|
Whether you're in the market for a new job, or just angling for a better position with your current company, knowing how to package and position your skills is essential to your success.
While it's true most techies have excellent credentials; many of them simply don't know how to communicate their skills in resumes, interviews and job performance reviews. Instead of linking their knowledge to real-world situations, many rely on a string of certifications and degrees that come across as high-priced acronyms. The key to impressing employers is not only number of credentials you hold, but also knowing how to make the ones you have seem relevant to the company's needs.
Here are some tips to follow to make sure you're making the most of your hard-earned credentials:
Know Your Audience
While some executives favor strong formal training, others hedge on the side of real-world experience. The trick is knowing exactly which side of the fence your interviewer is on and then making sure your resume and interview points reflect that view. If you're preparing for a job review that information should be obvious. However, if this is a job interview, you'll have to do some homework. We suggest carefully reviewing the wording of the job posting in local papers, on the Internet and with professional organizations. You may also gain insight into your interviewer from his or her executive bio and from other employees within the company.
Avoid Alphabet Soup
Many techies make the mistake of including a long, alphabetized list of credentials with no clarification as to how they apply to the position. Instead, applicants would be better off tailoring certifications and credentials for the desired position or grouping certifications according to area of expertise. This will help potential employers, and even current bosses, quickly spot your value to the company.
Tailor Your Skills
Avoid the urge to include every credential you have. If it's not relevant, the best bet is to leave it off. Make sure that every certification, skill and accomplishment you site has a direct correlation to the position. That means you should re-visit your resume every time you interview. While most IT jobs have many similarities, they're also each unique. Your resume should reflect that. You may also want to consider tweaking your resume for job reviews to reflect the position you aspire to climb to.
Connect Experience to Credentials
Every certification you seek has a story behind it. Make sure you tell potential employers and bosses the reasoning behind getting it. If you can relate a real-world need to a skill set, your credentials will have more value to them. Try explaining how your certification was necessary in the workplace and how having it has enhanced your job performance.
Plan Ahead
Always think – and plan – ahead. Don't wait to start working on the certifications you'll need for the next step in your career. If you see a trend in your organization, be one of the first to master the skills you'll need to be a progressive team member.
For many IT professionals, that may mean taking on some new certifications. With many of today's online certification programs, like the one offered at Valencia Enterprises, gaining the credentials you need is virtually painless. Remember, the important thing is making sure that the certifications you get are relevant – not only for the job you have but also the one you hope to have in the future.
Be Accurate
Always note the date that each certification was awarded, and check each date for accuracy. Certification discrepancies are a “red flag” to HR professionals and recruiters, and could put your application in question.
Adapted in part from an article by Allan Hoffman of Monster.com.
|
