Tag Archives: IT recruiter

Breaking a Bad Habit in the IT recruiting Industry

Are you an IT recruiter with a bad habit that you just cannot seem to shake?  No one is expected to be perfect, but when your tendencies begin to affect other technical recruiters, it is time to consider a change.  Left unkempt, habits can spill over from your personal life to the IT staffing office which is one of the last places you want hostility.  If you find you need to rid yourself of an annoying tendency, here are some tips to get you on the right track.

Recognizing the Problem

You might be tipping in your chair, snapping your gum, and yelling to other IT recruiters sitting four cubicles over and not see an issue with it, but reassess the situation.  Maybe your scenario is not this bad, but realizing how your behavior is affecting yourself and other IT recruiters Boston is the first step.   Does your habit provide any benefits?  If so, do they outweigh any negative attributes that accompany this tendency?  When the answer is no, it is time for a change.

Resisting the Urge

Your habit could be something as minor as following up on missed phone calls through email.  Some IT headhunters might not have an issue with this while others find it cumbersome and rude.  The next time your technical recruiter leaves you a voicemail, you could be tempted to break out the Blackberry with an email response.  People often avoid situations because they are not comfortable.  The easiest way to fix a problem is not going around it, but tackling it head on.  Make the phone call and eventually you will find the transition you feared was not difficult at all.

Keep Up the Progress

Check up on your bad habits to make sure you are following through with your commitments.  Reward yourself when you have reached a milestone– just do not reward yourself by engaging in the habit.  If you happen to slip up, never punish yourself.  Let your mistake be a guide to not let it happen again.

When you make positive changes, you line yourself up for success.  IT staffing firms can provide excellent feedback if you are looking to avoid taboo situations or improving resume and interview habits.  Visit AVID’s job seeker page for more detail!

When Business Casual Is Too Casual

If your IT staffing office looks like a pajama party, you know work is probably not being completed to its full potential 

Imagine the nightmare of walking into an interview for an IT job and no one acknowledges you.  Desk dwellers are plugged into their headsets and shift their eyes toward you only to immediately avert any interest from your direction.  Technical recruiters stroll toward you five minutes past your appointment, barefoot wearing a grease stained t-shirt and basketball shorts.  You extend a hand which he uncomfortably shakes and leads you to a corner office which could be mistaken for a closet.  You thought you were going to an IT recruiting firm…are you in the right place?

Offices are becoming increasingly casual, but what crosses the line from casual to sloppy?  Some argue that their quality of work should not be based upon their style.  When poor hygiene and style habits begin to affect others, it is time to raise the bar on what is acceptable.  Here are some guidelines so you do not ruin the luxury of a relaxed office for other IT recruiters Boston.

Your Outfit– Just Because It Zips Doesn’t Mean You Should Wear It

Tight clothes are not flattering in the work place and are often distracting.  On the other hand, loose and baggy clothes give off the slob vibe.  Wear clothes that fit properly and give you a professional demeanor.  You will feel better about yourself and chances are your quality of work will improve, too.  A client will most likely choose the neat and trim IT recruiter over his messy, unkempt counterpart… and the same goes with an IT staffing representative choosing his candidates, too!

Maintaining Good Hygiene—What’s That Smell?

No one wants to be the person in the office that people want to avoid due to poor hygiene.  Prevent the label by taking care of yourself and grooming on a daily basis.  Maintain good health and be considerate of others.  What might be considered normal and comfortable for you could put others over the edge.

The Mute Office

Some prefer to keep to themselves during their work day which is perfectly acceptable.  What is not acceptable is keeping your headphones in all day and ignoring fellow IT recruiters and guests.  Make it a point to communicate with others in your office.  Building relationships now will help when you need to collaborate on projects later.  It also does not hurt to have a few friends in the office!

The Social Office

On the flip side, candidates that talk about their personal lives or choose to meet up outside of office hours with their IT headhunter and coworkers should remember how their actions and words will affect their work.   Just because you may not be in the office does not mean others will not find out things you say or do.  Ensuring conversations with your colleagues in and out of the office are appropriate will prevent you from having to explain yourself later.  Keep in mind that some associates do not want to be concerned with others’ personal issues.

Dropping in at All Hours

Some companies are flexible with their hours, allowing employees to drop in at all hours of the morning given that they complete their shift.  Be considerate of your clients and coworkers in your IT recruiting firm by creating a fixed schedule.  Set up a weekly meeting with your IT recruiter so you have a definite time to address issues or concerns.   A routine will help you to stay organized and on top of your work.  If you unexpectedly decide to come in at a different time, or are late, notify your supervisor so there are no questions asked.  Even if it is not required, the notice will be appreciated.

No one enjoys working in a strict atmosphere with all rules and no fun.  Keep a positive attitude and be respectful.  If you are not used to working in stricter office conditions, give it time and soon it was become second nature!

Showing Your IT Recruiter Some Gratitude

The priority for technical recruiters is to find qualified candidates for their open IT jobs.  Unfortunately, IT people in the IT recruiting industry are often perceived as pushy, money hungry individuals whose main concern is their commission cut.  Working with technical recruiters on a daily basis, one will find this misconception to be far from the truth.

Successful IT staffing firms earn their keep through communication and research.  Hours extend beyond the typical 9-5 to accommodate candidates’ availability.  IT headhunters do not pry for details to be nosey, they are conducting preliminary screenings to ensure an applicant fits the hiring client’s criteria.  From the countless hours spent sifting and tweeking resumes while also prepping for interviews, a thank you is well deserved!

The Overlooked IT Recruiter

You may have interviewed with the hiring manager, but remember who helped you along the process.  You are most likely not your technical recruiter’s only candidate.  By the end of the day, he has probably spoken to dozens of existing and prospective applicants.  Let your IT recruiter know his hard work and determination are appreciated!

Make a Lasting Impression While Showing Character

Networking happens to be one of the top ways to secure an IT job in a competitive market.   IT staffing representatives are your gateway to new career opportunities. Maintain a relationship with your IT headhunter and stand out from other candidates with follow up emails and thank you notes.  Thank you’s might seem second nature, but you would be surprise what separates strong applicants from weak applicants.  If your contract should come to an end, he may remember you for upcoming positions.

Going Beyond the Thank You

If your IT recruiter did an outstanding job, why limit your thank you to just him?  Pay it forward and let others know how privileged you were to work with him.  Yelp and Google Places are just some of the ways you can extend your thank you beyond email and phone calls.  Your review can help others land positions and bring in more business for your IT staffing representative!

Living a Double Life—The Dishonest Candidate

Working with technical recruiters should not feel like a controlling relationship.  You do not need to tell them your every move or what you had for lunch.  IT recruiters are not intentionally being nosey when they ask you questions, they are just trying to get an idea of what you want and where you would fit most with IT job openings coming their way.  Telling your technical recruiter that you are not interested, providing constructive feedback, or saying you would prefer to not work with him or her might be difficult, but it actually helps them improve their recruiting tactics in the long run.  The worst thing you can do is lie to your IT staffing representative.

Previous Employment

Not listing all your experiences, or worse, including positions and titles you have never held is setting yourself up to be shot down.  At first glance you will shine on paper, but you cannot back it up through references or experience and your lies will soon be recognized.  Because you have embellished your information technology skills and misled IT recruiters Boston, the likelihood that he will keep you in mind for other positions is slim.

Lying about why you have left a previous position can come back to haunt you, especially if the hiring company requires an employment verification or the manager happens to know your former employer.  The six degrees of separation are becoming increasingly slim with social networking sites highlighting your relationships to others.  Avoid burning bridges and always end assignments on good terms.

Background Check

Be honest about past convictions or if you are at risk to fail a drug test.  Telling your IT recruiter up front about these issues will save you and your recruiter potential embarrassment and prevent wasted time on a position that you would not have had a chance nabbing.  Your IT staffing company representative might keep you in mind for other positions and will appreciate your honesty.

Skills

You might seem to be a catch on paper by sprucing up your resume with technical skills and keywords, but always make sure they pertain to the IT jobs you are applying and you actually have the experience.   Your IT headhunter will ask about your level of skills and how often you practiced them.  If you lie about your experience, it will show in your work.  The project manager might have to let you go if you cannot complete the required tasks, leaving you unemployed with severed ties.

Applying for Other IT Jobs

When an IT recruiting company representative asks if you are working with other recruiters or applying to other positions, they are not trying to limit your options.  The IT recruiter is looking to make sure you do not get double submitted for an opening.  Being submitted twice for an opening might sound helpful, but it can actually hinder your chances of securing the position because hiring managers will assume you are either careless or your submission was made in error.  Letting IT recruiters know you are actively interviewing shows determination, but also helps the technical recruiter to understand your availability.

IT staffing firms are not out to scam people, their job is to find the right candidates for open positions.  If working with recruiters does not sound like something that interests you, express your opinion.  The keys to a successful recruiting relationship are communicating and being honest.

For more tips, please visit AVID’s Job Seekers page.

Common Mistakes in the IT Recruiting Industry

You may be a technical recruiter or you may be seeking IT jobs.  Wherever you stand, if you feel like you are pitching without reeling in any buyers, it’s time to reevaluate your strategy.  Take a step back and focus on what is working and pinpoint your weaknesses.  Here are some common mistakes in the IT staffing world:

The Sloppy Grammar and Poor Spelling Candidate

Coming across a resume that is filled with grammatical errors and typos is an eye sore for IT recruiters.  Typically, technical recruiters will toss your resume aside and find someone who knows how to communicate their skills in writing.  Clean up your resume so your experiences, skills, and achievements are clear.

Flip Side: The Sloppy Grammar and Poor Spelling Candidate

            Most candidates will not trust an IT staffing representative that sends emails with typos and grammatical errors.  Job seekers may see this as a sign that the staffers do not take their work seriously… and IT recruiters work is finding the right person for a position which directly involves the job seekers!

The Vague or Convoluted Candidate

If an IT job seeker lacks communication skills, he cannot properly explain his skills, experiences, and how they pertain to the position.  At the same time, do not downplay or fail to mention experience and skills as these are key components that sift candidates from the applicant pool.  Keep it concise, but with the right amount of information.

Flip Side: The Vague or Convoluted IT Recruiter

Just as the candidate should be clear with his resume, IT staffing firms should properly articulate the skills, tasks, and qualifications of each role they are filling.  A candidate might feel the IT headhunter  is being condescending in his tone or choice of words.  At the same time, the IT staffing representative should avoid being too laid back, using slang or being overly wordy.  Choosing simplicity with an upbeat attitude and enough detail is best for both parties.

Coming on too Strong

Having a candidate that wants to be your best buddy when you are a technical recruiter is flattering…until it starts to affect your work.  Your IT staffing representative is there to provide assistance and answer any questions you might have.  Building a relationship with your recruiter is essential to fulfilling your needs, but try to keep it on a friendly, yet professional level.

Flip Side: Coming on too Strong—IT Recruiter

When your inbox and voice mail are cluttered with messages from your recruiter about open positions, it can become overwhelming and an annoyance—especially when you are not qualified for these openings.  If your recruiter is coming on too strong or pressuring you into positions that do not fit your skill level or interests, it’s time to be honest.  Tell them what you specifically want and if they do not follow your wishes, it might be time to move on with another IT recruiting agency.

The Disappearing Candidate

When your recruiter contacts you, be sure to provide a prompt response.  Never leave questions open or ignore your recruiter, even if you are not interested in the position or have possibly found employment. Provide updates and express your opinion so they do not waste their time and annoy you in the process.  Also, make sure it’s a two sided relationship.

Flip Side: The Disappearing IT Recruiter

            Imagine the frustration and disappointment when an IT staffing representative contacts you about a position you are interested in, builds up anticipation, and then never contacts you again.  This is one of the reasons recruiting gets a bad rep.  Always keep in touch with your candidates.  If an upcoming position has budget constraints or is canceled, inform your clients and keep them in mind for other positions.  Return phone calls and all messages, never leave a candidate in the dark!

For more tips on working with recruiters, visit AVID’s Working with a Technical Recruiter page!

The Key to Being Successful in the IT Recruiting Industry

The key to being successful in the IT staffing industry is building a strong relationship with your client. A lot of people think that as an IT recruiter you are just responsible to find candidates to fill the open IT jobs. But how do we as teams get these open jobs? By building strong relationships with our clients.

Key attributes to being well rounded IT Recruiters:

We need to know what the product is. The product is your client. IT recruiters Boston need to get to know the client and the IT job before being able to help them. Technical recruiters need to know the service they client provides, their background and anything else that will help them identify the right candidate. This is an important piece of the IT recruiting firm’s ability to successfully service their client.

Being a good listener is also an important trait for IT recruiters. Thinking you know what your client wants and really knowing what their wants and needs come from listening. As a technical recruiter you need to be able to stand back and just listen and know the right questions to ask to get more information to better be able to understand what the client is looking for in a candidate.

Timely feedback is an important step in the IT recruitment process so everyone is on the same page as to the status of the candidate and assignment. You want to provide your candidates with immediate feedback so nobody is left in the dark.

Don’t promise anything you can’t deliver. It’s important for IT recruiters to land the deal but keeping your credibility is more important. Be honest with people about the standings and not telling them what you think they want to hear might get you further.

Another thing that plays a key role in an IT recruiter is their attitude. Attitude can really make or break someone. Having a bad attitude is not a good thing in the IT recruiting industry. You need to always be positive. You want to be your client’s solution not a problem to them.

To be a successful technical recruiter all of these aforementioned attributes are key, but wanting to be successful is important too. You have to want it and want to work at it every day to really be good at what you do. The IT staffing industry changes all the time and you have to be able to change with it and understand why it is changing the way it is.

Is Cold Calling a Dying Art with IT Staffing Salespeople?

When I first started in the IT recruiting industry fourteen years ago, there were no resume databases, no job boards, no social media and no professional networking websites.  In fact, email was something still pretty new that we didn’t utilize on a daily basis.  As an IT staffing salesperson, I was set up with a phone and call sheets.  Smile and dial, cold call until your fingers got tired or your mouth went dry.

While it’s still critical to get an IT manager on the phone to build a relationship, IT staffing salespeople rely far more heavily on email.  Whether it’s right or wrong, good or bad, email is pushing the art of cold calling into extinction.

Regardless of your career, if you stop practicing, you get rusty.  Cold calling is no different.  The more you cold call, the better you’re able to hone your skills.  The more you cold call, the better you’re able to rebut objections, nudge a client into taking the time to meet with you or even convince an IT manager to give you a chance to fill his/her open hiring need.

While cold calling might be a dying art with salespeople in the technical recruiting industry, it’s still a constant in the world of technical recruiters.  Regardless of whether an IT recruiter initiates contact with a prospective candidate via email, it is virtually impossible, or more accurately, virtually scary to think of a technical recruiter never speaking with a candidate live before sending his or her resume to a client.  There are so many nuances to a typical IT recruitment.  There are so many questions that could only be answered in a live conversation in which the technical recruiter can analyze a candidate’s response.  The slightest hesitations, changes in pitch or tone can tip off any astute IT recruiters who are used to picking up on subtle signs that ultimately lead to the truth.

The Importance of Building Relationships With IT Recruiters

Prospective candidates usually come to an IT staffing agency to help finding an IT job. Some are desperately looking and others already know the drill. Many will apply to the technical job opportunities available on the IT recruiting company’s website while some will just submit their resume directly to their IT recruiters and hope for the best.

While both could help you land a new technical position, take the time to build a relationship with multiple IT recruiters Boston. Pick up the phone and talk with a technical recruiter at various IT staffing agencies. Getting to know them personally will better your chance of landing that perfect IT job. Keep your name at the tip of the IT headhunter’s tongue; stay in contact to make sure your resume sits atop of their pile. Show the IT recruiter that you’re not just a name or are just technical skills on paper; show them that you’re a living person with a family. Build the relationship so they know who you are and you know who they are.

Stay in touch throughout the IT job hunt. Let them know about other companies you have applied to so they do not submit you to the same place. They may also be able to expedite the review of your resume if the IT recruiter has close ties with any of those companies.

Also stay in touch with the technical recruiters after the placement. A common mistake that IT job seekers make is losing touch with IT recruiters Boston after they land a new position. But do not let this happen. You never know when a stronger opportunity will become available or when you’ll find yourself looking or even suddenly out of work. You should look at the IT recruiter/candidate relationship as something long term and beneficial for both sides.

Therefore, build a relationship with IT recruiters. It will benefit you from start to finish. IT jobs are competitive and if you have someone that will stand behind you, technical recruiters can help overcome your competition.

Organize the Night Before an IT Job Interview

Take 1: It is 8:45 am on a Monday morning.  Your interview is at 9:15 am.  One slight problem… your printer is jammed and you cannot print the latest copy of your resume.  You were going to research the IT recruiting company before you left.  You rip the pages from the printer and trip out the door to your car.  On your commute you realize you do not know the name of the IT recruiter. You quickly jot down two questions on the back of your crinkled resume.  Flustered, you enter the lobby of the IT staffing agency with one minute to spare.  At 9:15 am, you hang your head and enter the IT job interview.

Don’t let this be you!  In the world of IT staffing, we live by Murphy’s Law: Anything that can go wrong will go wrong!

Quite the pessimistic view, but if you are in this position you’ll wish you had been better prepared.    Our AVID technical recruiters make it a point to ensure that you do not find yourself in this situation.  AVID IT recruiters  take the time to reach out to you and provide tips from tweaking your resume to interview prepping.

Here are just some key tips for your interview:

–          Always wear a suit and iron the night before: You never get a second chance to make a first impression!  Even if you are overdressed for the IT recruiting firm’s environment, you’ll still look good and you will feel it, too.  Having a back up outfit doesn’t hurt either.

–          Research the night before and write down your questions:  You will look prepared and have you questions answered.  Make note of recent press releases, the hiring staff will see your interest in the IT recruiting company.

–          Know your resume:  Always make sure your resume is up to date and includes all relevant experience.  Be prepared to answer questions about employment gaps or responsibilities.

–          Take the commute:  Research your commute to your interview at least a day in advance. Take the drive, take the train, or walk it the day before and be sure to time it.  Leave yourself enough time to arrive 15 minutes early for the interview.

Take 2: It is 8:00 pm on Sunday night.  You are prepping for the interview with the technical recruiting firm.  You are ironing your suit and a back up outfit just in case.  You research the IT recruiting agency, their technical recruiters, and latest press releases, writing down questions and thoughts.  You are flipping through your notes, reviewing your resume and remembering all of your interview tips.  You pack your bag the night before.  You’ve done the commute and spare yourself an extra fifteen minutes to arrive early.  Next morning, you arrive fifteen minutes prior to your interview as expected with a clear mind, no worries.  You walk in, looking sharp and present your values and experiences.  Your technical recruiter calls you the next day with good news!

For more tips, visit our interview tips page!

How Social Media Could Affect Your IT Recruiting Job Offer

As a prospective IT recruiter candidate, you will go through the hiring process and be asked certain questions. A hiring manager has a limit to the types of questions being answered. Most of the questions will be around your experience and IT recruiting skills. Very rarely will they ask personal questions about your life.

Since the spread of social media, applicants’ information has become very accessible. These websites are public to a certain extent. You provide your personal information voluntarily and have the right to take down or not participate in these websites.

More and more IT staffing companies over time are using social media to find out more information about the prospective IT recruiters they are hiring based on their social media pages like Facebook and Twitter. They have access to your personal life – your pictures, who your friends are, what activities you partake in and even some of the comments you make to friends or vice versa.

As more hiring managers utilize social media, IT recruiters Boston need to figure out what they want to put on the internet. Remember that whenever you upload pictures, they potentially become public. Therefore, make sure to double check what information you have volunteered to the “public” as companies will be able to see this information.