The technology sector was particularly hard hit Great Resignationleaving organizations facing a shortage of qualified candidates for more than a million job vacancies.
At the same time, CIOs and CFOs have begun to slow the rate of new IT job creation and hiring due to inflation and recession fears, a recent report from research firm Janco Associates.
Still, U.S. tech firms added workers for the 22nd straight month, and companies across a range of industries hired about 84,000 new tech workers in September, according to the latest data. Engineering Jobs Report from CompTIA.
However, the Great Retrenchment caused by the pandemic has led to another labor-related phenomenon, skill-based hiring; companies focused less on degrees and much more about knowledge and experience based on the real world.
Even with an overabundance of tech jobs, interviewing for a new company or a new position within your existing organization can be nerve-wracking for both workers coming into the industry and technologists who have worked in the field for years. Honing your interview techniques will give you an edge the next time you sit in front of a hiring manager.
The chaseIT Director of Chase Gill Haus
Gill House is the Head and Chief Information Officer of Consumer and Community Banking (CCB) at JPMorgan Chase, one of the world’s oldest financial services companies. The bank currently has hundreds of technological positions.
House suggested Computer world his tips on interviewing techniques for technologists. Below are House’s responses to Computer world questions:
What’s your best interview tip for technologists looking to work at Chase – what’s particularly impressive to you? “We are looking to hire technologists with software development experience. However, you don’t need a traditional computer science degree to get a software engineering job at Chase. We value diverse skill sets, including determination, resilience and adaptability. We are actively recruiting candidates with a variety of skills.”
What are the top three to five interview tips you can offer an applicant? “I believe it is very important for all applicants to learn about the state of the digital banking sector, current trends and future prospects. It’s always great when candidates show enthusiasm for the developments we’re working on in digital and mobile banking and share their own new ideas. Everyone is interacting with money, and many of those interactions are happening digitally, so it’s a great time to be banking.
“But experience in this field is not mandatory. In fact, we have benefited from hiring people from a wide variety of industries and professions. It helps us collaborate better and innovate as a team.”
How has the pandemic changed where Chase looks for talent? Are you less concerned about finding talent that can work in person? “Since the beginning of the pandemic, we have learned a lot about remote work, including how to do it on board new employees. Today, our technology team uses a hybrid model where technologists split their time between working remotely and working in the office. Hybrid work is the best of both worlds because it allows for flexibility and the workdays are fundamental to building a team culture, working together on a whiteboard, brainstorming and building relationships.”
What percentage of remote interviews do you conduct today compared to pre-pandemic? “During the pandemic, video conferencing has become more popular. The widespread use of this technology has made it easier for us and for candidates to schedule time for interviews. We also continued to conduct face-to-face interviews.”
Do you have any suggestions for managers and prospective employees on how to prepare for and conduct a remote versus face-to-face interview? “Be present and active. Do your homework before speaking with the interviewer or candidate. Most importantly, be yourself. It’s a great opportunity for the candidate to get to know you better as a leader, as well as for you to get to know the candidate.”
What is more important to you, the skills an employee can list on a resume, or degrees and other education? “It’s less about what you know than how open you are to learning new things and growing as a technologist. We are looking for candidates who have the ability and willingness to learn and collaborate with their peers.
“However, there are some traits that can help a technologist stand out. Hard skills [such as] Financial Literacy: Take the time to learn the basics of finance and learn industry terms; this will provide a valuable foundation early in your career.
“[Another hard skill is] Knowledge of AI/ML. Learn how it applies to finance and explore the use cases. By no means do you need to be an expert, but make sure you can talk about it at a high level and be open to growth and learning opportunities.
“Soft skills: An intellectual curiosity about technology trends and what’s happening in the industry is essential. But it’s also about being curious when it comes to how your friends and family use and interact with technology. What is missing? What can make life easier for them?”
How have Chase’s professional qualifications changed for technical roles, especially in light of the Great Resignation? Today, a college degree is no longer required for more positions? “With technology evolving faster than ever, we continue to grow our technology hiring pipeline. We welcome early-career tech talent from a wide variety of professions—traditional universities, coding bootcamps, and workforce development programs—and we offer development and training programs to fill any technical skills gaps.
“Ours Tech Connect program is a great example of how we reach talent with diverse backgrounds and backgrounds. After completing a rigorous face-to-face training program, participants progress to our software engineering program and can then advance their careers by moving into software development roles. In addition to technical skills, the program offers workshops, alumni panels, peer mentoring, and a guest speaker series to further professional development and highlight the community.”
What bootcamps or certifications stand out among job candidates? “Candidates who come with experience and skills in data science/analytics, artificial intelligence, etc. are a plus, but we also offer training opportunities for those who don’t.”
What tech jobs at Chase are the most popular or the ones you need the most? “We have hundreds of open positions across the country, so our teams actively review applications from job candidates to help meet the firm’s staffing needs.”
Copyright © 2022 IDG Communications, Inc.
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