How to help potential employees see beyond the IT industry stereotype

I'm writing a few blog articles for the recruitment company x4 recruitment. I will writing on four areas: IT, Engineering, Pharmaceutical and Graduate. This is my first IT article. 

How to help potential employees see beyond the IT industry stereotype

We all know the stereotype. Think Maurice Moss from the IT crowd. 

People who work in IT are obsessed with computers and their work and don’t have much time for social skills, or friends. They sit in dark corners and write code, alone. Moss lives at home with his mother, who dresses him and packs his lunch, and he has difficulty communicating with anything that does not come attached with a keyboard.

Are all IT professionals variations of this stereotype? Of course not! However it is surprisingly easy to be tarred with this brush and discounted by employers as a result. Your personality, range of interests and ability to get on with anyone and everyone may be apparent to your potential new boss upon meeting you in person, but have you made sure all this also comes across on paper? Even when looking to fill a highly technical position, employers are also looking for candidates that would be a good ‘fit’ within their organisation.

Here are a few ideas for things you can do to avoid falling into the trap of the stereotype:

   1.  Actively respond to the need in IT for people to act as the bridge between technology and companies business problems. Show that your technical interests aren’t your only interests. 

   2.  Think about how you can show yourself to be discrete and empathetic (in other words, good at developing trust and strong working relationships)

   3.  Show that you’ve not shied away from working with others.  Mention occasions in the past you have worked in groups or have used mentors, or express a desire to do so in the future. Showing that you are capable of working with others will show you are interested in sharing ideas and collaborating. This is a good business tactic and also gives you an advantage if you are joining a large, cohesive business group.

   4.  Include an interest in the ways IT is changing. What are your feelings on social media? New software, hardware, programming languages, security measures etc.?

   5.  Show that you know the importance of IT to the wider world – many companies touch everyone’s everyday life whether its someone checking their bank account on their mobile or a keen shopper being given relevant offers on their iPad based on their spending habits.