IT recruiting

Tips For Better Research Before Your IT Job Interviews

You’ve probably already heard from your IT recruiters that you need to research a company before going to interview for IT jobs there.  Besides brushing up on relevant technologies and skills for the role, any IT staffing firms will tell you that knowing about the company is the most imperative part of interview prep.  If you really want to stand out, though, you need to direct your research in a more targeted way than simply Googling the company.  Here are 2 ways that IT recruiting companies would suggest you approach your research.

1. Look for what the company is proud of.  Your first step here may be just asking your technical recruiters if they can list anything for you, as they know the client best.  Next, check the company’s website for a press or awards page.  If they don’t have anything like this, be sure to Google the company to see if they’ve been honored or achieved anything impressive.  Being able to rattle off some of the company’s recent achievements or awards will help build a nice rapport with your interviewer because it gives them a moment to feel positive—and perhaps direct some of the positivity towards you!  Additionally, knowing this information shows that you’re knowledgeable about the company.  If you think it will sound natural, try to note some of these points in speaking about why you want to work with the company.

2. Look for information about the company’s competitors or industry.  Plenty of IT staffing agencies work with candidates who research the company itself.  You can set yourself apart by extending beyond this view to a bigger picture.  Are there major issues in this company’s industry?  Interesting new technologies that competitors are using?  If you can find a way to briefly mention this kind of information in your interview, your IT recruiting firms are likely to hear some great feedback about you.

 

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Go beyond getting basic facts about the companies you interview at. Photo credit: FirmBee via Pixabay.

 

Why Do IT Recruiters Need Your Most Updated Resume?

When you’re searching for new IT jobs, polishing up your resume is important whether you’re working with IT recruiting firms or not.  While it’s obvious that you need to update your own resume when you’re searching on your own, many candidates assume that IT staffing companies will update their resumes for them.  While technical recruiters do go over your resume and lightly edit it, they can’t provide a great portrait of your career if you can’t give them something to work with.

It behooves you to give the best, most polished version of your resume to your IT recruiters because you are the person who knows your career and professional achievements best.  Your IT recruiting agencies will know how to tailor what you give them to entice a hiring manager. Think about the process like cooking.  Your IT recruiting companies might be the chefs, but even the best chefs can’t cook something great if they’re missing half the ingredients for the recipe.

Remember that as the candidate, you’re very invested in the outcome of this process.  If your IT staffing firms can’t send over a great resume for you, you’re not going to land any IT jobs.  So take the time to give them a great, general resume to work from.  It may yield you a great IT job in the end!

 

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Take the time to update that IT resume, it will be worth it in the end! Photo credit: StartupStockPhotos via Pixabay.

 

How to (Gracefully) Leave Work for IT Job Interviews

When you’re searching for new IT jobs with your technical recruiters, you may feel awkward or guilty for leaving work for interviews.  Leaving work to go on the interviews your IT recruiting firms set up may make you feel nervous that your boss and/or coworkers will find out you’re searching for new roles. Here’s how to deal with that anxiety or guilt.

Firstly, remember that everyone leaves work or calls out to go on an interview at some point.  Taking time to go to the interviews your IT staffing agencies have set up isn’t shameful or wrong.  Truthfully, most employers would expect that you’d do this at some point—even if etiquette dictates that you don’t share it with them. This is especially true if you’re an IT contractor.

Secondly, approach taking time for interviews as though you were taking time for any other legitimate appointment.  When your technical recruiters set you up with an interview, simply request time off for an appointment.  IT recruiting companies would suggest that you don’t create an elaborate lie or try to be too secretive.  Most bosses and coworkers won’t pry for more information if you simply state that you have an appointment you’ll need to use some of your earned PTO for.  IT staffing firms would also suggest that you focus on the fact that you earned this PTO.  It’s your paid time off that you worked for.  You get to use it for whatever appointments you need to attend.

Lastly, remember to be focused on what’s really important: how you perform in your interview.  Leaving work for the interviews your IT recruiting agencies set up isn’t the important part.  Save your energy for really impressing your interviewers!

 

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Don’t fret about asking for time off for IT job interviews. Photo Credit: Unsplash via Pixabay.

 

 

Boost Your Confidence in IT Job Interviews With This Tip

IT recruiters find that many candidates are nervous when they interview for IT jobs.  If you usually feel a little anxious before you go on the interviews your IT staffing companies set you up for, here’s one way to feel more confident: have an anecdote ready that highlights a skill or two listed in the job description.

Here’s how to implement this technique.  Firstly, make sure you get at least a basic job description from your technical recruiters.  Read this over closely and try to pick out something beyond the technical requirements.  Your interviewers know that your IT recruiting firms have already had you brush up on these skills.  What will really impress your interviewer is if you look for the more intangible requirements.  For example, look for statements in the job description that mention the ability to juggle multiple projects at once, or highlight customer service skills.

Now, think about a time you demonstrated these skills.  Craft a short anecdote that you can easily recount (without sounding like you’re reading from a script).  Your IT staffing agencies are very likely to get positive feedback if you can speak directly to the job description and do it in a concrete way.  Your story will demonstrate you have the skills they need.  This helps your interviewers picture you succeeding in the role.  Practice telling this anecdote a few times in the mirror or with a family member or friend.  When you get to the interview, you can feel confident that you have this ace in your back pocket—and your IT recruiting companies may just call you with a job offer!

 

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Check the IT job description for qualities that you can create a powerful anecdote about. Photo credit: janeb13 via Pixabay.

 

Turn Your IT Job Interview Into A Home Run With This Tip

One way IT staffing firms suggest you can strengthen your interview performance is by asking a great question at the end.  IT recruiting companies find that great questions are always helpful in strengthening your candidacy.  However, they’re especially powerful at the end of the interview.  Your interviewer is more likely to remember you well if one of the last things you do is ask a great question.  Here’s a question or two that IT staffing companies would suggest: Who are the successful people in your company or team and what makes them valuable? Conversely, why have other people failed in this role?

There are a few reasons why technical recruiters find that these two questions are effective.  Firstly, asking them shows that you’re thinking deeply about what the company and team need.  Most people ask about the role and the job description.  This question delves into how somebody in this particular role, at this particular company could succeed.  Since sometimes the same role can look very different at different companies, your interviewer will really appreciate these questions.

Your IT recruiting agencies would also urge you to ask these questions because they show that you’re interested in more than just landing the job. When you ask questions like this, you’re suggesting that you want to find a job that’s a good fit—both on your end and for the company.  IT staffing agencies never find that companies just want to get anybody into their open IT jobs quickly.  Hiring managers want somebody who can do the work well and enjoys working in that team.  A bad fit always results in lost money, lost time, and hurts the IT professional, hiring company, and IT recruiting firms.  Nobody wants that.  So next time you really want to establish your candidacy, ask these questions.  They’ll make a big impression on your interviewer and your IT recruiters.

 

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Asking about who succeeds at a company (and why) many get you the IT job. Photo credit: Jerry Kimbrell via Pixabay.

 

Why Saying ‘No’ Is Important for Your IT Job Search

When you’re working with IT recruiting agencies to find new IT jobs, you may feel as though you should say you’re very interested in every role your IT recruiters want to submit you for—even if you’re not.  Maybe you’re concerned that your technical recruiters won’t work with you if you say no to role.  Perhaps you are anxious to land a new job and think you should take anything your IT staffing companies offer you. The truth is, it’s important to say no to roles that you’re not interested in. Here’s why you should take a deep breath and curb this instinct to just say yes to every role your IT recruiting firms present.

Ultimately, it’s not good for you or your IT staffing agencies if you land a role that you’re not happy in or not adequately prepared for.  There are plenty of reasons IT professionals might take a job they’re not a hundred percent interested in.  Maybe they are desperate for a new job.  Maybe they’re desperate for a new job with a higher salary.  Whatever the reason, you won’t really gain much when you land a job that you don’t feel at least reasonably comfortable in and can succeed at.  When you’re in a job you hate or are ill-prepared for, you’re almost guaranteed to need to leave it quickly—or possibly be fired.  This isn’t ideal for you or your IT recruiting companies.  When you’re searching for a new job, you want something you’ll enjoy, be great at, and be able to stay in for a year at least (unless it’s a set short term contract).  Anything you stay at for a shorter time will probably just cause you more stress, unhappiness, and mar your resume.  Your technical recruiters don’t want to place you in a job you leave quickly or are fired from.  This damages their relationship with the company that employs you.

The moral of the story?  Be honest with your IT recruiters and don’t tell them to submit you for jobs you don’t think you can do well and be happy in.  Even if you have to wait for a job that you are happy with and can excel at, this will yield the best outcome for you (and thus your IT staffing firms, too).

 

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You don’t want to land an IT job you don’t think you’d be at least reasonably happy doing.

 

Don’t Lie to Your IT Recruiters About This

When you’re working with IT recruiters to find a new role, there are some things you might be tempted to exaggerate or potentially even lie about.  Obviously honesty really is the best policy, but it’s worth noting that you will hurt your search for IT jobs (and possibly your career) if you lie about your technical skills, experience, etc to your technical recruiters.

Some IT professionals are tempted to exaggerate or flat out lie to IT staffing firms about qualifications.  They might be tempted to tell IT recruiting firms that they have more experience using a programming language or working in an end-user facing role. While this might seem like a good way to land a job in the short run, it’s very likely to land you in hot water in the long run.  One consequence of your lies to your IT recruiting companies could be that they or the interviewing manager may figure out you’re lying or exaggerating.  If this is the case, you’ll definitely ruin your reputation with both.  Neither this potential employer, nor your IT recruiting agencies will want to work with you after realizing you lied to them.  Worse, they may also share this information about you with other contacts in the industry and further ruin your reputation.

Even if you do land the job you lied to your IT staffing agencies to get, you might find yourself in a role that you’re not equipped to succeed in.  If you exaggerated your experience or proficiency with certain technologies, you may find that you can’t actually perform the way your new employer expects.  This could mean you get disciplined or even fired.  It will also mean that your IT recruiting companies will see you as a less than desirable candidate to work with again.  If you say you have certain skills, it will certainly ruin your reputation if you can’t prove you have them.  Getting fired or just performing at a sub-par level will obviously hurt your career a bit, too.  You want to be as successful as possible in every job you take.  While it’s not possible to be the top employee in every job, it’s like shooting yourself in the foot to guarantee you’ll fail in a job by lying about your qualifications.

 

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Don’t lie to your IT recruiters about your experience– it will only hurt you in the end. Photo credit: Geralt via Pixabay.

 

 

Don’t Ask This in Phone Interviews for IT Jobs

In a previous blog post, we mentioned two mistakes IT recruiters see candidates make in phone interviews.  Today we’ll explore one more phone interview mistake that can ruin your candidacy for IT jobs.  Especially if you’re working with IT staffing agencies, do not ask about benefits, vacation time, compensation, or flexible work schedules.

Why do IT recruiting companies strongly suggest you hold off on discussing these topics during the phone interview?  Firstly, the time you spend on the phone with a hiring manager will be precious—phone interviews are often particularly short.  Especially in the first phases of interviewing, you need to make sure every second is used to strengthen your candidacy for the IT jobs you’re interviewing for.  When you’re working with IT recruiting firms, they’re likely negotiating these items for you anyways.  Take advantage of this!  It means that you get to target every statement and question towards showing your interest in the work, showing off your relevant experience, and showcasing your technical knowledge.

Secondly, it may appear that you’re out of touch with professional norms if you try to broach these topics so early in the hiring process.  Technical recruiters find that often these topics aren’t discussed until an offer is made.  Since the phone interview is usually the first interview (often more of a pre-interview), you’re really jumping the gun by asking about compensation, benefits, etc at that time.  From here, it becomes too easy for interviewers to question how many other professional norms you’re not aware of.  So play it safe—save your questions about pay, vacation days, etc for your IT staffing companies, not your phone interviews with hiring managers!

 

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Don’t start asking about compensation on a phone interview– you may never land the IT job. Photo credit: Brett_Hondow via Pixabay.

 

 

 

2 Phone Interview Mistakes that Will Cost You the IT Job

When your IT staffing firms set you up for phone interviews, you might feel like there’s less pressure or it’s less intimidating than an in-person interview.  Don’t make this mistake!  IT recruiting agencies see too many great IT candidates fail phone interviews because they’re too relaxed.  In particular, here are two major mistakes that could lose you the IT jobs you’re interviewing for.

  1. Being ill-prepared. Your IT recruiters will likely give you a scheduled time and day for the interview.  Plan to be in a quiet space with good reception (or better yet, use a landline). Research the company and familiarize yourself with any technologies your IT staffing companies note that you’ll be asked about.  Practice with a family member or friend if it’s been a while since your last phone interview.
  2. Being unfocused. Sometimes technical recruiters find that candidates will give more rambling, chatty answers on phone interviews.  Since the phone is usually a more social medium, it can be easy to fall into this pattern.  Try to remember that on some level, your phone interview is just a more condensed version of your in-person interview.  Your IT recruiting firms want you to give solid, comprehensive answers that don’t keep the interviewer on the phone for an excessively long time.

 

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Being too chatty on your phone interviews won’t win you the IT job. Photo credit: niekverlaan via Pixabay.

 

Go Beyond Basic Questions in Your IT Job Interviews

The IT professionals who perform best at interviews for IT jobs are often the ones who ask great questions.  IT recruiters understand why you want to ask some of the basic questions.  You shouldn’t hesitate to ask the (appropriate) questions that you are genuinely interested in answers to.  However, technical recruiters would absolutely recommend that you ask some questions that go beyond this information.  Here’s one that will make a great impression on your interviewer: Do you have a busy season or seasons?  Are there any major deadlines coming up that you can anticipate for projects, etc?

Why do IT staffing agencies recommend you ask questions like this? Firstly, it shows that you’re considering the role in a more comprehensive way.  IT recruiting companies have the best luck placing candidates who are thinking about every aspect of the role and if/how they could succeed in it.  Asking about busy times and deadlines shows a more detailed consideration of the expectations for this role.

Secondly, IT staffing companies would suggest that asking a version of this question shows foresight and an ability to plan.  It helps your candidacy to show that you’re the kind of person who is organized, plans things out, and pays attention to other people’s schedules.  IT recruiting firms find that candidates who can show initiative and manage their own time are especially valuable, as they can do things like meet deadlines in big projects or respond to client or end user inquiries quickly with minimal oversight.

 

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Asking about busy times and anticipated deadlines makes you look like a better candidate for IT jobs. Photo credit: Unsplash via Pixabay.