Looking to break into a career in IT? While the IT industry offers a lucrative and secure career, it does face stiff competition. Therefore, if you want to stand out and secure your dream job, there are a few tips you’ll want to follow.
To help, below you’ll discover a brief guide to sealing a role in IT.
Ensure you have the right work experience
Having a degree or similar qualification is certainly going to help you bag a job in IT. However, if you want to stand out from other candidates, you’re going to need to ensure you have some level of work experience in the sector too.
A good tip is to apply for work experience with either a small company or a charity. Larger companies don’t always have the time to take on an intern, whereas smaller companies and charities often need your services. This work experience will look great on your CV.
Avoid these words and phrases
How you approach the company you’re applying to also matters. A recent study by instantprint has revealed key phrases you should avoid when contacting an IT department. Just some of them include:
- WFH (Working from Home)
- In these worrying/unprecedented times
- Hope you’re keeping well
- The new normal
These words and phrases have become particularly popular since the coronavirus outbreak and they are starting to become tedious. So, avoid them where possible and your CV and application are more likely to get read.
Spend time networking
A great way to secure a job in IT is to network with leading professionals. Look out for IT specific networking events and tag along. You’ll get to meet all kinds of IT professionals. You can swap details, discuss ideas and basically just get your name out there.
There are a lot of benefits that come from networking, particularly when you’re looking to get your foot in the door.
Keep up to date with the latest industry developments
In an industry like IT, there are constant developments. This means you’re going to want to get up to date with the latest news.
By staying up to date, you’ll be able to give your views on the latest technologies. You can use industry journals to help, while also signing up for technical newsletters.
Another way to stay up to date is to sign up to technology forums. This lets you see what current professionals are talking about, including the latest issues and challenges.
If you can show you know what you’re talking about, you’ll have an increased chance of getting hired.
Jobs in the IT industry are highly sought after. Therefore if you want to seal a career in the sector, it’s important to follow the tips above.
