Rebecca at Capgemini UK shares top tips for a tech career search

Capgemini UK understands it's a difficult time for students who have completed their studies and are looking for jobs in challenging times.

Interested in working in technology? Read Software Engineer Rebecca Oliver's top hints and tips on how to make the most of your job search during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Here's what Rebecca suggests.

Use downtime to your advantage

Your exams are over, or you are in-between jobs looking for the next one to apply to – you can put all this spare time to good use by making sure your application really stands out.

Most graduates and apprentices before joining Capgemini may have a few months spare where they have little to do before job opportunities start opening again - with the Covid-19 pandemic also ensuring you have even more spare time than usual with all plans cancelled. I’m going to detail a few ways for how you can use this time productively to become more employable.

Upskilling and learning new skills

Learning new skills is one of the most effective ways of becoming more employable.

When applying for a job at Capgemini, one of the characteristics interviewers want to see is a passion for IT, something all modern tech firms want to see. This can be hard to demonstrate if you don’t have an IT qualification to talk about.

To demonstrate your passion, you could research different areas of technology such as big data or AI and gain some insight that you can fallback onto during your interview. Maybe complete a mini project in the area you’re interested in either by yourself or part of a group.

You could also learn a new programming language using online resources (Pluralsight offers free trials). Java and SQL are particularly useful to learn if you’re applying for a digital and technology solutions apprenticeship, though background knowledge on any programming languages will help!

Employer led Q&A sessions

Many employers are currently running online sessions where you can brush up on employability skills or learn more about the roles they offer. Attending these sessions will help you start making connections and gets your name out to existing employees.

They're good for learning more in depth about the different roles available, so can be very useful if you’re still undecided. Some of these events will also have graduates and apprentices currently on schemes present that you can ask your own questions to. You can use their first-hand experience to see what skills are needed for that role and what the role entails in more detail.

Attending these events also gives you a good talking point in the interview as it shows that you’ve invested time into researching the role you’re applying for and have genuine interest in the company.

Voluntary work

Giving back to the community through volunteering is something which most employees in large companies now do as part of their job role. Capgemini in particular takes pride in the giving back initiatives their employees take part in, especially with their partnership with The Prince’s Trust.

You can use your downtime effectively by getting involved with fundraising and giving back opportunities, such as helping those in need with digital skills, organising an event such as a quiz to raise money, or regularly volunteering to help at your local foodbank.

This will help develop your interpersonal and business skills and is great to talk about in your interview, as well as giving you a moral boost by giving back to your community.

Revisit your CV

Having all this spare time means it’s a good opportunity to revisit your CV and make sure it’s up to date with all relevant experience and skills. A CV is the first thing a company will see as part of your application, so it needs to be clear from it what your strengths and skills are.

Attending CV workshops will be especially useful as it will help you look at your current CV critically to make improvements. Several universities are currently offering workshops and virtual career sessions, so you should take advantage of these whilst they’re being offered.

Optimise social media use

Social media can also be a good way to get your name out and find out more about roles you’re interested in. Just make sure the account you use to engage with companies is work appropriate (you might want to consider creating a separate account to your personal one).

I recommend following Capgemini’s social media accounts on LinkedIn, Twitter and Instagram to keep up to date with all the latest information about the company and their clients, which will help bolster you in an interview.

You can also optimise your use of LinkedIn by reaching out to current employees in a similar role to what you want to join as. Most will be incredibly friendly and willing to answer any questions you might have, and it enables you to hear from first-hand experience and develop your connections before even joining the company.