The market at the moment is slow and during these times we need to find ways in which to “seek out” opportunities that might not be “advertised” on the normal platforms like Seek etc.
So what can you do to be seen or find opportunities?
In today’s competitive market, standing out requires more than just following the traditional path. If you’re ready to break the mold, here are some unconventional strategies to help you land your dream job in IT.
1. Network Beyond Job Fairs and LinkedIn
Networking is crucial, but it doesn’t have to be limited to job fairs and LinkedIn. Attend hackathons, tech meetups, and industry conferences. These events provide excellent opportunities to meet like-minded individuals, potential employers, and mentors.
Here are some “Meet-up Links” for New Zealand, Australia and Singapore. Check them out and if you find something that interests you, connect and go and check them out at their next Meet-Up.
New Zealand: https://www.meetup.com/topics/information-technology/nz/
Australia: https://www.meetup.com/en-AU/find/australia/
Melbourne: https://www.meetup.com/melb-tech/
Sydney: https://www.meetup.com/open-coffee-sydney/
Brisbane: https://www.eventbrite.com/d/australia–brisbane-city/tech-meetup/
Singapore: https://www.meetup.com/find/sg–singapore/
Pro Tip: Engage actively in discussions, offer help, and share your knowledge. Building genuine relationships can lead to unexpected job opportunities and valuable industry insights.
2. Showcase Your Knowledge Through Content Creation
Position yourself as someone who has a specific technical skillset by creating content that showcases your knowledge and skills. Start a blog, create YouTube tutorials, or write articles and post to LinkedIn or other “sharing sites”. Sharing your insights helps others and also establishes you as someone who knows what they are talking about when sharing. You never know who will see that blog tutorial or article.
Pro Tip: Focus on solving common problems or explaining complex concepts in simple terms. This approach attracts a wider audience and demonstrates your expertise in a practical context.
3. Create a Personal Brand
Your personal brand is your unique combination of skills, experiences, and personality. It differentiates you from other candidates and can make you more memorable to potential employers. Develop a strong online presence by maintaining an updated LinkedIn profile, personal website, and professional social media accounts.
Pro Tip: Consistency is key. Use the same professional photo, bio, and contact information across all platforms to build a cohesive and recognizable personal brand.
4. Engage with Online Communities
Online communities like Reddit, Stack Overflow, and specialized forums can be great resources for learning, networking, and job hunting. Participate in discussions, offer solutions, and connect with other professionals.
Pro Tip: Be an active and positive contributor. Consistent participation can build your reputation and lead to job leads or recommendations from community members.
5. Cold Calling / Emailing
Identify companies you’re passionate about and reach out directly to hiring managers or team leaders. Craft a compelling email that highlights your skills, enthusiasm for the company (research the company thoroughly), and how you can add value. Personalizing your approach can set you apart from other candidates.
Conclusion
Finding a job in IT doesn’t have to follow the conventional route. By leveraging personal projects, networking creatively, showcasing your knowledge, and engaging with the community, you can differentiate yourself from the crowd and uncover unique opportunities. Embrace these innovative strategies and take control of your IT career journey.
What is Industry Connect?
We have been helping career changers, recent IT graduates and people with career gap to start their IT/software careers.
Over the years, we have helped hundreds kick-start an IT/software career. (Verifiable evidences are available on this website)
OUR CORE
We are an innovative software training school backed by global/local software companies. Our ecosystem is an incubation process that supports our participants until they launch a tech career.
OUR PROGRAMMES
Our Job-Ready training programmes focus on,
- Software Development
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- Test Analyst
PROGRAMME STRUCTURE
- Six Weeks Training Classes (Practical Tech Skills)
- Three Months (or more) Structured Internship on Large Commercial-Scale Projects (Learning enhanced, flexible Hours)
- Employer Network (job analysis and internal referral if goals are met)
You can join us via Zoom (live face-to-face meeting) remotely from anywhere and "download" the valuable knowledge & experiences from our tech experts across different tech centres.
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