Find Your Dream Job: The Tech Professionals Guide to Landing the Perfect Position

Once upon a time, the life of tech professionals was fairly predictable. Each day, they would go about their tasks, steadily progressing in their careers, with no major concerns to worry about. However, a series of unexpected events rapidly changed this narrative: a global pandemic, economic turmoil, devastating natural disasters, and conflict escalated around the world. These rapid changes caused a seismic shift in values and priorities that would usually have taken decades in a more predictable world. Today, we are the ones navigating this new terrain. In this new era, our focus has shifted towards personal health, work-life balance, adaptability, empathy, and the communities around us. As a tech talent seeking a new opportunity, you must be particularly discerning when choosing an employer. After all, the organization we work for will consume a significant portion of our waking hours and will profoundly influence the trajectory of our lives. That’s why it’s essential to understand who you’ll be working with, under what conditions, and most importantly, why you should choose to work for this particular IT company. So how can tech leaders find their dream employer? What questions to ask at an interview to get to know “your” team? What to pay attention to during visits to the office? What else is it important to understand when you stand at a crossroads and don’t know where professional happiness awaits you? Read farther in our blog.   What should an ideal employer be like? There is no perfect person. In the case of an IT employer or an tech employee, it’s pretty much the same. However, who does not dream of a work company which would 100% meet your expectations? The idea that all the employers are bad (at least not so great that people recognize it) is a delusion. Employees value their company for numerous traits, but their range differs depending on the needs and worldview of each individual worker. However, there’s still a list of features that most tech candidates would name crucial for a perfect company:

• It pays you well. 

No matter what, you need cash to make ends meet. After all, paying bills, fueling your body with food, clothing yourself – these are all vital to day-to-day existence. Working is primarily about taking care of oneself and their loved ones financially, except it’s not such an easy task when your employer drags feet or doesn’t even make it rain with the right amount. Even the strictest boss wins in the eyes of subordinates when he pays wages on time and in full. Therefore, this feature stands out as the most important.

• Clearly indicates your duties.

History knows cases when a seeker came to the position of an accountant, but unexpectedly cleaning premises and courier services were added to the specialist’s main duties (I’m exaggerating, but you’ve got the point). Companies that require someone to be a reader, a reamer, a reaper, and a piper, are raising red flags left right and center.  Pass by the vacancies like “We need people from 18 to 90 years old to do the work”. It’s essential for the perfect employer to break down exactly what you have to do and how you’ll get the job done. 

• Offers a high range of benefits and perks.

It’s the little things that make a great difference. A dream employer provides many coveted benefits for their employees, enabling them to make strides in their health, home life and happiness. Think: health insurance, dental and vision coverage, a helping hand from an Employee Assistance Program (EAP), Paid Time Off (PTO) along with parental leave, tuition assistance, student loan repayment support, investment opportunities and retirement savings plan – just to name a few. Not talking about more original perks like mental health support, gym membership reimbursement, cafeteria options etc.

• Maintains a healthy working atmosphere. 

Working nine to five can be draining, so it’s only fair that every tech talent feels their best on the job. Fortunately, motivating factors like trust, respect, and a positive atmosphere go a long way in fostering productivity and enthusiasm at work. Of course, no one is immune from toxic coworkers. But when you have an employer who provides and stimulates a healthy working environment, you’ll find yourself tackling tasks with more vigor, having more energy to spare, and team projects will be a joy.

• Ensures employment stability. 

People are trading up to new and better jobs with greater frequency than ever before. No longer afraid of a fresh start, making long-term commitments to a single employer is now more the exception to the rule. Though, for many, stability remains highly desirable. After all, loans, kids’ schools, and livelihoods don’t pay themselves — security is important. When you have faith in your IT company and that sense of job security intact, productivity is sure to follow.

• Takes care of comfortable working conditions. 

Your workspace should be more than just a pleasant place to be – it needs the right tools, too. If you’re expected to work hard but not granted the essentials for success – like, say, a new keyboard in six months’ time – you won’t be able to do your best work.  A forward-thinking company understands that happy, well-rested employees are productive employees. That’s why the savviest IT organizations invest in state-of-the-art facilities, relaxing break rooms, and inviting workspaces, whether you’re parked behind a desk or operating heavy machinery. While not every company has a kitchen where you can grab a bite, the best organizations even offer the added luxury of gaming systems or napping during lunch break.

• Motivates their staff. 

The best bosses know how to get the most out of their teams – a few well-timed words can make all the difference. With some encouragement and an eye for excellence they help bring out your A-game even when times are tough. On the other hand, an exceptional employer recognizes, appreciates, and encourages high performance and outstanding results of its team with bonuses and goodies, creating a workplace environment full of cheerful vibes.  If company culture nurtures empathic and inspiring managers who are passionate about igniting the success of their subordinates, it helps unleash your potential and overcome any business obstacles.

• Does not impose strict control. 

Constant micromanagement suffocates creativity. When Big Brother looms over your every move, coffee breaks become anxiety-inducing races against the clock rather than moments of rejuvenation. Excessive control breeds resentment and not results. While some structure is necessary, too tight a leash will only choke the passion and inspiration right out of the workforce. For peak performance, trust, flexibility, and autonomy must be given room to breathe. After all, birds may fly in formation, but they don’t fly on a string.

• Provides developing opportunities.

A great IT company knows that their employees can reach the top of any field by constantly learning and growing. They support them by sending staff to seminars, conferences, training programs, inviting coaches, buying educational courses – anything they need to get ahead. Investing in an employee’s career, employers help their employees blossom in a whole new way as they up-skill further.

• It is open to innovations.

When it comes to making work easier, the best employers are those who fearlessly embrace new methods and technology. After all, if you know of some device or software that could take your job from difficult-to-do to a breeze – why not get it? On the other hand, companies hesitant about tech advancements may be missing out on great opportunities for growth and efficiency and make workdays of their IT talents harder.   What questions can help indicate your perfect company? Imagine that you are already actively searching or considering offers. That is, you are already invited to interviews. This is where a real fairy tale begins, and every time it’s in a new kingdom. Mass of data for analysis and new amazing experiences. And the main task is to learn to look beyond the declarations, uncover hidden details and figure out whether the company fits your expectations. Let’s start with the main focuses on which the company’s management is built: values, strategy, team and operational activities. Values I recommend starting with this block of questions. It is the one that will spark (or not spark) the necessary “chemistry” to start your relationship with the company. Listen to your feelings and feedback within yourself. Make sure to craft your pitch in a captivating manner; one that clearly demonstrates why you are the perfect candidate for the job. So here they are:

• What is the mission of the company?
• Can you give me some examples of how the values your company stands for are put into practice? 
• How do these values manifest through the behavior of team leaders?
• How are values manifested in a force majeure situation?
• What steps did the company take in working with people during the quarantine? (This question will give 99% of information, and this is one of the reasons to say “thank you” to the crisis and pandemic).

Strategy This block reflects the level of maturity of the organization, its viability and adaptability.

• How does the company see its future in a year, 3 years, 10 years?
• How did the company’s strategy change after the quarantine?
• What goals does the company set for the short and long term?

Team This block of questions will help you determine how much harmony will exist between yourself, your colleagues and leader. After all, people come in the company but go from the boss. So, make sure this workplace is the perfect fit for you:

• What adjectives would you use to describe the company culture? 
• How does a leader assign the tasks to team members?
• How do employees get feedback on completed or incomplete tasks?
• How is progress rewarded?
• How are those guilty of certain actions punished? (provocative question, shows whether there is a culture of finding the guilty).
• How often are general team meetings and individual meetings held?
• How are conflict situations resolved if they arise?
• What new skills can I master and how can I grow within your company? 
• Do you hold entertainment or sports events, trips, invite employees’ families to holidays? And do teams have informal meetings outside the office?

Operational activity  Here we are talking about the clarity of business processes, the structure of subordination and interaction between departments – company’s expectations in different periods of your work path.

• What goals will you have during your probationary period? (If there’s any)
• How is the onboarding process structured?
• What performance indicators, KPIs are provided for your IT position?
• What are the company expectations for tech professionals? How do your metrics affect other departments’ results?
• How often are new tools, techniques and methods put into operation?
• Does it happen that employees don’t comprehend their duties?
• Can the upper management dish out assignments without involving their line managers? 

Of course, IT recruiters and hiring managers might be taken aback by all these queries – but it only makes sense when the recruitment process includes an interview with the immediate supervisor or senior manager. After all, you need to ignite a push in the right direction with this individual and not with the recruiter. Invest your precious resources – time, energy, and emotions – wisely. Partner with Bateman Fox, and together we’ll uncover the perfect tech employers that can manifest your dreams into reality. Unleash your potential, and forge an engaging narrative through sheer determination and passion.