What do employers want from their IT candidates? In truth, no two employers are ever looking for the exact same things, but there are a few constants that you can bank on. If you want to make a good impression on your hiring manager, keep in mind these three qualities that they are likely looking for when speaking with you.
Multitasking Acumen
Wouldn’t it be great if you could sit down at 9:00 and focus on one task until it was completed? In IT, this is as rare as a purple unicorn. Multitasking is part of the job, but you must be able to multitask without losing focus or allowing the quality of your work to suffer.
If you want to illustrate your multitasking abilities to your interviewer, think of a time when you were working on a problem or project that required 100 percent focus, but another pressing priority came across your desk. How did you work through the situation? What is your method for triaging multiple high-priority tasks? Your approach to multitasking can tell the interviewer a lot about your skills on the job.
Creative and Efficient Problem Solving
No IT project ever goes smoothly from start to finish. There are changes in scope, changes in budget, changes in team makeup, bugs, and a host of other unforeseen challenges at nearly every turn. IT managers cannot afford to hire someone who lacks the ability to think quickly to solve problems.
To demonstrate this quality, think about a situation in which you had to solve a complicated problem quickly, and the team lacked the resources it needed to achieve the desired result. Discuss the steps you took to assess the situation and work out a solution using a creative approach to the tools you had at your disposal.
The Desire To Grow
If you don’t stay ahead of changes and developments in the technology field, you will fall behind. Employers are looking for people who have the desire to constantly be learning and honing their skills and who want to grow professionally within the organization.
You have likely gone out on your own to achieve some level of certification or to learn a new skill. Talk about what motivates you to use your free time to grow. Don’t be afraid to discuss your long-term career goals, either. This gives the hiring manager an idea of where you want to go, and it allows you to assess whether or not those opportunities are available within the organization.
If you are an information technology professional in the Buffalo area looking for new and exciting career opportunities, the expert recruiters at Systems Personnel would love to hear from you. We connect the best and brightest talent with the region’s most forward-thinking organizations. Contact us today to learn more about our commitment to your success.
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