The technology sector continues to experience significant job growth. An increase in demand for online services and business operations has helped tech companies expand, generating good job opportunities for young people. According to our research, 89% of surveyed business leaders in the financial, healthcare, and insurance industries planned to recruit junior tech talent, suggesting the trend is ongoing.
Unfortunately, many new graduates miss their opportunity to break into the tech industry simply because they don’t consider themselves qualified. This blog from Scott can help put you at ease!
Scott Coleman-Allan leads the Talent Team recruiting graduates to the mthree Graduate Program in North America. His team helps graduates understand what roles are actually out there that might suit them.
Scott explains:
"When graduates apply to mthree we help them understand their career options and provide useful information they can put into practice. We're interested in potential and attitude as well as the skills they have developed during education.
"As we work with a range of different companies, roles and individuals, our assessment is designed to get to know candidates so we can recommend which environments they will thrive in. We put graduates at ease and offer a level of advice they wouldn't benefit from if the whole process was online. We're confident that the experience helps graduates grow."
Here are three ways to show employers that you have the skills and qualifications you need to make a successful addition to their growing tech team:
-
1. BE CONFIDENT IN YOUR POTENTIAL
The majority of business leaders we surveyed reported a lack of diversity in their workforce, with half struggling to recruit diverse entry-level talent. As a recent graduate, you should take advantage of the growing awareness that diversity makes better tech teams, and use your resume to sell yourself.
With employers actively seeking to hire diverse entry-level talent, you want to show off both your technical skills and what makes you a unique candidate. Be confident in the skill set you have to offer, your ability to learn, and your capacity to confront new challenges. Your confidence will make a good impression and help employers recognize your potential.
One way to let your confidence shine is to write a convincing cover letter that explains why you’re the right candidate for the job. A cover letter provides the perfect opportunity for you to showcase your key achievements, describe why you’re interested in the role and demonstrate how you can offer a fresh and unique perspective that will enhance diversity at the company.
-
2. EXPAND YOUR RESUME’S EDUCATION SECTION
As an entry-level candidate, your academic experience is where many of your most compelling qualifications and skills come from. If you don’t have professional experience then it’s even more important to make sure the education section of your resume stands out.
Rather than simply listing your academic institution, degree, and graduation date, consider expanding the section to include relevant coursework, awards, or key achievements.
If you’re looking for a job in the technology sector, listing a computer science course or two can demonstrate that you have the foundational skills to succeed in a tech role. It’s even better if you can show employers specific technical skills that you’ve acquired by listing a coding course you took or school projects you’ve completed.
You can even use a bulleted list to describe the relevant coursework that you completed for a course, whether it was a team project, building your own prototype or writing some of your own code. Listing academic accomplishments like these will give employers a better understanding of your capabilities and experience. We will help you understand what roles are actually out there for graduates and give you the skills you need to succeed with one of our amazing clients.
Where possible, make the most of your experience by demonstrating it with quantifiable accomplishments. That means using hard numbers to describe your achievements (think in terms of time, money, or scale). Doing so shows employers that you are capable of achieving tangible results.
-
3. USE THE JOB DESCRIPTION TO WRITE YOUR RESUME
When applying for a new job, one of the best ways to ensure your resume presents you as the best fit for the position is to incorporate specific keywords from the job listing. The job description posted in the advertisement includes all of the information you need to know to write a perfectly tailored resume.
Keywords can include specific job duties, skills or certifications and are a clear indicator of what the employer is looking for. Scan the job description and pick out all of the keywords that are relevant to your experience. You should aim to include these in your resume in some way, whether in your resume introduction, education section, or work experience section.
Simply paying attention to specific requirements and the language that employers use and applying it to your experience is an effective way to get an employer’s attention. Too often this strategy goes overlooked, so it could help give you an edge over other entry-level candidates.
By using the job description to write your resume, showcasing your academic achievements and being confident in your skills and abilities, you can present a strong application and increase your chances of getting called for an interview.
