Tweak your LinkedIn profile to help you get the right IT job

  
Jobs Employment, Career Job, Employment Job

With 75 million users on LinkedIn, it’s likely that you have already signed up to the professional networking site. But if you’re among one of the many millions that feel little benefit from being a part of LinkedIn, it may be time to change your profile. These simple tweaks to your LinkedIn profile may help you get ahead of the pack – and help you find the right job in IT.

1. Be concise with your achievements

There are an incredible number of half-finished profiles out there on LinkedIn: people sign up and begin setting up their profile before getting bored and leaving it unfinished. Those that do fill in all their employment details and skills often use vague terms and generalities. Your profile should be punchy and direct, detailing exactly where your expertise lies and why you’re likely to be a good hire. If you’re an expert in Java that specialises in database building and have a history of working with Oracle’s IDE, then say so in a short sentence or bullet-point this in your ‘Specialities’ section. 

2. Keywords are everything

While you might want to meticulously explain how you set up a major server for a company step by step you will get more attention by simply saying what kind of server, on which system and for which company. Prospective employers are likely to find you through the words that match their business requirements. This means that the site guides them to LinkedIn profiles according to the ‘keywords’ they use. Adjust the wording in your job descriptions to include key terms: think of it as small-scale search engine marketing for your own profile.

3. Let your experience show

Don’t simply list your past employers in the ‘Experience’ section. Add achievements, and talk about when you solved problems and about long term results. Most of all, think about how your profile communicates to a prospective employer reading your history: if you had a particular success streamlining a system that saved thousands of pounds, say so – it points out that you can do the same for any other businesses.

4. Back it all up with recommendations

Those who use LinkedIn well will have done all of the above. They’ll have streamlined their profile to read quickly and leave a lasting impression, put in important keywords and honed their past to demonstrate their present value. But what separates the great from the good are recommendations – after all it’s a network. Employers like a second opinion on any prospective hire, and two lines of positive recommendation from past clients mean more than any number of paragraphs of self-promotion. Politely ask past employers for some kind words, and offer to reciprocate in kind.

5. Most importantly, stay active

Many profiles lie dormant for months at a time, dissuading employers from looking further. If you keep your profile updated, or link it to your blog or Twitter, they’ll see you are still around and have an online presence. If you’re looking for a new job or contract, then say so on your profile. Add new connections constantly too: you never know who might be looking for an IT professional.

With a little care and minimal effort, your LinkedIn profile can stand out from the crowd and more pointedly acknowledge your skills to prospective employers. Try these tweaks and see if they can link you in to the right IT jobs for you.

This article was written by Certes, an independent IT and technical staffing business with a successful track record spanning more than 20 years. Specialists in IT Recruitment and IT Staffing Solutions: http://www.certes.co.uk     http://www.articleclick.com

employment : Computer Science Jobs - IT Consulting Jobs

  
Jobs Employment, Career Job, Employment Job

The Computer science industry is ever evolving and it is essential to stay abreast of the latest technologies in order to be competitive always. With the kind of rapid growth in the technology sector as on today, it is imperative that one hones the skills required to keep off obsolescence. Read on to find out various avenues that one can seek in the Computer industry and take a look at the average remuneration for different categories. Aspiring computer professionals would do well to take a look at the different opportunities listed out, in the core IT industry or the IT enabled Services sector.

Computer Science Job - Knowledge Base

Requirements in the IT industry change from time to time and qualifications and experience will depend on current trends and needs. In order to become a successful computer science professional, one needs to concentrate on
specialization. Before you settle on a computer science job, identify your area of interest. If you decide on a career in computers, a variety of options are available. You can choose to specialize either in hardware or software. A Computer science job may be in the area of design, programming of computer systems, testing, implementation, maintenance and support, hardware programming, design and support, network, help authoring, software sales or hardware sales. Study the current IT scenario, identify and specialize in the key languages and platforms that command great value at that point of time.

A person could attach added value to his qualification by opting for specialized certifications from the relevant authority centers. If you want a career in computer hardware, the MCSC (Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer) certification and A+ Service Technician Certification are reputed qualifications. If you are interested in networking, then qualifying certificates such as the MCP (Microsoft Certified Professional), CCNA (Cisco Router Configuration) certification, MCSA (Microsoft Certified System Administrator) etc. are impressive added qualifications. Emphasis of Quality Assurance in the field of Information Technology is growing by the day and opportunities in this sphere are consequently expanding. If you are a certified QA professional, opportunities in the IT Sector are many. The ISO 9001 2000 certified professionals and CMM (Capability Maturity Model) certified professionals command great value in the current IT market. Oracle Certified Professionals (OCP) and Java Certificated Professionals also command great worth in the computer job market. General certifications from leading global providers of online skills, aptitude and knowledge measurement solutions like Brainbench command greater value to shore up your potential value. CMM and ISO

The CMM level of certification is developed by the Software Engineering Institute (SEI). It is a federally funded research and development center sponsored by the US Department of Defense and operated by Carnegie Mellon University. The CMMs that are being developed and expanded currently are - CMMI (Capability Maturity Model Integration), P-CMM (People Capability Maturity Model), and SA-CMM (Software Acquisition Capability Maturity Model). CMM addresses software engineering and other disciplines that have an effect on software development and maintenance. It aims at harmonizing related standards, providing integrated process improvement and reference models and building a broad consensus in the IT community.

The ISO quality assurance certification is the internationally recognized certification issued by International Organization of Standardization. It is an international agency consisting of almost 100 member countries. ANSI (American National Standards Institute) is the United States representative of the ISO. ISO 2000 Quality Systems Standard is a series of five international standards that provide guidance for effective development and implementation in system quality management. The CMM and ISO 2000 have become the de facto standards for assessing, modeling, defining and measuring the maturity of the software-intensive systems and improving software quality and processes.

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Where can an IT career take me?

  
Jobs Employment, Career Job, Employment Job
by:Harvey Wiles

Today, virtually every company in the country relies on computers and computer technology for their business to function properly. No matter how large or small the company is, and regardless of the business domain, computers play a fundamental role in a firm's success.

As the use of computers continues to spread and as computer technology becomes ever more sophisticated, the need for IT professionals is greater than ever. Indeed, those with the relevant qualifications will find that the range of IT jobs and opportunities on offer is positively endless, and that these can lead to a long and fruitful career job. 

Because computers perform so many different functions and are used in such a vast array of professional contexts, IT professionals can enjoy a hugely varied career. Many newly-qualified experts start out in support roles, often in a customer service environment, and gain valuable experience by helping with basic technical problems. This type of support job can be extremely useful, as it often involves working alongside senior technicians who can provide excellent support and guidance.

After some time working in a support role, you will find that greater responsibility and new opportunities quickly come your way. You could find yourself running an office network, operating specialist systems or assisting in areas such as accounting, sales and administration. If the idea of working on a help desk does not appeal, you may find that you are better suited to a more practical role.

For example, you might prefer a role that involves going to businesses and setting up equipment, configuring networks and explaining to users how to benefit from their new facilities. This can be a challenging and rewarding job, as it allows you to use your own initiative, work in a range of environments and play an important part in the smooth running of a variety of different businesses.

Once you have gained more experience, you might decide to go it alone and work on a self-employed basis. This is ideal if you like the idea of working from home, and are motivated by the idea of helping local individuals and small companies with fairly modest requirements. This can prove to be a very lucrative and enjoyable way to earn a living, and there will never be a shortage of demand for your expertise.

Harvey Wiles is a freelance author writes articles on various topics. To learn more about IT Recruitment Agencies and Software Jobs he recommends you to visit http://www.randstadtechnologies.com