The tech world is fascinating, competitive, fast-paced, and laden with opportunities. Combine this with high base salaries and a chance to work at the cutting-edge of innovation, and you’ve got an enticing career pathway ahead.
If you’re hoping to get into tech, have a look at these handy tips – they might help you land the dream job.
Polish Your CV
As digital tech staffing specialists, we’ve seen thousands of CVs here at Trust in SODA, and we know which ones stand out (for the right reasons). Here are our must-do’s.
Be specific about your achievements – Facts and figures rule. Were you part of a project that made the business money? If it’s a yes, mention how much! Specify the part you played, and remember to write down your achievements and store them in a brag bank (don’t forget to use keywords either).
Include Your Achievements Outside of Work – Did you run the London marathon to raise money for a cause you’re passionate about? Get it on there!
Stick to a Two-Page Maximum – Remember to be concise and include your most relevant experience. Many tech roles are incredibly niche and highly technical. For example, if you’re prospective role wants you to work in Python, write about your direct experience with Python. Most effective CVs end up on one or two pages, but again, this depends on the role. Tailor your CV to fit the job you’re applying for.
Mention Your Interests – Many modern tech companies are big on company culture. Mentioning your interests makes you interesting and not just another random document.
Proof it – Proof it, then proof it again!
Talk About Tools – Tech is geared towards tools, so make sure you talk about the ones you’ve worked with. The more relevant to the role, the better.
Internships, courses, conferences, webinars, work experience placements, and voluntary experience are all welcome additions, but make sure you don’t write overly long paragraphs – this can be tough to read and the value of your achievements get buried in the mix.
Leverage LinkedIn and Keep Networking
Tech recruiters tend to be big LinkedIn advocates, so make sure you’ve got a good presence on the world’s leading professional networking site.
Connect with everyone you meet, and make sure to post at least once a week, as this helps you build out your personal brand.
Forget about keeping your head down, it’s time to get recognised for your uniqueness. Leveraging a digital platform like LinkedIn, where tech companies tend to be highly active, is a great way to sing about your skills.
Reaching out can be tough, especially if you’re introverted, but it’s important to remember that people enjoy being received as thought leaders in their space. There’s nothing to lose, but rather, everything to gain, and it all starts from sending a friendly message.
If you can find someone you admire, someone that’s already taking the tech space by storm, why not ask them how they did it? They were probably in a similar position to you at one point.
Narrow Down Your Search
Tech jobs come in all shapes and sizes. The industry is so versatile, it can be difficult to narrow down what the right role looks like for you.
In a continuously changing industry, consistent training is a must, but since this training can be time-consuming, costly, and specific, it’s important to think about what kind of role you’re aiming for. There’s plenty of overlap, narrowing down your search can help you carve out a niche.
This means looking deeper than the job title. For example, if software engineering has you hooked, why not do a deep dive into back-end developing in Java?
Ultimately, it comes down to research. The more you know, the better you can prepare your skillset for your future job in tech.
It’s Not Impossible
Tech commands big wages and boasts some mean jargon, but it’s far from impossible to break into, even without experience. Entry-level jobs are available, and they’re in demand.
If you need some help with kicking off your career, the SODA squad is here to help. Reach out to the team today – we can find you the most exciting tech opportunities around the world, and we’ll support you along every step of the way.
