Tag Archives: IT headhunters

Why IT Professionals Should Write Short Emails

IT recruiters, IT contractors, and IT managers are all too aware of the frustrations of receiving long-winded emails at their IT jobs.  IT professionals in any part of the Information technology field know that long emails not only take up too much time in a fast-paced industry, but also tend to be less effective in communicating the point.  There is even an official five sentence maximum email movement (called simply the Five Sentences movement).  Here are a few ways for IT consultants and IT headhunters to shorten their emails.

  1. Before writing, figure out your purpose.  What are you trying to say?  Encapsulate that in a few sentences.  Don’t spend the email trying to figure out what needs to be said.  Do it before you start typing.
  2. Cut pleasantries.  You don’t have to be rude in an email, but it’s also unnecessary to say things like ‘Hope you’re doing well.’  You can safely assume people already know you wish them well, especially if you talk to them often.
  3. Be confident.  It can take a little courage to send shorter emails, but short, clear emails are the calling card of some very successful people.  Steve Jobs and Jeff Bezos are some great examples in the IT field.

 

Handling Bad Days Gracefully in IT

Just as in any industry, a few bad days here and there are inevitable at IT jobs.  IT recruiters, IT contractors, and IT managers alike all have tough days at work now and then.  The thing that separates truly great IT consultants from average or poor ones is how they handle these bad days at work—particularly if they have reports. Tackling bad news or a lost client gracefully is the kind of thing that almost beats out sparkling resumes.  Here’s how to do that:

1. Keep it quiet.  Venting about a problem at work won’t do you, your reports, or your managers any favors.  Better to save the venting for home and focus on just getting the issue resolved.  Keeping a positive attitude in the face of hardship will absolutely get noticed by IT headhunters, coworkers, reports, and managers, so why not do it?

2. Take a quick mental- or physical- vacation to calm yourself if needed.  Keep a few funny videos, articles, or websites stored in your phone or on your computer (depending on office policy) for some comedic relief.  Use them when you’re having a rough time.  Or go for a walk outside if you can.  Whatever method you use, calming yourself will make it much easier to focus on fixing the problem, rather than fighting through your own emotional response to it.

3. Avoid others until you are no longer NSFW- particularly any of your bosses.  Better not to risk taking frustrations out on others, because this will be remembered, too.  (Take this advice into consideration if you ever notice others at work having a bad day, too!  If a coworker or boss has some kind of personal or work-related issue going on, try to tactfully steer clear until it’s resolved.)

 

How to Handle Conflicts in Your IT Team

It’s no secret that IT headhunters prize IT consultants with sparkling resumes and who never cause conflicts in their teams.  However, there’s just no way that most IT professionals will complete all IT jobs without a single conflict- whether with IT managers or coworkers.  Below are a few ways IT contractors can handle conflicts well at work.

1. Start by framing things from the other person’s perspective.  Consider their values and priorities.  Using somebody else’s priorities to sell them on your own opinion will always be slightly more successful.  (Don’t close yourself off to the possibility that you may want to change your opinion, too!  Sometimes reframing things can force you to notice something your opponent was correct about.)

2. Make yourself vulnerable and pose the other person as expert.  If somebody’s idea is creating an issue for you, your team, or your work, try posing this problem to them—but as a special issue you find them uniquely qualified to fix.  Giving them the ego boost, placing yourself as vulnerable, and posing the issue as a question nearly eliminates the air of conflict.

3. Don’t use the word ‘but’ in your negotiations.  Use the word ‘and.’ It seems like a small thing, but when you say ‘and’ it tells the other person you’re taking their view into consideration too.  Saying ‘but’ tells them you oppose their view and are negating it.  You won’t get anywhere if the other person feels like you are completely negating what they say.

 

Researching Companies Before IT Job Interviews

Most IT headhunters will advise their IT contractors to research a company before they go to interviews for IT jobs.  And for most IT contractors, it’s certainly not the first time they’ve heard that advice.  What IT professionals don’t often think about before interviews is how to research an information technology company.  IT managers aren’t simply impressed if IT consultants can throw out a few random facts.  There are a few things that should guide the research one does before interviewing with a company.

1. Focus on the big picture. Get a bigger sense of the company.  Consider looking at it from the 5 questions a journalist uses: Who, what where, why, how.  Who does the company serve, who are the big players there?  What are the company’s core values, future goals, etc.  Where are the major locations for a company: its headquarters, its clients, markets it hopes to grow into.  Why does the company do what it does?  How does the company achieve its goals? And so on.

2. Ignore the stuff that’s too personal.  Social media, Glassdoor, etc all make it far too easy to learn the gossip and scandals of a company’s employees.  Pay attention to things that will affect you as an employee but forget the rest.  It won’t help you to know it and it will probably hurt you.

3. Check the company’s presence online.  In the news, on their website, in the press room of their website, and with a general Google search.  Being able to give the company back some of the image they’ve created for themselves will definitely earn you some brownie points. Focus on the positive, of course.

Brooklyn: IT’s Newest Home

IT staffing agencies and IT headhunters are used to seeing an ever-growing concentration of information technology companies (particularly startups) in California, but Brooklyn seems to be starting its own colony of startups now, too.  IT recruiting agencies and IT recruiters are finding more and more interesting opportunities for their IT contractors on the East coast as the Brooklyn Tech Triangle slowly expands.

The Brooklyn Tech Triangle, arguably the start of this Brooklyn boom, was started in March 2012 by some local non-profits seeking to build the economy of the area.  Since this very successful launch, a steady flow of tech companies have come to Brooklyn, seeking a haven for like-minded companies, IT consultants, and IT managers, as well as surprisingly low rents.  In addition to boosting the local economy, the companies have also brought with them some new career possibilities for minorities in New York City and its surrounding suburbs.  The number of minorities in IT has jumped significantly.  Brooklyn, New York City and its citizens, and IT all seem to be winning with this newfound home on the East coast.

 

How to deal with Distractions in IT

Information technology as a field is already fraught with distractions for IT professionals.  Add in the effect of technology itself, including smartphones, social media, and the ever-increasing allure of the internet, and IT contractors and IT managers are constantly under siege from distractions.  Some studies show that the average worker is distracted every 3 minutes, to be exact.  Below are some methods by which IT consultants and IT headhunters can reduce distractions at their IT jobs.

Carve out time for deep thinking:  Blocking off time to work alone and without distraction from the phone, coworkers, or the internet can be incredibly useful.  It’s easy to get through because it’s finite—you aren’t unavailable all day, just for perhaps the length of a meeting or a long meeting.

Talk to people in person or on the phone: Making inquiries on social media or via email can mean several interruptions in the form of messages.  Have one conversation in which you deal with all aspects of an issue in person or on the phone.  Then move on to get the work done.

Reduce and schedule email time: Emails are distracting.  If possible stop answering them as they come in.  This only increases your emails in the future.  Instead, schedule a few times a day and answer and write emails then and only then.  Turn off email notifications and try to make people aware of your system if it helps them.  They may even want to try it themselves!

 

Factors to Control in Your IT Job Interviews

Technical recruiters prepare the IT consultants (and their resumes) working with them as thoroughly as possible for interviews for IT jobs.  However, there are a few things that IT contractors need to control themselves to make sure their job interviews go as well as possible.

Time:  While IT headhunters will make sure interviews occur at times that work for IT managers, the best thing you can do is to try to get your interview scheduled as closely as possible to Tuesday at 10:30 am.  This day and time are the ones in which research shows people to be most awake, alert, focused on work, and to feel the least rushed.

Space:  Do you best to show the utmost respect for the interviewing company’s space.  Wait until you’re asked to be seated to sit.  Don’t roam seeking water fountains or a bathroom—ask a receptionist. Don’t leave marks on any tables or chairs, and throw away any garbage you might create while you’re there.  You want to give the impression that you are going to do nothing but improve things for the company.  Leaving behind any damage or disrespectful impressions will not help your case.

Eye contact: Make comfortable eye contact with everyone you meet, even the receptionists or any doormen or drivers the company employs that you come in contact with.  Don’t be fawning or make eye contact that is too intense or uncomfortable.  Simply make sure you convey interest in what people have to say, confidence in yourself, and ease in dealing with people in any station.

Physical Appearance: Be well groomed and try to dress in a way that fits in well with the company culture (albeit the formal side of it).  If your appearance feels somewhat familiar to your interviewers, this might work in your favor.  Portraying yourself as a cultural fit for the company visually is certainly not going to hurt your chances!

 

Should IT Professionals Shake Hands During Cold and Flu Season?

IT recruiters and IT professionals from Boston to Los Angeles are finding themselves in the midst of cold and flu season.  While there are plenty of issues that come with cold and flu season, one of the most surprising is dealing with handshakes.  Everyone in the Information technology field, from IT headhunters to IT managers to IT consultants, all are likely to be faced with a situation that requires a handshake.  Sometimes it’s for interviews for IT jobs or sometimes it’s merely for an introduction. Whatever the case, though, a simple gesture becomes a bit of a minefield when one party is sick.

So what should be considered if IT contractors or IT professionals find themselves in a moment where a handshake is necessary, but they or the other party is sick?  The handshake is a surprisingly important gesture in American business culture.  It’s best to do everything you can to not avoid making it.  Washing your hands ahead of time, taking cold or flu medication, and using hand sanitizer discreetly are all acceptable ways to sanitize a handshake so it’s safe for both parties.   Doing these and still shaking your business acquaintance’s hand is preferable to withholding a handshake.  If you are the one who is well, simply shake the other person’s hand and proceed to wash your hands well afterwards.   The likelihood of avoiding a cold simply by avoiding a handshake is relatively low anyways.  Most viruses are airborne or wind up being unavoidable during this season.  Why possibly hurt a business relationship for only a slightly likely edge for your health?

 

How to Interview Your Next Boss in IT

Bosses have a surprising amount of power in IT contractors’ lives.  Having a good one can make your time at work pleasant.  Having a bad one can make your time at work terrible and possibly ruin your time out of work, too (perhaps too many off duty calls or just sleepless nights worrying about his or her next blowup).  It’s crucial to make sure that as you interview for IT jobs, you are honest with your IT recruiters about what kind of IT managers you work best under.  It’s also crucial that you interview your potential boss thoroughly on your next job interview.

Interviewing your potential boss as they interview you requires some nuance.  IT recruiters prefer not to work with IT consultants who are too demanding or difficult, because they don’t tend to come off well in interviews—no matter how impressive their resumes are.  It’s imperative to ask questions that will subtly reveal what you need to know about a potential manager. Your intention should be to gain the information you need without demanding it.

So what is the information you need to decide if a manager will be a good leader for you?  This will vary from person to person, but a few major categories are pretty universal. Asking about somebody’s management style will give you some good ideas about how they lead.  So will asking about the best and worst employees they’ve worked with.  It’s helpful to know what they think of as a successful employee and one worth firing.  Depending on how the conversation goes, you may feel comfortable enough to throw out your own expectations of a manager.  Try posing these expectations as your best case scenario. If your potential boss seems amenable to all or most of them, you may have found your perfect future boss.

 

Red Flags to Watch for in IT Job Hunting

Good IT recruiters want to put their IT contractors in IT jobs where they fit both in terms of the skills on their resumes and the workplace culture.  While IT headhunters can do their best to try to make good matches for workplace culture, IT consultants can do the most to make sure they wind up in a job with a great boss and good coworkers.  There are two kinds of red flags to watch out for in interviews: Red flags that indicate your boss will be difficult to work for and red flags that indicate the company culture is too toxic for you.

Though a single red flag isn’t really enough to avoid a job on its own, a few or more of these signs will show you that you may not be compatible with this boss.  If your interviewer comes in very late, hasn’t read your resume at all previous to the interviewer, or checks email and/or takes calls during the interview, it’s worth considering how much guidance you need from a boss.  If you rely heavily on a boss who is organized and provides pretty frequent direction, this isn’t the boss for you.  Their inability to be prepared and focus on the interview at hand shows quite a bit about how they’ll act during the regular work day.  On the other hand, if you prefer to work as autonomously as possible, these signs aren’t necessarily a problem.

Another major red flag to notice is how your interviewer/potential boss  speaks of the person who holds or previously held the position.  If he or she is warm and commends the person, this is a great sign.  However, if your potential boss skirts the issue of the previous person who held the role, or trashes them outright, take time to consider how you deal with difficult personalities.  If they don’t bother you, it’s not an issue.  If you need to have a positive, friendly relationship with your boss to be productive, however, this may not the job for you.

The last red flag that IT staffing agencies would want their IT professionals to watch out for is how the workplace culture looks.  If you find reviews of the workplace culture on glassdoor or other similar websites that terrify you, try to confirm or disprove these for yourself when you go on the interview.  You might also consider checking around with professional contacts in your field.  Word can travel fast, particularly when a work environment is toxic.  Better to know before you take a job if you’d like the workplace culture there or not.