Miles Jennings - Blog

Nontech Applicants Could Land IT Jobs as Demand Grows - Miles Jennings

Written by Miles Jennings | Jan 16, 2014 8:00:38 AM

The success and rapid growth of the information technology industry is nothing new. Throughout times of economic uncertainty, this sector has served somewhat as a beacon of hope, continuing to generate jobs when other portions of the nation’s market were making cutbacks. Now that the rest of the country’s economy has caught up, the IT field is stronger than ever in terms of revenue, opening up even more positions that need to be promptly filled.Due to the multitude of employment vacancies throughout the IT sector, candidates who boast the most desirable tech skills may have the upper hand. Companies across the U.S. – and around the world, for that matter – are in dire need of talented professionals who can handle the solutions in which these businesses have recently invested. As a result, there is high demand for these workers, and not enough candidates fit for the job.Companies get competitive over candidate poolOrganizations have to make themselves true competitors so that they can effectively recruit employees from the limited pool of prospects. At the same time, job seekers who boast the desired credentials can be picky when it comes to accepting offers. IT Business Edge explained that a recent survey compiled by a leading tech career site revealed that 34 percent of recruiters are having professionals pass up offers. Even if hiring personnel manage to secure new staff members, these employees may still keep their options open. Consequently, businesses have to be prepared to make counteroffers to existing representatives who may be recruited by other companies seeking their tech services.Tech departments with openings have to make their businesses, benefits and incomes alluring, or else they run the risk of not attracting the individuals that they require to make their IT functions run properly. Well after the hiring and onboarding processes, organizations have to continue making an effort to guarantee their staff members are satisfied and will not be taking off for another firm.If IT teams bring their A game when it comes to recruiting fresh talent and cannot seem to convince new hires to join them, they may have to come up with a backup plan. While some of the more prestigious, specialized positions require highly trained and certified IT professionals, other jobs may have a little more wiggle room. If certain vacancies offer some leeway, allowing hiring managers to take on employees who can then pick up skills through experience, businesses could secure the manpower for which they are looking and then proceed to mold representatives into the tech personnel they will need in the future.Positions open up to professionals in other industriesJob seekers who do not have formal IT training but have a basic working knowledge of tech tools may be able to take advantage of this up and coming hiring trend. Mashable explained that because innovative solutions have become well-ingrained in everyday consumer life, the average person tends to have a strong grasp on sophisticated technologies. This means that professionals working in other fields could make a smooth transition to IT-oriented positions that hiring managers are so desperately trying to fill.In San Francisco alone, there has been a significant surge in tech employment growth. The source reported that from 2007 to 2012, there has been a 51.8 percent gain in job openings in this city. As other portions of the U.S. continue to experience increases in career opportunities, more and more employers are going to be looking to fill positions, which means that nontech job seekers could have the chance to step up to the plate and land these jobs.If candidates who do not have an official background in IT want to pursue these vacant positions, they should highlight the skills that they do possess and emphasize the potential they have to develop into adept tech professionals. The key for these applicants is to secure a foothold in this growing industry by being aggressive and showing their willingness to learn.Because candidates with training are turning down positions that do not pay as much as they would like, nontech prospects could convey their eagerness by accepting these lower wages. Once these ambitious applicants are recruited, they and their employers can collaborate, enabling them to gain IT know-how through hands-on experience.