Tricks for techies
HAVE YOU ever given a thought to what your worth is to your organisation? Are you even aware of your contribution (or the lack thereof)? How do you describe your value to a prospective employer in terms of return on investment?
Most hiring decisions in the technical field today are made based on factors other than the number of degrees you have or the various technical certifications. What makes sense to employers nowadays is how a candidate can help the organisation achieve its goals. Techies can do better if they start thinking in terms of their ROIs. For techies obsessed with constantly updating themselves this can be quite a challenge. Showcasing your ROI should start from the résumé itself so that it may eventually fructify into getting a job.
Some guidelines to do just that:
In sales there is a time-tested rule, `Don't sell features, sell benefits'. Follow this maxim. Tell the employer what benefits you can bring to the company rather than stating what skills (features) you are offering.
Quantify your skills. It is just not enough to mention the skills you have acquired. An IT recruiter suggests that techies use quantitative data to make their case. The company is interested in knowing how you will contribute to their bottom line. So tell them how you made /saved money by using a particular software or cite some instances on similar lines.
Emphasise your achievements. Mention your career highlights in bullet points after every successful project or job tenure. Give examples of specific achievements.
Do also mention if you have completed a project scheduled for a month, within a fortnight.
Your résumé should be framed such so as to convince the employers that you are interested in serving the organisational goals. Tech savvy candidates should understand that they should appeal to people who appreciate the importance of technology but who may not be up to date with it.
More and more employers are swearing by the unbeatable combination of sales-savvy techies. Some level of sales mentality has become essential for techno-geeks. It is the ideal state of Being!
Finally pick up important skills like communicating effectively, handling presentations and influencing customers and colleagues positively. Remember employers hire for aptitude as well as attitude.
So for a minute forget your skills. Forget your certifications and your degrees. Instead, for a change concentrate on your value. Are you worth it?
PADMA
padma.hyd@cnkonline.com
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