Information Technology jobs span a wide range of careers. IT professionals can be everything from the IT manager at a small startup to a lead developer at a large firm. No matter which route you take as an IT professional, though, you must possess certain skills to be successful.
Being in IT is great: if you have the education and the skills, the jobs are usually endless, with more being created each and every day. But, although there is usually a large pool of jobs, the criteria for getting hired is a lot stricter and more intense. Employers want to find the ideal candidate as IT is often a backbone of any company. If you want to get hired in the technology space, here’s how to do it.
Be Knowledgeable About Tech
You may be great at fixing computers and are always your family and friends first call when their tech isn’t working properly, but that doesn’t mean that any tech job will work for you. If you are applying to a big tech company, you will need to be well-versed in the tech industry, meaning you need to know about all the new tech coming out, what they do, and what that means for the technology space. Today, getting hired in tech is much more than knowing how to fix a broken iPhone—you need to be up-to-date and knowledgeable about everything concerning technology.
Know the Company
A lot of tech jobs are within the startup culture. These startups work hard to make a name for themselves, so if you go in for an interview without a clue about what they do, they will likely be turned off. Before you apply for any tech job, ensure you research as much as you can about the company, their history and background, and what they hope to achieve. Once you figure all of this out, understand how you can help them achieve that goal and express that during your interview.
Have Communication Skills
Many people view those in tech as silent, work alone types of people. But the tech space has changed drastically in recent years, and today, tech is no longer an employee behind a computer and more so a team working together to fix problems, create solutions and accomplish their goals. In order to fit in and be successful in this constantly-changing space, you need to have proper communication skills.
Do Things on the Side
Want to work as an iOS engineer or coder for your favorite gaming site? You’re going to have to prove you can do it. The best way to do this is to do your own work on the side. This may mean creating your own app to show how well versed you are in the application world, creating a website for your mom’s new side business to have a concrete example of your website-building skills or writing a blog about the gaming world to prove you know the ins and outs of that world. Whatever you decide to do, showing that you are not only passionate about the job, but skilled in it as well, is a great way to get in the front door.
If you are looking for a job in tech or a tech company looking for skilled employees, contact The Goodkind Group to learn how we can help you. You can reach us at 212-378-0700 or visit our website to learn more about our services.
