Member Avatar for Lisa Hoover

In case my recent post about the stress levels of IT workers made you want to start looking for a new job, the least I can do is offer you some tips. Here are three things you need to do right now:

Get a sense of the market - Make sure you have your finger on the pulse of the IT industry, especially if you haven't been job-hunting in many years. You'd be surprised at how much things have changed. CIO.com took a look recently at that aren't going away anytime soon. From information security experts to enterprise-application strategists, there are several jobs with very secure outlooks, despite all the offshoring and outsourcing going on. No word on the stress levels of those particular roles, though. If you're looking for some upward mobility, consider becoming an expert in a certain niche by taking training and certification courses surrounding new or popular technology.

Get paid what you're worth - There's plenty of discussion right now about IT workers getting paid overtime, but how do you figure out what your base pay should be in the first place? Web sites like PayScale are Salary.com are handy, but the best information comes from doing some digging. Check industry Web sites like and , or for specific metrics check with an analyst group like .

Get connected - Track down other IT workers, compare notes, and get suggestions by joining industry-related social networking groups like , Ning, or LinkedIn. While many people find Web sites like Facebook and MySpace entertaining, people looking for leads on job should stick to sites aimed at professional networking.

Are you looking for a new job in IT? Have you just landed your dream job? Tell us your best tips in the comments.

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Building on ’s original three tips, the following is a compact, actionable plan that turns general advice into steps that stay useful years later.

Practical checklist — concrete actions that move the needle:

  • Do a 90‑day skills audit: pick one deep area (for example, automation, cloud architecture, security, data engineering or applied ML) and one complementary skill. Build two short case studies (one page each) that explain the problem, the technical approach, and measurable outcome.
  • Rework the resume into achievement bullets only (metric + action + result). Add a one‑paragraph “impact summary” at the top and a 30/60/90 plan for interviews: first 30 days (learn and stabilize), 60 days (deliver a small win), 90 days (scale a solution).
  • Create a discoverable work sample set: a short public repo or demo, a one‑page PDF case study, and a single slide that explains business value. Link those three things from any public profile.
  • Build a short outreach playbook: identify 5 target companies, find two current employees each for informational chats, and send a tailored 3‑line message that explains a clear value proposition. Track replies in a simple spreadsheet.
  • Prepare a negotiation checklist: target total compensation range (low/mid/high), three non‑salary priorities (title, bonus, flexible time/equity), and a short script that asks for a written offer and time to review.
  • Practice technical and behavioral panels with timed mock interviews and documented STAR stories tied to those case studies.

Note on visibility and recruiters: was right that professional profiles matter—focus less on listing contacts and more on a headline that states role + top skills, featured project media, and 3 strong recommendations that highlight outcomes.

On specialization vs. mobility: echoing , aim for a T‑shaped profile — deep expertise plus adjacent, usable skills — and validate consulting or entrepreneurship with one paid short contract before making larger pivots.

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Member Avatar for Thinka

I am currently looking for a job and I have to say, it has not been an easy ride. Companies are demanding more and more specialist skills, but seem unwilling to train. I also wonder if there is much of an opportunity to move through the ranks at one company in the IT industry today. It really seems to me that to get where you want to be career-wise and financially, one has to be one's own boss.

Member Avatar for task.incomplete

LinkedIn is a social networking website for people in professional occupations. Nowadays most recruiters using LinkedIn than Google for searching candidates. So we have to maintain our profile with proper details such as Email Id, Contact Number etc.

Edited by task.incomplete because: To Make Changes
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