This week on #PlacementChat we have a specific focus on the IT sector. To complement this, here is a guest article with some very helpful advice to help you secure your first IT position after graduation
Finding your
First IT Position after University
You’ve completed your degree, had you’re picture taken
with your cap and gown and now heading out to work full time. But how do you
get your first position when you lack experience and competing in a highly
competitive area?
Relax!
Whilst I’m not saying go back to your student days, it
may help to relax and know that it may be a little struggle at first while you
adjust to full time job searching. You’re not alone and with the latest figures
showing nearly 1 in 10 graduates not finding work within 6 months and 12.9% of
computer science graduates
(data source)
specifically, getting overly stressed and feeling down may impact on your daily
life and job search. Try to relax and make sure that you set time away from
your job search to make sure that your health doesn’t suffer.
Careers Services
Whilst you may no longer be at Uni, career services can
help you with your job hunt, with some offering to help you up to two years
after you Graduate. With the career services, or if your Uni had a liaison
officer or specific departmental career advisor, try and contact them to see if they can help
you, after all if companies are getting great candidates from the services
it’ll look great for them!
Careers services will work with companies looking for
Graduates, or internships, which may not be advertised yet elsewhere and help
give you a head start on building the perfect CV or application form for them.
And you can extend your tuition fee’s worth out of the place!
Internships and Volunteering
If you were unable to get a placement while at Uni, or
didn’t lead to a job then you may try an Internship or work experience
placement. While unpaid internships have rightly got a bad rap, an internship
or work experience with a small amount of income may work in your advantage as
it can lead to a full time job in the long run and show your willingness to
work and put in some hard graft.
Or try volunteering at a local library (if there’s any
left nearby!) to help people with their IT Skills. It’ll look good on your CV
if you can say you can communicate effectively and potentially have client facing
skills if you are teaching users who aren’t technical.
CV’s and Cover Letters
Whilst there’s a whole host of CV help and advice available,
it’s still important to make sure that you take care with adapting your CV to
each specific position. Companies are looking at what you can bring to them so
make sure you do so.
If you developed a project in Java (other languages are
available) don’t say in your Cover Letter: I’m proficient in Java, or words to
that effect. Change it to say that you’ve undertaken tasks to develop software
programs from inception to completion in a number of Languages including Java
and C++.
Also make sure that your CV contain a number of ‘keywords’ that match the job advert to take
advantage of companies that use automated CV services. If a job advert wants
someone who’s proficient in SQL then make sure your CV contains that you’re
experienced in it, rather than saying you have experience with Databases, so
your CV doesn’t get thrown in the ‘bin’.
Brush up on your Skills
If you have an interview coming up, alongside researching
the company, make sure that you brush up on your skills. Basic skills in coding
for IT positions will be asked, so make sure that you don’t forget them and can
answer them fairly quickly. Whilst more advanced questions should be asked
they’ll likely be more theoretical and should be OK for pseudo-code to work with.
They’ll be looking at how you figure things out as well as your coding skills.
Network
Most of all – network! Anyone you meet, or anyone you
know, is someone who potentially knows someone else who is looking to fill a
job, especially in small businesses. So let everyone you know on Facebook and
everywhere else that you’re looking for a job, update or create a LinkedIn
profile and start searching Social Media networks for jobs. It may not only
just pay off in the short term, but long term connections and contacts can
improve your prospects throughout your career!
