Tag Archives: IT professionals

IT Recruiters Take Mental Health Days!

Have you ever felt so overwhelmed at IT staffing firms that you just could not stay on task nor did you care to finish your IT recruiting work?  You may have been lashing out at family members, candidates, and friends, losing sleep, or simply not caring about any of your interests that were important to you.  These are telltale indicators that you are in dire need of a mental health day.  Before technical recruiters begin to feel guilt about playing hooky for one day, here are some reasons it may actually improve their performance.

Fizzle Out

Eventually, you will burn yourself out if you continuously work without taking a break to recharge your batteries.  Soon, you will not begin to care about your performance and quality of output at technical recruiting companies.  This fizzle could overflow from IT staffing work into your personal life, affecting activities you once took interest in or putting unnecessary stress on relationships.  Put a stop to the problem before it begins by cutting yourself some slack.  You will return to IT recruiting firms feeling better prepared and ready to take on lingering tasks.

Tackle Other Projects

If you have been neglecting your own work or taking a break from your personal activities, use this time wisely to catch up in other areas.  By doing things you enjoy or crossing off tasks on your to do list, you will be diverting your attention away from tedious office work and feedback from hiring managers while refocusing your attitude.  You may actually be stressed from not accomplishing your own tasks!

Silence is Golden

Turn off your cell phone and computer while warning others ahead of time.  Provide an alternative contact in the event of an emergency at IT recruiting companies.  You might feel that you are being lazy, but this mental health day is your own holiday in recognition of your hard work and dedication.  Live it up!

IT professionals often feel that they must finish as many tasks in as little time as possible.  This is when stress peaks are at their greatest.  While it is admirable to meet and exceed expectations, go at a workable pace or create a schedule rather than struggling to meet unrealistic deadlines or taking on more work than necessary.  You may find you are better at staying at task and accomplishing work by setting goals than charging through project after project.

IT Recruiting Companies Debate: K Cups or Ground Coffee

Quantity

Are you brewing for the entire IT staffing office or just yourself?  If you are brewing coffee at smaller quantities, you will want to go with the Keurig.  The K cup machine provides the option to brew one cup without holding up the coffee machine for other technical recruiters.  Coffee drip machines are made to brew larger cups of coffee which can lead to waste if it is not consumed.  If IT professionals and hiring managers are looking to make a big brew at once, look to the coffee drip machine to satisfy your needs.

Quality

This is up for debate and varies by coffee drinker.  Some say that ground coffee is superior to K cup coffee because of its storage capacity where as K cups can become stale relatively fast.  Then there are the countless options when using K cups and its variety of flavors.  An IT recruiter can purchase a variety pack which allows them to experriment with different flavors and choose which they like best.  Typically with ground coffee, a technical recruiter must by a bag and test their options.

Convenience

Brewing a cup of coffee by drip machine seems to be outdated and time consuming as our society expects less and less in terms of time commitment.  IT staffing companies want everything fast and immediately available with as little work as possible.  The Keurig machine offers a single cup of coffee in about one minute and little to no clean up.  Drip machines can take several minutes to brew and requires routine maintenance and clean up.

Environmental and Cost Concerns

The average price per standard K cup is about fifty cents, which can be costly where as standard coffee ground is about half the price per cup.  K cup packaging is non-recyclable, but you can purchase a reusable filter to cut down on waste.  The benefit of using the reusable filter is you can cut down on spending by buying coffee grounds, too!

Neither is necessarily better, but it seems the IT recruiters of AVID Technical Resources could not function without their K cup machine!

Gum—IT Staffing Industry Necessity

An IT staffing sales representative is preparing for a meeting with one of his clients.  Before he leaves the technical recruiting company, he checks his bag to ensure he has plenty of AVID Technical Resources brochures, pens, and a folder with his notes and paperwork.  There is something missing…then he remembers.  He reaches into his desk drawer and pulls out a fresh pack of gum.

Ice Breaker

Since a young age, gum has been banned in schools and professional environments, but what caused this so-called taboo?  Gum can actually be used as an advantage to break the ice when starting a meeting.  Offer other IT professionals a piece of gum and see if they are receptive to your gesture.  Another tip might be to choose a less common gum or obscure flavor to make small talk in the beginning of the meeting.  Though some might not be comfortable with this approach, it can help the client remember you and set you apart from competing IT recruiting companies.

Freshens Breath

Almost every technical recruiter has had the experience of going to speak to someone and wanting to do an immediate one-eighty.  Halitosis, or bad breath, is a common, embarrassing hygiene offender.  Take a piece of gum yourself and then offer other IT recruiters or hiring managers a piece.  This will avoid potential awkwardness while subtly hinting that their breath needs to be refreshed.

Helps Memory

Though it has not been prove why, gum helps to sharpen your memory when first chewed.  When approaching a complex matter or designing a procedure, pop a fresh piece of gum in your mouth to improve performance.  If it does not help with work, it will certainly help your breath!

Before you begin bringing gum with your to all your client meetings, check with your IT recruiting manager to be sure that it is appropriate and in compliance with your IT recruiting company.

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 Recruiting: Interviewing When You are Employed

Whether you’re bored with a current role, looking for a new challenge, or simply disliking your position, you might be on the prowl for new IT jobs.  A common concern for these IT professionals is how to interview when they are already employed.  The IT recruiters of AVID Technical Resources can provide some helpful insights to those who are fortunate enough to have a position, but are seeking new opportunities.

Flexible

If given the chance, interview after or before work.  Interviewing outside of office hours will help ease nerves, especially first thing in the morning, while allowing you to complete your responsibilities with your current employer.  If do not have much flexibility, try interviewing with IT staffing firms during your lunch hour.  Make hiring managers and technical recruiters aware that there may be a time constraint.

Take a Personal Day

Take a personal day and try scheduling as many interviews as you can in one day.  Most IT staffing companies allow their employees days off for appointments and personal matters.  In fact, if you do not use them, you may lose them! Be mindful to not overbook yourself, though.  If you schedule too many IT job interviews in one day, you may lose track of your thoughts or run into schedule conflicts.

Do’s and Don’ts

When searching for a new job, never use your company’s resources to your advantage.  Avoid taking calls from IT headhunters in the office or responding to emails on your work email address.  If you must take a call, make sure it is in private and on your own line.  Provide your notice in a timely manner according to your company’s policy.  Tie all lose ends and complete your work.  Basically, your goal is to leave on good terms!

IT Recruiting: Do You Take Horoscopes Seriously?

Maybe it’s during the morning commute, or sitting down to coffee and a bagel for breakfast, perhaps it’s an after work guilty pleasure.  A number of IT professionals admit they read their daily horoscope.  Take it with a grain of salt or words of wisdom, horoscopes may actually be advising technical recruiters, hiring managers, and prospective candidates to make better decisions and improve performance.  Before passing the next opportunity to read your fortune, here are some reasons horoscopes may actually benefit you.

May Inspire

After reading that there will be changes in your life, actively seek and pursue new IT staffing opportunities.  The horoscope could motivate you to add spice to your routine or drop cumbersome tasks that stress you out.  If it were not for the astrology section, you may have not closed on that last placement!

Avoid Conflict

The astrology section could also help irritable IT headhunters to avoid conflict at technical recruiting companies.  When there is a horoscope saying to turn the other cheek, a technical recruiter may think twice about sending a sassy response or having the last word.  It seems when there is an impending disagreement brought to our attention, we will try to steer away.  The horoscope will keep IT staffing firms sound and on their toes in case of a clash.

Cannot Predict the Future

Are you in a worse situation after reading these predictions?  Most likely not!  So have some fun with these forecasts.  No one knows for sure how accurate these readings are, so share them with your fellow IT recruiters in an email when exchanging resumes or post some encouraging thoughts around technical recruiting offices.  While some may not believe the authenticity of horoscopes, they can change our behavior for the better!

IT Recruiting Companies: Building Your Own Brand

Technical recruiters not only work within IT staffing firms, they also work for themselves.  Their hard work, inner passion, and drive are reflected in the quality of their work and results.  How can they replace the label of IT headhunters and make it one of their own?  Read on for some tips to develop a unique IT recruiting brand.

Passion

Find what you enjoy most about the IT staffing industry and take advantage of it. Take that aspect and perfect it to make the process more enjoyable.  Research your areas of weakness for improvement and set realistic and attainable goals by building your skills.  If IT professionals are not passionate about their work, hiring managers and IT recruiters will notice.

Define Yourself

Think of how you perceive yourself, and then how others view you.  If you are extremely organized, make that your thing.  If you are always prompt with meetings, phone calls, or emails, others will take note and look to you in terms of responsibility.  Keep a clean, professional appearance and demeanor because what it can take you far.

Stand Out

Do something differently than the competition or your peers to stand out at IT staffing companies.  Getting people to talk about what separates you from others is buzz marketing.  It’s the best kind of promotion because it is free advertisement!  Tangibly get your name out there as well, be it through resumes or business cards, and find a tag line.  The more exposure an IT headhunter has, the more opportunities will arise.

Try to avoid getting ahead of yourself and stay loyal to your commitments.  Backing out of your agreements or failure to meet expectations can set you two steps backward and give you a hard reputation to shake!

Should You Criticize Your IT Staffing Supervisor?

When your supervisor is slacking or not working efficiently, how do you handle the situation?  Some may take on additional workloads at IT recruiting companies while others openly vent their frustrations.  Before you begin cursing your boss with fellow technical recruiters, bite your tongue.  Here are some tips for making open suggestions and providing feedback to your manager.

Set Example

By bashing your supervisor with IT recruiters, you are not only being disloyal, but you are also making the problem worse.  The only accomplishment of focusing and sharing negatives will bring is a hit to the team moral.  Rather than pinpointing flaws, act as a leader by brainstorming and devising solutions to outstanding problems.

Approach in Private

Prior to your meeting, plan what you will say and how you will say it in the most tactful and respectable manner.  The goal is not to embarrass your IT recruiting manager, but to provide honest feedback from the field.  When the timing is right, ask to speak to your boss in private.  Try to avoid having the discussion around other IT professionals as it may make them feel uncomfortable.

Listen

Keep in mind that your boss is taking the time to listen to your suggestions so hear his reasoning.  You may not be seeing the whole picture from your point of view.  The suggestions you present may have been tried in the past or pose additional concerns.  You may leave the meeting with a more open mind and better idea of IT staffing company goals.

When an entire team of IT headhunters is having an issue with a supervisor who is not open to suggestions, it might be a good idea to approach a trusted manager.  The objective of your constructive criticism is to improve teamwork and technical recruiting output.  Keep the issues strictly IT recruitment related and leave personal matters at the door.

IT staffing firms are always seeking ways to differentiate themselves from competitors.  If you have either suggestions or criticisms, most managers are open to listening!

The Foul Mouthed Technical Recruiter

What is a candidate’s first thought when he steps into an IT recruiting company and technical recruiters are tossing swears back and forth?  Is he impressed?  Does he join in?  While it might all seem in good banter to causally throw out a few expletives, one must keep in mind the consequences of his actions while working with technical recruiting companies.

Beats Stress

Swearing at IT recruiting firms might seem like a way to vent, but there are more professional ways to de-stress.  Instead of rattling off a few curses, take a breath or remove yourself from work.  Refocus your frustration to improve on your weak areas.

Seems Laid Back

Cursing during your conversation with an IT recruiter will be more casual, but this could back fire.  When you start using unprofessional language with technical recruiting agencies, they will reconsider you for their IT jobs.  Recruiters do not want their candidates to make poor impressions regarding their work.

More Persuasive

IT recruiters can seem more persuasive if they throw in a few swears in their spiel.  Remove swears and you have the same content.  There is no need to inflate dialogue with words that have no meaning.  Instead, enhance your vocabulary while impressing others.  Not only will you sound more intelligent, your language will be more tasteful, too.

Boosts Team Morale

Most IT staffing firms have some sort of rally or team pep talks to encourage IT headhunters to achieve their goals.  Adding swears can make these talks seem more serious and passionate, but in reality it sounds trashy.  Keep it professional and remember team objectives.

While a swearing taboo sounds outdated, it is the most professional way to conduct business.  IT professionals want to work with the most skilled, confident, and trustworthy recruiters, win clients over with your class, manners, and skill!

PocketCloud for Your Android Smart Phones for IT Recruiters

As information technology professionals or IT recruiters, we’re always trying to gain access to various networks to get your work done.  Sometimes you may not have a computer available but always have your smart phone.  So how can IT recruiters Boston get their work done without reaching for that laptop or desktop?  PocketCloud is a virtual network connection that you can use on your android.

This VNC application will simplify your auto pairing to access computers with your phone.  The setup is relatively simple since this application has an auto discovery method.  You can use your Gmail account to set up the connection between your phone and computer.  This will allow you to bypass reconfiguring the router in order to connect your two devices.

With the application for your smart phone, technical recruiters will be able to scroll through pages and access different applications on your desktop. Other professionals in the IT staffing industry will have access to any VPN’s that they use at work and be able to trouble shoot any problems on work stations without having to take their laptop out.

This can be relatively convenient for IT professionals or IT recruiters  who are constantly on the move.  You will not always be able to carry your laptop around with you and it can also become burdensome.  So why not get an application that will allow you to do your job easily without as many gadgets.