Tag Archives: IT recruiting agencies

IT’s Newest Playground: Egypt

Information technology is finding some new ground around Cairo, Egypt.  A new area meant to become the next Silicon Valley is being developed now in Egypt.  IT consultants and IT managers are creating startups in a nation ripe for it.  About half of Egypt’s population is under 30 and used twitter and facebook during their recent revolution, which means most of them are the young, technologically-literate people who often are or become IT contractors.  With the startup culture growing in Egypt and its reputation slowly growing as well, it’s only a matter of time before IT recruiting agencies and technical recruiters begin to consider Egypt in their expansion plans.  Business Insider and Huffington Post are already talking about drool-worthy resumes and companies in the surprising new IT-centric territory.

 

Deal-breakers in IT

All IT contractors have their deal-breakers for IT jobs.  Whether it’s poor management or abusive behavior from IT managers, options for telecommuting or flexible scheduling, or particular kinds of commutes or distances for commutes, there are just some reasons IT consultants will turn down a job IT staffing agencies recommend.

Deal-breakers are certainly acceptable, especially in a field like information technology, where the jobs are pretty plentiful.  In fact, they can also be very helpful if stated within reason to IT headhunters. IT recruiters want to know what IT professionals’ deal-breakers are so they avoid placing them in jobs that are not good fits for them long term.  If an IT professional keeps a deal-breaker under wraps, and then winds up in a job that has it, they won’t stay long.  This will potentially burn bridges for them, their IT recruiting agencies they work with, the hiring managers, and others.  Having a copious list of deal-breakers that make most jobs impossible is not going to do you any good.  However, being aware of your (reasonable) deal-breakers and making sure your technical recruiters are also aware of them will make your placements much more likely to be successful—for everyone involved.

 

Starting a New Job in IT

IT contractors start new IT jobs much more often than their counterparts in other fields.  The best IT consultants, the ones IT recruiting agencies love to work with, are the ones who know how to start a new job well.  IT headhunters really appreciate IT professionals who know how to make a great first impression with IT managers because that first impression really sets the tone for the rest of the contract.  Here are a few ways to start a job well:

1.      Create goals for yourself.  Make sure these goals are in line not only with your job description, but the company’s goals overall.  The best asset a manager can have is a report who understands the big picture.

2.      Don’t ignore your coworkers.  In fact, take time to make sure you get to know them a bit, try to do what you can to help them out, and make sure to give them credit where credit is due.  Being a team player is incredibly impressive because it’s not always easy to do.  If you put energy into actually making your teammates’ plates less full at work and their days more pleasant, you’ll be recognized for it.

3.      Figure out the office culture and try to blend into it as quickly as possible.  The best new employees are the ones who don’t feel new.  Figure out the written and unwritten rules at work and start to follow them as soon as possible.

 

Fighting the Right Battles in Your IT Job

IT professionals may come across many inconveniences and deficiencies at their IT jobs.  Perhaps they are IT contractors, but would like to be taken on as permanent employees.  Perhaps they are lacking software or tools that would make their jobs easier and more effective.  Or perhaps they are just frustrated with the way their IT managers treat them.  Most IT consultants hold off on picking too many battles at their workplaces for fear of angering their bosses or the IT staffing firms that placed them in their jobs.  While this strategy makes sense, there are some battles IT headhunters might actually appreciate their contractors taking on.

IT recruiting agencies would certainly appreciate not having their candidate turn out to be whiny and difficult to manage.  The better a candidate is at putting their head down and getting a job done, the more technical recruiters will want to work with them again.  However, sometimes there are issues with the workplace that, if fixed, would benefit the company greatly.  Advocating cautiously with a well-researched solution can certainly get an IT manager’s attention.  Sometimes, even if your solution to an issue isn’t used, getting the conversation started is still a victory.  Perhaps a more effective procedure can be found at work or a cheaper or more efficient tool can be used.  Management and IT staffing companies will deeply appreciate an IT consultant who picks and fights suavely the battles that benefit his or her entire company.

 

Avoiding Bad Advice in IT Jobs or Job Hunting

IT recruiters come across IT consultants who act upon a lot of bad advice. IT staffing firms find that unfortunately, there is plenty of terrible advice that is nearly indistinguishable from good advice about during, on the hunt for, and when leaving IT jobs.   IT professionals who are polishing their resumes, or simply trying to figure out how to improve in their current job, can take a few steps in trying to avoid poor advice about how to act in the information technology field.

Firstly, consider the source of the advice.  If you would trust the source normally, considering finding at least one more source that would confirm the advice.  If you wouldn’t normally trust the source but are intrigued by the advice, try to find at least 3 places that confirm it.  Good advice is something most people can agree on, especially when it comes to the job hunt or workplace etiquette.

The second way to avoid bad advice about your job hunt or job etiquette is to consider checking with your IT headhunters or IT recruiting agencies before proceeding with it.  If they helped you land your current job or are helping you find a new one, it is in their best interest that you perform well and do the right things.  They also tend to have relationships with your employers/potential employers, or at the very least, companies that are similar to them.  Your technical recruiters will very likely know if you should follow or discard a piece of advice because they know your employers’ or potential employers’ preferences.

 

Doing Your Research Before an IT Interview

IT recruiters and IT staffing companies tend to recommend that IT consultants do their research before interviewing for IT jobs.  This might seem straightforward enough, but it’s worth it for IT contractors to review the research they need to do that is not technology-specific as they prepare to meet IT managers.

The first step any technical recruiters will suggest is to research the company.  Going to the company’s website and blog are good first stops.  It’s also worth it to check out glass door for your own reference to see if you’ll like the work environment.

The next step IT recruiting agencies would recommend is reading industry-specific news.  Reviewing recent news for the industry that you’ll be interviewing in will give you something interesting to speak with our interviewer about.  You might also have some ideas of what the company’s priorities are or major factors in its business.

The last step to consider is to look up the person you’ll be interviewed by.  Looking for common ground, finding out their role, and finding out more about their background will all help you become the most appealing candidate you can be.  People love to work with people who understand them, so you can show up already having a basic understanding of your interviewer.

Avoiding Conflict in IT

IT jobs tend to require that IT contractors have either teamwork skills or customer service skills.  With requirements like these, IT staffing firms find it imperative to ensure that the IT consultants they work with not only have flawless resumes, but can also avoid and defuse conflicts.

The best case scenario for IT recruiting agencies is to find IT job candidates who are capable not only of avoiding their own conflict, but also knowing when to defuse other people’s conflicts.  Technical recruiters prefer to work with candidates who recognize that the first step to avoiding any conflict is to emotionally detach from a situation.  Secondly, keeping the opposite perspective in mind is key to easily detangling a disagreement. Empathy never hurts on this front, either.

When it comes to positively impacting work conflicts with co-workers, IT staffing companies want candidates who are aware of when they are needed.  Instances with IT managers and superiors should be avoided.  These people don’t want inferiors attempting to resolve their issues.  Issues between peers are better grounds to interfere on, but only minimally.  IT headhunters don’t want busybodies.  The only scenario that absolutely requires intervention every single time is when a disagreement is about to occur in front of or with a client or potential client.  Keeping the client happy and confident in the company is of the utmost importance– and disagreements never help with those goals.

 

Introverts in IT

Information technology is a field that draws an unprecedented number of introverted IT consultants and IT managers.  The long hours alone by a computer screen certainly appeal to a great number of IT professionals.  This high concentration of introverts makes Susan Cain’s research on how to utilize them in the workplace particularly relevant to the field and IT staffing firms and IT headhunters.

Cain’s research suggests a few tweaks to current corporate practice.  Firstly, instead of overlooking quiet, introverted types for leadership positions and jobs in general, it is best to delve deeper and look for the ideas and creativity they can provide.  Secondly, Cain considers the standard corporate practice of celebrating, and generally forcing, extroversion, to be counterproductive.  It makes working difficult for the 33 to 50% of the population that tends to be more introverted than extroverted.

These changes could certainly start with IT recruiting agencies, which might be more likely to overlook quiet IT job candidates. The IT headhunters who work directly with candidates can advocate for them as alternatives to the typical extroverts they might be drawn to.  Taking more time to consider the introverted candidate could make IT staffing agencies instrumental in Cain’s ‘Quiet Revolution.’ 

 

Your Next IT Meeting: Will it Be by the Pool?

Lately in information technology and other corporate fields, meetings have been moved from the boardroom into more unconventional settings.  IT recruiters, IT contractors, and IT managers are all finding themselves taking meetings poolside, in the gym, or outdoors.  The trend tends to be far more popular on the East and West coasts.  IT staffing agencies and other companies that tend to entertain clients and IT consultants are noting a preference for activities that fit the healthier lifestyles people aspire to.

The West coast has far more IT headhunters and IT professionals taking meetings in yoga classes, poolside, or in juice bars, as well as just taking walks outside.  Of course, these activities and places are far more popular anyways in that area of the US, so it’s not surprising people choose them as backdrops for business meetings.  The East coast, on the other hand, tends to make use of more indoor activities and settings for its unconventionally located business meetings.  Spin, boot camp, and UFX classes are all popular alternatives to the conventional steak dinner or sports game.  Spin in particular is an East coast specialty, so it has quite a bit of popularity.

No matter the coast or area of the country, one thing is certain: business meetings are rapidly changing with the health-oriented priorities of their attendees.

IT’s Dark Side is Potentially Bright

IT recruiting agencies, IT contractors, and IT managers across American have basked in the glow of a very robust field.  Information technology is currently only at a 3.5% unemployment rate. IT professionals alone make up an astounding portion of the ‘startup’ trend and IT jobs are one of the shining beacons of hope for future graduates.  Technology is one of, if not the, life preservers the US is riding out the last waves of the great recession on.  This life preserver has its dangers, too though.

Recently a few different publications have run articles that breathlessly proclaim the dangers of a technology-laden life, both on individual and larger levels.  A world full of smart phones, various cameras, and Google glasses is one that is also full of surveillance.  Gilding aspects of your personal life, like your banking, your house, and your relationships with the latest apps and programmable gadgets leaves them all suddenly vulnerable to hackers.  The Atlantic ran a terrifying piece on the dangers of a smart home that might be hacked to harm its occupants.

What will make IT consultants and IT staffing firms successful is neither to bury their heads in the sand regarding these issues, nor to become overwhelmed by them.  These issues are also opportunities for the IT world.  As hackers exploit these weaknesses, IT professionals can be finding ways to strengthen and protect.  Development of the smart house can extend to its protection against hacking.  Development of devices that become part of constant surveillance can include ways to hide oneself and opt out of the unwanted spotlight.  IT has a darker side that is absolutely worth noticing, but the thing about darkness is that it has a staggering potential for light.