5 Key Assets to I.T. Employability

Getting a job in IT is a lot more than just ticking the right skills boxes; there are a number of other assets and techniques you can bring to an interview to maximise your chances of getting the position in question. Such 'employability' is essentially a composite of your skills, your effectiveness in presenting those skills, and the manner in which you communicate.

Here I will cover five of the more important key aspects used to assess the suitability of candidates for IT roles - largely stemming both from my experience as an interviewer for technical roles, and on the other side as a interviewee.

 
Education

A good education is a good start, as far as employability is concerned. A degree is not always necessary to break into an IT career, but it certainly helps - treat your degree as a foot in the door, not as a passport to an automatic career.

A key thing to remember is that your IT education does not end with the receipt of your degree - in many ways, it is just the beginning. If you wish to remain competitive, you will need to constantly improve your skills, and keep up with developments in languages or frameworks.

Do not discount additional educational routes either, in particular professional training courses. Microsoft's offerings are well known, and valuable - as are Cisco Career Certifications.

Qualifications alone will not get you a job, though - you will need to round out your education with the demonstration of a little aptitude and a willingness to continue learning.

Experience

Regardless of qualifications on paper, the breadth of experience you have will also be a major factor in your employability. A degree in database systems is one thing; ten years working as a DBA is quite another.

For university leavers, the lack of experience is a hampering factor - many job listings state that they require a certain number of years of 'professional experience', which may seem insurmountable to those who have dedicated the last three-plus years to the study of their chosen art.

If you lack the required experience, fear not - some positions will be more amenable to graduates than others - and the key thing to remember is that years of experience can be trumped with your other assets, whether it is your specific skill set, or demonstrable dedication to a field.

Confidence

This is perhaps the hardest asset to attain, but confidence is a great skill to have in an interview situation. The IT world is filled with introverts, many of whom are greatly skilled, but if you cannot convey your suitability for a role your chances may be diminished.

Confidence does not mean you have to know the answer to every question - but it does mean that you should not be fazed should you come across a query in a subject with which you are unfamiliar. There is no perfect solution to dealing with unknowns, but do not let it throw you - just roll with it and steer your answer back to the areas in which you are capable.

Be wary of arrogance, too - you do not want to come across as confident to the point of rudeness. Your demeanour in interviews should be a balance between confidence, likeability, and a touch of modesty where needed.

Enthusiasm

You do not need to be fresh-faced to be enthusiastic. A passion for IT, or a specific area, is undeniably a boon in terms of getting a job.

Genuine passion for a subject usually shines in the interview - if the interviewer sees that you are willing to talk at great length about a particular subject, they will probably note that as a key interest of yours. Just make sure it is relevant to the role!

It is not just your ability to wax lyrical about a subject that will convey enthusiasm either - extra-curricular activities, such as maintaining a relevant blog on a technical subject or indulging in personal projects, will help in showing your enthusiasm and dedication to a given field.

Such relevant work is particularly suited to the next point, demonstration:

Demonstration

The single best thing you can bring to a job interview is a direct demonstration of your skills. You could talk about how many years experience you have with a language until you are blue in the face, but if you can demonstrate a concrete example of those skills, you will fare far better.

For certain skills, this may be tricky - but in my field (web development / design), a solid portfolio of live URLs that are demonstrable of suitable skills are invaluable. The visual aspect is important - whether it is printouts, screenshots, or live demonstrations - such assets will ably illustrate your talents, and in a much more memorable way than simply discussing such work.