Your resume is an important first step to finding an IT job.
When you have developed some IT skills that will be useful to employers, it’s time to look for a job in the IT field. IT jobs are plentiful, and lots of employers are looking for skilled employees to help them develop or maintain their company infrastructure.
While it shouldn’t be especially difficult to find an IT job, it’s still important to follow best practices in conducting your job search so that you find the best possible fit for you. Here are some things you should know about conducting a successful IT job search.
Resume Tips
It’s essential to have a resume, since many employers screen resumes, sometimes with software programs. If you don’t submit a resume for most jobs, you won’t be able to move on to the next step in the process. Your resume should be concise; it should use numbers where possible to show results (“reduced network down time 75 percent,” for example), and should include keywords from the job posting.
Use LinkedIn
LinkedIn has become an essential job search tool for several important reasons. Employers use LinkedIn to post jobs, connect with potential employees, and research applicants. Participating in groups related to your skills and interests on LinkedIn can generate leads on positions and give you a leg up on the competition, since employers may look to their network as they’re making hiring decisions.
Other social media sites may also be helpful in developing professional relationships that can lead to jobs. Make sure your social media pages reflect a professional image before trying to use them for networking, though. You don’t want to turn a possible employer off by posting inappropriate personal information.
LinkedIn has become an important part of many people’s IT job searches.
Use Job Boards Sparingly
Job boards have their place in an IT job search, but that place is limited. Forbes advises applying for a job posted through a job board only if your resume is an 80 to 85 percent match or better to the job posting. Direct networking is likely to be a much more effective avenue for finding jobs than a job board where hundreds of applicants can respond to the same job posting.
The best job boards to use are smaller ones that are more targeted to your industry or location, and aggregator sites that combine postings from many job boards, like Indeed.com.
Getting Help
If your interview skills are rusty or you’re applying for lots of jobs but not getting any response, you may want to get help to make your job search more effective. Professional coaches can provide feedback and help you improve interview skills for in-person and video interviews, which are becoming more common for time-strapped employers.
PC AGE offers training for students to assist in their IT job search and a career services department that has ongoing relationships with many major employers looking to fill positions. Contact us for more information about finding a job in the IT field.
Rameez Khizer, IT Marketing