Navigating your IT career: Do you always need an official note?

The digital world is developing rapidly - and with it the demands on IT professionals. But hand on heart: Have you ever wondered if a formal conclusion is really the most important thing?

Let me make a thesis here: Doesn't it depend on your actual abilities? The typical job advertisement for the IT system administrator, whether application development or system integration, gives us exciting insights and an opportunity to talk about a topic that certainly moves many of us from the industry.

The ‘paper mindset’: A German idiosyncrasy?

In Germany, the motto often applies: Without ‘appearance’, there is no ‘being’. We all know that. The job advertisement calls for a master's or bachelor's degree, alternatively a "completed training in IT or comparable technical field" – ideally supplemented by a "further training as a technician/master, gladly with relevant professional experience". This is a clear desire for formal qualification and professional experience. And yes, this mindset is still widespread in this country.

It is a challenge if you start as a career changer or self-taught with a broad skill set that is not perfectly mapped on paper. You may be sorted out in the initial screening because the tick in the checkbox is missing. This is frustrating, because in IT everyone knows: Expertise is constantly changing. Tools and workflows are replaced by new, better processes. True expertise can be seen not only in what you have learned at some point, but above all in how quickly and flexibly you adapt and learn new things over and over again.

What international companies do differently

International or multinational corporations often have a head start here. Their focus is often less on the perfect CV, but rather on the Transfer of knowledge. They value the ability to bring in experience from different fields and also reward a broad knowledge base. You know that especially an applicant with an unconventional background often brings a new fresh perspective that enriches the team.

Instead of rigid checklists, they rely on practical review, usually directly in the interview. In the interview, you usually have to show in round two (or even three) that you can really use the required skills in the job. This is fair and more efficient than relying on one or more pieces of paper alone, at worst ‘many years ago’.

Testimony grades as showstopper

The same is true of school education. In the end, a company is no longer interested in whether I liked the math professor from the graduation class more than 20 years ago – or simply did not become ‘warm’ with the teacher for the subject of Latin and therefore this grade only reflects a very specific snapshot in the testimonial anyway. It is much more important if I have the knowledge I need to do my job well.

The "junior position" issue and reality

Another problem we often see: Companies are looking for ‘direct university leavers’, but who are best placed to have ‘at least 5 years of experience’. This is a contradiction in itself, but often serves a single purpose: the desire to fill a more favourable ‘junior position’, which, however, ideally receives the tasks of a senior position.

Here we can take a look at the big players in the industry. It is not a question of whether someone is a ‘junior’ or a ‘senior’, but of whether the person can cope with the tasks advertised. If an applicant has the necessary skills, for example to administer Windows or Linux servers, the Active Directory or the Virtualization Zoo, to maintain a network or even to build up a new conclusively, then the position and thus the remuneration should also correspond to this and not only be fixed to the title.

What can we improve? From fruit basket to real appreciation

Job advertisements are often full of typical phrases: ‘family atmosphere’, ‘free fruit basket’ or ‘team events’. Better advertisements now refer to ‘company pension plans’, ‘rebates for online shops’ or ‘advisory services for reconciling family and work’. These are all nice benefits, but at the end of the day, applicants do not opt for the job because of the fruit basket or the team events, but because of the general working conditions, medium to long-term training and promotion opportunities and definitely also simply because of the salary. Few of us should be in the fortunate position of being able to consider wages as not essential.

Suggestions for a better coexistence:

Be honest about your work-life balance: Instead of vaguely naming ‘flexible working time models and forms’, it communicates clearly. Instead of "home office option" writes "2 or 3 days a week in the office, rest mobile". Also a "Only by arrangement on-prem" is likely to celebrate many.
Away from the ‘paper’: Focus on the real skills. Let applicants show what they can do in a small, practical test. Also saves frustration for later if the notes of the applicants were too optimistic at worst and nothing stuck.
Salary transparency: Dare to write a salary range in the ad. This saves everyone involved a lot of time and shows that you value the work. Sidenote: From 2026 onwards, it will be mandatory throughout the EU.. It's easy to practice.
Promotes transfer skills: In the call for tenders, show that you also welcome newcomers who may not be able to tick off all the boxes, but who have the necessary ambition and willingness to learn. Just the other day I saw this super worded: “We like to meet people who want to grow with us”. That's how it has to be! Thumbs up.

Bye-bye fruit basket: So you recognize the dream place already at the tender

Honestly, how many times have you read a job ad and thought: ‘Really now?’ We all know them, the good-sounding phrases that promise more than they hold. We just want the facts: What awaits us, what do we have to bring and what is on the payroll at the end of the month?

The common tenders for the IT system administrator are a good example to separate the chaff from the wheat. Here are a few winking thoughts about what makes a good job ad and how to recognize the true treasures.

What you really want to know – and what you often don’t read

Basically, it's like in an online store: You see a product, but the price is not included. That makes you suspicious. The same goes for job advertisements. We need these five crucial pieces of information to make an informed decision:

Tasks of the job: What am I doing all day?
Requirements profile: What do I need to be able to do?
Payment & Level: What jumps out in the end?
Holiday days: How often can I escape the job?
Working time model & Home office: How much freedom do I have to make my day?

If the points 3, 4 and 5 are missing, this is a clear indication that you have to ask, maybe first work your way through various interview rounds before the ‘interesting questions’ are ‘allowed’ and who wants to play this game of hiding?

Beware of the Floskel trap

We've all experienced them before, the supposedly great benefits, which in reality are more like a bad joke.

The legendary fruit basket: Sounds healthy, but often the fruit looks like it's been on a trip around the world. Don't let an apple lure you into ignoring.
Complimentary drinks: If the coffee tastes like rinse water and the water is rationed, you know that the priorities are somewhere else.
Employee events and yoga classes: ‘Team spirit!’ – thinks the HR department. “Do I really have to go there?” – many of us think. Such offers are great if they are voluntary and meaningful, but they should not be a substitute for appreciation.
‘Flat hierarchies’: Sounds modern, but it often means: Everyone gets involved, responsibilities are unclear, and competition is fierce.
‘Family atmosphere’: A nice thought, but sometimes it means that the family member of the boss without qualifications plays an important role and thus creates unnecessary friction. This is then sold to you in the family environment as nest heat.

What really matters: The Real Signals

A really good job advertisement is like a hand-signed letter – personal and honest. She speaks plainly and shows that the company respects you as a professional.

This tender example shows us how to do it:

Be specific: Instead of writing only ‘flexible working hours’, it provides a clear framework. “2 days OnPrem, rest mobile working”. Zack. This creates direct trust.
Talk about salary and vacation: Transparency is a sign of strength. A salary range saves time and shows that the company values its employees.
Focus on the essentials: Nobody likes to read half a page of company history. A short section about what you do and why the job is exciting is enough. Otherwise: Looking ahead to the short and medium-term future would be much more important than the past.
Promotes transfer skills: A good call for tenders makes it happen: “You do not meet all the requirements, but you want the task and the necessary ambition? Then we are still looking forward to your application!” That is exactly the right attitude! It shows that the potential and willingness to learn are more important than a perfect CV.

It doesn't always have to be someone from the Magnificent 7 or a Fortune 500 company to implement these points. Small and medium-sized enterprises can also lead the way here. It's a rethink that drives us all forward and makes us more attractive, especially in the IT industry for talented minds.