals with natural leadership skills to achieve defined company goals and improve overall team performance. They may place a premium on reviews to give an insight into your work ethic, creativity, exceeding client expectations and problem-solving attitude.
Our team can help you thoroughly analyze your skills to create a personalized career path in the IT industry.
Orient yourself in the space
Start by orienting yourself in the IT space by gaining relevant experience. Whether it’s to build your personal portfolio, you should be familiar with the space. Then, have a list of jobs you are interested in and the companies that appeal to you. This will help streamline your search and focus on jobs that best suit you.
If you are unsure where to start, we have tons of articles covering a wide range of topics to guide you in your IT career.
Know the Employer’s Needs
As a top job candidate, show a potential employer that you understand exactly what they need, and how you can help achieve their goals via your skills, knowledge, and experience.
By expressing to the company what you can do for them (instead of what you want them to do for you), you can make yourself a much more attractive job candidate and increase your chances of getting a job offer.
Get certified for career development purposes
Many non-IT people ask questions like, “how to get into IT without a degree?” The truth is, you can match tech graduates with certifications which you can earn in weeks or months.
This positions you higher up the stack of applications. At the least, certifications can get you your first entry job!
You can find these courses online on Udemy and Coursera to boost your chances. However, they may require that you pass certification exams. We are here to guide you through what certifications are the best.
Tailor your resume and personalize your cover letter
A resume highlights your professional background, such as academic qualifications, skills, and work experience, including internships. Much of this information is necessary but not exactly what the recruiter is looking for. Tailoring your resume makes your application specific to the job.
Highlight the skills that are relevant to the job description. This approach helps make an impression on the recruiters. Leave out irrelevant details that make the resume unnecessarily bulky. As a rule of thumb, your resume should not go beyond 2‑pages. So, stick to the essentials only!
Also, a general resume is as disastrous as a general cover letter. Recruiters know when applicants recycle cover letters, and they throw their applications into the bin.
Ensure your cover letter should match the organization’s core values. It should reflect your desire to work with them, and it presents you with an opportunity to sell yourself.
Have a professional edit your resume and cover letter, as this can be a deal-breaker for you. We also offer these services.
Use professional networks for career development
Utilize professional websites like LinkedIn and GitHub to find experts in the niche you want to get into. These can help you find the best province for IT jobs if you are a new immigrant or if you are considering relocation. A rich network presents opportunities you may otherwise not hear of elsewhere and can also boost your chances of landing your next job.
You can take advantage of our Midas touch on your profiles to position you for the best jobs. We also help with post-placement support and networking that can take you higher up in your career.
Prepare for the Interview
Interviews may take different formats, from behavioural to technical questions. So, practice common interview questions and brush up on some theoretical aspects relating to the job. We conduct mock interviews that can help prepare you to ace that recruitment process.
You can get to know more about our services at Elite careers when you book a consultation with us. We would love to hear from you.
