Seven Steps to Securing Your First IT Job
Response:
Gain industry recognised Certifications:
If you are investing time and money into retraining for a new career it is sensible to ensure that the qualifications are recognised by employers.
Look out for training organisations offering diplomas or certificates which are issued by themselves.
Employers would not know what standard you have reached or how long your studies lasted and therefore would have no idea whether your qualifications reached the high standard of professional IT Certifications issued by vendors.
If in doubt look up the qualification on the internet and you will see vendors such as Microsoft, CIW, Cisco, Sun, Oracle, Macromedia, CompTIA, etc., who all issue recognised Certifications. ^top
Write a CV which gets you noticed:
There are definite rules governing CV writing. You need to ensure that your CV gives enough relevant information for a potential employer to put you to the top of the pile.
You have to ensure that your CV gets past the “screeners” such as HR Managers or administration staff who’s job it is to weed out the poor quality applicants.
These people may not even have a technical background, so don’t know all the jargon – so it is your job to match up your skills and competencies with their job criteria requirement.
An employer needs facts about your skills, experience, qualifications, and some personal insight. If they like what they read, then they will require contact information to get in touch with you.
The order in which these facts are documented is important. Convention states that contact details should be at the top, then a brief introduction, then employment history, followed by qualifications and personal interests. ^top
Create a covering letter which gets results:
With an in-tray full of applications an employer will spend approximately 20 seconds casting an eye over each.
So you have to be sure that in that brief time your cover letter has sufficient impact to make the reader want to know more about you.
A covering letter builds upon the information you provided in your CV, it is a focused “sales pitch” stating clearly in simple language just why this company should employ you.
All of its contents should reaffirm to the reader that you are the right person for that job. ^top
Learn interview techniques specific to the IT industry:
The interview is an opportunity for a potential employer and employee to see if there's a natural fit between what they employer is seeking and what the employee is looking for.
With any interview, there are five major employer concerns behind all interviewing strategies, techniques and questions.
It is a good idea to be familiar with common interview questions, but it's even more important to understand the real questions behind the questions being asked!
During an interview, the interviewer will try to figure out:
- Can you do the job?
- Will you do the job?
- Will you get along with others?
- Can the company afford you?
There are several kinds of interview which you may attend on your IT job hunt:
- One on one interview
- Lunch or dinner interview
- Screening interview
- Telephone interview
- Group interview
- Committee or panel interview ^top
Practice psychometric testing:
To reduce the possibility of hiring an inappropriate candidate employers use several filtering methods.
Traditionally these have been the CV, covering letter, and interview but employers are now also using psychometric testing more and more in addition to the traditional selection methods.
Psychometric testing can be practiced and there are many books and software on the subject which will help you master the techniques involved. ^top
Market yourself effectively:
Certification is not an easy process. The industry shortage of skilled, qualified personnel is testimony to that.
It takes a lot of time, effort and dedication to commit yourself to becoming one of the industry’s best – through Certification.
So tell people about it!
Use your new Certifications on your business card, CV, cover letters and your web site.
Your qualifications will be recognised by professionals within the industry and will help open doors. ^top
Have an “asset statement” about yourself:
These are 30 second sales pitches about yourself and what you can do so that you can respond when the interviewer asks you "So, tell me why I should hire you?"
Practice, practice, practice! Rehearse these statements until you feel comfortable with them and can respond with honesty and sincerity as to why you are the right person for the job. ^top
Report Ends.
If we can be of any further assistance in helping answer any of your questions regarding IT careers, training courses or funding your training, please do not hesitate to contact us at our training centre or on 0845 643 2899 (local rate) where a trained Personal Course Advisor will answer all your questions.
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