How to move jobs in Technology

We keep hearing about the skill shortage in IT and Digital (trust me, it’s bad!) so surely as a candidate with the right skills, getting a job should be easy peasy? Well not quite. Yes it’s a “sellers’ market” – and many of our candidates do have a lot of choice when it comes to moving jobs, but even so, mistakes can be made and there are a few things to think about.

So if you are looking to take the leap and get a new job, here is our advice.

1.    Sell yourself as an entrepreneur

An increasing number of employers are seeking commercial, business support and project management skills, as well as technical ability when looking for candidates, especially young, trendy start-ups, who often seek business savvy IT professionals that understand the practical application of what it is that they are doing.

These are also attractive transferable skills for employers, as they can make on the job training much easier. Recent research has found a hidden talent pipeline, with more people entering digital from a range of non-computing backgrounds, such as design, business, and physical sciences, illustrating the importance of transferable skills and a willingness of employers to recruit from wider backgrounds and disciplines.

2.    Find a good recruiter

And trust them. Recruiters can be worth their weight in gold for candidates looking to jump into a job in tech.

At Cathcart Associates, for example, we are alerted to jobs that are not advertised anywhere online, meaning candidates can get ‘first dibs’ on the best digital roles. We also have great contacts with leading people in the tech industry, meaning we can get you into places you can’t get yourself.

To do their jobs, recruiters need to know as much about you as they can. If you do your research and come to a recruiter with a concrete evidence of your experience and an idea of what it is you are looking for, they can work at finding an ideal role for you. Trust that they can help you get a foot in the door and make the most of all the advice and support they give you, from guidance on how to boost your CV to linking you up with potential employers.

3.    Get involved

If you want to boost your chances of working in technology then get involved. Take part in online discussions, head along to local meet-ups and make connections, contribute to GitHub, engage with the industry on networks like LinkedIn. Start making yourself known.

If you can prove you are passionate about the industry and about your line of work, employers will be able to see this and will be much more attracted to the idea of adding you to their workforce.

4.    Create a portfolio

It’s a well-known fact that software and web developers continue to remain in high demand by employers, so a portfolio of work can be a great way to make yourself stand out from the crowd. GitHub is increasingly popular among the developer community to demonstrate your technical ability.

Graduates in particular may want to consider creating a portfolio of their work. This can be a good way to make up for having less work experience than those who have been in employment for some time. It’s also a great way to show passion, grit and determination.

5.    Learn

Even if you don’t want to be a software engineer, it helps to have grounding in desirable skills such as programming. After all, software development remains one of the most in demand skills from employers. There are many resources out there that can help you, such as online programming classes from Codecademy.

Forums like Stack OverFlow mustn’t be forgotten. Sites like these can present a great opportunity to join the debate, ask questions and learn from like-minded individuals.

If you can broaden your skill set or even tailor your skills towards your desired career path, employers will view you as someone who is passionate and committed to the industry and to your career.

6.    The CV

CVs are a job seeker’s gateway to an interview but many often place too much emphasis on them. Once an interview is locked down, a CV is no longer the main source of information. Instead, employers begin to focus on you as a person in a bid to determine if you are the right fit for their company.

But CVs are still important. We deal with hundreds of CVs on a daily basis and see many great ones but lots with the same old mistakes too. Remember these three words – clear, concise, simple.

Don’t worry too much about the ‘two page rule’, make sure your core skills are easy to find and keep the language straightforward. Recruiters and job boards use keyword algorithms so keep your language reasonably simple, using common, well-known terminology to describe your current role and achievements.

One last, crucial, price of advice… PLEASE - Never use text boxes! They play havoc with Applicant Tracking Systems, meaning that ofen your CV can’t be read.

7.    Once you have decided to move, move!

It can be easy to get comfy in a job but counter offers are seldom a good idea.

Often, people who want to leave their jobs but are taken in by a counter offer will find themselves back on the job market within a year or so. This is largely because their reasons for wanting to leave in the first place haven’t gone away, even if their pay has increased.

If you have spotted the perfect job and your current company wants to hang on to you by trying to make a better offer, think carefully before accepting it.

8.    Don’t expect a career for life

Job-hopping is common nowadays. Especially in the tech community as so many fantastic opportunities open up every day. Although there is a lot to say for longevity and honing in on a certain skill, be sure not to pigeonhole yourself.

The sector is fast moving and new trends often come around very quickly, so it’s important to learn and gain experience as early on as possible. Embrace the trends and learn from them. Keep an eye on which technologies are proving dominant and try and follow these trends.

The average length of time in a permanent job in IT in the UK is currently at around 19-months, so employers often expect a degree of fluidity in a candidate’s career, particularly in the early stages.