Great Tips For Finding IT Developer Jobs

Elisabeth Leaf is the poster child for a successful job search.

The 21-year-old University of Washington-Tacoma senior knew she wanted to work in IT developing. So a few months into her senior year, Leaf began cold-calling people who had IT developer jobs and arranging informational interviews to glean an insider’s perspective on what their jobs are really like.

She discovered a few things, like the fact that she’d prefer to work in the private sector.

“I wanted more of a career path, rather than just a job,” she said.

She ended up with an internship at her first-choice company and will likely have a permanent job offer after she graduates.

When it comes to finding good IT developer jobs that you want, successful job hunters, career counselors and recruiters all say to spend less time on the Internet and more time meeting people. Job seekers spend most of their time sifting through job listings online and in the want ads, while employers get most of their new hires through personal and professional contacts, said Judy Colburn, manager of UWT’s career development center.

“Go out and have conversations with people in the jobs you are interested in,” Colburn said. “We encourage people to search online, but we also encourage them to talk to everybody they know.”

It takes some nerve to call up strangers and ask them questions about their job and for advice. But Leaf said she received a phone call back from every person she called. Four times she met with people in person for more in-depth interviews.

The UWT senior didn’t immediately ask about openings, but instead prodded people for bits of information about their jobs.