If you want to land your dream tech job, your journey starts here.
Getting hired in tech is competitive and showing you stand out from the crowd is your ticket to the best jobs out there. Not sure how to do that? Don’t panic.
We’ve identified the 5 of the most important steps you’ll need to follow to find your perfect position.
Let’s look at these in a bit more depth.
Step 1: Do a Personal Professional Review
First of all, you should spend a little bit of time reviewing why you’re a top hire.
Look over your career so far. Consider all the achievements, skills you’ve picked up and notable projects you’ve handled. Write all these down and keep a record that you can use when you start applying for jobs.
This will come in handy when you are writing applications. You’ll be able to draw from an easily accessible list of relevant skills and experience that can quickly show why you should be on any company’s shortlist.
Step 2: Give Your CV a Revamp
There’s no doubt that building a great CV is one of the most effective ways to get noticed by the right companies.
To get there however, you’re going to need to make sure your document caters to the following needs:
- It is tailored precisely to the position
- It’s is organized and easy to read
- It’s under 2 pages long (1 page is best)
- It details your experience, skills, and education at the very least
- The design is professional and eye catching
- Your file can be easily read by Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS)
This is easy to do with online tools like a professional resume builder or a pre prepared online template.
Your resume needs to tell each company precisely the key things to get you noticed and why you would fit their specific needs as concisely and effectively as possible to get the most interviews. Giving it the attention it needs to do that is well worth your time and effort.
Step 3: Focus Your Job Search Online
Looking for jobs online is great because of its convenience. That said, if you want to get a really stellar position in your field it can help to get a bit more niche.
To get the best positions on your radar, it’s definitely worth looking around on tech sector specific websites like:
- Crunchboard
- Github
- HackernoonJobs
- Mashable
- The Ladders
- TechCareers
- Stackoverflow
Of course, there’s still a case for using the big more generic job searching sites like Indeed, Monster or LinkedIn. These may generate more results but they aren’t always the best leads, especially if you’re looking for a startup position.
Step 4: Network, Network, Network!
Networking is an important step to any job finding mission. However, in the tech sector it’s even more essential.
Meeting the right people and interconnecting with other thought leaders in your sector will not only teach new and interesting ways of working. It’ll also help you hear about the most exciting positions on offer faster.
Networking like this can be done in person or through social networks like LinkedIn or Facebook, where numerous groups for specific sectors and skill sets are easy to find. However, you choose to do it, make sure you’re connected to the right people to help you get where you’re going fast.
Of course, don’t forget to ask old colleagues and friends who work in your industry if they know of any openings in their own companies. This is a quick and easy way to hear about new vacancies and even make warm introductions to a new company.
Step 5: Get to Grips With the Latest Trends in Your Sector
The tech industry never stays still. Neither does its job market.
To really prepare yourself for the best jobs there are a few ways you can track these movements. You’ll need to ask yourself a few important questions, such as:
- Who are the Influencers?
- What kind of companies are hiring in my sector?
- What skills are in short supply?
The first of these is easy to answer. You can quickly find influencers who’ll be able to keep you up to date with the latest news from the industry both on social media and on focused tech news websites.
The information you gain from these sources will also help you to answer the second question and probably the third too. This allows you to focus your search appropriately and target the most current trends advantageously
Using the 5 steps above will take you through the process of getting ready to find a great new job in the tech industry. Of course, a lot depends on your particular skill set. Yet as long as you adapt your personal expertise properly you’ll easily find the job you’ve always wanted.
