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Tips to Improve Your IT Resume with No Experience

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Improving your IT resume when you have no experience helps you establish your career. The information in your resume shows why you are a desirable candidate who should be contacted for an interview.

When improving your IT resume with no experience, focus on other experiences that helped develop your skill set. Demonstrating your strengths, accomplishments, and willingness to learn shows you can be trained to fulfill the job duties and responsibilities. This increases your odds of securing an interview.

Implement these tips to improve your IT resume with no experience.

Update Your Experiences Section

Clarify how you are building the IT skills relevant to the job you want. Listing these experiences demonstrates your work ethic and desire to build an IT career.

Your experiences may include extracurricular activities or volunteer work:

  • Join a tech community such as GitHub or Stack Overflow to learn and share information about programming.
  • Participate in hackathons to solve technology problems in teams.
  • Take advantage of free online resources, tutorials, and open-source software to learn programming languages.
  • Learn to code through Coursera or other online courses.
  • Volunteer with a nonprofit organization focused on IT, such as teaching children to code.
  • Enter technology competitions through Cisco or other IT companies.

Highlight the skills you developed through each experience. Emphasize the skills included in the job posting. Include the goals you attained that are relevant to the role you desire.

Emphasize Your Soft Skills

List your soft skills that are relevant to the IT position. Examples include communication, organization, self-motivation, collaboration, and leadership.

Soft skills are harder to develop than hard skills. As a result, demonstrating examples of your soft skills shows the value you can provide the employer.

Include Your Education

Provide details about your education. Your high school diploma or GED and relevant coursework, IT certifications, or college degree demonstrate your commitment to ongoing learning and ability to fulfill commitments.

You might pursue certification in any of the following fields:

  • Data
  • Artificial intelligence (AI)
  • Business applications
  • Google Cloud
  • Amazon Web Services (AWS)
  • Project management

You could pursue a degree in one of the following fields:

  • Information technology and information systems
  • Computer science
  • Information science
  • Software engineering
  • Computer engineering
  • Cybersecurity

Ready to Begin Your IT Job Search?

Partner with RightStone for help developing your IT career. Visit our job board today.

Ways to Find a Job You Will Love!

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Finding a job you will love can be challenging. You might apply to a job posting, interview for the role, and discover the position or company was not what you expected. As a result, the job does not turn into a long-term relationship.

A job you will love fits where you are in your career and where you are going. It serves as a stepping stone you will enjoy for an extended period of time.

Conversely, if you accept the wrong job and it does not work out, you have to start your search over. This takes additional time to find the right match.

As a result, focus on finding a job you will love rather than settling for less than what you want. These tips can help.

Follow these guidelines to find a job you will love!

Write Down What You Want

Make a list of the most essential traits that attract you to a job. You may want to complete a career assessment for guidance.

Use your list of qualities to search for jobs online. You can find roles that match your skills, experience, and interests.

Network

Talk with your professional connections about your search for a job you will love. Include the type of position you seek, your skills and experience, and other relevant information.

The members of your network may know of opportunities that fit what you are looking for. Or, they might introduce you to hiring managers or other professionals who can help with your job search.

Set up informational interviews with employees in roles like the one you desire. Find out more about what they do and why they enjoy it. Determine whether the position is a good fit for you.

Consider Company Culture

Determine whether the company’s mission, vision, and values fit with your personality and beliefs. Include how the organization is structured, what the work schedule is, and whether there are opportunities for advancement.

Read online employee reviews of the company. See what current and former employees have to say about how things are done. Use your findings to determine whether you would love the job or should continue your search.

Ask Questions

Bring a list of questions to ask employers during interviews. Include the topics that are most important to you when deciding where to work.

Ask to meet your potential manager and colleagues. The people you might work with affect the job offer you accept.

If you need additional time to consider a job offer, ask for it. Set a reasonable time for the employer to hear back from you.

Ready to Find a Job You Will Love?

Work with RightStone to find a job you will love. Visit our job board today.

7 Tips to Start Your IT Career Search

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The start of a new year is a great time to start a new job. This may include changing your career to IT.

Starting your IT career search can be challenging. You may be unsure of which path to take or how to enter the field.

Developing a plan to start your IT career search helps you map the steps to reach your goals. Working with a staffing agency that specializes in IT also can be beneficial.

Follow these guidelines to start your IT career search today.

1. Determine Your Career Goals

Understand the type of IT career you want before you begin looking for roles.

  • Focus on your dream job.
  • Include the type, size, and culture of the company you want to work for.
  • Think about the salary, benefits, and perks you desire.
  • Determine the types of jobs that can lead to your dream role.
  • Focus your search on jobs that align with your career path.

2. Update Your LinkedIn Profile

Show you have the qualifications needed for the IT position you desire.

  • Ensure your contact information, profile statement, and profile summary are current.
  • Include your relevant education, skills, work history, and certification.
  • Request endorsements from previous supervisors, managers, colleagues, and coworkers.

3. Create a Digital Portfolio

Use your digital portfolio to display examples of your work.

  • Showcase how your projects benefitted an employer.
  • Include quantitative results from your work.
  • Demonstrate how your skills can add value for your next employer.
  • Include a link to your digital portfolio in your resume and LinkedIn profile.

4. Network

Set up informational interviews with technologists in roles similar to the one you desire.

  • Connect with relevant IT professionals through LinkedIn.
  • Ask if you can talk for 30 minutes about their job, company, and career path.
  • Develop three to five questions that can guide your IT career search.
  • Determine whether a position may be right for you.
  • Find out whether the technologist knows of any job openings or can introduce you to a hiring manager.

5. Apply for Jobs

Customize your resume to the role you desire.

  • Include your relevant education, skills, experience, and certifications.
  • Share your relevant achievements, quantifiable results, and awards.
  • Use keywords from the job posting throughout your resume.
  • Show you are well-qualified for the position.

6. Customize Your Cover Letter

Your cover letter provides information not included in your resume.

  • Discuss whether you are beginning or changing your career.
  • Explain any gaps in your work experience.
  • Show how your qualifications make you stand out from other applicants.
  • Clarify why you are the best candidate for the position.

7. Practice Interviewing

Engage in mock interviews.

  • Research the company you want to work for.
  • Practice answering interview questions.
  • Prepare questions for the interviewer.
  • Monitor your body language.

Partner with an IT Staffing Agency

Partner with a recruiter from RightStone for guidance throughout your IT career search. Visit our job board today.

Weird IT Job Interview Questions

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Before interviewing for your next IT job, you likely will practice answering potential questions. Some questions are designed to get the conversation going. Others are about your skills, experience, and qualifications. More in-depth questions cover your creativity, problem-solving ability, or fit with company culture. This preparation helps you perform your best during the conversation.

You should include some off-the-wall questions when reviewing your next round of practice interview questions. These questions likely have no connection to IT.

Instead, some of these unique questions are designed to assess your personality or critical-thinking skills. Other questions are created to show interviewers how you respond in surprising situations. Knowing how to answer these questions helps you prepare for the unexpected.

Practice answering the following weird IT interview questions to help land your next job.

What would you do if you were the sole survivor of a wilderness plane crash?

Setting up odd scenarios shows how you solve problems and react to challenging circumstances. Include in your answer the steps you would take, in which order, and why. Emphasize your independence, ability to stay calm under pressure, and related personality traits.

For instance, “I would ensure there were no other survivors. Then, I would find the basic necessities I need to stay alive and find help. Next, I would locate a water source, use plane parts to build a shelter, and then focus on being rescued. After that, I would build a fire or start walking to find civilization. Finally, I would devote a set amount of time to one rescue attempt before moving to another.”

How would you direct someone to create a balloon animal using only words?

Show you have strong speaking skills and can give clear directions for complex processes. This is important for the processes you might perform in an IT role.

For instance, “We are creating a balloon dog. I will break down the process into simple steps and guide you through it. Begin by blowing up the balloon. Keep a few inches uninflated at the end for the dog’s tail. Then, every three inches down the length of the balloon, twist the balloon so it looks like sausage links. Next, twist the second and third links together so they interlock for the dog’s ears. After that, lock together the next set of links to form the front legs and the last set of links to form the back legs. Your balloon should look like a dog. Do you have any questions?”

Someone gave you an elephant and will not let you sell it or give it away. What do you do with it?

Demonstrate your reasoning and problem-solving skills. Include your personality in your answer.

For instance, “Because my backyard will not fit an elephant, I would pay a local farmer to keep the animal. I would begin training the elephant to be ridden to offset the costs of housing and feeding it. I then would take the elephant to events and charge people for rides.”

Want Additional Interview Preparation?

Partner with a recruiter from RightStone for additional help with your job search. Visit our job board today.

IT Job Security

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The latest IT trends are changing the way companies and consumers interact. This elevates sales, marketing, and ways of conducting business.

These IT trends also are creating job opportunities for technologists. As a result, you have more employment choices than before.

Discover some of the latest IT trends and how they create IT job security.

Internet of Things

The Internet of Things (IoT) is the belief that all tech-enabled devices can connect to the internet and each other to blend the physical and digital worlds. This increases opportunities for consumers to engage with products. The data can be used to maximize the results of marketing campaigns and user experiences.

IoT is changing the way business is conducted and the models used to do so. For instance, pay-per-use models are increasing in popularity as additional customer data becomes available. The growth of IoT increases the IT jobs related to it.

Machine Learning

More computers are able to analyze data and track patterns to facilitate learning. For instance, social media platforms use machine learning to analyze users’ likes, shares, and comments to see how users connect with the members of their networks. The platforms use this information to show users content from their closest connections.

Machine learning lets companies more effectively do business with customers. The technology helps businesses interact with customers to better anticipate and meet customers’ needs. The increasing need for machine learning means ongoing job opportunities for technologists.

Virtual Reality

Ongoing improvements in the hardware and programming of virtual reality technology impact almost every industry. In addition to its use in video games, virtual reality lets companies more effectively engage with customers.

Increased customer engagement maximizes sales and marketing campaigns. It also promotes learning, especially in educational organizations. All of these developments increase the number of IT jobs in the market.

Touch Commerce

Blending touchscreen technology and one-click shopping lets consumers purchase products from their mobile devices. Consumers link their payment information to their accounts so they can purchase virtually anything.

The increase in touch commerce increases sales related to this technology. It also creates new jobs for technologists.

Cognitive Technology

Natural language processing and speech recognition are examples of cognitive technology. These technologies are used to automate tasks previously done by people. Examples include certain accounting and analytics tasks.

Automated analysis of user data is especially beneficial for software companies wanting to scale. Staying current on cognitive technology in a given industry opens up a range of opportunities for IT professionals.

Ready for a New IT Job?

Partner with RightStone to land your next IT job. Visit our job board or submit your information today.

Advantages of Doing Your Homework Prior to an Interview

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Success in interviews requires more than showing how your skills and experience equip you for a role. It also involves knowing as much information as possible about the company.

Researching the organization before an interview increases your odds of advancing in the hiring process. It also impacts whether you receive a job offer.

Discover some benefits of doing your homework on a company before participating in an interview.

Understand the Company Culture

Knowing about the company’s culture shows you intend to stay long-term.

  • Learn about the company’s history and achievements.
  • Research the products or services and how they changed over the years.
  • Determine whether the business expanded to other locations or parts of the world.
  • Find out who the CEO is.

Show Interest in the Company’s Success

Demonstrate that the organization’s success is your priority.

  • Show you have the qualifications to fulfill the job duties and responsibilities.
  • If you are applying for an entry-level position and lack experience, clarify how your company research demonstrates dedication to the business.
  • Suggest specific ways the company can operate more efficiently.

Demonstrate Interview Preparation

Clarify that preparation is key to success in a position.

  • Show your enthusiasm for working for the company.
  • Demonstrate the value you can provide the organization.
  • Clarify you take the initiative to gather information to make decisions.
  • Develop conversation topics and questions for the discussion.

Express Enthusiasm About the Company

Show you are genuinely interested in working for the business.

  • Demonstrate your willingness to invest time learning about something that interests you.
  • Clarify how you value the opportunity to secure employment with the organization.
  • Emphasize what you like best about the business, such as the fact that it gives back to the community.
  • Show you would appreciate being offered the job.

Prepare Questions About the Company

Asking questions shows interest in working for the business.

  • Demonstrate you want to learn more about the organization.
  • Ask higher-level questions not answered in your research, such as whether the company intends to expand its offerings or reach new markets.

Explain Why You Want the Job

Detail what drew you to work for the company.

  • Focus on how you can reach business goals to benefit the organization.
  • Express exactly why you are interested in the position.

Looking for Additional Advice?

Partner with a recruiter from RightStone for increased success in landing a job. Visit our job board or contact us today.

Best Means of Getting Job References

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If you advance enough in the interview process, you may be asked for a list of job references. These references might be contacted to endorse your skills and qualifications.

As a result, you should carefully decide who you would like to serve as a reference. These professionals must attest to your work ethic, character, and abilities to increase your likelihood of receiving a job offer.

Follow these guidelines to secure the most effective job references.

Determine Who to Ask

Think of your past colleagues, coworkers, managers, and supervisors who would say positive things about you.

  • You made important contributions to the team.
  • You consistently completed projects on time.
  • You made the professional’s work easier.
  • The professional could count on you.

Reach Out

Call each professional to ask whether they would serve as a job reference.

  • Email typically takes too much time to create a thoughtful message.
  • You can cover the key points and quickly respond to questions over the phone.

Share Information

Let your former colleagues, coworkers, managers, and supervisors know relevant details about the job you want.

  • Share what you have been doing since you last spoke with the professional.
  • Discuss the job responsibilities and their impact on the organization.
  • Ask if the professional would serve as a job reference.
  • Respect the professional’s time by being brief but thorough.

Bring Up Talking Points

Ask these professionals to mention specific types of information when talking to your potential employer.

  • Your professional strengths and value
  • Your memorable contributions
  • Your attendance and work habits
  • Your ability to collaborate and make decisions
  • Your ability to self-start and self-manage
  • Your latest projects

Verify Contact Information

Ask former colleagues, coworkers, managers, and supervisors to update their information so your potential employer can contact them.

  • Job title
  • Company name
  • Work address
  • Phone number
  • Email address
  • Preferred method of communication

Thank Your References

Express appreciation for your job references’ time.

  • Share that you will keep them informed about your job search.
  • Offer to do something in return.

Want Help with Your Job Search?

Partner with RightStone to find your next IT job. Visit our job board today.

6 Ways to Make Your Cover Letter Stand Out

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Your cover letter introduces you to a hiring manager. It helps the manager form an impression of you as a candidate.

Your cover letter also highlights why you are the best candidate for the position.  This impacts whether you are contacted for an interview.

As a result, you want your cover letter to be as effective as possible. The following suggestions can help.

Implement these six tips to help your cover letter stand out from all the rest.

1. Address the Hiring Manager

There are many ways to find the hiring manager’s name and include it in your greeting.

  • Check the job posting for the hiring manager’s name.
  • Use LinkedIn to determine the hiring manager.
  • Call the company to ask for the hiring manager’s name and title.

2. Promote Yourself

Share your enthusiasm for the position and company.

  • Relate your skills and experience to the job description and qualifications.
  • Demonstrate why you are best suited for the role.
  • Comment on the company mission or leadership to show you researched the organization.
  • Ask to follow up about the position.

3. Be Concise

Limit your cover letter to three paragraphs focused on different parts of your resume.

  • Begin with an attention-grabbing introduction that shows your enthusiasm for the role and organization.
  • Mention the employee who referred you, if applicable.
  • Highlight your most important skills, experience, and accomplishments that relate to the position.
  • Explain why you are well-qualified for the role.
  • State how you would add value to the organization.
  • Thank the hiring manager for their consideration.
  • Request a call or interview to follow up.

4. Customize Your Cover Letter

Tailor your cover letter to the role and company.

  • Tie the most important parts of the position to your skills and experience.
  • Point out how your contributions would be unique.
  • Use numbers to emphasize your accomplishments relevant to the role.
  • Demonstrate your knowledge of the industry, company, and type of position.

5. Emphasize Your Accomplishments

Demonstrate how your achievements can benefit the company.

  • Share examples of the projects you worked on, the results you achieved, and how they impacted the organization.
  • Include the awards and recognition you received from previous employers.
  • Show you are a top performer who wants to grow along with the company.

6. Use Keywords

Pepper throughout your cover letter keywords and key phrases from the job description.

  • Keywords help your cover letter and resume pass an applicant tracking system (ATS).
  • The ATS scans for keywords to determine how closely a cover letter and resume match the skills and experience needed for the position.
  • The appropriate cover letters and resumes are sent to the hiring manager for review.
  • The hiring manager contacts the selected candidates for an interview.

Want Help with Your Job Search?

RightStone has IT positions that fit your goals and interests. Visit our job board today.

How to Follow Up During Different Stages of the Hiring Process

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Following up during each stage of the hiring process can help you land the role you want. This helps you stand out from other candidates. It also lets you have an open and honest conversation about the opportunity.

Follow-up is something you can control about your job search. This helps motivate you to continue moving forward.

Implement these tips to follow up throughout the stages of the hiring process.

After Resume Submission

Reach out to the hiring manager to learn more about their needs, expectations, and timeline for hiring. Show authentic interest in the role in a proactive manner.

You may want to reach out to the manager through LinkedIn, social media, or email. For instance, share that you submitted your resume and would like to learn more about the opportunity and company. Ask whether the manager would tell you more about their experience there.

This can help you decide whether it makes sense to move forward or look elsewhere. It also can provide more information about how you can help the manager reach business goals. This helps you frame your answers to interview questions.

After a Phone Screen or Interview

Email a note of gratitude to the person you had a conversation with. This helps create a positive impression of you as a potential employee.

Highlight how your skills and experience can help the hiring manager solve their problems. Also, express interest in moving to the next step in the process.

If you do not hear back within 5 days, call the person you had a conversation with. You may be able to pick up on nonverbal cues that suggest hesitancy or concerns you can address. Continuing to follow up shows motivation to land the job.

After a Final Interview

Call the hiring manager if you do not hear from them by the given date. Ask what else they need to see from you to make a decision. Or, send a 30-second video reminding the manager why you are best equipped for the position.

Keep in mind that the top candidate may not accept the job offer. This means you still could secure the role.

Work with a Recruiter

Working with a recruiter from RightStone provides fast follow-up during every stage of the hiring process. Visit our job board today.

How to Highlight Contract Work on Your Resume

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The inclusion of contract work on your resume helps show you have the education, skills, and experience needed to be successful in a role. This can help you stand out among all the other candidates.

Engagement in contract work demonstrates your ability to quickly adapt to new environments and begin producing. It also helps eliminate potential gaps between full-time jobs.

Follow these guidelines to include contract work on your resume.

Use a Reverse-Chronological Order

Begin listing your work experience with your most recent position first. For your contract work, include the name of the staffing firm, its location, the name of the company you worked at, your position title, and the duration of the contract. For each full-time job, list the name of the company, its location, your job title, and the duration of your employment. Then, work backward for the past 10 years.

Listing each position helps provide a cohesive picture of your work experience. It also helps hiring managers understand what your background is like.

Another option is to list your contract work by industry. You can organize your work under one heading, such as a staffing firm, to ensure continuity. This helps show the relevance of each position to the job you want.

In either case, clarify the staffing firm you worked for, the companies you worked at, and the contract positions you held. This shows that the staffing firm was your employer and you held multiple contract positions through them. Including the names of the companies you worked at can increase your authority in the industry.

Emphasize Your Accomplishments

Include your achievements for each contract position or job. This shows the value you added to each organization.

Use numbers to quantify your benefits for each employer. Show how you helped each company make or save money or increase efficiency. This indicates how you can provide value for your next employer.

Highlight Your Skills

Point out the skills you gained from each contract position or job. Be sure to review the job posting to determine which keywords and requirements to focus on. Include your skills that are most relevant to the job you are applying for. This helps your resume get past an applicant tracking system (ATS) and to a hiring manager.

Get Help with Your Job Search

Partnering with a recruiter from RightStone provides you with resume and interview coaching and other job search assistance. Get started by visiting our job board today.