Tag Archives: IT jobs

Common Questions (and Answers) about References

IT staffing firms find that references can be one of the last things on a candidate’s mind.  Maybe it’s because they’re so far along in the job search process.  Or, maybe it’s because they seem to require the least amount of work.  References just need to be called.  Resumes need to be written and polished, and you need to do extensive prep and study up on relevant technologies for interviews.  Whatever the case, IT recruiting firms find that many candidates and hiring managers have a lot of questions and even misconceptions about references.  Here are some common ones that IT recruiters get:

Do ‘backdoor references’ really happen?   This phenomenon is even more prevalent in the last 5 years or so because of LinkedIn’s growing popularity.  If you’re not familiar with a backdoor reference, this is the basic premise: hiring managers will reach out to any personal contacts they have at your previous employers.  IT staffing agencies find that this can be a problem particularly when you may had a bad experience working at an employer.  Even if you choose not to give anybody there as a reference, backdoor references can reveal the skeletons in your closet.  Backdoor references can be especially common when you’re looking for IT jobs because most people in this field are on LinkedIn.  (In fact, it may say something negative about you as an IT professional if you’re not on LinkedIn or other social media!)

Can managers really be forbidden from acting as a references? Yes, but some will do so anyways. There are companies that have set policies that forbid managers from giving a reference.  The severity of these policies and how strictly they’re enforced varies.  Some managers feel like they have the ability do this without any real consequences, so it could be worth considering this if you’re leaving a company with such a policy.  You don’t want to push too aggressively, but it may be worth asking if the manager would feel comfortable acting as a reference—you never know if they’ll say yes.

Is giving a bad reference illegal?   IT recruiting companies find that some candidates assume that managers will never give them a bad reference.  This is absolutely not true, so it’s important to act with this in mind.  Give only references who will say positive things about you.  Don’t burn any bridges.  Work hard to build good working relationships with coworkers and bosses.  As mentioned before, you never know if hiring managers will reach out for a backdoor reference. The point of a reference is that for employers to get a complete, honest picture of somebody as an employee.  While technical recruiters find that many managers will refrain from outright trashing somebody (just out of basic human decency), they will be honest if they see red flags.

Can I just hand over my references when it’s time?   This is a mistake IT staffing agencies see far too often.  Contact your references and give them a heads-up you’re on the hunt for new IT jobs.  Ask them if they wouldn’t mind acting as a reference for you.  Let them know a bit about the kinds of roles you’re looking for.  You want to treat them with courtesy, respect, and remember to thank them.  Bad references can ruin your candidacy, just as good ones can strengthen it.

Want to see our open IT jobs?  Follow us on LinkedIn.  We post new jobs daily!

 

References for jobs
Don’t forget to call your references before you start a job hunt. Photo credit: edar via Pixabay.

 

Is This the Reason You aren’t Landing Tech Jobs?

Have you ever not landed the tech jobs that you interviewed for?  Did you have all the relevant skills and experience, but your IT recruiters said the manager decided to pass on you? Here’s one big reason you might be missing out on jobs: You’re not showing enough passion.  IT staffing firms hear all the time that managers are passing on candidates because they don’t seem excited enough about the role, the company, etc.  Here are two ways you can avoid this in the future:

  1. Show your passion for the work and technologies the role will use. Do you take classes?  Do you go to conferences?  Do you have side projects?  Talk about them.  Technical recruiters find that if candidates can’t demonstrate a deep interest in the work or the relevant technologies, then hiring managers get concerned.  Hiring managers want to make sure they hire somebody who won’t leave in the middle of a project because they get an opportunity to work with a different technology.  They also want to hire somebody who will continue to improve and grow their knowledge so they can help the company continue to improve their products, platforms, work processes, etc.   If you want the IT jobs you’re interviewing for, make sure they know that’s you!
  2. Show your passion for the company. There are a few reasons this will help you land the job.  Firstly, because there is so much poaching in the tech field, managers want to know that you are interested in working for their company.  This is especially true if they have to train you for their environment and invest a time, effort, and money to onboard you.  Managers want to know that you’ll stay for a while.  Even if you’re a contractor, managers still want to know that you’ll stay for the duration of your contract or the project you’re hired to work on.  IT staffing agencies find that if you express a real interest in the company, this will give hiring managers some confidence that you’ll stick around for at least a reasonable amount of time.  That makes you a much more marketable candidate .

 

Want to see our open IT jobs?  Follow us on LinkedIn.  We post new jobs daily!

 

IT job interview mistakes
Are you not showing enough passion in your job interviews? Photo credit: Maklay62 via Pixabay.

 

Tips for Employers on Hiring New Grads

Many employers in the tech space (or companies outside of the tech space that employ IT professionals) eagerly anticipate June and May every year because it’s the best time hire new grads.  New grads can bring a lot to a team.  They have fresh energy, new ideas, and may have exposure to some of the newest technologies.  Another perk of working with new grads is that they’re often a bit easier to ‘mold’.  Because they don’t have much working experience yet, new grads don’t have their own habits and are more open to following their employer’s procedures and corporate culture.  (It’s also worth noting that if you’re worried about hiring a millennial, a lot of the negative stereotypes about them simply aren’t true.  They’re just that: stereotypes!)   If you’re looking to fill some of your open IT jobs with new grads, check out some of these tips below from IT recruiting firms.   This information will help you make the most of graduation season and hopefully help you add some fresh new talent to your team!

1. Get moving ASAP. IT staffing firms suggest you start trying to fill positions meant for new grads as soon as possible.  The tech market is really a job seeker’s market.  (This goes double for particular areas of the country like Boston and San Francisco!)  Some of the top talent might already be working with IT recruiters before they even finish finals, never mind have a diploma in hand!  If you want to land the best talent for your open roles, IT recruiting agencies suggest that you not wait until June, July, etc.   While some students will delay their job search, many of the most accomplished and ambitions ones will want a job before they graduate.  Why not make sure they consider you as their employer?

2. Make an offer they won’t want to refuse. Appealing to new grads isn’t always about money.  There are some things that IT recruiting companies find don’t cost much, but really attract new or recent grads.

  • Firstly, offer telecommuting options and flexible schedules.  It’s understandable that most hiring managers don’t want to offer telecommuting or flexible schedules right off the bat.  However, presenting your hires with the ability to earn these perks over time can be very attractive to new grads.  Even just partial telecommuting options, like occasional work from home days, are big draws.
  • Another way IT staffing agencies suggest you can attract new grads is by offering mentoring and growth opportunities.  New grads want to land jobs now, but they’re also concerned about their futures beyond their first jobs.  New or recent grads want to land jobs in which they’ll have the chance to learn and grow as a professional.  Consider offering an official or unofficial mentoring program, training opportunities, subsidies for continued learning, and/or the chance to grow in the company.  None of these things need to cost much money, but they’ll go a very long way in attracting and keeping fresh new talent.
  • The last tactic that IT staffing companies suggest is to allow for some creativity.  2017’s grads will want to have the opportunity to think creatively at their jobs.  Consider giving your employees chances to do things like hackathons, or just give them the autonomy and room to solve problems creatively themselves.  This kind of perk can be great not only for attracting new grads, but also for the company itself!

Want to see our open IT jobs?  Follow us on LinkedIn.  We post new jobs daily!

Hiring new grads
New grads want to work at places that offer chances to learn and grow as a professional. Photo credit: maura24 via Pixabay.

 

 

Have Gaps on Your Technical Resume? How to Handle Them

People in most fields are uncomfortable with gaps in their resumes.  IT recruiting firms find that if you can handle them correctly, though, these won’t hurt your chances of landing IT jobs.  Here are some of the basics that IT recruiters think you should know about gaps on technical resumes.

1. Small gaps are not a problem. Especially in the tech field, where contracting and project-based work are pretty common, gaps of 3 months or less aren’t a huge deal.  Layoffs happen, contracts end, and interview processes can certainly drag out the time between unemployment to being hired.  IT staffing firms won’t bat an eye at a gap or two between contracts on your resume.

2. A gap beyond 6 months will require more explanation. IT recruiting agencies find that employers will be more concerned with an unemployment gap of 6 months or more.  This is at least in part because there’s such a dearth of qualified IT professionals to fill the open jobs in pretty much all of the US.  The unemployment rate for tech professionals is notoriously low- lower than the national average.  In January, the tech unemployment rate was only 2.9 percent, while the national average was closer to 4.7 percent.  If you’re not getting hired for a job after 6 months, employers wonder if the problem may be you, not the market! If you have a gap like this, make sure to address it your resume.  Give a brief, professional reason why you were unemployed.  Did you take time off to take care of a member of your family, raise a young child?  Have a health issue yourself?  Take time off to go to school?  These are all the kinds of reasons that technical recruiters find will not scare off potential employers. Make sure to note this on your resume!

3. Make the most of your gaps. If you’re unemployed for a longer period of time and are not encumbered by responsibilities to your family, health issues, etc, you should take this time to keep your skills sharp.  Do a side project on your own. Volunteer to do work for a local charity or non-profit.  Get a certification.  Learn a new technical skill.  IT staffing companies find that if you can do things like this with your gap, you’ll be much more appealing to employers.  After all, technologies change at lightning speed.  You want to stay in the game and stay sharp so you’re ready to hit the ground running when you do land a new role!

Want to see our open IT jobs?  Follow us on LinkedIn.  We post new jobs daily!

Gaps on technical resumes
Got gaps shorter than 3 months? Don’t worry about it! Photo credit: Aitoff via Pixabay.

 

Use This Checklist Before Posting Your Technical Resume

Most IT professionals don’t enjoy writing or updating resumes.  Besides the fact that writing resumes is an inherently unpleasant activity, technical resumes can be even more difficult.  IT recruiters find that many candidates struggle with the balance between providing enough detail for technically-savvy readers and so much detail that managers and technical recruiters feel like they’re looking an unreadable novel of technical jargon.  But in the end, creating a great resume is always worth it because it lands you great IT jobs.  Here’s a checklist that IT staffing companies suggest you use before posting your resume.

1. Do you have a ‘Technical Proficiencies’ section at the top of your resume? Pull out all of your technical skills and put them in one well-organized section at the very top of your resume.  This section is one of the best ways to catch the eyes of hiring managers and IT recruiting firms who are sifting through hundreds or thousands of resumes.  Don’t forget to constantly update this section, too.  As you learn a new programming language, master Scrum, or get new certifications, add them in.  (IT recruiters would suggest that you only list technologies you have professional experience or certification in here.  Listing hobbies won’t help you here.  You don’t want to suggest you have a skill that you actually don’t.  You’ll either be found out in an interview, or worse, on the job!)   You could be missing out on IT jobs if you don’t!

2. Are your bullets effective? Do the bullets under each job just list the basic responsibilities of your roles?  Time to fix that.  Entice IT staffing agencies with bullets that list your achievements in these roles.  Help them see the value you added to your team.  You might have some technical details in here, but the point isn’t to be as thorough as possible.  Focus on adding bullets that help an employer picture you, making a difference at their company from day one!

3. Did you list more than 15 years of experience on your resume? Time to cut back.  There are a few reasons IT recruiting companies would suggest you do this.  Firstly, you want to protect yourself from age discrimination.  Unfortunately, most IT recruiters would agree that the tech field can be especially unforgiving when it comes to age discrimination.  Since you don’t have to give more than 10-15 years of experience on your resume, just protect yourself and stop there.  Another reason that technical recruiters would suggest you delete experience after the 10-15 year mark is because the resume isn’t really helpful after that point anyways.  You want to highlight the kinds of technologies and projects that employers are working on now.  Since the field is changing so quickly, the experience after 10-15 years may not even be relevant!    The last reason to delete experience after 10-15 years is for length.  IT professionals can have longer resumes, but you don’t want to post a resume that’s as long as War and Peace.  Nobody really wants to read it and it might even turn off hiring managers.  So take the old experience off your resume, it’s not helping and it may even actually hurt you!

 

IT resumes
Don’t post your resume before using this checklist. Photo credit: TeroVesalainen via Pixabay.

 

Want to see our open IT jobs?  Follow us on LinkedIn.  We post new jobs daily!

Why You Shouldn’t Apply to a Company or Job Twice

Sometimes IT recruiters find that candidates may apply more than once to a company.  They might do this because they forget they’ve already applied, because they want to show they’re very interested in the role, or maybe they just really want to work at that company.  Whichever the case, technical recruiters find this doesn’t usually help candidates.  In fact, it will probably ruin their chances of landing IT jobs.  Here’s why IT staffing firms recommend that you don’t apply to a company or job twice.

Don’t apply twice because you like multiple roles. IT staffing agencies find that if you apply to multiple roles, especially ones that are different, you run the risk of looking disorganized and/or that you aren’t particularly passionate about any kind of work.  Firstly, if you apply twice to the same role in a short period of time, you’ll look disorganized or perhaps not detail-oriented.  Since both qualities are usually necessary for IT roles, that’s not going to help your candidacy!

Secondly, especially in the tech field, employers like to see candidates with a passion for a specific kind of work.  When you apply to various kinds of roles, it can seem like you don’t have a clear idea of the kind of work you want to do in your next role.  Submit just one application.  Better yet, reach out to your IT recruiting companies to submit resumes on your behalf.  They may have connections at the company and will make sure your resume gets seen (rather than dropped into the abyss of all other applications).

Don’t apply a second time to a company when your IT staffing companies have submitted you.  Or, warn your technical recruiters that you’ve already applied to a job when they want to submit you to it as well.  Most companies will just cancel out an application if they get it from both the candidate and from IT recruiting firms.  Keep a running list of the jobs you apply to yourself and the jobs your IT recruiters submit you to.  If your recruiters mention a job you’ve already applied to, make sure they know that.  They may be able to strengthen your candidacy by putting a in a good word for you with managers they know.  But IT recruiters can’t do this unless you talk to them about it first!

 

IT job applications
Applying twice could lead to the same result as not applying at all! Photo credit: Geralt via Pixabay.

 

Want to see our open IT jobs?  Follow us on LinkedIn.  We post new jobs daily!

 

Tips for Employers on Glassdoor, Indeed, Vault, etc.

By now, most employers are at least aware that they have a presence on Glassdoor, Indeed, Vault, and other employer review sites.  Many actually take the time to cultivate their spots on these sites, too.  These companies find that it’s absolutely worth it to take time to add pictures, text about the company and its corporate culture, or even encouraging employees to leave reviews.  When your presence on these sites is good, your company can draw more and better applicants.  Especially when you’re searching for tech professionals to fill your open IT jobs, this becomes all the more imperative.  Since it’s such a job seeker’s market for tech professionals, IT recruiters find it’s all the more important for employers to make sure their presence on career websites is stellar.  Here are some tips from IT staffing companies to help employers make sure their online brand will attract great talent.

1. Post pictures on sites that let you.  Having pictures of fun company outings will make a difference when candidates look up your profile.  People will find your company profile more interesting and memorable.  They may also connect better with smiling faces than just a boilerplate text about your company’s mission, culture, etc.  Since IT recruiting firms find that candidates are often getting hit with multiple potential opportunities at once, you’ll want your company to stand out.

2. Get some reviews on your page.  You can’t bribe or pressure employees to leave great reviews on your page.  You can encourage your employees to leave reviews though if you think they’re happy.  Happy employees usually won’t mind spreading the word if they do enjoy their workplace.  (They’d want peers to do the same thing!)  IT staffing firms find that getting lots of great reviews is the best way to counteract bad ones.  You can ‘bury’ negative reviews so that when IT professionals are checking out your company, they see more good than bad.  Remember, the tech talent you’re seeking have plenty of options.  If a company looks like they don’t treat employees well, IT professionals will just tell recruiters to submit them elsewhere.

3. Don’t forget to respond to negative reviews.  When IT professionals are on your site, it’s ok if they do see negative reviews.  What really matters is if you show you care.  Even the best employers have unhappy employees.  What makes them the best is that they take negative feedback and grow from it.  (Terrible employers are the ones who know their employees are unhappy and don’t seem to care!)  So write responses that show you’re listening.  Thank the reviewer for their feedback.  Mention any actions you might be able to take to fix the issue in the future.  Keep the tone calm, cordial, and concerned.

4. Don’t forget to keep your IT recruiting agencies in the loop.  They should know the good and the bad.  Give them links to your Glassdoor, Indeed and Vault pages.  If you’re working to fix things that have inspired bad reviews, talk to them about it.  Your IT staffing agencies can help sell you as an employer in addition to your presence on these sites.

 

IT employers glassdoor
How many 5-star reviews are on your Glassdoor page? Photo credit: zahmetr via Pixabay.

 

Want to see our open IT jobs?  Follow us on LinkedIn.  We post new jobs daily!

 

Tips for May and June Tech Grads

If you’re part of the class of 2017, you may be planning to push that job search off until later in the summer.  The tech field is a job seeker’s market, right?  Why not kick back and take a little break before entering the workforce? Don’t be tempted to do this.  Unfortunately, the tech field is a bit less of a job seeker’s market for entry-level grads.  IT staffing companies find that there are absolutely less open IT jobs out there for recent grads.  You also don’t want to limit your options.  If you wait until later in the summer or fall, IT recruiters will have filled plenty of the jobs with coveted employers.  Starting your job search doesn’t have to be so arduous, though.  Here are 4 simple things you can do to start searching for IT jobs now.

1. Make your resume visible to employers and technical recruiters.  Post your resume on Monster, Dice, LinkedIn, etc.  Make a public, professional LinkedIn profile.  Don’t just rely on your school’s internal job portals.  If you’re a programming student, get on Github or similar sites.  IT staffing agencies will be looking for great candidates there, too.

2. While you’re at it, reach out to IT staffing firms.  Find some trusted IT recruiting companies in your area and reach out to and pass along your resume.  Even if you’re working on your final exams, they can begin your job search for you now!

3. Do your research on the kinds of roles you prefer your salary expectations.  Make sure to take your location into consideration here.  IT recruiting firms find that sometimes new grads will price themselves out of great jobs because they don’t have realistic salary expectations.  Your IT recruiters can help you out a bit, but it’s also important for you to do your own research prior to conversations with them.

4. Get a real email address and clean up your social media.  You don’t want to keep your school email address anymore—you’re going to be a professional soon!  Get an email address that you won’t be embarrassed to share with potential employers and IT recruiting firms.   Make sure you clean out all pictures, quotes, comments etc on your social media that you wouldn’t want a future boss to see.  IT recruiting agencies definitely see candidates with terrible social media profiles miss out on roles.

 

Graduate IT jobs
Graduating in May or June? Time to get a new email address! Photo credit: vloveland via Pixabay.

 

Want to see our open IT jobs?  Follow us on LinkedIn.  We post new jobs daily!

 

 

3 Reasons to Work for Employers Who Aren’t “Cool” or “Hip”

If you’re looking for new IT jobs, brand name, “cool” employers can seem like the only way to go.  There are certainly benefits to working for a company everybody recognizes, or one that’s cited as a hip place to work.  However, you’ll do yourself a disservice if you don’t also seriously consider employers that might be less well-known. Here are 3 reasons why it can be just as rewarding, fulfilling, and even fun for IT professionals to work for an employer that’s not necessarily “cool,” or “hip.”

The technologies.  IT recruiters find that when candidates can list what technologies they’d like to gain experience with, it doesn’t mean they need to limit their search to the most publicized companies in the tech sector.  Many smaller, lesser-known companies use equally (or sometimes more advanced) technologies.  Be open with your IT staffing firms about your career goals.  If you want to work with certain technology stacks, your technical recruiters will know which employers in your area use them.  You want to land in a job that challenges you, moves your career forward, and is interesting.  It’s entirely possible to find that at a company that’s not very ‘cool’ at all!

The perks.  The awesome perks you read about well-known, ‘hip’ employers are just as likely to be at companies you’ve never heard of.  Especially in the tech space, IT recruiting agencies find that employers are working hard to attract and keep talent in a job seeker’s market.  Plenty of them have adopted the same kind of awesome perks to do this.  Stocked kitchens full of free snacks and coffee?  Game rooms?  Relaxed dress codes?  Company outings?  You don’t need to go to a name brand company to find that.  You might find those perks in company that seem to do “boring” work.

Work-life balance.  IT staffing companies caution candidates that many name brand employers everyone wants to work for require a rigorous work schedule.  This isn’t necessarily a bad thing.  But, for some people, work-life balance is paramount.  Perhaps they have young families to take care of, older parents to help out, or some out of work interests (like adventure racing) that require a lot of time or travel.  Whatever the case, if you’re interested in a job that offers great work-life balance, your IT recruiting firms may suggest an employer you’ve never heard of!

 

Cool IT jobs
The cool employer might not always be the right employer for you. Photo credit: ColiN00B via Pixabay.

 

Want to see our open IT jobs?  Follow us on LinkedIn.  We post new jobs daily!

 

IT Professionals Should be Documenting This

Every IT professional has triumphant moments at work.  Maybe you solved a difficult ticket for the VP.  Maybe you suggested some powerful changes to your company’s technical environment.  It’s great to take a minute to bask in your achievement, but there’s something else you should be doing: documenting it for later.  Taking 5 minutes to document your achievement, in a word doc, by hand, or by simply saving relevant emails to a folder, will do a lot for you in the future.  Here’s why IT recruiters suggest you document your triumphs at work.

1. You can use this document to easily update your resume. The resumes IT staffing firms find most marketable don’t list responsibilities below IT jobs.  They list achievements and contributions.  Electronically documenting your big wins at a job can especially streamline the process of updating your resume.  All you’ll have to do is copy and paste. There are many reasons why tech professionals suddenly find themselves needing a current, polished resume.  Maybe they’ve been laid off or fired.  Or perhaps, especially in the tech field, they’ve been contacted by IT recruiting firms about a passive opportunity that’s too good to ignore.  Documenting your achievements at work makes the scramble to unexpectedly update your resume less stressful.

2. You can use this list of achievements at your next review or in your next request for a raise. Even if it seemed like a huge deal when you found that bug in the program and took the initiative to debug it by yourself, you may not remember it 6 months later.  And it’s not only hard for you to remember these moments— sometimes it’s downright impossible for your bosses to remember them.  When they’re managing a team, a department, or a whole company, your achievement might not be something they think of when you need to ask for a raise or are doing a review.  IT recruiting agencies suggest you take matters into your own hands and advocate for yourself.  Document the contributions you’ve made at work so you can share them all with your bosses when it counts!

3. Lastly, this document might serve as a great pick-me-up. Just as all tech professionals have great days, they also all have a bad day now and then.  Save a document with all your big wins at work and take a look at the next time you’re having a tough day, a crisis of confidence, or are just feeling unmotivated.  Just as you benefit from advocating for yourself, you also benefit from cheering yourself on.  True tech professionals know that you can’t always count on coworkers and bosses to do this—sometimes it’s great to be able to rely on yourself.

 

Documenting
Documenting your achievements will help you in the future. Photo credit: JaneMarySnyder via Pixabay.

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