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AVID technical recruiters employ a variety of techniques to generate leads for qualified IT candidates to contact for open positions. As a specialized IT Staffing agency, AVID looks for a range of skills in prospective candidates that is more focused & less broad than a standard staffing firm that places positions across every industry. AVID Companies tend to prefer internal referrals for candidates when trying to place open positions because there’s a higher chance that they’ll be a good fit if hired. While the referral process often comes to play for companies placing permanent positions, candidates seeking contracting work and recruiters working with them might be well served by taking note of this trend. With contract projects generally at shorter durations than the amount of time employees spend in permanent positions before changing companies, contract employees have a greater potential for a referral list of candidates with more flexibility to start projects on short notice than permanent employees can afford.

Contract candidates who keep a mental list of candidates for referral purposes to provide to recruiters they work with, and check in with recruiters regularly to update them on fellow industry professionals seeking work can use the referral system to their advantage just as perm employees do. By keeping in mind other industry professionals seeking work, candidates can refer contacts to recruiters, and potentially enjoy the benefit of having a friend for a coworker. Perks on the side for the referring candidate can include a small monetary compensation for referrals that winds up placed, depending on the policies of the staffing firm. Contract candidates will likely have more business contacts with other contractors than employees who have spent the majority or all of their careers in perm positions, so for each new contractor a contracted employee refers a potential new network of referrals has been added to the recruiting rep’s base of resources.

The bonus for recruiters is a happy candidate placed in a company that’s a good fit for the duration of the contract. Contractors and recruiters can keep the concept of referrals in mind, and leverage their networking bases for better matches for both sides of the staffing equation.