Engineers know exactly what they are looking for when applying for AI/data jobs: a good salary, healthy work culture, and opportunities to grow. Have you ever considered what employers are looking for when making these hires? Knowing this can help you strengthen your applications. You can optimize your resume, prepare for interviews better, and do research.
Long-term potential/ technology of future
AI is the technology of the future. Companies who make ambitious AI and data hires are not just looking for short-term returns but also the possibility of building and achieving bigger goals such as increased market share and reduced turnover. Companies are likely to provide proper AI training to upgrade their teams. This means even if you are a mid-level professional or beginner, big companies might hire you for your potential to learn and grow.
Opportunity to add skill-based hires to their current workforce
A company is more likely to hire you if they see you contribute by adding your technical skills to their current workforce. These are common especially when you are working for industries other than tech. For example, a financial institution looking to implement AI-assisted forecasting might be willing to make AI hires than outsourcing because it provides better chances for them to reskill/upskill their existing employees.
Relevant experience
Companies will want to hire you if you have experience working in relevant fields and projects. AI and data engineers are not limited to working in the tech industry. Finance, healthcare, transportation, media, retail, and others are also on the search for the right AI/data engineers. Outside technical abilities and soft skills, knowledge and experience in the relevant/industry elevate your chances of getting hired.
Flexibility to work & soft skills
Working in AI and data projects might require you to be flexible in your work hours and environment. If you can work effectively in distributed teams your chances of getting hired are greater. Employers value soft skills. Research from Harvard University concluded that soft skills can contribute to up to 85% of job success past initial selection. Skills such as leadership and critical thinking (among others) help you stand out. Click here for a past blog for on these soft skills.
Current supply-demand talent shortage
The demand for AI and data engineers is high and companies are willing to pay a lot to hire the best talent. However, there are not enough AI specialists in the market. This talent shortage means you will get a lot of offers and opportunities once you have built a good portfolio and have the skills to back it.
Answer to “Why Should We Hire You?”
The question why an employer should choose you is common in interviews. Interviewers want to know more about your work attitude and a bit about your perspective on their company. It’s important to maintain a balance between being humble and showing how you are an ideal candidate while also answering the question. Here is a sample format showing how can you answer them.
| From what I’ve gathered from the job descriptions, you are looking for someone who will be able to [insert key responsibilities], is that accurate? Yes. In that case, allow me to share with you about a time [talk about a relevant project or scenario where your expertise helped the company/client] |
Final thoughts
Building technical skills is important to start your career as an AI/Data engineer. However, there are several other reasons employers want to hire. Having a good work ethic and a positive attitude is also important to succeed in any profession. Make sure you have all these in mind for your next job hunt.
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