Tag Archives: IT recruiting agencies

Why Do IT Recruiters Need Your Most Updated Resume?

When you’re searching for new IT jobs, polishing up your resume is important whether you’re working with IT recruiting firms or not.  While it’s obvious that you need to update your own resume when you’re searching on your own, many candidates assume that IT staffing companies will update their resumes for them.  While technical recruiters do go over your resume and lightly edit it, they can’t provide a great portrait of your career if you can’t give them something to work with.

It behooves you to give the best, most polished version of your resume to your IT recruiters because you are the person who knows your career and professional achievements best.  Your IT recruiting agencies will know how to tailor what you give them to entice a hiring manager. Think about the process like cooking.  Your IT recruiting companies might be the chefs, but even the best chefs can’t cook something great if they’re missing half the ingredients for the recipe.

Remember that as the candidate, you’re very invested in the outcome of this process.  If your IT staffing firms can’t send over a great resume for you, you’re not going to land any IT jobs.  So take the time to give them a great, general resume to work from.  It may yield you a great IT job in the end!

 

IT resumes
Take the time to update that IT resume, it will be worth it in the end! Photo credit: StartupStockPhotos via Pixabay.

 

Don’t Forget To Make This Point in Your IT Job Interviews

There are a lot of ways to prep for your IT job interviews. You probably already spend plenty of time gathering information from your IT recruiters, researching the company online, and practicing your answers with a family member or in front of the mirror. You’ve likely brushed up on technologies your technical recruiters told you to. Here’s one thing your IT staffing firms would suggest you don’t forget: Make sure to blatantly state your interest in the position for your interviewer.

Many technical recruiters find that their candidates assume that just by going to the interview they think they’re expressing interested in IT jobs. This simply isn’t true, though. The purpose of an interview is actually for both employer and candidate to explore whether the position is a good fit. You may hear something at an interview that makes you decide the job is definitely—or definitely not—a great fit for you. Unless you tell your interviewer, they won’t know for sure if you still are interested. Additionally, IT staffing companies also find that employers prefer it when candidates show enthusiasm about the role, work, company, etc. Giving a strong, deliberate statement of interest will achieve this effect.

So how do you make sure you do this well? IT recruiting firms would suggest that you simply give a direct statement, preferably near the end of the interview. You don’t need to gush (and in fact shouldn’t). Instead, being precise and even-keeled in your tone will work best here. Note that after hearing more about the role, you think it would be a great fit for a few particular reasons. Be articulate here and consider trying to name at least one reason that benefits the company, too. Later, when you write the thank you note for your IT recruiting agencies to give on your behalf, make sure to repeat your interest in the role again. Being open about this may just land you the job!

 

ITJobInterviewPrep
Prepping for your IT job interview is important, but so is showing interest in the role. Photo credit: Unsplash via Pixabay.

 

 

Remember This During Your IT Job Interviews

Have you ever wondered why your interviewers often ask you about your career, even if your IT staffing agencies have already given them copies of your resume?  Here are a couple reasons why your interviewer may need you to walk them through information that’s already on the resumes your IT recruiting firms have provided them with.

  1. They simply don’t remember it. IT recruiters would suggest you not take this personally at all.  Your interviewer may be talking to many candidates.  They may be handling various projects at the same time—in addition to interviewing.  If your interviewer asks you about something that’s already on your resume, your technical recruiters would urge you to answer it pleasantly anyways.  Being rude or condescendingly pointing out that the information is on the resume definitely won’t land you any IT jobs!
  2. Your interviewer may have questions because your resume is full of technical details. Especially in IT, resumes can be long and full of complicated details for various projects.  Don’t be upset if your interviewer needs to ask you something that is already covered on your resume. Your IT staffing companies would urge you to patiently respond to any questions, remembering that your resume might be too long and complicated for them to remember perfectly.
  3. Your interviewer might be less technical, and thus need you to re-word or explain things on your resume. Your IT recruiting agencies may be able to let you know this before the interview, but sometimes they may not.  If your interviewer isn’t as familiar with the technologies you’ve worked with, or possibly isn’t technical at all, they may ask you questions that you’d think your resume can answer.  Again, your IT staffing firms would suggest you answer them patiently and offer to clarify further if needed.  The key here is to make sure you demonstrate an ability to communicate well, even with people who have less experience or understanding of certain technologies.  This can be a moment where you really cement your candidacy!

 

ITJobInterviewsResume
Your interviewer may have a lot going on before they meet with you that day. Photo credit: cloudhoreca via Pixabay.

 

Don’t Get Too Technical in Your IT Job Interviews

One question IT recruiters find that you’ll usually be asked in interviews for IT jobs is something along the lines of ‘tell us about your professional achievements.’ Most technical recruiters find that their candidates do well at this question.  It’s not tricky and doesn’t require you to speak candidly about your faults or failures (these are things IT staffing companies find that candidates do have a hard time with).  Here’s one way that IT recruiting firms find that their candidates sometimes run into trouble with this question, though: you give too many (or too few) technical details to your interviewer.

What exactly does this mean?  Unfortunately IT recruiting companies can’t give you a hard rule, but your best bet is to check with your IT staffing agencies and read your audience.  Firstly, before going on the interview, ask your IT recruiting firms to let you know who you’ll be interviewing with and how technical they are.  They may be able to help you gauge how detailed you should get when describing your professional achievements.

In addition to checking with your IT recruiting agencies, you should also read your audience as you interview.  They’ll probably give you hints – either direct or subtle about whether they’re interested in the technical details of past professional successes.  If you can read these hints, especially if they’re subtle, you’ll demonstrate another desirable skill: communication.  The ability to communicate well and read you coworkers, managers, clients, and/or end-users is often prized in IT.  So if your interviewer looks bored as you describe how you debugged some complicated code, take a step back and try to give a less detailed answer.  You may just impress them with your technical skills and your communication skills!

 

ITJobInterviewsTechnical
Don’t dive into how elegant your code is until you know your interviewer wants to hear about it! Photo credit: lmonk72 via Pixabay.

 

 

How to (Gracefully) Leave Work for IT Job Interviews

When you’re searching for new IT jobs with your technical recruiters, you may feel awkward or guilty for leaving work for interviews.  Leaving work to go on the interviews your IT recruiting firms set up may make you feel nervous that your boss and/or coworkers will find out you’re searching for new roles. Here’s how to deal with that anxiety or guilt.

Firstly, remember that everyone leaves work or calls out to go on an interview at some point.  Taking time to go to the interviews your IT staffing agencies have set up isn’t shameful or wrong.  Truthfully, most employers would expect that you’d do this at some point—even if etiquette dictates that you don’t share it with them. This is especially true if you’re an IT contractor.

Secondly, approach taking time for interviews as though you were taking time for any other legitimate appointment.  When your technical recruiters set you up with an interview, simply request time off for an appointment.  IT recruiting companies would suggest that you don’t create an elaborate lie or try to be too secretive.  Most bosses and coworkers won’t pry for more information if you simply state that you have an appointment you’ll need to use some of your earned PTO for.  IT staffing firms would also suggest that you focus on the fact that you earned this PTO.  It’s your paid time off that you worked for.  You get to use it for whatever appointments you need to attend.

Lastly, remember to be focused on what’s really important: how you perform in your interview.  Leaving work for the interviews your IT recruiting agencies set up isn’t the important part.  Save your energy for really impressing your interviewers!

 

ITJobInterviewsPTO
Don’t fret about asking for time off for IT job interviews. Photo Credit: Unsplash via Pixabay.

 

 

Turn Your IT Job Interview Into A Home Run With This Tip

One way IT staffing firms suggest you can strengthen your interview performance is by asking a great question at the end.  IT recruiting companies find that great questions are always helpful in strengthening your candidacy.  However, they’re especially powerful at the end of the interview.  Your interviewer is more likely to remember you well if one of the last things you do is ask a great question.  Here’s a question or two that IT staffing companies would suggest: Who are the successful people in your company or team and what makes them valuable? Conversely, why have other people failed in this role?

There are a few reasons why technical recruiters find that these two questions are effective.  Firstly, asking them shows that you’re thinking deeply about what the company and team need.  Most people ask about the role and the job description.  This question delves into how somebody in this particular role, at this particular company could succeed.  Since sometimes the same role can look very different at different companies, your interviewer will really appreciate these questions.

Your IT recruiting agencies would also urge you to ask these questions because they show that you’re interested in more than just landing the job. When you ask questions like this, you’re suggesting that you want to find a job that’s a good fit—both on your end and for the company.  IT staffing agencies never find that companies just want to get anybody into their open IT jobs quickly.  Hiring managers want somebody who can do the work well and enjoys working in that team.  A bad fit always results in lost money, lost time, and hurts the IT professional, hiring company, and IT recruiting firms.  Nobody wants that.  So next time you really want to establish your candidacy, ask these questions.  They’ll make a big impression on your interviewer and your IT recruiters.

 

ITJobInterviewQuestions
Asking about who succeeds at a company (and why) many get you the IT job. Photo credit: Jerry Kimbrell via Pixabay.

 

Why Saying ‘No’ Is Important for Your IT Job Search

When you’re working with IT recruiting agencies to find new IT jobs, you may feel as though you should say you’re very interested in every role your IT recruiters want to submit you for—even if you’re not.  Maybe you’re concerned that your technical recruiters won’t work with you if you say no to role.  Perhaps you are anxious to land a new job and think you should take anything your IT staffing companies offer you. The truth is, it’s important to say no to roles that you’re not interested in. Here’s why you should take a deep breath and curb this instinct to just say yes to every role your IT recruiting firms present.

Ultimately, it’s not good for you or your IT staffing agencies if you land a role that you’re not happy in or not adequately prepared for.  There are plenty of reasons IT professionals might take a job they’re not a hundred percent interested in.  Maybe they are desperate for a new job.  Maybe they’re desperate for a new job with a higher salary.  Whatever the reason, you won’t really gain much when you land a job that you don’t feel at least reasonably comfortable in and can succeed at.  When you’re in a job you hate or are ill-prepared for, you’re almost guaranteed to need to leave it quickly—or possibly be fired.  This isn’t ideal for you or your IT recruiting companies.  When you’re searching for a new job, you want something you’ll enjoy, be great at, and be able to stay in for a year at least (unless it’s a set short term contract).  Anything you stay at for a shorter time will probably just cause you more stress, unhappiness, and mar your resume.  Your technical recruiters don’t want to place you in a job you leave quickly or are fired from.  This damages their relationship with the company that employs you.

The moral of the story?  Be honest with your IT recruiters and don’t tell them to submit you for jobs you don’t think you can do well and be happy in.  Even if you have to wait for a job that you are happy with and can excel at, this will yield the best outcome for you (and thus your IT staffing firms, too).

 

ITJobsUnhappy
You don’t want to land an IT job you don’t think you’d be at least reasonably happy doing.

 

Don’t Lie to Your IT Recruiters About This

When you’re working with IT recruiters to find a new role, there are some things you might be tempted to exaggerate or potentially even lie about.  Obviously honesty really is the best policy, but it’s worth noting that you will hurt your search for IT jobs (and possibly your career) if you lie about your technical skills, experience, etc to your technical recruiters.

Some IT professionals are tempted to exaggerate or flat out lie to IT staffing firms about qualifications.  They might be tempted to tell IT recruiting firms that they have more experience using a programming language or working in an end-user facing role. While this might seem like a good way to land a job in the short run, it’s very likely to land you in hot water in the long run.  One consequence of your lies to your IT recruiting companies could be that they or the interviewing manager may figure out you’re lying or exaggerating.  If this is the case, you’ll definitely ruin your reputation with both.  Neither this potential employer, nor your IT recruiting agencies will want to work with you after realizing you lied to them.  Worse, they may also share this information about you with other contacts in the industry and further ruin your reputation.

Even if you do land the job you lied to your IT staffing agencies to get, you might find yourself in a role that you’re not equipped to succeed in.  If you exaggerated your experience or proficiency with certain technologies, you may find that you can’t actually perform the way your new employer expects.  This could mean you get disciplined or even fired.  It will also mean that your IT recruiting companies will see you as a less than desirable candidate to work with again.  If you say you have certain skills, it will certainly ruin your reputation if you can’t prove you have them.  Getting fired or just performing at a sub-par level will obviously hurt your career a bit, too.  You want to be as successful as possible in every job you take.  While it’s not possible to be the top employee in every job, it’s like shooting yourself in the foot to guarantee you’ll fail in a job by lying about your qualifications.

 

LyingToITRecruiters
Don’t lie to your IT recruiters about your experience– it will only hurt you in the end. Photo credit: Geralt via Pixabay.

 

 

Avoid This Surprisingly Common IT Job Interview Mistake

IT recruiters often hear from the candidates they work with that they have been practicing ‘selling themselves’ for IT job interviews.  This is a pretty common tactic that many IT professionals have been told will land them the IT jobs they interview for.  Unfortunately, many IT staffing agencies see this advice carried out in a way that actually hurts candidates in interviews. Here’s what you need to avoid:

  1. Don’t focus so hard on selling yourself that you sound scripted and/or don’t satisfactorily respond to the interviewer’s questions. Sometimes technical recruiters will see a candidate work hard to craft and memorize a monologue about their technical background, soft skills, and achievements.  Don’t make this mistake.  Your interview will go much better if you can really participate in the conversation.  Of course you will highlight your abilities, communication skills, etc.  However, you need to be ready to do that in response to the questions the interviewer asks.  If you give interviewers something that feels like a sales pitch, it won’t feel like a comprehensive, thoughtful answer to their question.  Relying on a pre-prepared sales pitch means that your interviewers will be very likely to tell your IT recruiting agencies ‘no thanks’!
  2. Don’t forget that it’s not just about you! Selling yourself too hard can mean that you totally exclude the other important party here: your potential employers.  Unfortunately, IT staffing companies often hear about candidates blowing the interview this way.  Your IT recruiting firms need you to showcase your own assets as an employee, but they also need you to show that you’ve thought about why this company, IT job, team, work, etc is a great fit for you.  Take time to speak to why you’re interested in this role or this company.  Explain why you think you’d be happy and succeed with this employer.  Show off the research you’ve done on this company, its work, market, etc.  If you don’t talk about the company you’re interviewing with, you can count on your IT staffing firms letting you know you didn’t get the job!

 

ITJobInterviewSellYourself
Don’t make ‘selling yourself’ the sole focus in IT job interviews! Photo credit: TooMuchCoffeeMan via Pixabay.

 

 

2 Phone Interview Mistakes that Will Cost You the IT Job

When your IT staffing firms set you up for phone interviews, you might feel like there’s less pressure or it’s less intimidating than an in-person interview.  Don’t make this mistake!  IT recruiting agencies see too many great IT candidates fail phone interviews because they’re too relaxed.  In particular, here are two major mistakes that could lose you the IT jobs you’re interviewing for.

  1. Being ill-prepared. Your IT recruiters will likely give you a scheduled time and day for the interview.  Plan to be in a quiet space with good reception (or better yet, use a landline). Research the company and familiarize yourself with any technologies your IT staffing companies note that you’ll be asked about.  Practice with a family member or friend if it’s been a while since your last phone interview.
  2. Being unfocused. Sometimes technical recruiters find that candidates will give more rambling, chatty answers on phone interviews.  Since the phone is usually a more social medium, it can be easy to fall into this pattern.  Try to remember that on some level, your phone interview is just a more condensed version of your in-person interview.  Your IT recruiting firms want you to give solid, comprehensive answers that don’t keep the interviewer on the phone for an excessively long time.

 

ITJobPhoneInterviews
Being too chatty on your phone interviews won’t win you the IT job. Photo credit: niekverlaan via Pixabay.