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How to Use Your Experience to Get the Job You Want

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As you move through your career, the experience you’ve gained along the way becomes a valuable asset. But your experience can only help you if it is used properly during the hiring process. You need to cover key pieces of information in your resume while being prepared to cover the details during the interview.

To help you make the most of your experience and increase your odds of getting the job you want, here are some tips to get you started.

Highlight Accomplishments

When you create your resume, it is important to draw attention to your accomplishments on the job. Focus on achievements that match the needs of the company you are applying to if you want to make the biggest impact.

Typically, accomplishments provide a starting point to show and discuss your experiences and how they’ve made you an ideal candidate. Being able to list metrics about successful projects or initiatives demonstrate your ability to take your knowledge and effectively apply it in the workplace.

While you can’t go into detail on a resume, a list of applicable accomplishments gives you talking points that can be expanded during the interview.

Plan for Stories

Before you go into an interview, take the time to practice relaying details that demonstrate your experience, especially in relationship to the accomplishments you included on your resume. Review the information to create a narrative, and make sure to include information about how you completed the task, including skills you used and new ones you learned along the way.

This approach lets you give context to your achievements, showing what you have to offer during various work-related situations.

Also, prepare responses to some of the more common interview questions you may encounter. This includes prompts focused on how you handle conflict, deal with failure, find answers when you hit an impasse and your preferred management style. That way you have a solid base to pull from when some of the inevitable questions arise.

When crafting your responses, be concise and focused. While you want to include details that complete the picture, make sure you don’t wander into unrelated territory along the way.

Include Soft Skills

Often, your experiences show your soft skills better than your education. Teamwork, leadership and communication skills are easier to relay to hiring managers as part of a story, so include verbiage about these when you craft your interview responses. This helps show you developed more than technical aptitude while on the job, which can make a positive impression on an interviewer who is looking for more than a list of hard skills for their employees.

 

Are you looking for a new opportunity in the IT field?

The further you progress in your career, the more your experiences will matter when looking for new positions. If you are looking for more information regarding how your experience can help you land your ideal job or are interested in finding new opportunities, Resolution Technologies can help. Contact us to discuss your career goals today.

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Smart Interview Tips to Land That Perfect IT Job

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Every professional knows that submitting a quality resume is only the beginning. Once you are contacted for an interview, you are presented with an opportunity to allow more than your skills and experience do the talking. If you want to give yourself the best chance of landing your perfect IT job, consider the following tips to make your interview memorable for all of the right reasons.

Dress Appropriately, but with a Hint of Personality

While everyone knows that dressing properly for an interview is critical, many professionals assume this means that you must adhere to generic standards in every choice. Instead of blending in with the interviewing masses, express your personality in a subtle, tasteful way. Consider a unique lapel pin, an interesting (but appropriate) tie, or a subtle earring that pays homage to something close to your heart.

Not only can this provide a natural conversation starter, it can help you be seen as a whole person and not just an automaton there to perform.

Tell the Story of How You Ended Up in the Interview Seat

When faced with the inevitable, “Tell me about yourself,” at the beginning of the interview, consider it an opportunity to do more than recite your resume. Include a brief explanation of what piqued your interest in the field, if there was a particular event or person who helped you decide to take this path, and what led you to believe this job is ideal for you.

While you don’t need to cover every detail of your childhood, explaining the origin of your interest in the field can indicate your level of passion for the work. It also provides an indication as to what continues to drive you to move forward in your career.

Your Greatest Weakness Should Include an Action Plan

When asked about your greatest weakness, many candidates end the conversation after identifying the issue. Instead of leaving your weakness hanging awkwardly hanging in the air, immediately follow it up with an action plan.

In this context, the action plan should be a brief overview of any steps you have taken, or plan to take, to turn this weakness into a strength or, at least, a non-issue. For example, if you are not comfortable speaking in front of large groups, you may include information about how you are intending to take a public speaking course from a local college or university, or have decided to join an organization that helps professionals learn to speak more comfortably in front of groups. While the answer to the question is covered, you have also demonstrated that this is not a weakness you intend to keep.

If You Don’t Have an Answer, Explain How You Would Find It

It is not uncommon for technical interviews to ask you about your understanding of specific terms or procedures. If you are faced with a question that you do not know the answer to, do not be afraid to admit that you don’t know.

Often, it can be more beneficial to admit a lack of knowledge in a specific area than try to fake your way through an answer (and possibly be completely off base).

With that, stating your lack of understanding should not be the end. Instead, explain what steps you would take to find the answer should the specified issue arise during the flow of a normal workday. Not only can this show your humility, it also demonstrates how you tackle issues for which you do not already have an answer.

Are you looking for you next job?

If you are looking for more tips to help you excel in your next IT interview, or are interested in finding a new position, the professionals at Resolution Technologies can help get your career in gear. Contact Resolution Technologies today to see their experience can work for you.

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