No matter what field you’re in , looking for a job sucks! Good news is there’s a few things you can do to make the job search a little less arduous. Here’s three steps you can take to land you’re first I.T. gig.
- Acquire more knowledge about the field you want to get into.
- Grow your network by connecting with the right people.
- Optimize your resume / get a career coach.
Acquire More Knowledge
First things first, you have to know what field of tech you want to be in. The tech world has so many directions to go in, with independent skill sets needed for each. Want to be a developer? You need to brush up on your coding skills. Want to become a help desk lead? You better start getting proficient at troubleshooting. Want to become an ethical hacker? You need to become proficient with hacking tools and laws concerning cyber crimes. No matter the field you want to break into you’ll need to educate yourself. The internet puts a wealth of information at your fingertips! You can learn about I.T. on YouTube channels such as this one . Another way to increase your knowledge would be through online courses such as this one, learning from experts in the field.
Networking
There’s a saying that goes “Your network equals our net worth”. Meaning that who you know can change your entire life. A lot of times the right opportunity can fall into your lap if you surround yourself with the right people. Start building your network by reaching out to people. For example lets say you wanted to get into cyber security you could connect with this guy, for guidance on how you can land a job. Another great networking tool are online communities such as this one. In these groups you can find a wealth of experience and knowledge.
Optimize Your Resume / Get A Career Coach
Having a one size fits all resume just isn’t possible. Your resume has to be tailored to each application to get pass resume scanning software. Read more about beating scanning software here. The resume has to have certain keywords from the job description to get pass the scanning software and get an actual interview. If you need an extra push t get over the hump you can enlist the services of a career coach.
Bonus Tips
To gain insight on what experts in your desired field do, you can shadow them. Shadowing is a term used for the process of following a person as they perform their daily work tasks. You can shadow individuals on the I.T. team at your job or another organization. You can also gain experience from internships offered at many I.T. firms. It sucks not getting paid but the knowledge you’ll gain is invaluable!