A few weeks ago, Travelfusion came to campus to talk about career options with a computer science degree, and they gave us some great information about the tech industry. In this two-part blog we draw on their industry insights and advice from our very own Careers Consultants to bring you top tips for applying to – and landing – a job in tech!
Travelfusion is a leading tech company, working to organise the maze of travel content accessible online to provide access to hundreds of ferry, car, air, hotel, and travel website through a single interface. Headquartered in London, with offices in Shanghai, Travelfusion has invigorated the travel industry, and now books 4% of the world’s travel! We caught up with Travelfusion’s Karin Parnaby, Recruitment Partner, and Nodir Siddikov, Ops Core Developer and King’s alum, to get the low down on what makes a brilliant candidate.
What is the thing you would have wanted to do/know during University years that you didn’t and has given you difficulties after graduation?
Nodir: For one, doing an internship during student years is something I missed. Graduating from university with job skills and being ready to jump into [the] professional field is something most employers appreciate. It would also have helped me build my professional network much earlier. Also, learning outside of my curriculum was also something I should’ve spent more time on. When graduated, I realised the knowledge and skills I learned at university are not enough in the professional world. [The professional world] is so agile, and catching up with the latest trends now requires significant effort from my side.
Which career website(s) do you mostly use to advertise job openings?
Karin: We use university career portals, LinkedIn, Indeed, Reed.
Can you give an example of a project that you found in a CV and that made you think “I want that person in my company”?
Nodir: Examples could be any pet projects, hackathon projects where a candidate showed an initiative, explored the unknown, learned some lessons, made measurable progress, and meaningful contributions. If those project deliverables (source code, design decisions, executable files, etc.) are published in public domain, such as on GitHub, Medium platform or on the AppStore, then it shows candidate’s dedication to the profession.
What is something people tend to put in their CV to make them stand-out but has the opposite effect instead?
Karin: Photos and graphics, which are not needed.
How do you expect someone to demonstrate their personality traits in an interview? How do you evaluate them?
Karin: I look for a professional approach, eye contact, articulate, open candidates. Candidates must be able to engage even if they find it difficult. Lots of role play and practice will help. Be prepared to expand answers and not give a simple yes or no.
The King’s Careers Take: So if you’re in the action stage of your career planning, you now know where to look for roles (including our very own King’s CareerConnect), how to engage with your interviewer, and some common CV pitfalls to avoid, and you should be well on your way to crafting a brilliant application. Read our Keats pages for more CV, cover letter, and LinkedIn advice. You can even use InterviewStream to practice your interview technique – read about how to access their subscription through King’s.
Don’t worry if you haven’t got an internship before you graduate – part-time work, undertaking courses and being able to demonstrate industry knowledge all demonstrate commitment to the role (more of this in Part Two!). Use our King’s CareerConnect job board to search for roles, attend employer events. You can even listen back to previous Discover Careers In… panel events to grow your industry knowledge.
Check back soon for Working in Tech Part Two!