So you’re interested in breaking into tech, but don’t know exactly which job is best for you. Also, you may be going through a coding bootcamp, but you are wondering in the back of your mind if there are jobs out there for you after graduation. Finding a career in tech is easier than you think if you use the right resources.
Career Karma helps people break into tech by matching people with job training programs called coding bootcamps. Coding bootcamps teach you exactly what the companies need from developers so you can get a high paying job within a matter of months. Many bootcamps also provide resources that help with the job search after graduation.
But you can do the job search on your own time, either before, during, or after you attend your coding bootcamp. There are various online resources to help developers in the job search. Currently, Indeed, the world’s largest job search engine. is the best resource in finding a job in tech.
Today, we’re going to touch on how to use Indeed to find the best jobs in tech.
What is Indeed?
Indeed is the #1 job search site in the world with over 250 million unique visitors per month. The website provides job seekers with free access to job postings and company information. The site collects job listings from thousands of websites. These websites include other major job boards, company websites, newspapers, and staffing agencies.
Job seekers can use the site for free to upload their resume, create job alert emails, search for jobs, and apply to the job listings. Indeed has features that allow job seekers to discover the number of jobs posted on the website based on job title and industry. If you want to learn more about the company, the Company Pages feature provides job seekers with an overview of companies for information. This includes reviews, CEO ratings, and information on the interviewing and hiring process.
How Can I Use Indeed for My Job Search?
New developers feel anxious all the time when searching for a job in tech. They often feel a sense of imposter syndrome and as though they are not qualified for the positions posted on the job market. They often take it personally in their minds because they feel that these potential employers will judge them for being a newcomer to tech. But it doesn’t hurt anyone at all to research your potential employers.
Imagine searching for that new car or a new home. It’s a very intimate and personal experience for you. You will want to research the market to see what fits your preferences. It’s the same scenario when doing a job search.
Developers need to look into what they have done in their careers before and after their coding journey. Depending on those skills and accomplishments, you can set up your professional choices to start your tech job search. Make sure to list out your choices based on the industry, location, and type (i.e., part-time, full-time, temporary, contract, etc.).
Once you’ve set the parameters of your job search, it’s time to get your hands dirty and dig deep into the employer pool.
First Things First – Assess the Job Market
You found the career path you love in coding. You listed out your preferences in your dream employer. Now it’s time to see who fits the bill.
Indeed structures its job search portal, known as Job Trends, to provide job seekers access to jobs within the industry of their choice. For developers, you want to use keywords in your search that are specific to the tech jobs you seek (i.e. web developer, software engineer, UX engineer, etc.). Indeed will provide job listings based on your keyword search, but you’ll need to filter your results based on your search preferences.
Make sure to use the advanced search tools like “Salary Trends” to filter your search results. This feature uses over 450 million data points to give average salary ranges for various jobs. It also gives you the most popular companies that meet or exceed that range. You can also research the salary trends nationally or select your state or city to see the salary ranges according to that area. This information helps those that may be moving to a new part of the country for career opportunities. Also, knowing the salary ranges of particular tech jobs will help you to decide which tech field motivates you the most.
Set Up an Account on Indeed
The next step in getting involved in the job search is to set up an account with Indeed. You can browse the search engine without an account. But it’s best to set up an account so you can use all the features of Indeed to the fullest.
When setting up your account, set up your profile with your credentials, accomplishments, education, and other personal information. You can also set your profile to be private (your Indeed profile can only be accessed by employers you send your résumé) or public (where everyone can reach out to you).
Above all, make sure to upload your résumé to your Indeed account. This is for ease-of-use within the Indeed platform. Also, make sure you update your résumé and it matches the information on your profile. You can either create one on Indeed or upload an existing résumé. Please note that if you do upload an existing one, Indeed Resume will format your résumé so it is accessible across various devices. So you will have to double-check it for any formatting errors produced after uploading.
When going through your job searches, you can set up job alerts based on location or job title. When turned on, you will receive recurring emails from Indeed, providing you with the most recent job postings. This keeps you up to date on which companies are looking for candidates that fit your specific profile.
Additionally, clicking on the heart icon in job postings saves those job listings to your account. When you list out your potential companies, save those listings so you can go back to them later. For future developers, the My Jobs tab helps you keep a close eye on updates from the jobs that grabbed your interests. Through this tab, you can get information to reach out to the recruiter about the position or just simply apply for the position at your own time.
Apply For the Position
Now that your profile and resume are set up for your potential new tech career, it’s time to make the big leap of faith and apply to your shortlist of postings.
Most postings will tell you to apply directly on the company website, which will link you to their careers page or the job posting on their site. Some postings give you an “Easy Apply” link, which gives you quick access to submit your resume and cover letter. You can also send your contact information through this link. Additionally, it gives you the opportunity to send your Indeed resume and profile to the recruiter. The recruiter follows up by accessing the information through their Indeed account.
In some cases, jobs give you access to immediately send your résumé through the job listing , but do not allow you to use the “Easy Apply” feature. “Indeed Résumé” lets you to download your full résumé after completing it in your Indeed account. If a job posting does not offer the “Easy Apply” link, you can attach your downloaded Indeed Résumé to the listing instead.
Reach Out to Recruiters of Potential Employers
As soon as you find your list of companies that you want to pursue and apply to the ones that meet your interests, it’s time to do some networking. Many people are shy and nervous when reaching out to other people. But this does help build your character as a strong candidate for the position. Companies, especially recruiters, can connect a face or voice to the name on a résumé when you make a strong first impression. In fact, Career Karma helps people build their networks through the #21DayCKChallenge.
Many companies have Indeed accounts and post their job listings directly through Indeed. Their recruiters may post their contact information in the job posting. Please note, Indeed collects their postings from other sites like other job boards, company sites, and newspapers, so not all job postings on Indeed will give all the information you need to contact a recruiter.
If you see one of these listings, then you may have to do some Googling to find the contact information for the point of contact. In Indeed, the Company Pages tab links you to the company’s social media and news articles, giving viewers information on the latest developments. Sometimes that information will give you names of key company figure you can contact.
It’s also a good idea to follow your target companies on Indeed and social media. This will link you to people who either work or know someone who works with the company. It gives you the chance to network with employees and get the contact information that you need. These days, many recruiters use Twitter to connect with candidates. If you happen to find the hiring manager or recruiter on Twitter, you definitely should take the opportunity to reach out.
When connecting with a recruiter for the first time, ask discovery questions about the job to determine if it is the right fit for you. Indeed provides a few questions that you can ask them to break the ice and gain more information on the culture of the company and the positions.
- How did you find your job at this company?
- How would you recommend I learn more about what jobs are available here and whether I’m a good fit?
- What is your favorite thing about working here? What are the downsides?
- What advancement opportunities exist at the company?
- What is your relationship with your supervisor or manager like?
- I’ve seen a job that interests me, what is your referral process like?
- Would you be open to referring me?
Keep Track of Your Applications
Once you have done your research, applied to your desired positions, and reached out, the best thing to do is keep track of your applications. You can do this through the My Jobs feature on Indeed.
"Career Karma entered my life when I needed it most and quickly helped me match with a bootcamp. Two months after graduating, I found my dream job that aligned with my values and goals in life!"
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My Jobs helps you organize your applications as well as look at your saved jobs (those jobs that you clicked on the heart to view at a later time). You can also look at the jobs that you are interviewing for, the jobs you’ve applied to, and any offers sent to your account.
If your Indeed account is set to public, you will have a hard time keeping up with your applications if you are receiving so many offers from companies. Thousands of recruiters are looking for developers as much as job seekers are seeking out the developer jobs. It is always important that if you are seeking or exploring tech jobs, check your My Jobs tab daily to keep it organized. It would not be a worry while you are learning to code. But it is important to keep an eye on it once you are getting closer to beginning your job search.
Things to Look Out For in the Job Search
As stated before, Indeed collects jobs from many sources. But like with any job search engine, you will run into a few issues, such as duplicate listings and job scams.
Duplicate listings are more common in the job search than you think. These could be the result of companies reaching out to various media platforms for candidates. Recruiters often will send postings on several job boards and websites. Because Indeed is the ultimate job aggregator, it will find all these listings. In this case, it is best to apply to the employer’s website to be safe. Indeed will usually give a link to the employer’s website, but if they don’t, Google the company name for their website. If the name does not come up on the Google search, more than likely this is a red flag that the job is a fake listing.
This leads to the bigger issue that we have all faced no matter what we search online: scam postings. It’s important to always be alert and cautious when searching for jobs online. Scammers grow very clever every day and will pull lots of tricks when postings scam jobs online. They will either not give enough information about the company or focus too much on pay and not enough on the job itself. If you are unsure of the particular posting that gives these signs, more than likely you’ve run into a scam.
Job-Hunt.org provides information on what to do to avoid job scams in your job search.
The Last Word on Using Indeed to Find a Job in Tech
Remember when we were searching for that new car or home? Now you know why the job search is as personal as searching for that perfect fit for you. You will want to do your research to make sure that you made the right decision for you. Indeed helps people by making the job search experience as personal and magical as ever for every person.
Of all the job listings on Indeed, the ones that people run into the most are postings looking for software engineers and developers.
So the best way to prepare for your career transition into tech is to do your research. Set your standards for what you want beforehand. You may think you’re not ready for the job search yet, but looking into the market can help you discover certain jobs within the tech industry and motivate you through your coding journey. Knowing exactly what you want in your tech career sets the tone for your training, job search, and career transition in the future.
About us: Career Karma is a platform designed to help job seekers find, research, and connect with job training programs to advance their careers. Learn about the CK publication.
