What attributes do employers look for when recruiting for IT staff?

As technology continues to develop and the digital economy grows, there’s an increasing need for talented IT workers. After all, companies need staff who are knowledgeable in the industry and are able to adapt quickly to change. 

In this article, the IT-Jobs team explain the attributes that employers are looking for in IT staff, to help you boost your job application and land your next role!

Brilliant problem solver

As we know with technology, sometimes things don’t always go to plan. Therefore, it doesn’t matter what area of IT you work in, the nature of the job might involve fixing and finding solutions to technical problems.

This means that you’ll need to be able to think of ways to tackle any issues. Alongside this, you need to be willing to change up old systems to work more effectively. A big part of doing this means being creative and thinking outside the box. After all, fixing a problem isn’t always a simple process and you may need to come up with news idea on your own.

Communication

Being able to communicate with others is an important skill in all workplaces, especially in IT roles. Working in this industry often means working with others and helping colleagues. Whether you’re demonstrating how to use a system or helping someone to fix a computer you must be able to clearly communicate the problem and how to resolve it.

For example, if your job involved improving a programme widely used in a company, you would have to talk to those who use it. What’s more, you might have a situation where you have to resolve a computer issue for a colleague who has little knowledge of IT. You would need to listen carefully to them to be able to provide an effective solution to the problem.

Teamwork

Working effectively within a team is an important skill for a productive work environment. In IT you might have to work with others to fix a computer related issue, or work as a group to think of ideas for a new system.

For a team to run smoothly everyone must understand their role and be able to cooperate with others. Especially as one team member can have a big impact on the overall team dynamic. Therefore, it’s really important to employers that they hire individuals with excellent team working skills.

Ability to work under pressure

There will be times when you’re put under a lot of pressure. For example, if a computer fault needs to be fixed quickly or a project has to be completed by a set time. The nature of this industry means that many projects will have strict deadlines and unfortunately things can go wrong at the last minute.

It’s essential that you can handle this pressure while keeping a cool head. You must also be able to work efficiently to ensure that these tasks are completed on time.

Organisation

If tasks are piling up you will need to prioritise certain responsibilities. This means that you need to be extremely organised with brilliant time management skills. What’s more, organised people are usually able to meet deadlines more effectively. This is because they often plan their work, make time for problems and don’t leave tasks until the last minute.

When working with computers you may regularly find that unexpected tasks may pop up without warning. You will have to be organised enough to negotiate time for this and ensure that everything is completed. 

In summary

If you want to work in IT, these attributes are important to employers in order to meet the demands of the industry. Therefore, remember to include examples of these skills on your CV. Do this, and you will increase your chances of reaching the shortlist and landing that job.