How to Find a Job in IT: Smart Platforms, Real Signals, and Winning Strategies

In my last article, How to Write a Developer Resume That Stands Out, we tackled crafting a resume that turns heads. As the Head of Mobile Development at my company, I’ve reviewed countless resumes and know that a great CV is only the first step. The next challenge is finding the right job opportunity and approaching applications strategically. In this follow-up piece, I’ll share professional yet friendly advice on how to search for IT jobs, showcase your skills, apply the smart way, and ultimately land a role that’s a perfect fit for you. Let’s start!

“How to Search for IT Jobs” — image generated with DALL·E by OpenAI.

How to Search for IT Jobs and Apply the Right Way

Searching for a tech job today means navigating an ocean of platforms, postings, and sometimes confusing advice. The key is to be targeted and proactive in your approach. Rather than blindly submitting 100 applications, invest time in finding quality opportunities and tailoring your efforts. Here’s how:

Tech job seekers often start their search online, using a mix of professional networks and specialized job boards.

Leverage Multiple Platforms: Don’t limit yourself to one job board. In IT, many roles are posted on LinkedIn, Indeed, Glassdoor, and specialized tech boards like Dice or Wellfound (AngelList). LinkedIn is especially powerful, so a polished LinkedIn profile and active presence there can attract opportunities. Meanwhile, niche job sites can narrow your search. For example, Dice is a tech-focused board that offers highly relevant IT listings without making you sift through unrelated jobs. Explore community-specific boards too (e.g. Stack Overflow Jobs) if they cater to your skillset. Using a variety of platforms ensures you see both the widely advertised roles and the hidden gems.

Network and Seek Referrals: It’s often said, “It’s not just what you know, but who you know.” This holds true in IT hiring. Some of the best opportunities arise through networking — perhaps a former colleague knows of an opening, or someone in your online tech community posts about a role. Build genuine connections by attending meetups (even virtual ones), participating in developer forums, or engaging in LinkedIn groups for your domain. Employee referrals are incredibly powerful: even though referrals constitute only about 7% of job applications, they account for nearly 45% of internal hires! In other words, you’re far more likely to land the job if someone within the company can vouch for you. So, let your network know you’re looking: share that you’re open to opportunities, and don’t shy away from asking a trusted contact for a referral if their company has a suitable vacancy. Companies often reward employees for referring good candidates, so it can be a win-win.

Quality Over Quantity: It’s tempting to fire off the same resume to dozens of openings — resist that urge. Focus on roles that truly match your skills and career goals, and then customize your application. Hiring managers can spot a copy-paste job a mile away. Instead, take a few extra minutes to tweak your resume keywords to match the job description and write a brief, tailored cover note (more on cover letters later). By aligning your application with what the company is specifically looking for, you instantly stand out from the crowd of generic submissions. Remember, 10 well-crafted applications will yield better results than 100 boilerplate ones. Plus, tailoring forces you to really read the job description — which might help you decide if it’s even right for you in the first place.

Optimize Your Search Strategy: Approach your job hunt like a project. Set up alerts on job boards for keywords like “Software Engineer Python remote” or “IT Support Azure London” so you get notified of new postings. Keep a simple spreadsheet or Trello board to track where you applied, when, and any feedback. This helps you follow up appropriately and ensures you don’t mistakenly apply twice to the same company or role. I also recommend researching target companies directly: many companies (especially big tech firms and well-known startups) list jobs on their careers page that might not be on third-party boards. A direct application on a company’s own website can sometimes get you into their system more reliably than going through an aggregator platform.

Stay Organized and Responsive: Once your applications are out, be ready to respond if a recruiter reaches out. It sounds basic, but check your email (and LinkedIn messages) frequently — you’d be surprised how many candidates miss interview invites because they applied with an old email or don’t monitor their inbox. If a recruiter calls and you miss it, return the call promptly with a polite message. These small professional courtesies set the tone that you’re serious and enthusiastic.

Lastly, keep your skills sharp during the search. The IT field evolves quickly; while you hunt, continue coding, learning, or building something. Not only does this improve your abilities, but it also helps maintain confidence and gives you fresh talking points for interviews (“Actually, I was just exploring a new JavaScript framework last month…”). Job searching can feel like a job itself — so treat it like one, with a schedule and goals, but also take breaks to avoid burnout. Persistence pays off.

The Importance of GitHub and Showcasing a Portfolio

When you apply for a tech job, you’re often asked to “show, don’t just tell.” This is where your GitHub profile or personal portfolio comes in. For developers, a GitHub link on your resume is more than just a formality — it’s practically expected. In fact, many employers anticipate seeing a GitHub repository or portfolio as a representative sample of your work.

A strong portfolio (like an active GitHub profile or personal project site) showcases your skills in action to potential employers.

Why GitHub Matters

GitHub is a window into your coding world. It shows not only what you’ve built but how you code. Some recruiters will glance at an applicant’s GitHub activity graph to gauge how regularly they code or contribute — a consistently green contribution chart can signal passion and practice (though don’t worry if you took a break; quality matters more than daily commits). More importantly, your projects on GitHub let hiring teams dive deeper. In later interview rounds, it’s common for engineers or hiring managers to review a candidate’s GitHub projects in detail — reading your README documentation and skimming the code itself. I’ve sat in debrief meetings where a senior engineer says, “I checked out their GitHub and the project X is pretty neat and well-documented.” That can seriously boost a candidate’s chances.

What to Showcase

You don’t need dozens of flashy projects. A few carefully selected repositories that highlight your best work are enough. Pin those on your GitHub profile. Ideally, these projects demonstrate relevant skills for the jobs you want. Are you applying for a front-end role? Make sure to include that cool React app you built. Aiming for a data science position? Maybe showcase a Jupyter notebook from a Kaggle competition or a small machine learning project you did. Each project should have a clean README file explaining what it is, why you built it, and instructions (if applicable) to run it. A good README is gold — it shows you can communicate about your code, not just write it.

If you’re new and don’t have professional experience, personal projects are even more critical. One great project can act as a proxy for “experience.” I’ve hired a junior developer who had no prior jobs in tech but impressed us with a GitHub game app they built — it showed creativity, persistence, and baseline coding skills. Contributing to open source is another excellent way to demonstrate ability. It not only yields something tangible on GitHub but also indicates you can collaborate with others (since open source involves communication and following project conventions).

Other Portfolios

While GitHub is king for software engineers, other IT roles benefit from portfolios too:

• Designers/UX: Maintain a visual portfolio on sites like Dribbble or Behance, or your own website, showing design projects or case studies.
• Product Managers: You might keep a blog or Medium articles about product case studies, or a presentation deck of a product idea you worked on.
• QA/DevOps: Showcase any automations, test frameworks, or cloud setups you’ve done (maybe via blog posts or a personal site with write-ups).
• IT Support/Administration: Consider having a personal site where you discuss how you solved certain problems or your home lab setup — it shows enthusiasm and problem-solving.

The idea is to have evidence of your skills. Anyone can claim a skill on a resume; a portfolio proves it. Moreover, it demonstrates passion. If I see someone has taken the time to build something outside of work or write about tech topics, I immediately get the sense they genuinely care about their craft.

A Few Tips for Portfolios

• Keep it updated and curated. Remove or archive old projects that no longer reflect your level of skill, so recruiters see the cream of the crop.
• Ensure your code is presentable. That means readable structure, decent documentation, and even including screenshots or a demo link for your projects if possible. A hiring manager may only spend 5 minutes looking, so make those minutes count.
• If your current work is all proprietary (common in IT), consider creating a small side project to show what you can do. For example, if you’re a back-end developer who can’t share company code, maybe build a simple API over a weekend to showcase those same skills in a public repo.
• Include readme highlights about tech stack and challenges overcome. Interviewers love to ask, “I saw on your GitHub you used XYZ library — what was your approach to implementing that?”

Remember, a strong portfolio can sometimes bypass early screening. I’ve occasionally forwarded a candidate to the interview stage primarily because their portfolio was compelling, even if their resume was so-so. It’s your chance to speak directly to technical folks evaluating you, on your own terms. So, put your best work out there — it’s worth the effort!

When to Message Recruiters Directly vs. Applying Through Platforms

Job applications often feel impersonal: you click “Apply” on a website and your resume disappears into the void of an Applicant Tracking System. To avoid the black hole, many candidates wonder: should I reach out directly to a recruiter or hiring manager? And if so, when and how? Having been on the receiving end of these messages and also having done my share of candidate outreach, here’s my take.

The Case for Direct Messaging

Reaching out directly (via LinkedIn message or email) can absolutely make a positive difference — if done right. In fact, career experts note that contacting a hiring manager before or right after submitting your application is often the best strategy. Why? Because it puts a human touch on your candidacy. Instead of being just Resume #256 in the pile, you become a real person with initiative. A polite, well-crafted message can prompt the recruiter to pluck your resume out for a closer look. I’ve personally fast-tracked applications because someone sent a thoughtful note expressing their excitement about the role and how they could contribute — it showed me not only their interest but also good communication skills.

When to Reach Out

If the job posting lists a contact person (hiring manager or HR rep), or if you can identify the team lead on LinkedIn, that’s a green light to consider messaging them. This is especially useful for smaller companies or startups, where the hiring manager might be directly involved in screening. On the other hand, if the company is a giant multinational with a rigid HR process, your direct message may not yield much — but it generally doesn’t hurt if you keep it professional. Always respect the application instructions though. If a posting explicitly says “No calls or emails” or “Applicants must apply through our portal only,” then applying through the platform is the way to go (ignoring instructions can count as a strike against you). Also, if you’re working with an external recruiter/headhunter who submitted you for a role, avoid double-applying on the side or contacting the company directly; it can create awkward situations about candidate ownership.

How to Reach Out the Smart Way

The content of your message matters tremendously. Keep it short, personal, and relevant:

• Subject/Intro: If emailing, use a clear subject like “Inquiry about [Role] position — [Your Name].” If on LinkedIn, your opening line becomes the hook.
• Who You Are: One sentence with your name, current role or standout fact (“I’m a mobile developer with 5 years’ experience at [Company]”).
• Why You’re Writing: State that you’ve applied (or are about to apply) for the [specific role] and are excited about it.
• Why You’re Interested: A brief phrase showing you’ve done homework — e.g. “I’ve been a user of your app for years and love the work your team is doing in the fintech space.”
• What You Offer: One or two key selling points matching the job (“I have extensive experience in Kotlin and have led a few projects similar to what your job description outlined. I think I could hit the ground running on your team.”).
• Call to Action: Politely encourage the next step, like “I’d appreciate the chance to discuss how I can contribute. If you have a few minutes to chat, I’d love to connect.” And thank them for their time.

Keep this whole message concise (a small paragraph or two at most). Recruiters are busy; walls of text will be skimmed or ignored. Also, avoid copy-paste syndrome — do not blast the same generic message to 20 hiring managers (they might sniff that out). Customize each note a bit. Quality, again, over quantity.

Direct vs. Platform — a Balanced Approach

In many cases, the best approach is do both: submit the official application through the platform (so you’re in their HR system) and send a brief message directly to say you’ve applied and are eager to chat. This covers your bases. There are also times when a role really intrigues you but you don’t formally qualify 100% — a direct message might persuade them to give your resume a closer look despite that. If you have a referral or mutual connection, mention that in your message (with permission) as it builds immediate trust: “My former colleague Jane Doe suggested I reach out about this role.”

On the flip side, when should you stick to the formal application only? If you have no specific person to contact or can’t find the right individual despite research, it’s okay. Many companies will get back to you if there’s interest. Also, if you applied through an employee referral portal (where your friend already alerted HR), additional messages might not be needed unless you want to reach the hiring manager directly.

Caution and Professionalism: If you do reach out and don’t hear back, don’t panic. People are busy. Give it a week or two, and it’s fine to send one follow-up. After that, it’s best to move on gracefully. Never send anything angry or spammy — that will burn bridges. Also, if a recruiter replies with “Thanks, we’ll be in touch via our portal,” respect that and avoid further messaging unless invited.

In summary, a well-timed hello to a recruiter or hiring manager can be the nudge that puts your application at the top of the pile. As one recruiting professional advised, you should be empathetic and strategic in your message — understand they may be swamped, so make it easy for them to see your value. When used wisely, direct messaging is a smart supplement to the traditional application process, and in the tech world it’s often welcomed.

How to Spot a Real Opportunity vs. Mass Job Listings

Not all job postings are created equal. Some represent truly open positions on vibrant teams eager to hire. Others… not so much. The harsh reality is that a significant number of job listings are “ghosts” — roles that may not actually be hiring actively, or postings by third-party recruiters trying to build a candidate pool. As a job seeker, how do you tell the difference and avoid wasting time? Let’s break it down.

“How to Spot a Real Opportunity” — image generated with DALL·E by OpenAI.

First, consider this eye-opening statistic: 40% of companies have posted a fake job listing in the past year. Yes, you read that right. Nearly half. Sometimes companies post openings just to see who’s out there, even if they don’t urgently need someone. They might be gauging the talent market or keeping a role “open” to pacify overworked team members with the idea of help coming (common in burnout-prone sectors). In other cases, a job is posted to satisfy some policy (e.g. an internal candidate is likely to get promoted, but they still need to post the role publicly for a period). And external recruiting agencies? They might put up generic “Hiring Java Developers!” ads to collect resumes, even if they have no specific job to fill this week.

So, how can you spot a real opportunity versus a likely mirage? Here are some signs and strategies:

• Detailed vs. Vague Description: A genuine job opening typically has a specific and detailed job description: clear responsibilities, required skills, and some info about the team or project. Fake or mass listings often have very vague requirements (“Looking for a programmer, must know how to use computers and code”) or generic language that could apply to dozens of roles. If almost anyone could qualify based on the description, that’s a red flag. Legit postings usually ask for defined experience (e.g. “3+ years with React and TypeScript, experience building consumer-facing apps”) rather than broad strokes. In short, vague listings = proceed with caution.
• Unbelievable Perks/Pay: While we all dream of six-figure salaries for entry-level roles, be skeptical of postings that promise unusually high pay for relatively easy work, or ultra-flexible arrangements that seem too good to be true. Scam postings often lure with “Work 5 hours a week for $100K” or similar nonsense. Real companies know market rates and rarely significantly overshoot them without good reason. That said, some legit jobs do pay high or offer great perks, but those will usually still have rigorous requirements or hiring processes. Use common sense — if it reads like a dream job from a spam email, it likely is fake.
• Company and Contact Info: A real job posting will name the company (unless it’s a confidential search, which is rare and usually noted as such) and often provide a contact or at least the company’s HR info. If you see a post that doesn’t mention a specific company or uses wording like “our client, a leading firm, is hiring developers” but won’t say who the client is, that’s likely a recruiting agency fishing for candidates. It could still lead to a real job eventually, but you may end up in a generic database. Similarly, check the email domain if provided; an official company email is more credible than a random Gmail/Yahoo address in the contact.
• Repetition and Timing: Have you seen the exact same job post appear every few weeks for months on end? Or is the posting undated and perpetually “active”? Those could be signs of a ghost listing that is up constantly to gather resumes. Real openings usually have a defined hiring window — they won’t usually keep renewing a post indefinitely if they intended to fill the role soon. I recommend checking the company’s careers page; if the job isn’t listed there but you see it on third-party boards, something might be off.
• Application Experience: Pay attention to what happens when you apply. If it’s a real opportunity, typically you’ll get some confirmation or follow-up if they’re interested within a few weeks. If you apply and immediately get an email that “this position has been filled” (even though it’s still listed) or no response for months, it might have never been a truly active opening. Also, if a recruiter contacts you about a job and after you express interest, they suddenly say “actually that one’s on hold, but we’ll keep your resume”, you may have been drawn in by a phantom opening.
• Signs of Scams: Apart from ghost listings, be wary of outright scams. These are thankfully rarer in IT, but they exist — like fake “HR” asking for your personal info or money. Classic warning signs include someone offering you a job immediately without any interview, or asking for a “processing fee” or your bank details early on. No legitimate employer does that. If someone claiming to be a hiring manager contacts you out of the blue and something feels off (poor grammar, overly lucrative offer, requests for personal data or money), tread carefully. A quick Google search of the company name + “scam” can reveal if others have reported something similar.

In practice, you’ll never know with 100% certainty if a listing is bona fide or not. My advice: focus on opportunities that look solid and well-defined, but also keep your pipeline robust. If you suspect a listing is a long shot or a mass collection effort, there’s no harm in applying if it’s quick — just manage your expectations. Save your energy for the applications that truly excite you and that seem legit. Do a bit of homework: a company with a filled-out LinkedIn page, Glassdoor reviews, and recent news is far more likely to have real openings than a sketchy-sounding outfit you can’t find any info on.

Finally, don’t be discouraged by the existence of fake listings. Use it as motivation to refine your search. Sometimes, directly approaching a company you want to work for (even if they don’t have a job posted) can be fruitful — this way you create the opportunity. And when you do find a great listing, jump on it with a tailored application because you can be confident others will too. The more savvy you become at filtering the noise, the more time you can spend on the signals that matter.

Writing Short but Valuable Cover Letters

Ah, the cover letter — often the most dreaded part of a job application for techies. You might wonder, “Do I really need a cover letter? Isn’t my resume and portfolio enough?” The answer: a cover letter is not always required, but when it is or when a company gives the option, a well-written, concise cover letter can be a powerful differentiator. It’s an opportunity to speak directly to the hiring team in your own voice, highlight key points, and show motivation. A short, impactful cover letter often hits harder than a one-page ramble.

Keep It Brief and Focused: The best cover letters get to the point quickly. In fact, one guide suggests summarizing your relevant experience, skills, and achievements “as quickly as possible” in the cover letter. Think of it as an elevator pitch on paper. Aim for around 3 short paragraphs or around 150–250 words. That might feel very short, but it forces you to focus on what truly matters for the role. Hiring managers typically skim cover letters in seconds, so front-load your most important info.

Personalize Your Introduction: Never start with the bland, “Dear Sir or Madam, I am writing to apply for the X position…” line if you can help it. It’s an instant snooze. Instead, if you know the hiring manager’s name, address them (e.g. “Dear Ms. Smith,”). If not, a simple “Dear Hiring Team,” works. Then make your first one or two sentences count. Show enthusiasm or an interesting hook. For example: “As a longtime user of your product, I was excited to see an opening for a UX Designer on the team — I’ve been honing my design skills for 4 years and would love to contribute to AppName’s next chapter.” This kind of intro conveys passion and relevance immediately. It’s okay to show a bit of your personality or genuine excitement here — authenticity is refreshing.

Highlight Value, Not Resume Repeats: Use the middle of the cover letter to spotlight one or two key achievements or skills that make you a great fit. Don’t regurgitate your whole resume. Pick the things that align most with the job requirements. For instance: “At my last job, I led a cloud migration project that reduced server costs by 30% while improving uptime.” Or “I taught myself Go and implemented a microservice in production, which is why I’m confident I can quickly ramp up on your Go backend.” These specific examples back up your claims and are more memorable than saying “I am a hard-working, detail-oriented self-starter” (which are just empty buzzwords). In fact, avoid clichéd buzzwords altogether — anyone can claim they are “detail-oriented” or “passionate” in a cover letter, but hiring managers give those little weight. Instead, demonstrate those qualities through concrete examples (“I took the initiative to optimize our CI/CD pipeline, reducing build times by 15% — a project I took on because I’m passionate about efficient workflows”). Show, don’t tell.

A good approach is to connect a story or achievement to the job description. If the posting says they need someone with experience in agile teams, you might mention how you introduced agile scrum practices at your last company, for example. It signals “I’ve done something you need; I can do it again for you.”

Show Enthusiasm for Them: Make it clear why you want that specific job at that specific company. Maybe you admire their tech stack, their mission, or you enjoyed a blog post by their engineering team. One short sentence can do this: “I’m particularly excited about your company’s mission to simplify healthcare records, as I’m deeply interested in health tech.” This tells them you’re not just shotgun-applying; you have a genuine interest. Companies want to hire people who care about the work, not just any paycheck.

Brevity and Politeness in Closing: End your cover letter with a polite, confident closing. Something like: “Thank you for considering my application. I’d love the chance to discuss how I can help [Company] achieve its goals. Sincerely, [Your Name].” If you haven’t already mentioned it, you can also briefly note availability if relevant (“I’m available to start from July and can interview on evenings or weekends if needed.”). But keep it succinct. A strong finish includes a call to action (you want an interview) but stays courteous and appreciative of their time.

Optional but Impactful: Not every application requires a cover letter, but consider writing one (or at least a short note) even when it’s optional. From my experience, about half of applicants skip the cover letter if it says “optional.” Those who do include one — and put effort into it — immediately stand out as more invested. If I’m on the fence about a candidate, a cover letter can tip scales.

One more tip: have someone proofread your letter if possible (or at least read it aloud to yourself). It should be free of spelling or grammar errors — attention to detail counts, and mistakes can undermine even a great message. Since it’s short, every word carries weight, so make sure it reads smoothly and professionally, but still you. The goal is a confident, clear message that leaves the reader with a positive impression of both your competence and your character.

In summary, a short but well-crafted cover letter can convey your fit and enthusiasm in ways a resume can’t. It’s your narrative — your chance to speak directly to the hiring team. Many hiring managers do care about cover letters (they can reveal things a CV can’t, like your communication skills and motivation), so if you have the opportunity to include one, do it — and make it count.

How to Tell When a Job Is a Good Fit

In the whirlwind of job hunting, it’s easy to fall into the trap of “I’ll take anything in IT!” or to chase the biggest salary without considering other factors. But remember: landing a job is not just about them choosing you — you are also choosing them. A job that’s a poor fit can lead to frustration, burnout, or finding yourself job searching again in six months. In fact, a recent survey of 2,500 Millennial and Gen Z applicants found that 72% were surprised or ended up regretting a role they accepted because the position wasn’t what they expected. That’s a lot of early career folks realizing they might have picked the wrong job! Let’s avoid that outcome for you by figuring out fit before you sign the offer.

“How to Understand When a Job Is a Good Fit” — image generated with DALL·E by OpenAI.

Here are some strategies to evaluate whether a job is a good fit for you:

1. Align with Your Career Goals

Think about where you want to be in a few years. Does this job move you in that direction? For example, if your goal is to become a machine learning engineer, a role that is 100% manual QA testing might not get you there (even if it’s in a great company). Look at the role’s responsibilities — are they things you want to develop expertise in? One trick: read the job description and ask yourself, “Am I excited by these tasks?” If a posting is describing work that bores you, that’s a sign it might not be fulfilling, even if other factors (like pay) are attractive. The right job should help build the skills, experience, or domain knowledge that fits into your longer-term plan (or at least not derail it).

2. Company Culture and Values

A company might have a stellar product, but would you thrive in their culture? Do some digging on what it’s like to work there. Websites like Glassdoor have reviews (take them with a grain of salt, but patterns in comments can be telling). Check if the company has published values or if the interviewers emphasize things like collaboration, innovation, work-life balance, etc. During interviews, pay attention to how people speak of the team and challenges. You might ask, “What do you enjoy about working there?” and see if their answers resonate with you. If you can, talk to someone not in the hiring panel (maybe a friend of a friend works there) to get an insider view. Culture fit doesn’t mean everyone has to be your BFF, but you should feel that the environment is one where you’ll be comfortable and able to do your best work. For example, if you prefer a laid-back atmosphere but you sense a very buttoned-up, formal vibe, consider if that could be an issue, and vice versa.

3. Work-Life Balance and Expectations

Different companies (and different teams) have different paces. Some startups might expect late nights during crunch times; some established firms might stick to 9–5 diligently. Think about your own needs and boundaries. It’s absolutely okay — important even — to ask about this in later interview stages. You could ask, “Can you tell me about a typical work week? Are there times of overtime or on-call duties?” The answers will hint at expectations. Also, watch out for subtle clues: if an interviewer proudly mentions “We’re a family here, everyone is so dedicated,” sometimes that can be code for we work around the clock (not always, but be alert). Ensure the job’s demands align with how you intend to balance work with the rest of your life. A great job that totally burns you out isn’t a great job in the long run.

4. Compensation and Benefits

Let’s be real — compensation is a big part of “fit.” A job can be incredibly fulfilling, but if it doesn’t meet your financial needs or is way below market rate, resentment can build. Research the salary range for the role in your region and experience level (websites like levels.fyi, Glassdoor, or Payscale can help). If the offer is significantly lower than your expectation and there’s no compelling reason (like it’s a stepping stone job in a new field for you), that’s a sign of mismatch. Also consider benefits that matter to you: healthcare, retirement plans, flexibility to work remote, parental leave, etc. Sometimes a slightly lower salary at a company with fantastic benefits and a healthy culture can be worth more in the long term than a higher salary at a toxic workplace. It comes down to your priorities. Just make sure you won’t be unhappy with the package you accept. If you feel undervalued from day one, it’s hard to feel a job is a good fit.

5. Trust Your Gut During Interviews

Pay attention to your instincts. How did you feel after talking to the team? Excited, energized? Or uneasy, full of questions? The interview process is as much you interviewing them as vice versa. Notice the attitude of your potential manager — were they respectful and interested in you as a person? Did they answer your questions or dodge them? Sometimes small red flags (like disorganization in the process, rudeness, or vague answers about the role’s future) can hint at larger issues. Conversely, if everyone you met was warm, the conversations flowed, and you left thinking “I could really see myself working with those people,” that’s a green flag.

6. The Role’s Realistic Preview

Try to get a sense of what a day in the job truly looks like. Some companies do “job shadowing” or give you a chance to meet future colleagues casually — take those opportunities if offered. If not, ask scenario questions: “What would my first project likely be?” or “What does success look like in this role after 6 months?” A good, honest answer will help you picture it. If you hear something that doesn’t align with what you want to be doing, take note. For example, if you’re gunning for new development but they mention the first project is maintaining a legacy system in COBOL and that’s not your cup of tea… you might need to seriously consider if you’ll be happy.

Ultimately, finding a good fit is about self-reflection coupled with research. I always weigh the intangibles: Will I learn here? Will I enjoy the day-to-day? Do I respect the leadership? One technique is to make a simple pros/cons list for each offer or late-stage opportunity, including these “fit” categories (role, culture, growth, comp, etc.). Seeing it on paper can clarify things.

And remember: it’s okay to say no to an offer that doesn’t feel right. It can be tough, especially if you’ve been searching for a while, but turning down a bad fit frees you to find a good one. When you do land that job that is a great match, you’ll know — your work will feel engaging, you’ll mesh well with the team, and you’ll see a path for yourself there. That’s what we’re aiming for!

Conclusion: Your IT Career Journey Continues

Finding an IT job that excites you is a journey of not just searching, but strategizing. We’ve covered how to hunt for openings in smart ways — from using the right platforms to leveraging your network — and how to present yourself as the capable professional you are, through a strong portfolio and tailored applications. We’ve also looked at navigating the less obvious parts of the process: reaching out directly to make meaningful connections, filtering out the noise of fake listings, writing cover letters that pack a punch, and evaluating opportunities for that just-right fit.

As a hiring manager and tech lead, my final advice is this: be intentional. Every message you send, every resume tweak, every interview answer — approach them with purpose and authenticity. Companies appreciate candidates who are genuinely interested and prepared. And likewise, you deserve a company that is genuinely excited about what you bring to the table.

The IT industry is booming with opportunities, and with the tips from this series, I hope you feel more empowered to seize them. You’ve got your standout resume (from the last article), and now you have the playbook for the job search and application process. Combine them with your skills and persistence, and you’ll be well on your way to landing that next great role.

Good luck with your job hunting! If you found these insights helpful, please clap, leave a comment with your own experiences or questions (I’d love to hear and respond), and follow me here on Medium for more articles on tech careers and development. And of course, feel free to share this article with friends or colleagues who are on the job market. Here’s to your success in the IT world — may you find the role that propels your career to new heights. Happy hunting and keep coding! 🚀