The 3 mistakes tech candidates make when applying for roles

The 3 mistakes tech candidates make when applying for roles

The tech world drives a competitive job market and it's growing all the time, as more and more people target a career in this field. So if you are a tech candidate looking for your next job opportunity, it's essential that you take the right steps that will ensure your application stands out from the crowd. Part of getting your value across means avoiding the three common mistakes that too many talented applicants make when conducting their job search. Discover what these potentially damaging mistakes involve and avoid making them yourself.

 

Mistake One: Too Much Focus On Tech Skills

Of course, it's important to showcase your array of technical abilities and qualifications. After all, being able to carry out technical tasks will be one of the cornerstones of your value as an employee. Yet these so-called "hard skills" should no longer be considered the be-all and end-all in proving your suitability as a candidate. Increasingly, employers are realising that even in highly tech-centric roles, staff who can also demonstrate a range of softer skills are essential if the organisation is to achieve its objectives.

 

So, if you are a great communicator, exhibit leadership qualities (even if gained through participation in hobbies or sports outside the workplace), and can work effectively as part of a team, be sure to highlight this in your application. If you choose to present yourself through other formats, such as a website with an online portfolio of your work, then be sure to include information about your soft skills, too. With the growing importance of building a positive corporate culture, recruiting firms need to feel confident that their new hire will successfully fit into their working environment, so be sure to be prepared to talk about your soft skills at interview, too.

 

Mistake Two: Taking A Scattergun Approach

If you need a new job, and soon, then you may be less inclined to pick and choose your applications. Yet by taking a less selective approach and applying for each and every opportunity you see, you could actually be harming your career in the long run. A far better strategy is to think carefully about your longer-term ambitions and focus on targeting the job vacancies that reflect the key skills, responsibilities and values that you hope to develop.

 

By doing this, you will invariably find that you feel more enthusiastic about each role that you apply for, which will filter into your application and even improve your performance at interview. Meanwhile, playing the numbers game and putting yourself forward for every job going will see you submitting poorer quality applications, as well as wearing yourself out and damaging your potential interview performance in the process.

 

Mistake Three: Focusing On One Skill

Yes, there's a good chance that your current role could hinge on your capabilities in one particular technical area, but if you neglect other skills, you could find that you struggle to develop your career going forward. For example, if your job right now simply requires you to be great at a particular language, platform or app, you may find that without suitable focus, your career starts to stagnate. Be sure to keep up with the technical side of your professional development, and spend time nurturing your other skills. It's also a good idea to try and acquire or deepen technical competencies - logical extensions to your existing skills such as new DevOps tools, microservices, SaaS applications, platforms  and so forth. More to include in your CV, more tech role opportunities.

 

Partner With The Experts

Navigating the tech recruitment market can be challenging, so our number one job hunting tip is to partner with experts in matching each tech candidate with their ideal career opportunities. At DJR, our specialist team have all the knowledge and experience needed to identify the ideal tech roles for our candidates and guide them through every step of the application and interview process.

 

Why not get in touch today, at 0203 070 9019, or at djr, The Smith, 145 London Road, Kingston upon Thames, Surrey, KT2 6SR, and discover how djr can help your career to take off.