Skills and tips for job-seekers

Necessary skills

In the IT industry, technical skills are by no means the only skills needed to secure a good job and become a strong computing resource.

Communication skills are essential to understand what your client/customer requires and to deliver the right solution to the customer’s problem. Communication skills also enable you to understand what the client needs as opposed to what they’re saying they  want, therefore being able to get the solution right the first time rather than reworking due to miscommunication or misunderstanding.

Listening and negotiating skills are also of high importance, particularly when dealing with difficult customers. Having the ability to back your decisions, that you are in fact offering the sevice the client needs, will earn you their respect in the long term.

Tips to get the job

Researching the role is important when applying for an IT job. This will help you understand the role and the company, and in turn you will come up with some of your own questions to ask about the position.

Apply for vacation work where possible, taking as many opporunities available to build your experience. Many jobs can be found through undertaking vacation work, as networking is a strong part of job seeking in any industry.

When applying for a job in IT, research the role as far as possible. This will enable you to formulate questions to ask in the interview. Approach companies to try to get some work experience and if there is any vacation work on offer, take the opportunity. We have had a number of our vacation students become full time employees because they did vacation work and showed a good work ethic. Part of the challenge is to get a foot in the door. Once you have done this, your chances of becoming employed improve substantially.