IT Management News

How to make sure you land that IT job

David Southgate Tech Republic

Published: 21 Apr 2005 13:00 BST

When you're looking for a job, about the last thing you want is to have your CV or your tactics sending up red flags indicating a bad attitude. However, some IT job seekers unwittingly express their anger, frustration, and sense of entitlement in everything they do in their job search, according to Linda Matias, a Long Island, New York, outplacement expert, interview coach, and CV writer who has been working with IT job seekers for five years.

A bad attitude comes across in cover letters, CVs, emails, and even networking opportunities, says Matias, president of the US National Resume Writers' Association and also president of Long Island Outplacement.

Little snafus add up to big failures in terms of the job search, so Matias has this advice to share about CVs, cover letters, emails, and attitude.

Tips for CVs
Most people write their own CVs, and it may be a matter of pride that prevents them from turning their CVs into really effective marketing tools. A sharply done CV conveys much more about a job seeker's skills and abilities and says everything about your attitude and professionalism.

The delicate balance between including appropriate content and having a cleanly organised CV continues to baffle most people; so, the job seeker (and his or her CV) end up suffering the consequences by failing to land job interviews. Although the CV isn't everything, it is an important tool in the job search and should be treated as such.

Common CV mistakes include:

Failure to highlight accomplishments
Failure to address the attributes employers are seeking
Confusing and obscure language and phrases
Poorly formatted CVs that convey laziness or lack of professionalism
Arrogant language or an overabundance of words that fail to simply and concisely describe real accomplishments

Matias, who deals with hiring managers directly in her outplacement business, says that they want to know that a job candidate can go into an IT system and hit the ground running. The CV should demonstrate this. Many people should face the fact that they aren't able to effectively create their own CVs, then get professional help.