Tag Archives: IT recruiter

Review: “Smart and Gets Things Done: Joel Spolsky’s Concise Guide to Finding the Best Technical Talent”

In the Concise Guide to Finding the Best Technical Talent, Joel Spolsky details the steps that go into interviewing top technical talent, and into finding that quality of technical candidates in the first place. He goes into the technical hiring process, how to extract information from tech-savvy candidates on their potential technical efficiency levels. He reveals that top-tier software developers are ten times more productive than average ones– a fact that IT recruiters with great connections to good IT jobs should take careful note of. Recruiting companies and IT Staffing Firms would do well to train all of their technical recruiters in this knowledge. Speaking from his technical experience working for years at Microsoft, he instructs in how to hire great technical programmers.

Aside from the IT staffing and technical interviewing side of the business, technical hiring managers deal with, technical recruiters work in professional environments with a strong team element, and Spolsky offers valuable advice recruiting firms can use to build a stronger, more cohesive work environment. He speaks to problem-solving for recruiting teams that aren’t delivering up to potential, keeping technical recruiters up-to-date with the latest phone screen techniques, and tips on sorting technical resumes. One chapter IT recruiters won’t want to miss is “The Guerrilla Guide to Interviewing”! If your passion is technical recruiting, you’re new to the industry, or work for an IT staffing firm, pick up a copy today and treat yourself to Spolsky’s technical expertise.

Review: “Breakthrough Technical Recruiting”

Ford’s Breakthrough Technical Recruiting offers IT Recruiters & Technical Hiring Managers advice for navigating the IT headhunting process. Ford speaks with authority from his own years of supervisors’ experience as a former recruiter, armed with technical recruiting strategies that led to high placement rates. Finding and identifying highly qualified technical candidates is a challenge Ford is familiar with and can provide perspective on across a variety of industries. His IT staffing secrets are priceless for the IT headhunter looking to step things up a notch, or for IT recruiting companies in the Boston area and beyond. His lucrative tips will serve IT staffing firms well.

Ford delves into interviewing strategies for technical recruiters that will help cut through the fluff and determine which IT candidate interview answers reveal stellar potential or a second or third-place contender. As every technical recruiter knows, generating viable leads is a cornerstone aspect of the IT staffing industry. IT recruiting companies need well-developed telemarketing tactics, and this book provides insight into this side of the business. Recruiting firms will find this book a valuable source of IT staffing information that will serve IT headhunters well over time.

Review: “Technical Screening – Java Developers” by Obi Ogbanufe

Technical Recruiters know that placing an IT candidate in a Java role is no easy task – technical candidates with the right background, technical skills, and level of proficiency with Java aren’t always a quick find. One interview approach technical recruiters use when screening IT candidates for a potential interview for a Java Developer role is to ask the IT candidate to rate him or herself on a scale of 1 to 5. The downside of this interview style is that the technical recruiter depends on the IT candidates’ accurate self-assessment and truthfullness. An IT candidate who rates him or herself as a 5 out of 5, or a Java Developer expert, may not be able to perform on the level expected by the hiring manager. Then again, the hiring manager and IT candidate may simply have different ideas about what a ‘5’ means. If an IT candidate has mastered an intermediate level of Java Development in past work experience, and accordingly, self-rates as a 5, the hiring manager, who may want an IT candidate proficient in a top-tier level of Java Development may consider that same candidate closer to a 2 or 3, since mastering intermediate levels only brings an IT candidate to starting levels for expert level performance.

Obi Ogbanufe tackles this and other issues surrounding technical recruiting for Java Developers. He includes real examples of successful Java Developer screening questions, and discusses which IT candidates’ answers match what IT employers are looking for, and which answer types should serve as red flags to IT recruiters. IT Staffing Firms like AVID Technical Resources take the phone-screening process seriously, using it to filter out weaker IT candidates from the ones that technical recruiters see potential in. One key element in a successful Java Developer placement is a technical recruiter’s understanding of the technology itself. By familiarizing him or herself with the Java technology, a technical recruiter will be better equipped to identify incomplete or inaccurate answers to interview questions instantly. A technical recruiter with this ability will operate more efficiently and make better use of each work day than a recruiter who needs to seek advice on the accuracy level of each candidates’ replies. Efficiency and speed leads to more successful IT job placements, and thats a win-win for IT candidates and technical recruiters alike.

Review: Technology Made Simple for the Technical Recruiter

Technical Recruiters will find “Technology Made Simple for the Technical Recruiter: A Technical Skills Primer” by Obi Ogbanufe helpful for developing recruiting strategies and tech skills. AVID Staffing Firm employs IT Recruiting techniques covered by Ogbanufe in her book. Details she delves into include basic programming terms, networking tips, & operating system/network vocab. She even instructs on the art of knowing when a prospective candidate seems to be claiming levels of experience above what’s  present in their work background.

IT Staffing Agencies like AVID Technical Resources will do well to take note of Ogbanufe’s insight and advice. Her experience and familiarity with the topic can be of value to any technical recruiter looking to brush up on a rookie skillset, or polish a seasoned technical career. In an industry that changes at lightning speed, keeping on top of acronyms is key for technical recruiters, and they’ll find the latest and most thorough information in this book. Pick up a copy of ” Technology Made Simple for the Technical Recruiter: A Technical Skills Primer” today, and get smarter!

Skilled Tech Positions In Demand

Company demand for highly skilled tech workers has been increasing since the start of 2012. IT job candidates seeking higher salaries than they were able to land during the worst of the recession are likely to have more options now. Although the recession may not officially be over, demand for high-tech skills have significantly increased. Tech-savvy candidates considering a IT job change should take note of the professional climate, and feel confident about testing the technical job-search waters.

Technical professionals already on a job search should expect shorter search periods, faster placement, and potentially, multiple offers. AVID’s technical recruiters have connections to Boston’s top tech firms, the IT recruiters are plugged in to the most current tech opportunities available. Any skilled tech professional can connect with an AVID IT recruiter by picking up the phone to start a relationship with a recruiter that could be the entry into a new job, or tech career path.  Contact one of the fastest growing IT recruiting companies today!

How Not to Find a Job

So you think working for a living is lame? So yesterday? Or if your phone provider is AT&T, just too 5 seconds ago? AT&T TV Commercial — Tailgate LTE (HTC Vivid) . Great. I’m here to help. Here’s a solid instructional on how not to get a job.

  • Come 10 minutes late. Or an hour early. These days, arriving any earlier than 15 minutes in advance of a scheduled interview is a faux-pas. Not as bad as getting there late, but not good. If, hypothetically, you were to want a job that you arrive half an hour early (reasonable if you need to allow for travel delays) burn 15 minutes in the nearest coffee shop. Don’t forget the mints!
  • Come dressed as Barney, or choose any other inappropriate attire. Unless a job specifies a casual atmosphere, or you’re applying for a mall Santa position, you can’t go wrong with more formal dress over casual options. If you’re offered the job, you can always take it down a notch for your day-to-day.
  • Keep your cell phone ringer on during an interview. Arrange so that a friend calls/texts, or both. This will a) make you look popular b) guarantee that you don’t get the job. Perfect! Employers have indicated that one of the most common rising problems they encounter when conducting interviews is behavior that fits this description. Holding up a finger to your interviewer as your phone rings so that you can take a personal call while your interviewer waits will not win you points. You can let your incoming calls go to voicemail for 1 hour out of your day. Really.
  • At AVID, our job placements are exclusively technical, so interviews will contain questions about performing an IT role. If you’re applying for a Java Developer role, and you don’t have a clue as to how to guide your interviewer through your thought process and steps taken to respond to various technical scenarious — congratulations! You won’t be on anyone’s call-back list — your technical recruiter will know enough about the requirements of the role not to recommend you to the hiring manager in the first place, so you won’t have a chance to make multiple analogies to the fashion industry in a formal interview setting (or whatever it is that really interests you instead of technology).

So that’s it, folks! The above rules are your foolproof guide to guaranteed unemployment and a phone that never rings (unless it’s your friend, again). If you should be so foolish as to want a job, try to avoid engaging in any of these behaviors. They won’t do you any favors in your job hunt.

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.

Are IT Recruiters too Tech Savy?

For a technical recruiter, imagine a day without your phone.  Then, picture your day without electricity at IT staffing companies.  Would you be able to survive the full work day?  Are technical recruiters simply taking these things for granted or are IT recruiting companies too dependent on technology?

There are benefits to the convenience of technological advances as they save society time, money, and provide a constant means of contact.  But as it continues to progress, are IT staffing agencies beginning to experience more faults than anticipated?

Lack of Formal Communication

If an IT recruiter or candidate is struggling to have a conversation in person or on the phone, they may rely too heavily on email and texting.  A solid relationship cannot be based solely upon text messages and email exchange.  This form of communication neglects tone and expression which convey character and personality.  Also, this method of contact provides users the options to put off responses or ignore communication all together.

Distractions

Do you check your phone during meetings, IT job interviews, and conversations with potential candidates or hiring managers?  You might be capable of multitasking, but in this instance you are paying more attention to one party than the other.  Even devices that are supposed to help you such as a GPS could distract you from safety.  Next time you are on the phone, minimize your windows or put down your cell phone and thoroughly listen.  If you are meeting in public, pay full attention to the speaker and react appropriately to what they have to say.

Too Many Excuses

Miss a call?  I did not have service.  Miss an email?  It did not go to my inbox or went to my spam.  I just received your message, sorry for the delay and is it too late?  IT recruiting agencies have heard all the excuses with technology to blame.  Technology is not one hundred percent reliable even with a back up in place.  Often when it fails, there is a significant amount of catch up work to follow.  In the event of a disaster such as a data failure, is it really worth it?

The Wheels Stop Turning

When you have a device doing more than half the work for you, you are not forced to think.  Your logic and reasoning skills will soon dwindle as you look to technology to provide you the answer.  Also, you will lose a sense of creativity because the machine will give you a solution.  You will no longer need to experience events or new places as others’ opinions may persuade you.

Not all technology is not necessarily a bad thing.  While it may help our community, it can also backfire so use it wisely!

The One Upper IT Recruiter

We have all had the pleasure of meeting someone who feels the need to one up your situation, whether a positive or negative experience, with one of their own.  This technical recruiter or candidate might not mean to trump you with their IT recruiting anecdote or hardship, but soon enough your original point has vanished and you are discussing their life.  You might be the offender and not realize it!  In either situation, read on for ways to manage this common conversation killer at IT staffing companies.

The Offender

Upon hearing the miseries or accomplishments of fellow technical recruiters, does your mind immediately go to an experience of your own?  Do you become so excited that you feel you must follow up with a story of your own?  If so, ask yourself if your story brings any value to the others at IT staffing firms.

You may be trying to lighten the mood or have candidates feel better about their situation, but most people prefer and appreciate a solid listener in conversations.  Be empathetic or congratulate other IT recruiters. If you must tell a story of your own, make sure there is a smooth transition or it at least offers a valuable lesson and does not take positive attention from the original storyteller.

The Victim

Nearly everyone encounters this type of person and whether they are aware they do it or not, bite your tongue and have patience.  Trying to counter their trump with one of your own is stooping to their level.  Find humor in their situation and try to maintain an upbeat attitude.  If you absolutely cannot handle or stand the one upper, then remove yourself from the situation and avoid this person at the IT recruiting company.  It will save you the aggravation and keep you in a positive mood!