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sankar@metaforumtechnologies.com

Table of Contents

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Preface
Chapter 1: Introduction
Chapter 2: SWOT Analysis
Chapter 3: Skill Up-Gradation
Chapter 4: Choosing a correct training partner
Chapter 5: Importance of Certifications
Chapter 6: Using LinkedIn
Chapter 7: Using other Social media sites
Chapter 8: Dummy interviews and Mock interviews
Chapter 9: Focus on Soft skills
Chapter 10: How to prepare a good CV?
Chapter 11: Company background check to your advantage
Chapter 12: Domain change
Chapter 13: Non IT to IT
Chapter 14: Things to avoid
Chapter 15: Free Internship
Chapter 16: Target Start-up
Chapter 17: Check box approach
Chapter 18: What after placement?

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sankar@metaforumtechnologies.com

Preface

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Congratulations on grabbing a copy of this ebook. I believe that this is the only
guide
you would need to read if you are looking to get a dream job in the information
technology sector.

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But if you are wondering who am I and why I am writing this guide, heres a short
introduction about myself.

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I am a technology consultant/trainer/mentor specializing in ERP and database

involved in IT & training industry from 2005. I am also a consultant for colleges
and universities in adopting digital media practices.

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Since 2014, I am running an IT training company by the name Metaforum

Technologies. We currently focus our training in area like Hadoop, Android, Java,
.Net, ERP, Software testing, Web Design and SEO.

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To learn more about my work experience check out my LinkedIn profile.

You can find the link at www.metaforumtechnologies.com. You can also connect
with me on YouTube, Face book & LinkedIn, Follow me on Twitter.

sankar@metaforumtechnologies.com

Chapter 1- Introduction
This ebook Get your dream IT job is a complete step by step guide to help
you find your dream job in the Information Technology field. This book will be
useful for

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a. Students and fresh graduates to land a dream IT job

b. IT professionals who wish to change domain
c. Non IT professionals to land a IT job.

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These are challenging times!!!!

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Recent Nascom survey predicts that by the end of 2016, 30% of the current
IT jobs will become obsolete or they will lose out to automation process. Its high
time IT professionals must wake up to this reality and upgrade their skills and do
certifications. Gone are those days when IT professionals are rare resource. With
1000s of engineering colleges and mushrooming institutes, now IT resources are
very common in job market. It is important for you to stay updated, market
yourself better. This book will definitely help you to achieve that.

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The problems of students and fresh graduates are in different dimensions

though. Lack of technical expertise, practical knowledge, tool exposure, domain
exposure is some of them. This guide will teach you how to approach interviews
by giving insights into techniques like CV preparation, LinkedIn connection, social
media marketing and stuff like that.

Non IT professionals or returning IT professionals!!! This book will guide

you to choose correct technologies, tools and clients by leveraging on your existing
domain experience. Also this will guide you in terms of jobs that require lot of
freelancer skills.

sankar@metaforumtechnologies.com

Chapter 2 SWOT Analysis

A SWOT analysis focuses on the internal and external environments,
examining strengths and weaknesses in the internal environment and opportunities
and threats in the external environment. This is a key tool in the strategic planning
process and can also be applied to career planning.

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In internal environment analyze your strength and weakness against following

parameters`
a. Education

c. Technical knowledge

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d. Networking etc

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b. Experience

In external environment analyze opportunities and threats regarding your career

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a. Trend in your field

b. Opportunities for advancement

c. Opportunities for career development

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d. Location etc

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From this analysis, you will have a road map that shows you how to capitalize on

your strengths and minimize or eliminate your weaknesses. You should then use
this map to take advantage of opportunities and avoid or lessen threats.

After youve analyzed your strengths, weaknesses, threats, and opportunities, you
should use that information to plan how to market yourself.

sankar@metaforumtechnologies.com

Chapter 3 Skill Up-gradation

Gone are those days, when are IT resources are rare. Today with
mushrooming engineering colleges and institutes, IT resources are available in
plenty. There will always be people available who can do what you do and do it at

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rather cheap cost. Please be aware of this, and learn new skills, upgrade existing
ones to stay ahead in the job market.

For fresh graduates and students, what you learn in colleges/ universities is not
going to be enough in job market. For ex: Many of you guys learn software testing

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as theory, but do you know anyone testing tool? Similarly you may know concepts
of ERP theoretically, what about popular ERP softwares? Not only that many

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colleges are not even focusing on latest tools or techniques like Mobiles apps, big
data, small data, Social media/ digital marketing etc. You have to upgrade your

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skills in these areas to face interviews.

For Non IT professionals, who wish to get into IT.? My one advice will be to

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leverage your existing experience. Dont jump careers without any logic. For
example, if you are accounts professional, choose finance related erp like tally, sap

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fico etc or if you are an HR professional choose careers in SAP HCM, PeopleSoft

etc Your greatest strength is your domain knowledge. Choose tools or careers
related to your domain knowledge or academic qualification.

sankar@metaforumtechnologies.com

Chapter-4 Choose the correct Training partner

Once you decided to upgrade your skills and shortlisted on areas to upgrade, next

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process will be identifying where to get trained.

A. Get trained by your colleague or contacts internally in your company. Many

companies provide internal training or knowledge transfers. You can use them to
update your skills. Or you can ask help of your colleague to train you.

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B. Get trained yourself online via websites like YouTube, Udemy, Coursera etc.. In

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case of doubts you can always approach online forums or your seniors.

C. If you dont have proper schedule or time needed to get trained online, approach

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training institutes near your location and ask for their help. Choose institutes with
good training process; take demo class from multiple trainers and then shortlist one
of them. Before enrolling make sure that you have taken at least 3 demo classes.
Dont trust institutes that offers 100% placement guarantee. Or dont choose

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institutes only for infrastructure or dont choose an institute only because it comes

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in first position of Google search. Talk to counselors, understand their training

process, interact with trainer and take demo class and then decide. This is
especially for freshers.

sankar@metaforumtechnologies.com

Chapter 5- Importance of Certifications

Following advantage can be attributed to certified professionals
The right man is on the right job.
An IT certification distinguishes a keen and dedicated individual.

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Certified IT professionals create quality work culture and attract the best.
IT certifications clinch more deals and give your organization superior
bargaining power.

Popular IT Certification Courses in India

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SAP
OCA/OCP
MCSE
Sun certified java professional
Ccna
Big data
Google certified professional
ISTBQ
HP certification for testing professionals
PMP

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Some internal and external customers work only with certified IT

professionals.

Will certification assure a job?

Certainly no. It may give you advantage over some of your rivals. But
certainly having an industry certification does not guarantee any one a job.

Advantage of certification
It augments career growth of a professional
Gives edge over others in job market.
sankar@metaforumtechnologies.com

Chapter 6 Using LinkedIn

Here are some ways to use LinkedIn for job search

1. Have relevant headline Head line is your brand, so choose correct one.
Ex. Instead of having Fresh graduate looking for IT job,

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make it Engineering professional looking for small IT firms to make big

2. Eyes open Even if you are not looking for jobs currently, find out whats
happening in industry in terms of new positions, recruitments etc

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3. Follow target companies Highly recommended. Follow their pages. Look

out for new like new branch or product launch etc. It will be very useful
while you write cover letter to them.

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4. Broaden your network choose correct connections

5. Regularly post articles videos, blogs etc

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6. Establish contact with HR managers

7. Send them personal messages like birthday wishes, congratulations on job
anniversary etc

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8. Endorse and get endorsed

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9. Get recommendations from colleagues, managers, professors etc

10. Regularly share job news , updates etc if you came across any

sankar@metaforumtechnologies.com

Chapter 7 Using other Social Media Sites

YouTube:

Promoting yourself
Demonstrating your skill set
Helping fellow java programmers
Becoming popular among community

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a.
b.
c.
d.

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You can create videos using various screen capture tools like cam-studio,
webex, debut nch etc and upload them to YouTube freely. You can create a
youtube channel with your name and designation and upload all your videos over
there. For Example: create a yout channel like Raja Java Trainer and upload all
your java videos there. This will help in

Blogs:

Face book:

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You can create technical blogs in your name and post various articles related
to your filed. You can use windows snipping app to take screen shot and create a
know- how blog. Again this will demonstrate your skill set

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You can create a face book page and group and share all your videos an
blogs over there to make it popular

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Benefits of using social media

If you can mention that you have created videos, blogs etc in your interview
a. It will create right impression among recruiters
b. Gives you edge over others
c. Increase your popularity

sankar@metaforumtechnologies.com

Chapter 8 Dummy interviews and mock interviews

Mock Interviews

Attend lot of mock interviews. You can ask your seniors, friends, trainers,

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professors even relatives to conduct mock interviews. This will help you in

1. Answering common questions comfortably

2. Anticipate difficult questions

3. Finding your strengths and weakness

5. Fine tune your skills

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Dummy Interviews

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4. Improve your communication skill

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It might not be 100% ethical, but it is good way to guage recruiter requirements.
You can create a dummy CV by changing Name, email, monile no etc and
approach walk in interviews. This will help you in

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1. Understanding recruiter requirement

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2. Eliminate interview fear

3. Makes you comfortable when you attend real interviews

4. Understand your weakness
5. To strategize better

sankar@metaforumtechnologies.com

Chapter 9 Focus of Soft Skills

Soft skills are as important as technical skills. You need to exhibit following
soft skills in interview

b. Team work and collaboration

c. Adaptability
d. Problem solving

f. Conflict resolution

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e. Critical thinking

g. Emotional intelligence

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i. Energy

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h. Motivation

You can develop soft skills by

a. Undergoing a course

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b. Seeking mentor help

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c. Volunteering

sankar@metaforumtechnologies.com

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a. Communication skills

Chapter 10 - How to prepare a good CV?

a. If you are experienced professional, at least check 10 CVs in your area,
understand their roles and responsibilities and then prepare your own CV
b. If you are fresh graduate, prepare your CV that highlights some of your

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positive points like internships, workshops, seminars etc

c. Always use relevant reference details in CV like your reporting manager

contact details or your HOD contact details

d. Prepare a single page CV, may max of 2 pages, not more than that

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e. Always be specific. For example dont put Oracle bluntly, put Oracle 10 G
f. Dont include in CV the technologies that you are not comfortable with. It
will create only negative impression

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g. Highlight your achievements but dont brag about it

h. Prepare Video CVs and upload to sites like YouTube

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i. Maintain same CV consistently in all job portals. Dont have one version in
one portal and other version in other portals
j. Dont keep on updating CV inconsistently

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k. Your LinkedIn, Face Book (if any) accounts must reflect your CV

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information. Many companies perform social media background checks

sankar@metaforumtechnologies.com

Chapter 11 - Company background check to your advantage

Normally Companies will perform background checks on employees. But as an
jobseeker it is always useful if you to do some background check on companies
like their vision, mission, technology statements, recruitment policy, HR process,

companies and also in terms of writing cover letter.

Some useful sites to check on companies

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a. LinkedIn

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openings, branches. This information will help you in terms of short listing

b. Glassdoor

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c. Facebook
d. Youtube

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It will help you in following areas

a. Understand company vision

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b. Understand their recruitment process

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c. Understand experience of past/ present employees

d. Understand job requirements

e. Allow you to have some connect with them while attending interviews
f. Make you comfortable during interview
g. Understand their clients
h. Help you to short list companies
i. Compare companies for their work culture.

sankar@metaforumtechnologies.com

Chapter 12- Domain Change

This chapter is for IT professionals who wish to change domain within IT.
Consider following points before approaching domain change

You need to constant upgrade your skill set and move on to stay ahead in job
market

2.

Choose the correct tool or domain that helps leverage your existing
experience

3.

For example, if you are an SAP ABAP consultant, choose SAP BW or SAP
HANA which is actually normal.

4.

Another example, if you are a manual test engineer, choose automation tools
like QTP, Selenium, appium etcc

5.

Dont choose technologies that has no connect with your current experience

6.

For example if you are a manual test engineer dont choose SAP HANA,
just because it is the hottest cake in the market

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1.

Things that will help you in domain change

Certifications

2.

Create YouTube videos and demonstrate your technical skill

3.

Write regular blogs and contribute to community

4.

Share these things in linkedin to capture eyeballs of recruiters

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1.

sankar@metaforumtechnologies.com

Chapter 13 Career change from Non IT to IT

This chapter is for Non IT professionals who wish to get into IT. Here are
following points you need to focus on.

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1. Choose a technology in IT that you can connect with.

2. For example , if you have MBA Finance degree, you can opt for SAP
FICO or Tally
3. Another example , if you have MBA HR degree you can opt for SAP
HCM or peoplesoft
4. Also consider your domain experience. That can be leverage upon
5. For example, if you have marketing or sales experience you can choose
SAP SD module.
6. You can consider your passion. Suppose if you are passionate towards
database, you can Choose HANA course.
7. Dont choose a course only because it is high paying
8. Talk to tech mentors or consultants first about the job market in particular
technology.
9. Choose a correct trainer. At least check demo classes from 3 trainers and
short list on them
10. Target companies that respect genuine CVs and dont put fake
experience unnecessarily
11. Demonstrate your abilities via youtube and blog post materials
12.Share them with potential recruiters on linkedin and ask them a chance to
prove yourself
13.Dont get lured by training institutes that promises you 100% job
guarantee
14.Dont get lured by false promises like fake experience certificates and
stuff like that

sankar@metaforumtechnologies.com

Chapter 14 Things to Avoid

There are few common mistakes anyone wishes a dream IT job must avoid
1. Dont trust training institutes that offer 100% placement guarantee

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2. Dont expect your institute to be desperate for your placement. It is you who
must be desperate.

3. Dont put fake experience in your cv. That will spoil your reputation
4. Dont go for any backdoor process. Most of them are simple scams.

It might even take upto 6 months

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5. Dont expect just joining a course will get you immediate job. It is a process.

6. Trash talking about your previous job, if any

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7. Avoid too much of desperation

8. Showing up too early for interviews. Might increase nervousness

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9. Talking money just dont talk only about pay package during interview
10. Underselling yourself. Please avoid this even if you are new to IT
11.Dont apply indiscriminately for all jobs. Pick and apply for correct ones.
12. Dont ignore social media.

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13. Maintain job / education profile consistency across sites

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14. Avoid saying I will do everything in interviews

sankar@metaforumtechnologies.com

Chapter 15 - Internship

Internships will be most useful for fresh graduates and non IT guys to gather

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great deal of experience about IT culture and SDLC. Following are the benefits of
internship

1. Gain work experience and transferable skills

2. Be able to experience a prospective career path

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3. Gain practical experience, by applying methods and theories learned in

classes

opportunities

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4. Network with professionals in your field, for references and future job

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5. Develop new skills and refine others

6. Gain confidence in your abilities
7. Possibly earn money

8. Demonstrate your skill set

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9. Gives edge to your CV over others

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10. Possible recruitment in the same company

sankar@metaforumtechnologies.com

Chapter 16- Target Startup companies

If you are a fresh graduate or a non IT guy entering IT or returning IT
professionals, You can target startup companies. You will most probably suit their
requirements. You can find startup companies in many areas like web design,

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digital marketing, seo, sem, ppc, Analytics, mobile apps etc.

Benefits

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1. Relatively easy entry level criteria

2. High visibility

4. Better recognition
5. Fresh approach

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3. Faster growth

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6. Learn from true innovators

7. You will have lot of responsibility

8. You can try doing things differently

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9. You will learn to be frugal

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10. Ownership and self sustainability

sankar@metaforumtechnologies.com

Chapter 17 Check box

If you are an IT professional, fresh graduate or Non IT guy, and if you are
trying for a particular job in IT, please tick following check box before proceeding

1. YouTube videos that demonstrate your ability

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2. Blog posts that help you to promote yourself

3. Sharing of video, post and other materials on your facebook page an

group

4. Relevant connection in LinkedIn and catching their eyeballs

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5. Single page CV and possible video CV

6. Consistent information on all portals including social media sites

8. Reworked on your CV?

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7. Attend one or two dummy walking interviews?

9. Saw relevant video tutorials?

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10.Prepared atleast 500 interview Q A?

11. Have knowledge on possible errors and solutions?
12. Taking feedback from every interview?

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13.Talking to mentors and senior consultants?

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14.Having correct reference in place?

15.All documents ready?

sankar@metaforumtechnologies.com

Chapter 18- What after getting placed?

Placement is not the end of the world. Still you need to continuously upgrade
skills. Self promote yourself. Follow below strategies
Bond with new team
Get to know managers/ leads
Understand work culture
Understand reporting scenarios
Upgrade your technical skills
Give and take knowledge transfers
Look out for certification opportunities
Mentor juniors
Adopt local college or universities and approach them t0 give free
weekend seminars or workshops
10.Continuously keep your social profile updated.

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5.
6.
7.
8.
9.

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Conclusion

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I hope this guide helped you change your mindset about the process of getting a
job.

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The ideas discussed here is not only applicable to get IT job. In fact you can use
these principles here to get job in any field by catching attention and self
promoting yourself
I wish you all the best for getting your dream job!!!

sankar@metaforumtechnologies.com