You may have found yourself having some difficulty finding that perfect information technology job. When you entered the field, you were optimistic because others around you landed jobs left and right. However, you have sent out resume’ after resume’ and you are still waiting on that call.

The positions are out there; you just have to make your skills shine above the rest.

Every day there are information technology jobs waiting to be filled, but why every IT professional isn’t employed is because there is an increased emphasis on “skills.” The companies that are hiring are seeking experienced individuals that have a specific set of skills and the skills demand is going to vary from employer-to-employer.

If your experience or skill set does not align with what information technology recruiters are looking for right now, it doesn’t mean that you are never going to work in the IT field. All you may need to do is confirm that you are doing everything you possibly can to give yourself the edge that you need in a highly competitive marketplace.

Here is a little advice to give you that boost and make yourself shine before the eyes of an IT recruiter:

1. Make Your Resume’ Sparkle

You have most likely sent your resume out a dozen or more times, but you have to ask yourself if it is any good? Does it truly highlight your skills and your talents? Does it make you marketable? If you have employment gaps, does it clarify them? What are your achievements? All of this is relevant information.

One item that employers are specifically looking for in a resume’ is how the applicant solved a critical problem, saved an organization from headaches, and increased efficiency for past employers. Take the time to explain such situations when highlighting past job duties.

Use the top of the resume’ to highlight specific qualifications and accomplishments as they pertain to that employer’s needs. You may need to tweak your resume’ for each job you apply for so that you can answer that specific employer’s questions.

2. Evaluate Your Credentials

You are an information technology professional, so you know the importance of having up-to-date certifications and skills. Despite how good your credentials are, you do need to make sure that yours are the best for the information technology positions you are applying for. If you don’t have the right qualifications and credentials, you may not get the first interview or a second interview.

To solve this problem use your existing professional network to learn about what credentials your peers have that has landed them lucrative information technology careers.

You may find that today’s firms are looking for IT professionals who understand the challenges that businesses are facing. They want their employees to harness big data, seize mobile opportunities, and embrace the rapidly changes in the technological world.

3. Expand Your Network

You already have a network of IT professionals that you can consult with, but you can always expand it. There are online forums and resources that will inform you of the trends within the industry so that you can evolve with it. By evolving with the industry, you can sign up for continuing education, seminars, and other learning opportunities so that you can expand your skill set to include what employers are looking for.

Overall, having a great resume’, staying educated, and remaining in the loop by building a strong network can pay off for you when you apply for an IT position that you want.

Those looking for IT jobs around the country are all experiencing the same problem and that is that they seem to be “unfindable” by IT recruiters.

The first mistake contributing to this is an IT professional believing that it is the recruiter’s job to find them when it is actually the IT pro’s job to make sure they are found. The more help the recruiters get in the search, the faster the IT professional is found.

Use The Internet

The Internet is a very valuable tool in your job search. Upload that resume’ and make sure it is a good one. Use specific keywords within it everywhere you decide to upload it online. You can pour over industry ads, read job descriptions, and study the industry trades to identify the wording that belongs on your resume’. The key to using these keywords is that you need to use them more than once on the resume’. This isn’t the same as repeating sentences on your resume’, which is something you don’t want to do.

Yes, this may seem a little ridiculous, but chances are you are going to be uploading various versions of your resume’ all around the Internet and there are some cases where the keywords will help a recruiter find you. If one person uses a specific keyword once and another uses it twice, the person who used it twice is more likely to rise to the top or be found in a keyword search by the recruiter.

Take it Easy on the Abbreviations and Descriptions

It can be tempting to abbreviate past job titles, but use the abbreviation and the full title too. This goes back to the keyword thing, but it also gets the attention of the recruiter when they are reading through the resume’.

Second, when it comes to your job descriptions, get to the point. If a recruiter sees that every job description on the resume’ is a mile long, they may not be in the mood to read it. If the resume’ hasn’t gotten their attention at the very start so that they want to read the entire thing, long job duty descriptions can play against you. If possible, place job duties in bullet form so that it is easier to read. Recruiters do like bullet points because they can read through them quickly.

Another aspect of job descriptions is when describing past information technology jobs that you have had, you do not have to explain every single problem you had to solve. Again, doing this contributes to very long descriptions. Pick one problem that required a lot of skill to solve and present it in a way that doesn’t say, “I solved this problem and I am so excited about it that I took myself out for ice cream after work.” As proud as you are, it is best to say it in the most formal way possible.

Pretend You Are The Recruiter

Another key to landing one of the lucrative IT positions available is to write your resume’ like you are the recruiter. Look at job boards and ask yourself what you would do? Search for resumes that individuals have uploaded online and determine which keywords you would plug in to get attention. What would you say differently from them that would make you stand out?

When your resume’ stands out through the use of keywords, a clean format, and answers to many of the questions that the recruiter may have about your experience, you are less likely to be skimmed over in the sea of IT career resumes.