Last updated at 09:56, Friday, 05 October 2012

Despite indications that more IT contractors may be moving overseas, potentially leaving openings for British tech job seekers, and that the employment outlook generally is improving, the marketplace remains competitive.

So what can you do to improve your chances of bagging that top contract or your next job?

• Use your contacts – If you know anyone at all who may know of any IT jobs coming up, get in touch with them. Simple emails to contacts, especially at places where you have previously worked, suggesting catching up over lunch or coffee, can work wonders.

• Work that CV - When was the last time you took a long, hard look at your CV? Is its structure still appropriate for your latest job search? Target your document at the work you are looking for, and give your reader a very clear idea of what you can do. Get rid of anything that detracts from your central story.

You will seal the deal if you can both show that you can do the job and fit in with the hiring organisation. Make your CV easy to read and show enthusiasm for past projects.

Recruiters read between the lines to spot gaps in employment, or skills which haven’t been used for several years. Take out anything which reduces the impact of your CV, and magnify or lessen areas of your experience according to their relevance to the post you are applying for.

• Building relationships with agents - For the most part, agents and recruitment websites are the way in to most jobs across the industry. They see the jobs coming in every day, and the quality of applications. So, build good relationships, ask for constructive feedback on your CV and get a feel for what sort of work is out there, and the typical rates paid. Keep in touch with regular phone calls or emails without becoming a pest.

• Don‘t call it an interview! – The best approach to these encounters is probably to not consider them as interviews at all, but as business meetings. It’s a dialogue between two sides, one of which has a specific need for their business, while the other believes they can meet that need. While “interview” can make you think about tough questioning, a “meeting” is more of an enjoyable, equal and profitable conversation between two parties, each of which can learn from each other.

It could be time to review the way in which you source permanent and contract work, and sharpen areas which may have become a little rusty.

The good news is that there are still some very exciting opportunities out there for skilled IT professionals, whether you’re looking for contract or permanent opportunities.

Upload your CV onto the CV database of a leading IT recruitment website like CW Jobs and you will dramatically improve your chances of finding work quickly. With thousands of opportunities on offer from hundreds of prospective employers, one is bound to be perfect for you.

First published at 11:35, Thursday, 04 October 2012
Published by http://www.eladvertiser.co.uk