Tag Archives: IT Recruiters Boston

Technical Recruiter Compensation in the IT Staffing Industry

The IT staffing industry is extremely competitive and growing quickly.  There are many different compensation packages when looking at IT recruiting.  Some technical recruiters are paid a base salary and commission, others on a draw or some even pure commission.

Base Salary and Commission:  You won’t find IT recruiting companies offering high base salaries and aggressive commission plans.  You can’t have both.  Therefore, if you’re looking for stability and just want to punch in and punch out, then search for an IT staffing company who weighs the compensation heavily on the base salary.  If you’re confident in your work ethic and/or are looking for the “big picture” opportunity to make money, then you’ll want to find an IT recruiting firm who has an aggressive commission structure.  There is no right or wrong, more of a matter of personal choice aligning with the vision of that technical recruiting firm.

Draw:  A draw is one of the few scenarios that can be a win/win for both IT recruiters Boston and IT recruiting companies.  The IT staffing firm typically pays more on the front end, while the technical recruiter repays part, or all, of it back before collecting any additional commission payout.

Pure Commission:  This is typically the riskiest compensation plan, yet could be the most lucrative.  In a pure commission scenario, overhead costs for the IT recruiting agency are very low.  Because of this, the IT recruiters have the opportunity to take home a large slice of every placement.  This scenario works well for any IT recruiters who don’t need a salary to live off of (maybe their spouse or family is helping pay the bills) and/or one who is confident he or she can come right in and make IT job placements and subsequently bring in immediate commissions.

Whatever your situation, make sure you not only find the right compensation plan that is right for you, but the right IT recruiting agency.  There are many IT staffing firms out there – do your due diligence and find one that aligns with your goals, vision and work ethic.

Sending Cover Letters Electronically

Selling yourself is critical when searching for a job.  As we have stressed, it’s important to sell yourself in an interview.  However, to get that IT job interview, you must first sell yourself in your resume.  However, before you send that resume, you actually have a chance to sell yourself in a cover letter.  This is your chance as an IT professional to give personality to your resume.

Since most resumes are now sent electronically, when an IT manager receives your email, the first item they will see is the subject line.  This is one advantage of sending your professional documents through the Internet.  Use this subject line to catch the attention of the hiring manager or IT recruiter.  Describe yourself in a few words and the position you are applying for.

A couple tips:  Always try finding the hiring managers name (then make sure you spell it correctly).  You do not want to be sending a cover letter to “Whom it may concern”.  If you cannot find a name then you can send it to Human Resources.

In terms of the length you do not want to keep those managers or IT recruiters reading a lengthy document about how you would be a perfect fit for the IT job.  Technical recruiters and information technology professionals are busy people who will likely not have the time or patience to read through a full page.  So take a good look at your experiences and why this position would be good for you.  As an IT professional you have to make sure that you sell your technical skills within the first paragraph.  Give those IT hiring managers and/or technical recruiters a brief overview that will keep them wanting to read more about you.

As always remember that the resume you send to IT recruiting companies must include the keywords referenced in the job description.  This will allow human resources or even some lesser-technical IT recruiters the ability to see that you have the information technology skills that their position requires.

Consider these tips before sending your next cover letter.   These come from IT recruiters Boston who spend countless hours every day reading resumes and cover letters.

Building Long-Term Relationships

If you work in the IT staffing industry, you will meet people in various fields.  Whether they are working in the IT recruiting field like you or a completely different one, it is always a good idea to speak with them and learn more about what they do for a living or for fun.  As an IT professional, it’s always important to network with everyone you meet.  You never know when they will come to you with a side project or even your next IT job opportunity.

The key to networking is getting to know the IT professional or technical recruiters on a personal level.  Find out what their interests and hobbies are or if they have a family.  Learn about the sports teams they follow so you have a topic to keep in mind when you meet again.  This is a great way to show them that you are not just trying to network with them, but to get to know them on a personal level.

Networking is not just about meeting new people, but building relationships.  You want them to trust and interact with you.  If they know of an opportunity, they will only recommend you if you are someone they think of in a positive light.

So take time to develop that relationship with fellow IT professionals or IT recruiters Boston.  Connect with them on LinkedIn.  To stay in touch, you can send them emails about current events that may interest them and every once in a while meet up for coffee to catch up.

Building Yourself a Brand

As a marketing student, I am currently taking a class on Brand Building.  Throughout the lectures, we have discussed how various brands immediately come to your mind when you think of a service or product.  When you think of tissues, you’ll probably say Klenex.  When you say soda, you think Coke.

These are not the actual products, but the name of the product from the company that created them.  This is brand building.  If these companies are able to do this for a retail product, why can’t IT recruiting companies do the same with their name?  I’ll take it one step further, why can’t IT professionals do the same with their name?

IT recruiters will agree that there are various IT professionals out there who come to mind when you think of certain technical positions that need to be filled.  When you think of a strong Oracle DBA, there may be a local technical resource who dominates the market.  When you think of a .NET developer, there could be someone local who stands apart from the completion.  So how can you make yourself that prospective candidate that technical recruiters think of when they want to fill that niche information technology job?

First of all, you should take a good look at what you have accomplished throughout your information technology career.  What roles did you play in your various IT jobs and what skills make you stand out from others in your field?  This will help you create a brief summary about what makes you unique as an IT professional.  This will also be one of the reasons IT recruiters Boston will be calling you first when that technical position opens up.

Another factor you need to consider is what are your values.  Everyone has values, and when it comes to the IT staffing industry, you need to be aware that your reputation is critical if you’re going to be in demand.  There are many ethical issues that arrive when you are working on a project that may test your values.  But if you consistently work through these and remain loyal to your core values, employers will come to respect you for who you are.  It ties into your skills creating an image of an IT professional who not only hones in on his or hers information technology skills, but takes into consideration values when working.

Most importantly, you want to make sure that your employers will be willing to spread the word.  They may tell a friend or a colleague about that IT professional they hired.  If you make a great impression and keep a positive reputation, you might end up creating a brand for yourself.

Getting That Reference

When you are a job seeker, you will be applying to many IT jobs.  IT recruiters and hiring managers will want to know about the various experiences you have had during your career.  They will also want to know about how well you worked with others and interacted with your previous employers. This is when your references and referrals will come in handy.

When choosing your references, make sure that the person will be able to evaluate your performance accurately, and of course, communicate your experience in a positive light.  Put together a list of the references you want to use.  When you create this document, you will want to put their name, the company where you worked together, the date/timeframe when you worked there, his or her role, then your IT job as well.  In addition, you will need to write down their phone number and possibly an email address.  To be considerate, you should be sure to ask them about their preferred method of contact.

Once you identify who will be a suitable reference, contact them and give them the courtesy of a heads up.  They need to know that they may be contacted – you never want to give out a reference without getting their permission ahead of time.

During your interview, you will then appear prepared when you’re able to give IT recruiters Boston or hiring managers a complete list of references with everything they will need to know in order to get a better understanding of your work ethic.  It will allow you to impress the technical recruiters or hiring managers and possibly give you a better chance of impressing them for that IT job.

The Importance of Providing Incentives for IT recruiters

I’m a firm believer that everyone should be tied to an incentive in the work place.  At AVID Technical Resources, an IT recruiting company headquartered in Boston, MA, our technical recruiters and IT staffing salespeople all have an aggressive commission plan.  The plan is tiered to fuel their incentive and ensure there’s not a chance for complacency.  If there’s one thing that I’ve learned owning an IT recruitment company is that complacency kills your potential for growth.

Outside of our commission plan, we also provide other incentives.  While some are monetary (quarterly contests and additional annual bonuses), others are simply meant to help mentally recharge our team’s batteries.  Throughout the summer, we have weekly incentives that result in closing the office early on Fridays to enjoy the weather.  We have an office goal, and then celebrate the victory upon achieving it.  The rewards range from tickets to sporting events to booze cruises on the Boston Harbor.  We have office plaques, trophies and a board that ranks employee production that recognizes top IT staffing performers among their peers.

In addition to our IT recruiters Boston and salespeople, our technical recruiting manager has an incentive based on the company’s growth and revenue.  Same holds true for our IT staffing sales manager.  Our customer support representative is also bonuses based on a component of her job.

Therefore, regardless of the role, AVID Technical Resources provides incentives to push each of our employees to continue to strive for excellence.  This is what has helped fuel our growth over the years(earning us a spot on the Inc. 500/5000 list of fastest growing private companies) and what will help catapult us in the future.  Our incentive programs will be the vehicle that helps our company leapfrog other IT recruiting firms – many of which that are stunted by complacency.

IT job Interviewing – Uncommon Sense

Most candidates make the same mistakes during an interview.  Many don’t even realize they are creating a negative first impression. Don’t forget, as soon as you walk through the door, you’re being assessed.

Often, mistakes are subtle, but why waive a red flag with an employer if you can avoid it?

Here are some important tips to consider before your next interview”

First impressions count! Those first minutes when you meet the IT recruiters or direct hiring manager can make a world of difference in determining the outcome of the interview. Based on this, you will either be working the rest of the interview to overcome a bad impression, or get the benefit of the doubt on concerns that the IT manager may have.

Appearance – Outfit, composure, tidiness, and polish can create a very positive first impression. Is your hair neatly combed? Are you dressed too flashy or inappropriately? Conservative dress is always better than flashy. Are you sitting or standing straight, or sprawled across the chair? Are your shoes clean and polished? Are your pants, shirt, coat or skirt or blouse tidy and pressed, or overly wrinkled? Do your clothes fit appropriately or are they too tight, too loose, too short, or too long? Are you wearing too much makeup, perfume, or cologne? All these become factors on a first impression in an IT job interview setting.

The Greeting – Is your handshake too firm or too loose? This is a major factor for both men and women. Are you too loud or do you mumble? Are you too informal with the technical recruiter or hirig manager? Are you too serious or are you exuding a warm smile? Relax, breathe and be as natural as possible while maintaining an aura of professionalism.

NO REFRESHMENTS – THIS ISN’T A MOVIE THEATER! When arriving for an interview, it’s extremely common that someone might offer you a something to drink; a glass of water or coffee. It’s generally best to politely let them know you appreciate the offer but you are all set. This is for multiple reasons…

  • They usually ask to be polite, not because they want to ensure you’re not parched.
  • You’re probably somewhat nervous already, and creating a situation that makes you need to go to the restroom during the interview won’t help anyone.
  • Many people end up fidgeting with the cup or bottle to the point of distraction.
  • There’s always a possibility of spilling it, on you, on the floor, or on their desk.

Be professional, yet natural! Often, people either sit too relaxed, or too stiff. Sliding down in your chair and crossing your legs with one knee over the other may seem overly casual. Sitting straight and crossing your legs with your ankle on your knee may seem like you are nervous and uncomfortable. Sitting with your feet on the floor or one knee over the other, reasonably straight and slightly leaning forward can make you appear alert and engaged. Practice in front of a mirror to find what works best for you, but how you sit makes a very distinct impression.

Be Nice! It’s not just your skills; rather, they are looking for the complete “package”. Along with evaluating whether you can do the IT job, they are deciding whether they would like spending 8 hours a day with you. If you’re too stern in your discussion with them, or exhibit a bad attitude, or complain about previous co-workers, managers, or companies, they are not likely to warm up to you when it comes to personal considerations. Without being overly gregarious or making jokes, discussing the job and your skills in a warm, comfortable, and upbeat manner will go a long way toward building a relationship.

Make a Long Story Short! While you definitely don’t want to give one-word answers or answers that are so short you leave the IT recruiters Boston or hiring managers looking for more… you definitely don’t want to give answers that are far too long. Usually people do it because they aren’t sufficiently prepared for the questions being asked, so they ramble on until they think they’ve covered every aspect of it. Preparation by writing out answers to commonly asked questions and practicing them at home will help you give succinct and effective answers in the interview. Prepare for the most common questions:  “Why do you think you’re a fit for this specific role?”  “What are your strengths?  “Your weaknesses?”  “Tell us a time in which you’ve overcome adversity?”

Don’t try the patience of a technical recruiter or IT manager by being too long-winded!

Inquisition – At the end of an interview, you’d be surprised at how often people do not have any questions for the technical recruiters Boston or IT managers. If you’re not prepared to as any questions, it makes you appear indifferent or having a lack of interest.  Always ask questions at the end of an IT job interview.  Prepare the night before.

Unfortunately There are No Guarantees in the IT Staffing Industry

As one of the leading IT recruiting companies in the industry, we take full responsibility for the performance and reliability of our IT contractors.   However, as thorough as we are with our interview process, unfortunately there is never a guarantee in the people business.  You could ask every question, dot every “I” and cross every “T,” meet the candidate in person, check and dig into their references, conduct a thorough background check on the individual and there still is no guarantee that the person will report to work every day as promised.  The IT recruiting industry revolves around people, and unfortunately, people are one of the least reliable products out there.

Luckily, for every candidate that backs out of an job at the last minute or leaves an IT contract assignment before completion, there are a handful of hard-working, dedicated and professional IT consultants who go in and do the job to the best of their ability.

However, there are some steps that can be taken to help provide incentives for IT contractors to complete their assignments as promised.  One of the more widely used are completion bonuses in which IT staffing companies withhold anywhere from $1-5/hour of the weekly pay of their IT consultants, then pay them a “bonus” at the conclusion of the contract assignments.

For some IT consultants, just doing their job is motivation enough – especially knowing positive feedback will prompt IT recruiting firms Boston to want to work with them again in the future (subsequently driving up their future pay rate).  Ultimately, it’s up to the individual IT recruiters Boston to uncover each individual person’s motivation, then build some sort of retention program around that to ensure the client gets what they’re paying for.

Applications on Apple Devices

Recently one of the e-book applications that Sony submitted was rejected by the Apple store.  The reason for this was because it prompted the consumer to download the books directly from the app.  Other e-book applications allow you to read the books within the application but in order to purchase the books you need to log into Apple Safari and access it via their website.

Subsequently, it’s apparent that Apple is attempting to push everyone to switch over to their Apple store and e-book reader.  They’re also making it tedious for consumers to use other applications as they have to open more than one program in order to read the books .

As advanced and convenient as it is to use Apple devices, as soon as you introduce products or applications that are not created by Apple, it becomes more difficult to get some tasks done.  Will Apple change this in the future?  I posed this question to a number of IT recruiters  in Boston.  We don’t think they will.  Apple is going for world domination, the advent of the iPod and now the iPhone, coupled with their increasingly popular MacBook may just get them there.

In terms of their success, it is better for Apple to make things more compatible.  If consumers are pushed away from using things they like on Apple devices, eventually they will switch over.  The technical recruiters that I polled all said they would switch over to Macs if they had to in order to utilize all of their Apple products.

LinkedIn – Get Connected, Get Recruited

–          LinkedIn is the best way to get your name in cyberspace (in a good way!).
Your LinkedIn profile is an online resume for you, and it’s a way for you to get your resume in front of people without actually sending it. It’s your BRAND. This means, that the quality of your LinkedIn profile is vital. Ensure that it’s professional and easy to skim to get what’s important about you–a bulleted summary for each role you’ve held is ideal.

–          LinkedIn is a way to reconnect and establish your network.
Connecting to others on some level is what LinkedIn is all about. Joining groups is a great way to do that. Find groups that are focused in your industry/skill set/company/school. This will not only connect you directly and indirectly to global professionals and IT recruiters, it will keep you up to date on industry trends and happenings. Outside of  IT headhunters, it’s your most valuable IT job search tool.

–          LinkedIn is an incredible source for learning about clients.
Companies that span from large enterprise-level to smaller start-ups frequently maintain LinkedIn pages that are more educational than their official corporate pages for IT professionals who are looking for more employment-related information. Most current employees, including hiring managers can be found through an employee link on these pages.

–          Front Row Access to Recruiters.
Good IT recruiters Boston utilize all of the job boards. Great technical recruiters utilize the “passive” candidates on LinkedIn. Having a strong profile puts you front and center for us to find you easily.