How to get into a career in IT & Technology

Prepare for the real world

No different from any other industry, IT companies are looking for people that are proactive and willing to continually learn. In our view, those who have a ‘can-do’ attitude and demonstrate key behaviours will do well in IT. This is a fast-paced, dynamic part of our world – it will serve those well who embrace the IT sector knowing that change is common, and each day can be very different from the next.

Complacency is the number one mistake we see from candidates applying for a job: they think that once they've decided they want a career in IT, the rest will follow automatically. Wrong. It’s like most things in life, you need to keep working at it, to continually improve and gain maximum benefit from it.

The second mistake is to believe that success is instant. Yes, within IT there is fantastic opportunity to travel the world, earn huge salaries, or support your life long passion, but these rewards come to those who work hard from day one, recognising that those rewards have to be earnt. When we interview candidates, we're looking for those that have a proactive attitude, have the right behaviours to complement our cultural fit such as honesty, commitment, pride in what they do and a willingness to learn.

Read, read and then read some more.

There's no better way to learn about something new than to read up on it. With the internet at your fingertips, there has never been an easier way to develop new skills and pick up on latest trends.

Having some things that you've read about to talk to potential employers about shows them the traits we were talking about earlier: that you're proactive and that you want to learn about the subject.

Be specific at first and then develop a broad skillset later, don’t try and run before you can walk… It's great to have a wide skillset, but in the early stages of your career you'll be risking spreading yourself too thin.

Sure, have a surface-level knowledge of the different IT skillsets, but pick one that really appeals to you, builds on your strengths, and focus your efforts on that.

In IT, falling into the trap of being a jack of all trades, but master of none, makes it very hard to stand out from the crowd.

Pick an IT company & get in touch!

Don't be tricked into thinking you should take any job. You should have high standards and expectation for yourself that will challenge you – you should aspire to work for a company whose work excites you. You will be working for a long long time, so try and ensure you thoroughly enjoy it and don’t get bored or complacent.

Decide whether you'd like to work close to where you live, or if you're willing to relocate. Then search for companies that specialise in the area that you've learnt about and have a look through their portfolio.

It's good to shortlist a few companies where you find yourself getting excited about doing the kind of work that they specialise in.

Then approach them

Think of a way to approach them that helps you stand out. Some of the candidates that have I have employed have done something extraordinary.

We've seen all sorts, from printed infographics instead of a CV, to micro-sites developed to show off the skills of the candidate and how their skills can help our business.

Things like this really stand out from the boring, traditional CV, or boring (predictable) recruitment process. Yes, there has to be a standard recruitment structure, but don’t be afraid to take a risk and come in with a different approach – if you strike the right balance of respect but also a little risk, it could pay off and get you the interview…

You've got the job, what's next?

Congratulations, you nailed it and you've got the job! Now what?

Hopefully you've landed your dream job and can now get excited about your first day. Here's a few tips on what to do next.

An important thing to note is that in your IT career, you never stop learning. So make continued learning a part of your life and set time aside for it.

Other things that will help you further your career

• Ask questions - even if you're asking somebody that isn't in your department, it's great to have a knowledge of a few different areas and you'll build your network this way. Communicate with clients - don't hide behind email, if something needs doing, get on the phone to them and get it sorted, they'll appreciate it.
• Socialise outside of work - this is the best way to get to know your colleagues and will make coming to work something you enjoy rather than resent
• Ask for extra work - ask your boss if there's anything else you can do, don't just sit around once you've completed your work.
• Help your boss! – think about how you can proactively make your boss’ job easier. e.g. if you’ve identify a problem which you’re needing to tell them about, consider any potential resolutions to that problem. Many successful bosses and business owners have only got there because of the team they have around them – it’s absolutely true that in most cases you are only as good as the people around you.
• Recommend things that will help your clients - it shows you care.

And lastly, if you don’t enjoy what you are doing, or where you are working, act on it! If you are unhappy in your job, nobody benefits. Have a conversation with your boss to see what can be done, and if you can’t talk to your boss, talk to your friends. You are responsible for your own career, so make sure you build one that suits you.