Few tips to take the right steps towards a great IT career
Overview
The technology industry is a great place to work – we can call it one of the progressive places to work, where you get an opportunity to work on solutions to problems that impact millions of people, apart from having loads of fun. In fact, it is the dream of every fresher or even a professional, who has spent a couple of years in non-IT sectors to get a foothold in the IT industry. But, the big question is how do you make the final cut? Here are a few tips, which we had underlined to get started. Of course, the biggest success factor would always be your motivation to get into this industry, apart from having the penchant for technology, innovation, and passion to make a difference in the lives of millions of people.
1. Be active in social media sites
Social media is all about connections and making new acquaintances – not just personal, but also professional. So, the first step is to create your own persona in any or all of the social media sites – Twitter, LinkedIn, Tumblr and FaceBook, which creates the first impression on the employer who might be willing to consider you. Also, ensure that your profile is up to date, apart from following interesting people to learn how they leverage the platforms.
These aspects are important because employers will search and explore facts about you, as your social media profile might not be linked to your resume or website. Another important aspect to adhere is to avoid pornographic or obsessive content on your social media handles, as employers might shy away and may not turn up again.
2. Showcase your skills
This world is full of advertising and even the minutest detail need to be advertised or highlighted to draw the attention of someone. Hence, if you are a developer, then showcase your skills on Github. In case you are a designer, create an account on Dribble or Behance account. Another good way to highlight your skills is to write a blog or a couple of blogs in Medium or Wordpress that can create a positive impression on your candidature that lets you stand out among the crowd.
3. Have a project that talks about your expertise
Having a project that you can show it to a potential employer can go a long way in building a good rapport with your prospective company or the boss, who is going to hire you. Exhibit your skills in such a way that you enjoy doing things, thereby exuding confidence that you have the requisite skills that you had showcased in your resume. The bottom line is always doing some homework on your skillsets or collaborate with your peers to develop a project, say a student body website, while still pursuing your course. Remember, you need not be a developer or a designer to get started. Even if you are a marketing guy, try and enhance the marketing for small business online. Also, if you want to get into content writing, improve the content on a brand website. If you have done this before you attend the first interview, you would definitely make the first cut among thousands of applicants for sure.
4. Develop contacts with interesting people
One of the easiest ways to get into the tech industry is by forging new contacts and connections. Such connections greatly help you to get the right job.
5. Have a good resume
Prepare a good resume that highlights all your important attributes that can make a difference to the employer. If you are a fresher, you may not have much to showcase on the experience front and hence it’s better to highlight your school or college projects, achievements, awards and other aspects that can catch the attention of the recruiters. Also, it's a good practice to keep your resume as black and white, since most of the companies would print the resume before they call you for an interview. Ensure a standard 2-page rule for your resume and have a readable typeface that is comfortable on the reader’s eyes. Also, it is better to have a good photo on your resume if you are submitting the resume in a job fair, as people tend to remember faces better when they have hundreds of resumes to go through.
6. Send a good email to catch the attention of the recruiters
Once you are fine with your resume, compose your first mail which should sound polite and assertive. Be friendly in your emails. Avoid writing ‘Dear’ or ‘Yours Sincerely’; compose the mail in such a way that you know and respect them. Your focus should be more on how you can help the company, rather than highlighting how good you are.
7. Good dress etiquette is important
Don’t be too formal in dressing. Just smart-casual should be fine if the company is small. Wear formal shoes and always be at ease with the interviewers.
8. Ace the interview perfectly
Before you get into the interview mode, research and understand the company thoroughly, rather than showing off your blank face at the interview. Always expect some open questions in the interview. If you think that user experience is important for a project, highlight that aspect and gauge their expectations. It’s also a good idea to ask questions such as the company culture, business model and the team members you would be working with to check whether you are the right fit for the company or not. If you think there is a mismatch, it's better not to pursue the job further.
9. Lastly, if you cannot make it, don’t get disappointed
IT industry is quite dynamic with changing priorities and expectations. So, don't get disappointed if you cannot make the final cut or still worse if the job you had applied does no longer exist, though you had qualified for the interview. Always have a positive mindset, assuming that there are a lot of many opportunities to fish out in the IT Ocean. Try to work on some technology projects to improve your professional credibility. Be updated constantly and keep looking for the IT trends that are shaping the job market. We are sure you would definitely make it one day.