Tag Archives: IT recruiting companies

Use This Helpful Tip in Your Next IT Job Interview

If you’re in the process of interviewing for IT jobs, your IT recruiters and IT staffing firms are probably helping you prepare.  There are some things IT staffing agencies and IT recruiting companies are taking for granted that you’ll know about going into job interviews.  One of these things your IT recruiting agencies may not even mention in your prep conversations is to avoid clichés. Why avoid clichés?  Business is full of easy clichés that seem like the most efficient, satisfactory way to answer interview questions.  The problem is that clichés don’t mean much to hiring managers anymore.  When everybody uses the same phrases, like ‘nose to the grindstone,’ or ‘work hard, play hard,’ to describe themselves, hiring managers begin to have a hard time believing them.  So what can you do in an interview instead of using clichés? Try to think about what you’ll be saying ahead of time.  Your IT recruiting firms are likely going to give you at least a few of the questions or potential questions you’ll be asked. Practice answering them honestly and without using any buzzwords or clichés.  If you find that you can’t avoid using a cliché, take a moment to admit it.  Then suggest what this means about you.  For instance, if you say you’re a ‘hard worker’ then find a unique anecdote that illustrates your work ethic.  Don’t panic if you do find that you have to use a cliché in a job interview.  However, if you do your best to avoid them, you’ll make an excellent impression on your IT staffing companies and hiring managers.

Tips for IT Job Seekers Over 50

As the economy continues to improve, technical recruiters are finding that the people who still struggle a bit finding IT jobs are those over 50.  What do IT staffing firms suggest that IT professionals over 50 do to help make themselves more marketable to both hiring managers and IT staffing agencies? Here are a few tips.

  1. Clean up your resume—don’t leave every job on there.  The longer your resume, the more it suggests to hiring managers, IT recruiting companies, and IT recruiters, that you’re older.  If you want to avoid making this obvious, as most people do in the IT field, it’s time to take a few jobs off your resume.
  2. Make sure your resume highlights the technologies you’re proficient in, especially current and new ones.  Fair or not, companies sometimes hesitate to hire older IT candidates because they’re concerned about whether their technical knowledge is up to date.  If you can demonstrate that you’re well-versed in current and new technology to IT recruiting agencies, you can make yourself a much more attractive candidate.
  3. If IT recruiting firms call you about jobs, take the time to explain why you’re qualified, but not overqualified, for them.  When you’re older than 50, sometimes this is a concern.  Take a little time to assuage it.

 

What Makes an IT Recruiter Trustworthy?

If you’ve just started your search for new IT jobs, you’re probably a little confused about what IT staffing firms and technical recruiters you should work with.  To some extent, you’ll wind up picking your IT recruiters and IT staffing agencies based on location.  If you want to work in a certain area, you need to work with the IT recruiting companies that have clients there.

Beyond location, however, there are other reasons why IT staffing companies are good or bad to work with.  Firstly, you want to know that the IT recruiting agencies you pick are reputable.  You can do a quick search online, both on Google and LinkedIn.  If you ask well-established IT recruiting firms directly, they will also be more than happy to provide you with references or links to their reviews online.  Besides being vetted, you also want to know that the IT recruiters you’re working with are interested in creating a good relationship with you.  A recruiter who wants to build a good relationship with you truly listens to (or better yet, asks for) your preferences for your next role.  They also contact you somewhat regularly while you’re searching for jobs and might even ask to meet you in person.  The best recruiters want to place you in a job you’re happy with, and they spend time getting to know you so they can do this.

 

 

Ask This Question to Impress Your IT Interviewer

If you’re interviewing for IT jobs that you really want, it’s not enough to just go through the motions of basic preparation with your IT recruiters and IT staffing firms.  Your best bet to really wow your interviewers (and by extension, your technical recruiters and IT recruiting companies) is to work on a few ‘secret weapons’ that will really elevate your performance in the interview.  Here’s one ‘secret weapon’ you should really try to cultivate: Ask the interviewer how your work will impact and aid the company in reaching its major goals.

Why would you ask this question?  It will show that you’re interested in not just the role, but how you can be a stellar employee that contributes to the company as a whole.  IT staffing companies and IT recruiting agencies have no problem placing candidates who can see the big picture.  Hiring managers don’t just want somebody who wants to complete their own tasks. They’d love to get somebody who will contribute to their team and the company as a whole.  This kind of employee understands bigger priorities and requires less management and puts out better results.

 

A Strong Way to Finish Your IT Job Interviews

Your technical recruiters and IT staffing agencies probably have stressed to you the importance of making a great first impression on your interviewers, particularly at the start of the interview.  Did you know that you can also do a lot of damage or really increase your likelihood of nailing your dream IT jobs with the way you finish your job interviews?  Like all humans, your IT recruiters and interviewers are more likely to remember the beginning and end of your interview.  So don’t just start strong, finish strong, too! Here’s one way to really impress your interviewer and IT staffing companies at the end of job interviews.

Start by picking out things that really appeal to you about the job over the course of the interview. Try to remember 2-3 things that your interviewer mentions that you can genuinely tie back to your work style, lifestyle, and career goals.  When you get to the very end of the interview, state to the interviewer that you’d love the job because of these things.

By doing this, you’ll definitely make a strong impression on the interviewer (and by extension your IT recruiting companies and IT staffing firms) for a few reasons.  Firstly, you’ll show that you’re genuinely interested in the job.  Don’t underestimate the importance of this.  You’ll also be showing that you’re a good listener, which is key for most jobs.  Lastly, you’ll be able to showcase that you communicate well and are articulate.  Especially in IT, these skills are at a premium.  Try this at your next job interview.  You’ll leave a lasting impression!

A ‘Hook’ for Your IT Job Interviews

If you’ve got interviews for IT jobs coming up soon, you’re probably preparing the usual things with your IT recruiters and IT staffing agencies.  These things are important, and you should certainly focus on them.  But once you’ve covered all the bases your IT staffing firms and technical recruiters tell you too, you may want to consider developing a “hook” that will make you stand out.  What exactly would that be?

A good hook is something that will make you stand out to your interviewers in a good way.  They’ll remember you for more than just the skills your IT recruiting companies have vetted you for—something quirky like an unconventional hobby or an interesting story you can tell about yourself (that’s still relevant to the topics discussed in the interview).  For instance, if you have done some IT- centered volunteer work for an interesting nonprofit, this is a good hook that your interviewer can remember you by.  If you’re unsure if your hook is appropriate or just a good idea, you can always run it by your IT recruiting agencies. Even if you don’t get this particular job, your hook might impress your IT staffing companies and they might make sure they can place you at another job!

 

 

Nail your Skype IT Job Interviews

More and more IT recruiters and IT staffing agencies these days are able to offer their job candidates skype (or similar technologies) interviews.  If your technical recruiters or IT recruiting firms set up a skype interview for you, here are some tips to make sure you get offered the IT jobs.

  1. Start by scheduling the interview a day and time when you can be fully prepared.  Your IT staffing companies and IT recruiting agencies want you to succeed in your interviews.  So they’ll understand when you ask them to help you schedule the interview for a day and time when you’ll be able to do the interview with a secure internet connection, have a clean, quiet, and appropriate location to do it in, and be able to wear interview-appropriate clothing.
  2. Make sure you practice interviewing with the technology you’ll be using ahead of time.  It’s not enough to simply practice interviewing.  You want to know how you come across and what it feels like to use this technology.  You also want to know how to use it so you can easily set it up the day of the interview.
  3. Lastly, it may seem obviously, but remember that this interview is just as serious as an in-person interview.  It could be easy to forget this because you’re at home, but don’t!  Stay professional and keep your head in the game—your IT recruiting companies will really appreciate it and so will your interviewers!

 

 

Help IT Recruiters Find You

Are you looking to connect with some IT recruiters and IT staffing firms to get started on a job search? Are you having a tough time creating good relationships with technical recruiters and IT recruiting companies?  It might have to do with your online presence.  Here are some ways to make sure you’re more visible to IT staffing agencies and IT recruiting firms online—and in most flattering way possible.

Firstly, you’ll want to clean up your online presence.  If you have a Facebook page or are on any other social media, try to take down any inappropriate, unprofessional, or embarrassing pictures or posts.  You don’t want IT recruiting agencies to come across these, nor do you want a hiring manager to see them!

After making your unprofessional aspects of your life invisible, it’s time to make sure your professional achievements are visible.  IT staffing companies will be more likely to contact you if you make sure to have a great profile on LinkedIn and post your resume on major websites for job seekers.  Once you’re on LinkedIn, it’s important to start using your profile to make connections.  It will be even easier for recruiters to find you if you wind up being connected to people already in their network.

 

 

Are Tests Necessary in IT Job Interviews?

Sometimes your IT recruiters and IT staffing firms will tell you to prepare to take a test at your interview.  An employer may want to test your abilities with particular technologies or methodologies, even if your resume and IT staffing companies and IT recruiting firms already suggest you’re good at something.  Sometimes this can frustrate job candidates—they don’t want to have to take a test because it’s stressful or time-consuming.  However, your technical recruiters and IT recruiting agencies can tell you that there are reasons why these tests are helpful to you and the potential employer.

The main reason these tests are worth taking, is that they will likely show you whether you’d be able to succeed in a job.  You don’t want to take a job that you’ll flounder in, and neither does the interviewing company or your IT recruiting companies.  The best IT jobs for you are the ones that you already have the skills to succeed in—and a test can help determine this.

Perhaps the other main reason these tests are worth taking is that putting in the time and effort just to take the test distinguishes you as a candidate.  There are plenty of other candidates who won’t want to take the test.  This will weed them out as competition for you.  So bit the bullet and take the test—even if you don’t get 100%, you may still get the job!

 

Tips for Long IT Job Interviews

If your IT recruiters and IT staffing companies are booking you for long job interviews (ie half a day or longer) then congratulations.  You’re probably very close to a job offer, since IT recruiting agencies, technical recruiters, and interviewers often don’t want to waste their time or a candidate’s time if they don’t have some real interest.  If your IT staffing firms and IT recruiting companies have set you up for a long interview, here are two tips to help you nail it.

Firstly, dress comfortably and professionally.  While this may seem obvious, sometimes your interview clothes aren’t your most comfortable.  It’s really important to wear something that will give off a good impression but won’t leave you feeling too hot, your feet hurting, etc.  You won’t be able to give a good impression to your interviewers if your clothes that normally work for a 1 hour interview start bothering you—with 4 or 5 or 6 hours left to go.

Secondly, try to think about ways you can use the same stories or answers to questions in different ways.  If you’re going on a long interview, you’re likely to have several mini-interviews with a few people.  You may have to answer a few questions twice.  Or you may run out of answers to questions.  Think about how to re-use answers and stories in advantageous ways.  Sometimes, a story about the way you handled a disgruntled customer can also demonstrate your attention to detail.  Or a story about the way you fixed a bug in some code can demonstrate both your ability to be a team player and your excellent coding skills.  Come to the interview with a few anecdotes like this in mind.  It will help and might just win you the IT jobs of your dreams!