It’s a great time to be in IT, especially for recent college graduates flooded with rampant opportunities in an ever-growing industry. Companies are adding internship programs, increasing salaries, offering various incentives and including desirable perks as a way to attract the best people in such a competitive market.
Although jobs are plentiful, so are candidates. To land a dream position and begin a career, it’s important that graduates first prepare with some background work.
As a longtime IT staffing professional, I direct talent into various positions at businesses from start-ups to large enterprises, so I review many job descriptions and even more resumes. I’ve witnessed firsthand how IT has evolved and expanded over the years, and am excited to help college grads pursue their passion. With that background, and a few of my personal opinions, here are some recommendations for new college grads seeking to start their careers in IT.
- Identify your passion and strengths. While generalists are good because they can be trained to work in many roles, there are plenty of them out there. I think to stand out more, you should determine your specialty and seek to become a subject matter expert (SME). Do you want to be a developer? If so, what language are you good at and can become great at? What about QA? Or working on the infrastructure side? Network/Systems Engineering? Or a Business/Systems analyst? Carving out a niche for yourself can lead to abundant opportunities, as the IT job market is becoming increasingly specialized. Companies are looking for people with specific skills that can make them more successful, and, marketing yourself as that expert can pay off. SMEs also command more money.
- Do your homework. Of course, take advantage of your school’s career center and alumni group, talk to professors about job opportunities and become a member of professional organizations, such as AITP, IEEE and ISACA. Attend meetings where you can network with industry veterans and learn about open positions. If you like local hackathons and coding competitions, jump into these as well to fine-tune your skills and meet potential employers.Research multiple companies and opportunities, keeping in mind your personal preferences. Are you willing to pursue the freedom and risk of a start-up? Or do you prefer a larger, more traditional enterprise, with greater structure and stability? Read company web sites, Glassdoor ratings and trade publications to see what’s going on in the organizations that appeal to you. In my opinion, there’s no such thing as doing too much research and knowledge-gathering. The more you know about potential employers, the better for you.Then seek to connect with the appropriate colleagues at your target companies via LinkedIn or by reaching out directly. Sharing your resume with a personal contact obviously is a significant advantage over posting it to job boards or passing it to HR, where it can be overlooked. This can be a common mistake – while job boards have value, don’t rely on them exclusively to lead you to a fabulous position. Although it takes more legwork, be diligent about getting your resume into the hands of those who will pay close attention.
- Consider an IT staffing company. Companies like ConsultNet, which specializes in placing in-demand tech talent, are powerful partners in your job search. We have valuable relationships with hiring managers, and we function like personal talent managers. Our goal not only is to place the right person in the right job, but also to help you put your degree to work, matching you with the best opportunity for your goals.Even more, our services are free to college grads, and we are dedicated to working on your behalf. We can deliver full-time, part-time and consulting positions, based on your preferences. And we’re a valuable ally down the road as well, when you may eventually be interested in a job change.
- Showcase your work. It’s critical for potential employers to be able to see your past and present work, so establish a portfolio via GitHub, create a SlideShare, write a blog or develop a video for YouTube. Populate these with samples of work that show specific skills relevant to positions that interest you.While you can use school assignments here, I’ve found that employers appreciate samples of real-world experience more. That means you should seek internships, volunteer work and consultant projects prior to your official career search launch so that you have some examples ready. In my experience, job candidates with IT experience outside of the classroom command greater interest from companies.
- Sharpen your street smarts. This is the same advice as I tell my daughter – don’t just take the first offer you get, but negotiate, take your time and weigh the pros and cons, as well as the potential for forthcoming offers for positions that are preferential. Due to great demand, you may have to weigh more than one offer at a time, and hone your negotiating skills on the fly, with the advice of a parent, professor or industry friend.While salary is important, don’t make it be the only factor. It’s far better to land a job at a company you love and are passionate about, where you can find a mentor who will teach you and give you opportunities to learn and grow. Look for a good fit with the people and culture – a place that your gut tells you is right, where you can be challenged and are part of a supportive team.
With so many positions available now in the tech industry, it’s hard to go wrong here. Good luck searching, and feel free to call on me along the way.