We won’t sugarcoat it—it can be incredibly disheartening and frustrating to be a job seeker right now. But whether you’re a recent graduate, were recently laid off, or are just sick of your current position, it’s still possible to land a new gig despite our current economic situation.
Get inspired by these career development and interview tips to land a job in tech.
Use this Time to Upskill
You may be interested in launching a tech career during this time. Maybe you were laid off from another field and are looking to pivot towards a wealth of opportunities in tech. If this sounds like you, you’ll first want to determine if tech is the right field for you. To do this, we recommend trying out free coding programs.
Once you’ve had a chance to play around with some free programs, consider attending a paid bootcamp or a tech academy. These programs teach you coding or design in 6 to 12 months. You’ll get certified and graduate job-ready.
If you’re already in tech, you can look into shorter-term upskill and certificate programs depending on your professional needs. A lot of programs were created for professionals and career-changers who want to upskill. With hiring freezes and economic dips happening, there’s never been a better time to reevaluate your current skill set and figure out what you can do to level up.
Consider Remote Opportunities
If you weren’t open to or actively looking for remote opportunities before, now may be the time to reconsider. Thankfully, many companies are now more open to the idea of hiring people outside their city limits. Tech companies like X have already decided to look for talent in Texas. This is great news for those who want to get into tech without moving to a larger city. Silver lining? We think so.
Create a Job Search Game Plan
Job searching always requires strategy. In order to combat feelings of stress, you can sit down and write out a game plan. You’ll want to list positions of interest and include a to-do list with deadlines to keep yourself on track. You may also want to include some actionable affirmations—these remind you of how you want to feel during your search (calm, confident, etc.) and of the activities you can do to help you stay positive. Here’s a quick example:
My Job Search Game Plan
Positions of Interest: UX Designer, UX Engineer, App Developer
Deadlines/To-dos:
- Update LinkedIn profile & online portfolio by August 8
- Refresh resume by August 10
- Draft a cover letter by August 11
- Organize a list of industry contacts to reach out to by August 12
- Draft email to industry contacts by August 12
- Email industry contacts by August 13
- Begin applications by August 14
I will keep myself feeling motivated and calm with my yoga practice, daily walks, writing in my gratitude journal, and playing video games.
I will remind myself of the UX Design badass I am by brushing up on my skills with an online course, listening to a career-focused podcast each day, and going to one virtual networking event per week.
A job hunt can feel particularly urgent and should be treated as such, but don’t neglect your mental health and well-being during the process. Your job search will run more smoothly the calmer you are when browsing LinkedIn posts, doing interviews, and negotiating salaries. Your sense of composure will translate to potential employers and show them you are a stellar candidate who can remain calm under pressure.
Keeping a positive and grounded mindset also helps curb the heightened sense of anxiety and urgency you may feel. You can foster this sense of positivity through meditation, journaling, or by engaging in mental health or spiritual practices that bring you feelings of peace.
You can also work on a daily gratitude practice. Studies have shown that gratitude practices (like writing down a few things you’re grateful for each day) can improve your optimism and sense of well-being. This can be a game-changer and much-needed practice when combating the stress of both a job hunt and a global recession.
With these practices in mind, we’re confident you’ll be successful in landing a job in tech. Now that you’ve got your game plan, let’s get prepped for virtual interviews.
Zoom Interview Tips
You can’t have a tech job search in the time without a few Zoom interviews. These interviews are a bit different than in-person interviews— you have to figure out ways to make your conversation feel natural without having the normal body language, eye contact, pauses, and small talk that make in-person conversations what they are.
Before your interview begins, you’ll need to set yourself up for technical success. Make sure your laptop is charged, your microphone and speakers work, and that you clean up your background or select a professional virtual one to use instead. Also, be sure to dress for the job, like you would for an in-person interview. You should also ensure you have a strong WiFi connection, turn off notifications, and silence your cell phone. If you live with family, a partner, or roommates, let them know to not disturb you during the interview.
If you’ve never used Zoom before, you should do a practice run ahead of your big interview. Call a friend using the video-conferencing platform to get used to the navigation and its functions.
While you’re on your Zoom interview, be mindful of where you’re looking. You’ll likely be tempted to look at your screen so you can see your interviewer, but don’t forget to look into your webcam as well. This way you’ll appear to be making eye contact with the interviewer.
You may feel like rushing through your answers because you don’t have any of the environmental distractions, natural pauses, and background noises that come with in-person interviews. Luckily, you can create natural pauses of your own by drinking water, taking notes, or making small talk (at the beginning or end of your call). If you’re soft spoken, project your voice as some people tend to speak quieter than usual on video calls.
Finally, don’t forget to mute yourself when your interviewer is speaking to minimize distraction and ensure you can hear them clearly.
Ready to land a job in tech?
With a few of our Zoom interview tips, and your new confidence boosting game plan, we’re certain you’ll score a job soon, recession be damned. Go get ‘em, tiger!
