Tag Archives: IT headhunters

Women in Tech

The tech industry tends to be one that is fairly male-dominated. Ask a technical recruiter how many men versus women he or she speaks to in a day when seeking to fill a Java or QA role, and you will tend not to hear the odds stacked in favor of the ladies. While this issue would have been a pet project for Third-Wave Feminists in the 1990’s[1], in the 21st century, enough equal opportunity exists in the work force these days that job types or industries dominated by one gender tends to be by employee choice (arguably). Employers with an eye for diversity may be either actively looking for employees that break with the status quo, or have an ongoing wish list to diversify if the right candidate appears.

An AOL jobs article, for example, cites the IT  job title ‘IT Network Engineer’ as one in which women consistently make 5% more than men when filling the role[2]. Their statistics, below, show that this technical position is on average a male-dominated role by 95%, with only 5% of women choosing to pursue the title, despite the fact that employers offer a compensation incentive for females.

According to Neelie Kroes, VP for the digital agenda at the European Commission, that should change. “It’s a digital world now and the digital world is for everyone. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise,” she advised[3]. Certainly, in the present professional environment, it would be hard to make the case that there is a strong contingent of women trying to break into technical roles and balance out the gender inequality. It’s more socially acceptable at the moment for women to express interest in industries where they tend to hired either more or less equally, or more than men.

If real change is going to take place in the percentage of females willing to enter the tech field, it needs to start at the interest level. Girls in high school are generally not being groomed to be tech-proficient, or encouraged to familiarize themselves with the opportunities and salary levels they could enjoy if they pursued a course of education that would qualify them for roles like the IT Network Engineer. Education initiatives like this could either increase the pool of female talent entering the tech workforce and energize the economy, or it could just prove that the effort to equalize everything may be a little unrealist. It’s possible that in general, women may tend to find more career satisfaction in non-tech roles, and maybe that’s just one of the many differences that will always exist between genders.

Sources:

[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feminist_movement

[2] http://jobs.aol.com/articles/2012/03/01/jobs-where-women-earn-more-than-men

[3] http://www.womenintechnology.co.uk/news/make-technology-more-inclusive-for-women-mep-says-news-801313746

Company Culture

One of the challenges in a job search is finding a company that has not only the right benefits, but also the right atmosphere as well. How can interviewers assess the culture of a company they haven’t yet participated in? A few cues can better help interviewers understand the company they’re interested in.

Managers have long paid close attention to the impression an interviewer conveys through their use of language, dress, and credentials. Interviewers pursuing a job that will be the right fit for them for the long term should use that information to advance their best career interests as well. The interviewer who conducts a mental interview of their own will have higher chances of selecting a position that’s a great match, equating to higher job satisfaction rates and better longevity per company.

Interviewers who prefer highly structured, corporate atmospheres will tend to have the best working relationships with managers who suit up for interviews. Interviewers who want more casual environments should look for managers who sport a business casual look to interviews. When posing interview questions, do managers use more formal language, or do they feel comfortable with a more casual verbal approach? Language can be another cue to candidates as to whether or not they want to continue the relationship past the interview.

At AVID, many of our IT jobs are filled on a project-by-project basis via contract work. A prospective candidate for these types of IT roles might never meet his or her technical recruiter face to face – or even the project manager, for that matter. For IT jobs that are fulfilled via telecommuting, the above-mentioned cues may not apply – the contracter potentially has only an impression of the recruiter and manager formed via phone interviews. In these cases, the verbal & communication style cues become more key, but at the same time, the culture fit may be less important or irrelevant if the job is primarily telecommuting-based. In scenarios where interaction with management doesn’t play into the job, the job description and duties become the central focus, and as long as the skillset is a good fit for the candidates’ background and interests, the candidate is free to count culture out of the equation.

Lastly, it’s common knowledge that interviewers should look their interviewers up on Linkedin or other professional networks to get a little background on them before the interview. Rather than assessing the interviews purely from an informational perspective, however, candidates should pay close attention to their interviewers level of education and past experience from a personal angle, to determine how high the likelihood of common ground would be if the interview goes well. The takeaway? Interviewers – start thinking a little more like you’re on the other side of the hiring table.

Referral Job Leads

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.

Are IT Recruiting Companies Using Twitter Properly?

IT staffing firms might be wondering what the purpose of using Twitter when their technical recruiters have Facebook or LinkedIn.  If they are actively using Twitter, are they maximizing its benefits to the full potential?  The IT recruiters of AVID Technical Resources are happy and willing to provide some valuable insight on how to make the best use of Twitter, especially for IT recruiting tactics!

Potential Clients

If IT headhunters are interested in working with a particular client company, get noticed by following them on Twitter.  The social media platform allows for quick response in real time.  News about upcoming layoffs, strategies, or budget expansion can also help to see potential growth and development for IT recruiting firms.  If they are having a difficult time getting in touch with companies, try tweeting at them.  For public relation purposes, companies are more willing to publicly respond to tweets versus emails.

Current Clients

Follow your current customers as a heads up for any unexpected changes or just to see how companies or IT consultants are doing.  If a prospective candidate is vocalizing his disappointment with technical recruiting companies, immediately follow up to see if you can help to satisfy both parties.  When IT contractors praise your company, retweet your well deserved compliment!  You can also use Twitter for referrals to expand your network and build your client base.

Increase SEO

Twitter allows SEO for growing companies.  By keeping your Twitter account public, your corporate account will appear in searches such as Google and Bing.  Posting links or tweeting trends also helps to get your business’ name on the internet.  Tweet relevant information to your company or interesting news to drive discussion, too.

The best part of Twitter is it only allows 140 characters per tweet, eliminating clutter and noise while getting to the point.  In today’s world, too much information is just as bad as too little, so keep it short and simple with your tweets!

Technical Recruiting Companies Responding to Your Emails?

Do you fire off emails instantaneously and always provide an update?  I will let you in on a little secret: not everyone is as prompt and efficient as you.  It can be frustrating waiting around on a response from hiring managers or IT recruiting supervisors for the go on a project or decision.  Before technical recruiters and prospective candidates assume they are being ignored, here are some reasons why you may not be getting a prompt answer back.

Did You Hit Send?

Embarrassing as it is, sometimes IT recruiting companies make honest mistakes.  An email a technical recruiter thought he sent may be sitting in limbo within their draft folder.  Did the IT recruiter accidentally send the email to the wrong person?  If so, retract the error by apologizing to the accidental recipient and immediately send the email to the correct person.

Also, check the wording in messages.  IT staffing firms may have been vague in their requests or sent their emails to multiple recipients.  If this is the case, send a message defining the request and ask a specific person for an update.  Chances are the recipients are confused as to who should respond.

Busy Signal

The recipient could be buried in work and has not yet found time for email.  If they have, they may have read it and acknowledged it, but moved it off to the side for a higher priority.  When IT headhunters experience this situation themselves, they should try replying to IT consultants and acknowledge having received the message and will provide an update shortly.  This allows the sender to know that their request is in process and has not been lost in email clutter.

Forgot

Humans forget!  Sending a follow up messages is an excellent way to remind the recipients of a request while asking for an update.  Be mindful not to follow up too often, though.  Spamming your IT recruiting firms every hour or every day for an update is a sure way to get on the recipient’s bad side.

Not Important

Some email messages do not need responses and just add to the clutter.  Before hitting send, think if this email is important.  Try picking up the phone and giving the person a call, rather than cluttering their inbox.  They may appreciate a personal message more than another new message in their inbox!

Ignoring all messages is not only rude, but it is poor business.  Think of a time you could not reach a live person.  Wasn’t it was frustrating?! Manage your own company by providing the best customer service possible!

IT Recruiting Companies Working with White Noise

Do you work in an IT staffing environment that is cluttered with noise such as music, loud talking, or random distractions?  Perhaps you work in a dead silent area where you can hear a pin drop.  If you enjoy these conditions, by all means continue working!  If you find that you are having trouble focusing, the IT recruiters of AVID Technical Resources suggest white noise to help keep you on track.

Do You Hear That?

The funny thing about white noise is you typically do not realize it’s there until it’s turned off.  White noise helps to block out static noises that could otherwise disrupt your work.  Almost every college student has hit the library to study for finals or perfect their resume, only to be irritated by the dead silent air and frequent disruption of page turning, sneezes, or pencils dropping.  With background noise in smaller areas of IT recruiting firms, these distractions are instantly reduced.  This allows individuals to focus and gather their thoughts.

Less Distracting

There are plenty of ways for technical recruiters and hiring managers to distract themselves from different background noises, but often these distractions can cause noise clutter.  If one IT recruiter is listening to his music and another chooses to drone out the other’s music with a song of his own, soon there will be chaos.  Be mindful of others when choosing your selection and keep the volume low if you choose to do this.

Some can ignore the music and continue working, but when they hear a song they are sick of, they will keep changing the song until they find one they like.  Other IT headhunters may become hung up on lyrics and cannot think clearly.  The best thing about white noise is, there are no words and the music plays itself!

Where to Get It

Your white noise might be right in your IT recruiting office.  That fan, air conditioner, or vent can provide you with the right amount of white noise to cancel out the sounds of shuffling paper or opening and closing of doors.  If the volumes of distractions are too loud, consider buying your own white noise machine or playing music.

Everyone works differently, so be mindful of your habits!

IT Recruiting Advice: Write Your Thoughts Down!

In the IT staffing industry, there are peaks of booming activity, which is great for technical recruiters and IT consultants.  But is there so much activity that IT headhunters have a habit of forgetting what needs to be done or letting tasks slip through the cracks?  Technical recruiting companies might be so busy, that you begin to forget simple procedures or have trouble grasping ideas and concepts.  Before the problem progresses, the IT recruiters of AVID Technical Resources have a simple solution: keep a notebook handy and write things down!

Less Stressful

Mentally creating a list of all the things IT staffing companies need to do is not helpful and often will make employees and hiring managers more stressed out.  Having a tangible reminder of what needs to be accomplished will help you to see where IT recruiting firms have flexibility, as well as what will take priority in order of tasks.  Also, by writing down thoughts and ideas, technical recruiters will not be drawing blanks later when they need the info the most.

Improved Understanding

You may find that you remembered the information after you wrote it down, and then think perhaps you do not need to take notes.  To jot down notes is to think about the material twice, which will help to grasp a better concept of the information and improve your memory.  By writing down material, you will be able to evaluate key facts and points and use them to your advantage at a later time.  Before you give up taking notes, remember how it helped to reinforce detail.  You might not have remembered otherwise.

More on Task

By gathering your thoughts, ideas, and tasks on paper, you are mentally preparing to complete a task and put your brain to work.  Half the battle with procrastination is just getting a plan started.  By writing things down, you might find you are more willing and ready to complete tasks, meet deadlines, and exceed expectations.

The brain can only retain so much information.  Avoid overloading yourself by putting outstanding tasks and ideas on paper.  Eventually, you will wonder how you survived without a handy notebook!

Technical Recruiters, Are You Getting Enough Sleep?

Life is too short to sleep away nights and mornings, but if you do not get enough sleep you could be ending your life too soon.  IT headhunters often pride themselves on lack of sleep and view those who indulge in the recommended eight hours as lazy or incompetent.  Before you shave off that extra hour of sleep a night, think of the consequences listed below.  You may be doing more harm than good!

Physical Effects

IT recruiters who sleep less than the recommended seven to eight hours per night make take a hit in the waist line as they eat more during the hours they are awake.  They also are more prone to diseases and conditions such as diabetes, obesity, stroke, and heart attacks.  One hour less per night for a year adds up to three hundred and sixty five hours, which is more than two weeks worth of missed sleep!  Your immune system is bound to take a hit if you are neglecting adequate rest, which will affect your performance at IT staffing companies.

Mental

Ever have a poor night of sleep and can hardly think the next morning?  This is because your brain relies on sleep to retain memory and perform cognitive skills such as creating ideas, judgments, and rational decision making.  Your ability to respond and focus will be significantly affected, which is not only a concern at IT recruiting firms, but also a safety hazard.  Put the brain on hold and give it a rest!

Emotional

Anyone who has ever experienced lack of sleep can relate to the feeling of over sensitivity and moodiness.  You may become more irritable and pessimistic which not only affects your mood, but also affects hiring managers and IT professionals around you.  Stress from poor sleep habits unintentionally hurts relationships and can cause arguments that should have been avoided.  Rather than becoming cross with others, take priority of your needs and give yourself a well rested night.  You may return to the IT staffing office feeling like a new technical recruiter!

It takes about a week to adjust to a new sleep schedule, so make the commitment and the rest should take care of itself!

IT Recruiters Should Borrow and Share Ideas

IT recruiting firms have been encouraged to be creative, unique, and think outside the box.  What happens when technical recruiting agencies run out of ideas?  How can they take a thought from someone else  and make it one of their own?  Here are some tips for technical recruiters and hiring managers to gain inspiration from others, while improving their own work ethic.

Build On an Idea

There is always room for improvement at IT staffing firms, which is why IT recruiters should take the opportunity to build upon others’ accomplishments.  If certain IT headhunters have a technique, ask for suggestions and helpful tips to improve output.  A technical recruiter may be able to add to the process or make changes that are even more beneficial.  Avoid over complicating procedures.  Just tweak the areas of weakness one step at a time.

Apply to Different Situations

Borrow ideas and apply them to personal circumstances.  If an idea is working for filling IT jobs or sifting through resumes, try implementing the plan with other tasks.  Trial and error is an excellent way to see if different processes work in multiple situations.  Do not be afraid to make mistakes and be open to suggestions.  The best way to learn from change is taking the risk with a test run and handling the consequences.

Give Credit

If a recruiter comes across a great idea, give props to the owner.  The more someone is praised for their thoughts, the more likely they will be to contribute in the future.  Stealing ideas and claiming ownership will cause others to be defensive and unwilling to share.  Be open and communicate with feedback and reviews.  Output will improve oneself, as well as helping IT recruiting companies to thrive from internal suggestions and accomplishments!

Keep It Simple at IT Recruiting Firms

An IT recruiter is assigned a project and he immediately begins planning.  After creating a plan, he realizes there may be a better way to implement the steps and scratches his initial idea.  He develops a new method, which includes different steps, but also checks and balances along the way and incorporates other IT headhunters into his work.  Before he knows it, he has overcomplicated the whole procedure when in reality he just needs to keep things simple.

To some, the idea of simplicity is boring or too easy and additional steps need to be included to feel a challenge.  Often, these supplementary steps are where mistakes are made, which may make the project more cumbersome than necessary.  Rather than over complicating tasks, here are some reasons to keep some routine tasks as simple as possible.

Less Stress

Why add extra work where it isn’t needed if it produces the same outcome?  Stressing over trivial details can make IT recruiters irritable and difficult to work with.  They may also overstep their boundaries, causing others to become frustrated with them as well.  Rather than taking on unnecessary work, try the simple route and keep it cool.

Less Wasted Time

Focusing on irrelevant details and creating new steps takes time and attention that could be used in other areas.  Rather than wasting effort on fixing something that does not require change, maintain a routine.  By perfecting the required steps, IT staffing agencies will save time to focus on other projects, such as editing resumes that may require more work.  Also, creating new ways to complete projects is a form of procrastination.  Stop procrastinating by taking the initial step!

Less Mistakes

The simplest procedure is sure to highlight any outliers or mistakes.  The more convoluted a plan is, the more likely there will be errors or failure to meet deadlines.  Keep the process smooth and avoid having multiple people handling the project.  Let others become information technology experts in certain areas to keep things moving.

While some change is beneficial at IT staffing firms, it is not always necessary and can actually hinder productivity.  Before technical recruiters implement new procedures, they should have a trial run first.  Sometimes the simplest ideas are the best ideas.