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IT Consultants Job application advice

IT Job: How to Apply Without a Degree

IT jobs how to apply without degree

Are you passionate about IT jobs but lack a degree in the field? Don’t panic! It’s entirely possible to find a job in IT without a degree. Practical skills and motivation are often more important to employers than academic qualifications. In this article, discover how to land an IT job without prior degrees.

Find your next assignment on our freelance and permanent IT recruitment platform, or join Mindquest so you don’t miss out on any job opportunity!

Identifying IT Job Opportunities

In-Demand Skills

To secure a job in IT, you must possess specific key skills relevant to the sector. Among the most important are programming skills, which include knowledge and mastery of languages like HTML, CSS, JavaScript, Python, or Java.

You should also have an understanding of networking concepts and security. The ability to conduct data analysis is another essential skill for landing a job in IT, requiring proficiency in tools like Excel, SQL, or Python. Lastly, don’t forget technical support skills, as you will need problem-solving abilities for common IT issues.

Types of IT Jobs

While general skills, like those mentioned above, are important for getting an IT job, you should specialize by choosing the type of job you want to pursue. There is a wide variety of IT jobs, and it can be challenging to navigate.

Here are some examples of IT positions you can aim for as you start your job search:

Training and Certifications

Once you’ve defined which area of IT you want to work in, it’s time to start your specialization. For that, it’s important to undergo training.

Online Training The first step is to train to gain the necessary academic skills. Many accessible and often free online courses are available for IT training.Here are a few platforms we recommend:

  • OpenClassrooms: Offers courses in various IT fields.
  • Coursera: Provides courses created by recognized universities and companies.
  • Udemy: Features thousands of IT courses, often at discounted prices.
  • Codecademy: Ideal for learning programming languages.

Also, check out Khan Academy for basic IT and programming courses, and W3Schools for web development learning. GitHub can also be useful for practicing and sharing your programming projects.

Also, discover the best SAP consultant training.

Certifications for IT Jobs

After completing one or more training programs, we recommend confirming your skills by obtaining a certification. This will validate and demonstrate your abilities to recruiters.

Here’s a list of relevant certifications you can pursue:

  • OpenClassrooms Certificate: Various courses with certificates upon completion.
  • Google IT Support Professional Certificate: A comprehensive training program in IT support.
  • CompTIA A+: A foundational certification in IT support and networking.
  • Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA): A certification in network management.
  • Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH): For those interested in cybersecurity.

Standing Out to Employers to Land an IT Job

Once you have enough to fill your resume in terms of training and skills, it’s time to dive into the job search phase.

Create a Portfolio

A well-organized portfolio can make all the difference. To create an effective one, showcase your skills through personal projects, such as a website you built or an application you developed. Additionally, participate in open-source projects on GitHub to demonstrate your ability to work in teams and solve real-world problems.

Furthermore, write articles on technical topics in a blog, showing not only your understanding but also your passion for the field. By combining these elements, your portfolio will become a powerful tool to enhance your application and prove your practical skills to employers.

Write a CV and Cover Letter

To land a job in IT, your CV must be clear and concise. Highlight your skills by listing the programming languages and tools you are proficient in. Also, mention any practical experience, even if unpaid, and include the projects you’ve completed in your portfolio.

For the cover letter, customize each letter for every job application. Show your motivation by explaining why you want the position and how you can contribute. Discuss your personal projects and what you learned while working on them. Moreover, don’t hesitate to provide quantifiable examples, as this will resonate directly with recruiters.

By following these tips, you can create an effective CV and cover letter that will attract employers’ attention.

Network and Apply to Find an IT Job

To optimize your chances of landing an IT job, networking and effective job applications are crucial. Create a professional profile on LinkedIn and connect with people in the industry to expand your network. Also, participate in forums and groups on sites like Reddit or Facebook, where you can share advice and opportunities with other IT enthusiasts. Finally, attend job fairs and tech events to meet employers directly and learn about job openings.

By combining these approaches, you will significantly increase your chances of finding an IT position.

Also read 6 Simple Steps to Improve Online Visibility as an IT Professional

Conclusion

Finding a job in IT without a degree is entirely possible with the right strategies. Focus first on acquiring practical skills, obtaining certifications, and creating a professional portfolio. Finally, network and stay motivated. With determination and effort, you can land your dream job in IT. Good luck!

Need tips on how to find a job in IT? Check out our IT job hunting guide.

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Featured IT Consultants Job application advice

CV Writing Tips for IT Professionals

These CV writing tips for IT professionals will help you make your profile stand out from the pile and open the doors to the best jobs and companies.

The CV is an indispensable part of any job hunter’s toolkit, especially in the ultra-competitive IT job market of today. These CV writing tips for IT professionals will help you make your profile stand out from the pile and open the doors to the best jobs and companies in the industry.

​A good resume is a clear and concise showcase of your experiences, personality and aspirations. Since it is the first impression that the recruiter or employer will have of you, you better make it count. Here is how to do it.

Need advice on how to start or develop your freelance consulting business in tech or IT? Need to start a new permanent or freelance assignment? Join Mindquest and get support from our team of experts.

CV writing tips: Choose a positioning strategy for your profile  

Due to the constant evolution of work culture and business processes; more and more IT experts are more and more looking for a job that is part of a well-defined project. To do so, you need to be strategic. You can use the header or the first part of your CV to describe your professional profile and aspirations using the keywords that your target employer is more likely to be searching for.  

This ‘seduction’ phase, if you will, requires a solid business and marketing strategy. Adapt your speech as much as possible by offering services that are in line with what expected of the position and industry. If you are a developer, look for a cv profile example for software engineers; the Internet is teeming with good ones. You can also ask a colleague or mentor for theirs.

Make your CV clear and enjoyable to read 

Content over looks, but do not neglect the visual aspect. Without falling into an excess of originality, make sure that all the elements are easily readable and prioritize the information. Remember that your resume is like your advertising booklet. It should invite reading and also contain all the necessary information. 

Describe in a few lines or preferably bullet points what your duties and accomplishments were during previous projects. Indicate the type of companies you have worked for and the specific sectors you are familiar with. You can also specify the technical context and team configuration for different positions. As this will help attract employers who are looking for a specific level of expertise or experience. 

Highlight key information for maximum impact 

Single-page resumes are for people at the start of their careers. Opt for a multi-page CV that highlights your past experiences in relation to the type of mission you are aiming for. 

In order to make your CV more impactful and attract the attention of the recruiter, you should highlight certain elements of your CV based on your strengths and the target position. If you have already done several similar gigs in the past and have some big wins to display, put the emphasis there.  

You should also bring up some of your soft skills and passions to help you stand out among other candidates. Perhaps you have a rock band on the side or are a great climber – figure out a way to squeeze that in there. It will make you more relatable and help recruiters remember you more easily when weighing on their various choices.    

Complement your CV with a portfolio

Chances are you already have a great deal of experience under your wing. You’ve worked for interesting companies, played a key role in noteworthy projects, helped bring to light successful products.

Beyond including all that experience in your CV, putting together a short portfolio can help potential employers get a better picture of your skills and strengths. It doesn’t need to be a portfolio as polished as, let’s say, that of a designer or a graphic artist – a simple explanation of every one of your best projects will suffice. If you’re after a programming job, put together some of your best code.

Make sure your CV is aligned with your online presence

Last but not least, keep in mind that one of the key CV writing tips for IT professionals does not have much to do with the CV itself, but rather with presenting a coherent online presence when compared to your CV.

After a company or recruiter first identifies a candidate who might be a good fit for the position, they will conduct a thorough review of their digital footprint. Any inconsistencies and red flags found will be taken into account before moving onto the next stage of the process. On the other hand, an insufficient online presence might prevent a candidate from being found in the first place.

Make sure that you are presenting a cohesive profile across all platforms and services. Is the image you are projecting in your CV consistent with your LinkedIn or Twitter profile? Are your past job titles the same on the different job boards you are present in? Do the start and end dates of previous projects match?

If not, follow these simple steps to boost your online visibility.

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Need tips on how to find a job in IT? Check out our IT job hunting guide.

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IT Consultants Job application advice

IT Pros: How to Prepare for Technical Interviews

IT Pros: How to Prepare for Technical Interviews
A bit of common sense and some broad-reaching advice will help you prepare for technical interviews if you are an IT professional

One of the most common questions that get floated around online discussion groups about IT careers is how to prepare for technical interviews. These are a natural step for positions that require a very specific set of skills. And for which “faking it until you make it” is simply not an option.  

What kind of coding challenge should you prepare for when applying for a junior React.js developer position? What sort of test will you need to pass if you want to become a cloud architect at an industry-leading business?  

Well, sorry to disappoint, but there are almost as many answers to these questions as technical positions and companies exist out there. Each technological niche and practice will require you to focus on a different interview prep strategy.  

Yet there is no need to panic. A bit of common sense and some broad-reaching advice can go a long way.  

Find your next assignment on our freelance and permanent IT recruitment platform, or join Mindquest so you don’t miss out on any job opportunity!

Prepare for technical interviews: Do some basic research 

There is just so much that you can find online these days. Visit the aforementioned Internet forums and look for what recruiters and other experts in your line of work have to way. Chances are someone has already asked something pretty similar to your question.  

Review sites like Glassdoor often provide past interview questions and will give you a feel for what you are about to face. Dedicated LinkedIn groups are also a great source of insider information.  

Finally, do not hesitate to reach out to experts themselves. Whether it is a recruitment specialist or a Twitter back-end development star; they will more often than not be more than happy to point you to the best way forward. 

Educate yourself 

Now that you know what you need, go get it. As an IT professional, you are already probably used to the idea of continuing education. Identify what online courses, series of YouTube videos, or coding sites you should follow.  

Get an official certification if it makes sense for that specific application. Even if you don’t end up getting the job, you will be able to list it on your CV. But you will also be able to make the certificate count towards your eligibility for that specific application. So you will have a higher probability of getting the job.  

Practice and practice again 

No secret recipes here. Prepare for the technical interviews by going through a homemade practice test, correct it, learn from it. And repeat the process. If you have a friend or acquaintance that can help you review it, then now is the time to call them. It is also time to open yourself up to constructive criticism.  

Also, when the moment of truth comes, approach every real technical interview as an opportunity to practice and get better. That will take some pressure off of your shoulders and let you focus on the problem-solving you are so good at.  

Need advice on how to start or develop your freelance consulting business in tech or IT? Need to start a new permanent or freelance assignment? Join Mindquest and get support from our team of experts.

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Growing your career: permanent & freelance IT Consultants Job application advice

How to Optimise Your LinkedIn Profile as an IT Consultant

How to Optimise Your LinkedIn Profile as an IT Consultant
Knowing how to improve your online visibility is key to your career success. Here’s how to optimise your LinkedIn profile as a tech or IT consultant.

Knowing how to improve your online visibility is key to your career success. In terms of visibility on the web, LinkedIn is a must. Here’s how to optimise your LinkedIn profile as a tech or IT consultant and get that dream job.

IT consultants: how to highlight & optimise your LinkedIn profile

With more than 600 million users worldwide, 40% of whom are active every day, LinkedIn is a major tool for freelancers of all backgrounds. IT freelancers who manage to build a complete and optimized profile are way more likely to appear first in search results and attract the most interesting recruiters. Here are a few steps to make your LinkedIn profile shine and set yourself apart from other IT consultants.

Take care of your LinkedIn profile

The first element to take care of is your profile’s presentation. Your profile should be cared for and frequently updated, allowing you to appear in the best light possible for your future clients. This implies taking care of several elements:

A professional and impactful title

LinkedIn allows you to describe your activities in 120 characters. You need to choose an impactful title, being creative to attract the attention of recruiters while remaining professional. Note that the title is the element that appears directly in the search engine results. It is therefore important to pay particular attention to it. In addition to appearing after your name, the title will largely impact the recruiter’s first impression.

It is advisable to include in the title the mention of your consultant status as well as your area of expertise. The title should include the main search keywords related to your profile.

A professional photo that represents you

A profile with a photo is always more likely to stand out. The photo must be taken from the front, always clear and of good quality. Preferably, you should be smiling –, without exaggeration of course.

A concise summary of your profile and the opportunities you seek

In this rather summary, list your skills and detail your professional experience. So, if you are hyper-specialized in a particular sector, do not hesitate to include that in your summary: this may interest recruiters looking for very technical skills. It is also an opportunity to add your diplomas, your most significant professional successes and everything that makes a company more likely to choose you than another consultant. Try to demonstrate as much as possible that you know how to anticipate the needs of a business.

Also do not forget that your LinkedIn profile allows you to give information on what you are looking for: types of job, location, aspirations in terms of projects and professional development … With this simple step, you will avoid being contacted by recruiters who would approach you with ill-suited assignments or positions.

A more detailed summary of your past experiences to optimise your LinkedIn profile

Your LinkedIn profile is the ideal support for detailing your experience and the various positions you have held — just as you would do on your CV. You can provide background information, technical stacks, and tasks associated with these projects. Focus on your accomplishments by highlighting concrete results.

Share relevant content about IT consulting on LinkedIn

To improve your visibility on LinkedIn as an IT freelancer, it is strongly advised to share content frequently. You can share all kinds of content, including:

  • Links to articles related to your area of ​​expertise and your favourite subjects
  • Infographics or videos to spread a message visually and thus make it more impactful
  • Posts in text form, to share news about your professional life for example.
  • Articles that you have written on the platform, to highlight your knowledge of specific subject. This requires a certain investment in terms of time but can really help you enhance your profile.

It is better to share content regularly, without necessarily looking for the quantity. Unlike other platforms where the organic reach of posts requires sharing content on a daily basis, LinkedIn works differently. Also, remember that LinkedIn now accepts user tags and hashtags, which improves thematic search.

Last tip: don’t hesitate to share and comment on the posts of other people in your network. Taking part in conversations about your areas of expertise will allow you to position yourself as an expert and to be identified by recruiters for the best missions.

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IT Consultants Job application advice

How to Prepare for an IT Job Interview

What's the best way to prepare for an IT job interview? Selection processes can be quite daunting - common sense can help a great deal. 
What's the best way to prepare for an IT job interview? Selection processes can be quite daunting - common sense can help a great deal. 

What’s the best way to prepare for an IT job interview? Selection processes can be quite daunting – especially when we are talking about first interviews. But, even if you are a seasoned expert who thinks they have got interviewing techniques all figured out, it never hurts to look at how you approach these defining moments and see what you can do better.   

As with many things in life, common sense can help a great deal.   

Need advice on how to start or develop your freelance consulting business in tech or IT? Need to start a new permanent or freelance assignment? Join Mindquest and get support from our team of experts.

First impressions  

The first, and most obvious, point to consider is that first impressions are often everything. How much the interviewers like you or not will make the difference between getting called in for a second interview and receiving a “thank you for your interest” email. With that in mind, take also into account that first interviews might not be with your future manager – most are conducted by HR professionals and therefore are focused on softer skills rather than on technical ones.   

Knowledge is power. Showing that you took the time and effort to thoroughly research the company shows your professionalism and interest in the position. Take a look at the company’s website and social media accounts, at the project or department with which you will be involved. Get a sense of what they do, and, most importantly, what they have done recently. Chances are they recently released a new product or service, that they were featured in a news article. See if you can factor that into the conversation.   

You should also try to get a sense of culture. Is it formal, laid back? The response will help you prepare better.  

I am not going to get into the recommended attire – that goes without saying.   

Honesty  

Let’s clarify something. Conducting extensive research and preparations for the interview does not mean you should just show up and play the part. Honesty is key, both to your interviewers and to yourself. Pretending to be in line with everything the company might get you the job after all. But the truth will eventually reveal itself, and you will either end up hating your job or not fitting in.   

Be straightforward, be yourself.  

Be humble, but ring the bell  

Honesty is great, but it is even better when paired with humility. The purpose of job interviews is to evaluate a candidate’s fit for a position. Both culturally and in terms of technical skills. That requires you to highlight your abilities and qualifications; to present your story in a way that further reinforces the good feeling the interviewer got from your CV. But no one likes self-absorbed and presumptuous colleagues.   

To avoid giving the impression of being one, make sure to keep a balanced approach when describing your past professional experience and achievements. Be the humble person everyone knows you are, don’t be afraid of admitting you don’t know about a particular topic and avoid overstatements.   

CV Writing Tips for IT Professionals

The tricky question   

“So… Tell me about a time you made a mistake and how you solved it”. Many wait with dread for the moment when they are asked one of these infamous tricky questions. They can feel like a trap – say the wrong thing, and you’re toast.   

In reality, and no matter what some claim, there is not a right or wrong way to answer these questions. They are designed for two things: to reveal your thought processes and to evaluate your professional character and professional ethics. With that in mind, let the previously mentioned points – honesty and humility – guide your way.  

Prepare for an IT Job Interview: Ask questions yourself  

Finally, it is very important to ask questions back. It does not only make the interview more dynamic and helps you guide the conversation;but it also shows that you have initiative and are proactive when faced with a challenge. It also offers a good opportunity to show you did your homework and researched the company carefully. Ask them what it was like to implement that project, or how much you liked their new platform.   

For more tips on how to prepare for an IT job interview, check out our advice to face technical interviews.

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Need more tips on how to find a job in IT? Check out our IT job hunting guide.