What qualities do IT employers seek when hiring?

The IT marketplace is always abuzz with exciting energy. It is also very competitive.

Employers are often looking beyond IT skills when they are recruiting talent. This is because a lot of manpower with tech skills is available. But not all of them are good fits for organizations in terms of culture, values, and soft skills.

So, if you are seeking growth in an IT company, you must position yourself as being distinctly different from the pack.

This is how you can do it: by knowing what IT employers are looking for when they are hiring.

So, what are IT employers looking for in candidates?

Jobs in the IT sector are diverse, and not all jobs would require you to be an expert programmer, but being tech savvy is a necessity. Let’s discuss the top requirements for jobs in the IT sector.

These are the top qualities IT employers are looking for:

1. IT employers want people who live and breathe technology. That’s because they are looking for professionals who can keep up with the new tech developments happening. If you are someone who enjoys knowing about new technology skills and enjoy what you do, your passion will shine through in your candidacy and make you stand out in the crowd.
2. Technical jargon can be very overwhelming for non-technical folks. While people with technology backgrounds use such domain-specific terms and language, others in a company or team will not be able to follow what’s going on or understand what is expected from them. A candidate who can demystify technical terms and make them simple and easy to hold for everyone is always a recruiter’s delight. This ability to communicate lucidly is also a great quality when technical teams take briefs from clients – both internal and external. That is why employers look for people with this skill set.
3. They want people who can thrive in a team. Being a technology expert sometimes can make people prefer to work alone. But employers want teams that can collaborate and deliver high-performance. So, they are constantly looking out for extroverted people with good communication and relationship-building skills. An IT projects team is like a sporting team. You can win client confidence and deliver excellence only through collaboration. If you are a team player then you stand a better chance of being picked up to work for an IT company.
4. Closely linked to a candidate’s ability to play well on a team is their ability to understand the business domain as a whole. Employers want their employees to take ownership of the company’s vision, business performance and client mandates. As a candidate looking to be hired in the IT industry, you will do well to know what the business scenario in the industry is like. When interviewing with a company try and prepare yourself better by understanding the various verticals the company operates in, their client base and their business performance. Employers love people who display a business sense rather than just technical expertise. Taking the effort to showcase this business sense will help a candidate gain an edge over other candidates in the fray.
5. Employers are also looking for self-driven people. The IT industry is a very dynamic space. There are new challenges constantly cropping up. Project mandates can change overnight. Or a bug in the code can lead to an application crashing. So, there is a need for people who are both good leaders and excellent problem-solvers. Employers like candidates who demonstrate the ability to stand up and offer to lead in crunch situations. They don’t want people who are waiting to be told what they must do. So, if you are one of those who loves challenges and enjoys leadership roles, then say so when interviewing for a role in an IT company. Chances are high that your prospective employer will be impressed with your talent and drive and may hire you for those skills.

In addition to developing these traits in yourself, to build a career in the IT industry, and, in fact, in any domain, you need to be:

A non-stop learner

It is a myth that you learn only in a classroom. In fact, your real learning comes only from hands-on experience. It comes from making mistakes and learning from them. It comes from unlearning and relearning.

Values-driven

What are the guiding principles on which you have been raised? Are these principles you will never compromise on? If so, then please don’t ever compromise on them. In business, and in life, you are respected only for your work ethic and for holding steadfastly to your values.    

Disciplined

Having a regular schedule, being methodical, working from checklists, and being punctual with reports and attending meetings – these are some of the qualities that can take you a long way in life. Technology can assist in being disciplined. But you must intrinsically want to be disciplined.

Humble

No matter how much money you make or how high you grow in your career, stay grounded. Always remember your roots, where you came from. Approach each day with gratitude and deal with each person around you with empathy.

When you are a non-stop learner, and are disciplined, humble, and values-driven, employers will go out of their way to not just hire you but also to fete you! Your worth will then be recognized and rewarded.

Ready to start your job hunt? Check out the Xpheno Job Board today!