Member Article

Just how important are technical skills in IT?

If you’re interested in technology and want to work in IT, you might think you need exact qualifications or to be highly skilled technically in order to succeed, but you’d be wrong. Yes, employers are looking for a specific set of technical skills that match the vacancy where possible. However, beyond these job-specific technical skills, others are universally sought by employers. This article looks at other relevant skills and traits, which are just as important to recruiters and businesses.

Confidence- It’s important to have confidence in yourself and your abilities. Equally though, having confidence in the company you want to work for and share its goals and aspirations is important to success.

Commercial awareness- Having an understanding of what a business wants to achieve through its products and/or services is important and will be noticed by recruiters. It’s also a good idea to know where the company sits and how it competes in its marketplace as well as who the main competitors are.

Motivation- This is crucial and can set you apart from other candidates. It’s not just about being able to do the job, it’s about wanting to and having the motivation to do a good job, meet targets and deadlines. Having that get-up-and-go attitude can really help you get ahead both at the interview stage as well as in the workplace.

Teamwork- Showing that you can build positive working relationships which can assist the business achieve goals and objectives will really impress. Companies want to know that you’re not just capable of working on your own and meeting individual targets but that you can also support and work with a team to succeed.

Communication- Being able to communicate with different people in different settings is a key skill and shouldn’t be underestimated. If you can show that you can maintain good eye contact, speak and write clearly and tailor what you’re saying according to your audience then you have a winning formula.

Overall, whilst companies do want candidates to have technical knowledge related to the job, skills such as good teamwork and communication along with other personality traits are just as important. These skills can be gained/developed anywhere and you’ll likely have done so during part time or summer work. Alternatively, applying for internships and summer placements is a great way to improve all of the above!

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At Dev Academy UK, we believe that anyone who has an interest and willingness to learn can have a successful career in IT. We offer an alternative route in to the tech sector and help businesses find and grow diverse talent. For more career tips and advice, follow us on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

Applications for the next intake are open. Interested applicants and companies can register their interest on the website or take our short technical test.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Rachel Peacock .