If you are a job seeker in the world of technology, it helps to have some insight into what hiring managers are interested in seeing from potential candidates. Get the inside track with these career checkpoints.

1. TechCareerCheckpoints

2. If you are a job seeker in the world of technology, it
helps to have some insight into what hiring managers
are interested in seeing from potential candidates.
Get the inside track with these career checkpoints.

3. Establish an Online
Presence
90%
43%
77%
of employers report that they
conduct online research of potential
job candidates.
of employers use social networking
sites to research job candidates.
of employers use social networking
sites to recruit candidates.

4. 33%
Use your public profiles to brand yourself with
a professional photo, a complete résumé that
details your IT work experience, and an online
portfolio that demonstrates your expertise.
Polish your Profile
of employers who research
candidates on social networking
sites say they’ve found content
that made them more likely to
hire a candidate.

5. 50%
Of the employers who have found content on social media
that has made them more likely to hire a candidate:
of recruiters report having eliminated
a job candidate based on information
that was found publicly on the Internet.
40%
36%
31%
24%
point to finding evidence that the candidate had a wide
range of interests and had great communication skills
find proof of creativity
say awards and accolades did the trick
indicate that it was the candidate’s interaction with the hiring
company’s social media accounts that tipped them off
Curate your social and online history:
Delete (or change privacy settings of) photos of keg
stands; keep photos of you receiving industry awards. Ditch
controversial conversations; follow, read and comment on
professional blogs and discussions.
Post Prudently

6. If you don’t have a mentor in your
industry, participate in a niche online
professional network that encourages
professional relationship building,
one-to-one messaging and industry
discussion. Use these sites to find and
connect with relevant thought leaders.
The same study showed salary grades
rose for 28 percent of mentors and 25
percent of protégés, compared with
5 percent of employees who didn’t
participate in mentoring.
Find a Mentor
71%
of Fortune 500 companies
have a mentoring program.
5X A study of Sun Microsystems Inc.
employees that participated in a
mentorship program shows that
protégés were promoted five
times more often than those not
in the program.
25%

7. Learn as you go
93% 70:20:10
70% 20% 10%
90%
of organizations
report a gap in the
skills of their IT
department.
Most Fortune 500 companies experience the
70:20:10 model. Managers’ learning stems from:
on-the-job experience feedback courses
of professional learning should be directed by the
challenges at hand and come from social learning,
peer discussions, Q & A forums and consulting
reputable blogs and professional articles.
Take charge of your own professional
development by using readily available
industry resources like articles, videos
and discussion groups produced by
verified authorities in your field.

8. Stay in the Loop
68%of knowledge workers now
feel that their biggest learning
problem is ‘an overwhelming
volume of information.’
Most social and professional networks
offer newsfeeds that are tailored to
your interests. Adjust your settings
to the professional topics you want
to learn about, or use Google
Alerts, RSS Feeds, and newsletter
subscriptions to ensure regular,
relevant news updates keep
you informed.
of Facebook users get news there even
though they did not go there looking for it,
and half of those who watch some kind of
online video watch news videos.
Half

9. Looking for a place to start? By enabling
personalized skill development and relevant
professional exposure, Experts Exchange
powers the growth and success of technology
professionals worldwide. Start building your
experience, resume, and network today.

10. http://pages.experts-exchange.com/rs/expertsexchange2/images/IT-career-guide.pdf
http://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/outside-voices-careers/2014/09/10/10-reasons-job-seekers-should-embrace-social-media
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/tania-yuki/5-tips-for-professionals-navigating-social-media_b_5780414.html
http://www.shrm.org/publications/hrmagazine/editorialcontent/pages/0509wells.aspx
http://pages.experts-exchange.com/rs/expertsexchange2/images/strategies-for-technology-training.pdf
http://www.journalism.org/2014/03/26/state-of-the-news-media-2014-overview
Resources