Knowledge Center

How to Advance your Career

Getting ahead professionally takes more than intelligence and hard work. There are several key actions IT professionals can take to stand out in the crowd and rise to the top.

Know What's Expected :The more clarity you have around what your employer, your peers and your team expects of you, the better positioned you are to prioritize, meet and exceed those expectations. Rely on your Namitus team to offer insight and guidance on job opportunities and responsibilities.

Be Great at Your Job: Take pride in your work and continue to sharpen your skills by pursuing opportunities and academic programs that require you to stretch beyond your initial comfort zone. Remember to have a positive attitude throughout your job's ups and downs, as this will help you stand out and stay in demand. Talk with your Namitus recruiter for job guidance or to learn more about our available training and development opportunities.

Remember the End Game: There is a good reason client seeks support from talented consultants like you—they have a goal that they want to achieve. Talk with your Namitus team to make sure you understand the business objectives involved in the client’s IT projects and update your resume with the tangible business results you helped the client accomplish. IT leaders are always looking for professionals who can help them better align IT with the business.

Look for Ways to Add Value: An IT department’s job is never done. While you may be nearing the end of one assignment, more initiatives are going on around you—or at least budding on the horizon. Stay connected with projects coming up the pipeline and work with your Namitus team to keep you informed about where your skills are needed.

Give and Receive Feedback: Honest feedback is necessary for relationships to work well. Seek input from your client and your Namitus team. Do not shy away from providing us with candid insight on how we can be a better resource to you. By staying open to all forms of feedback—good and bad—we can continue to grow and improve. We also obtain valuable references that help to open future doors.

Resume Tips

A resume makes the first impression during a IT job search. The more a resume effectively captures and markets a candidate's skills and accomplishments, the more likely that candidate will stand out in a group of applicants.

Resume Best Practices: Whether your resume is in need of an update or you are taking the first step to create one, here are some best practices and tips to help.

Update Your Resume Often: Keeping your resume updated with your most recent accomplishments is the best way to ensure you are contacted about the most relevant job opportunities. Update your resume with Namitus to be considered for opportunities that align with your skills.

Tailor Your Resume: Take some time to think about what you are trying to achieve professionally. What is your dream job? Tailor your resume to make sure your objectives are clear and the skills you need to land your dream job are highlighted. An executive summary that lists your key skills can also help to clearly identify what you have done and what you are looking to do next.

Keep It Simple: Most hiring managers are reading many resumes and may bypass lengthy or wordy resumes. Keep your resume concise. Explain your past performance in a way that shows the business benefits you provided to your past employers.

Show Your Value: When describing your responsibilities in a position you held, make certain to discuss the outcomes you achieved. Ask yourself, “Why did my employer want me to do this task? What would happen if the task was not done?” These questions will help you uncover the true impact you made to the business.

Remember the Business: Leaders value IT professionals who understand their industry and their business. Ensure you share this insight on your resume in addition to your technical skills.

Pay Attention to Detail: Grammar and spelling errors are unacceptable when you apply for a job. Make sure you proofread your resume and get another opinion. Even the best software cannot detect usage errors or catch every mistake. A second set of eyes can help spot and correct errors that you miss.

Be Honest: While you should emphasize your accomplishments and the role you played in helping your employers achieve their goals, do not go further than the truth by embellishing or exaggerating. Once in a position, the truth will reveal itself.

Create Different Versions: Due to the assortment of software programs to read and write documents, job seekers should have a resume available in a variety of file formats. If you are posting your resume on job boards or websites, having it in a plain text format (.rtf and .txt) or Microsoft Word (.doc) is preferable. If you are submitting your resume to an employer, PDF is the best choice because it will ensure consistency regardless of the program or hardware used to view it.

Continue to Learn: It is critical for professionals to stay current with new trends and skills, especially in the IT field. Stay up to speed by targeting relevant work experiences and/or outside learning.

Ask for Feedback:Do not feel uncomfortable asking for help; we have all been on the hunt for a rewarding position at some point! Ask your Namitus recruiter to read over your resume and provide candid feedback on how you could improve it.

Interview Tips

An interview represents an important milestone in the job search process. It's critical to make the most of your time with hiring managers and decision makers. While it's natural to feel some pressure, interviews do not have to be stressful.

Interview Best Practices: Using insight gained from nearly 30 years of successfully placing consultants into meaningful job positions, we have outlined some industry best practices and tips to help you navigate the interview process.

Know Yourself: Before the interview, reflect on your greatest accomplishments, strengths and improvement opportunities. List these for yourself, and be ready to share them when the appropriate interview questions arise. Be sure you can explain how your accomplishments supported your past employers; be ready with some examples of how your strengths applied in a work situation and some ways in which you are working on or have improved your development opportunities.

Know the Company: Learn as much as you can about the company and position by talking with your recruiter and conducting research on your own. Interviewers appreciate and respect candidates who come to them with their homework thoroughly done. This action is seen as an indication of the type of employee you may be.

ractice Interviewing: Work with your local Namitus recruiter to gain unique insight into the company culture, interviewers and what type of questions to expect. We also recommend that you enlist friends or family members to help review potential interview questions about your experience, skills and career goals. Practice can help make you feel more comfortable and confident.

Be Energetic: During interviews, express yourself in a lively, confident manner and make eye contact with the hiring manager, even if you are nervous. Enthusiasm shows the interviewer you have the desire and energy to get the job done. Additionally, the people interviewing you will be drawn to your pleasant and confident attitude.

Be Prepared: Take several copies of your resume with you to the interview. Also prepare three to five questions, at minimum, for your interviewers. You can come with the questions written down in a portfolio. It is also acceptable to jot down a few notes as the interviewer answers your questions.

Dress Appropriately: Men should wear a suit, dress shirt and tie. Women should wear a dress with a jacket or professional pantsuit. Best practice is to opt for neutral suit colors such as black, navy, gray or brown. Any tattoos should be covered and jewelry should be minimal.

Follow Up: After the interview, write a thoughtful thank you note that your recruiter will send to the interviewer(s). Thank you notes should be individualized for each interview but can be addressed to more than one person if each interviewed you at the same time. Your thank you note should express your appreciation of the interviewer's time and interest, restate your interest in the role and recap the strengths you can bring to the position.

Follow Through: Remember, every position you assume serves as another “feather in your cap.” Once you receive an offer and begin a job, make sure you stay focused on delivering your best work. When you are ready to move on, it is important to have allies and references who can offer great insight to your skills and qualifications.