How to Get a Job in Computers
Get Qualified., Know your ITIL., Be aggressive when job hunting., Prepare a quality CV., Start networking., Don't give up.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Get Qualified.
When an employer looks at a CV that person is going to want to see evidence that you are capable of applying yourself, have an ability to learn and have experience of the tool or functional area you are applying for.
I cannot stress how important it is to demonstrate to employers that you have that capability.
If you have Prince2 Practitioner or your are a qualified ISO 9001 auditor then make sure these are included in your CV.
If you feel you have gaps in your IT professional qualifications then do something about it.
Don't let that be the reason you are not getting interviews. -
Step 2: Know your ITIL.
Nearly all service orientated IT roles these days, especially with medium to large companies, are going to require you to have experience of a or exposure to ITIL.
If you are not at least qualified to foundation level then your CV will not get past the first cut.
ITIL v3 Foundation Level is the entry level qualification which offers practitioners a general awareness of the key elements, concepts and terminology used in the ITIL Service Lifecycle, including the linkages between Lifecycle stages, the processes used and their contribution to Service Management practices. , One of the most common ways to job hunt these days is to apply to online adverts from sites like job serve.co.uk or monster.com.
That is fine and you will find a lot of good stuff out there.
Hot Tip
- Make a note of the job you are applying for, especially the person who has lodged the advert.
Make sure you get their phone number also.
Even if this is not known you can call the companies main line number from their website to speak to that person.
You will need to allow about 24 hours so you can be sure your CV has arrived and then give them a call.
Ask them if they have received your CV and maybe they can tell you more about the role? Your CV now comes out from in the middle of the very large stack and is now on top of the queue.
This is a very effective way of getting past that first stage.
Remember recruitment agents get hundreds of CVs every day.
All they want is to get 5 or so CV's in front of the recruiting company.
Once they have 5 they will discard the rest. , Your CV is your marketing brochure.
If this is poor quality, contains spelling and grammar errors or even contains too many pages then you are already at a disadvantage. , This is by far the most popular and common way of getting a job today.
Networking can take many forms.
The obvious is to to get yourself out to job fairs, seminars and symposiums and meet people.
Make sure your peers know who you are.
Of course the stereotypical IT person does not usually have such personality traits.
If you do then I can assure you that this is the best way of getting your foot in the door.
For the rest of us, and I do include myself here, then a more subtle and understated approach is to get yourself signed up for professional social networking sites like LinkedIn ().
This has become a very popular place for companies to recruit directly without incurring recruitment charges why not take a look at the job section and include this in your marketing plan.
The site allows you to build your own profile so effectively becomes an online CV that has a more personal look and feel. , In reality you are very likely to be rejected even after all your good efforts.
Whether that be not making the final candidates for interview or even if you get an interview and are not selected.
Always be proactive and brave.
Call the recruiter and ask them why you were not selected? Be confident enough to ask them what you could do better? This does not always work as they really just want to move on and get commission, but if you have built a rapport with an agency representative then they are more likely to give you some free advice.
If you do make it to interview, take that as a positive.
Your CV is working for you for starters.
Again ask for feedback, learn from the interview process.
Go through a lessons learned process yourself, right down what you did well and what was not so good and practice so you do it better next time.
The marketplace right now in the IT industry is competitive, but there are plenty of really good roles out there and employers are looking for really good candidates.
Be positive, keep improving your CV, keep practicing interview technique and keep applying for those jobs. -
Step 3: Be aggressive when job hunting.
-
Step 4: Prepare a quality CV.
-
Step 5: Start networking.
-
Step 6: Don't give up.
Detailed Guide
When an employer looks at a CV that person is going to want to see evidence that you are capable of applying yourself, have an ability to learn and have experience of the tool or functional area you are applying for.
I cannot stress how important it is to demonstrate to employers that you have that capability.
If you have Prince2 Practitioner or your are a qualified ISO 9001 auditor then make sure these are included in your CV.
If you feel you have gaps in your IT professional qualifications then do something about it.
Don't let that be the reason you are not getting interviews.
Nearly all service orientated IT roles these days, especially with medium to large companies, are going to require you to have experience of a or exposure to ITIL.
If you are not at least qualified to foundation level then your CV will not get past the first cut.
ITIL v3 Foundation Level is the entry level qualification which offers practitioners a general awareness of the key elements, concepts and terminology used in the ITIL Service Lifecycle, including the linkages between Lifecycle stages, the processes used and their contribution to Service Management practices. , One of the most common ways to job hunt these days is to apply to online adverts from sites like job serve.co.uk or monster.com.
That is fine and you will find a lot of good stuff out there.
Hot Tip
- Make a note of the job you are applying for, especially the person who has lodged the advert.
Make sure you get their phone number also.
Even if this is not known you can call the companies main line number from their website to speak to that person.
You will need to allow about 24 hours so you can be sure your CV has arrived and then give them a call.
Ask them if they have received your CV and maybe they can tell you more about the role? Your CV now comes out from in the middle of the very large stack and is now on top of the queue.
This is a very effective way of getting past that first stage.
Remember recruitment agents get hundreds of CVs every day.
All they want is to get 5 or so CV's in front of the recruiting company.
Once they have 5 they will discard the rest. , Your CV is your marketing brochure.
If this is poor quality, contains spelling and grammar errors or even contains too many pages then you are already at a disadvantage. , This is by far the most popular and common way of getting a job today.
Networking can take many forms.
The obvious is to to get yourself out to job fairs, seminars and symposiums and meet people.
Make sure your peers know who you are.
Of course the stereotypical IT person does not usually have such personality traits.
If you do then I can assure you that this is the best way of getting your foot in the door.
For the rest of us, and I do include myself here, then a more subtle and understated approach is to get yourself signed up for professional social networking sites like LinkedIn ().
This has become a very popular place for companies to recruit directly without incurring recruitment charges why not take a look at the job section and include this in your marketing plan.
The site allows you to build your own profile so effectively becomes an online CV that has a more personal look and feel. , In reality you are very likely to be rejected even after all your good efforts.
Whether that be not making the final candidates for interview or even if you get an interview and are not selected.
Always be proactive and brave.
Call the recruiter and ask them why you were not selected? Be confident enough to ask them what you could do better? This does not always work as they really just want to move on and get commission, but if you have built a rapport with an agency representative then they are more likely to give you some free advice.
If you do make it to interview, take that as a positive.
Your CV is working for you for starters.
Again ask for feedback, learn from the interview process.
Go through a lessons learned process yourself, right down what you did well and what was not so good and practice so you do it better next time.
The marketplace right now in the IT industry is competitive, but there are plenty of really good roles out there and employers are looking for really good candidates.
Be positive, keep improving your CV, keep practicing interview technique and keep applying for those jobs.
About the Author
John Stevens
Enthusiastic about teaching crafts techniques through clear, step-by-step guides.
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