Tag Archives: IT recruiting

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.

Keeping One Eye Open in the IT Recruiting Industry

As an IT recruiter, you may already have a great job and be pleased with your technical staffing company.  The problem is that you never what your future holds.  So what should you do even though you are already employed?  Here are a few tips to either secure your position or give you an exit strategy.

You should always keep tabs on how the market is doing in the IT recruiting industry throughout your career.  Over time your technical recruiting position may demand more money.  You may simply have more responsibilities for the same technical recruiting job as someone else who is compensated more.

Keeping tabs on the IT staffing industry will also help you figure out how your IT recruiting company may be doing in the IT staffing industry.  You need to have your finger on the pulse and know when your IT recruiting position is at risk.  It is better to know early on so that you have ample time to start your new job search.  Just because you have a stable technical recruiting does not mean it will always be that way.

Therefore, enjoy your recruiting position but always make sure to have a backup plan in case things go south.  There are always opportunities in the IT staffing industry. You just need to know how to find them.

How to overcome your fear of Public Speaking

As an IT staffing salesperson, you will have to meet with hiring managers of all levels in the information technology industry. From Director-level to VP to CTO, you are constantly making presentations for individuals or groups. If you have a fear of public speaking, you may become anxious or even avoid these types of meetings that could ultimately drive revenue for you and the IT recruiting firm that you work for. This anxiety may also prohibit you from attending networking events or any other social networking function that could produce big returns.

If you find it hard to approach new people or strike up a conversation with fellow IT recruiters, you need to practice speaking with others. A good way to practice is with friends. You can head out with friends and make an attempt to meet a new person every time you go somewhere. This will help you get over the fear of speaking with someone new while having an initial security blanket. Take note of what they say and make an attempt to show a keen interest in what they are talking about.

One other thing you can do is practice what you are going to say during your IT staffing presentation. You do not need to memorize things exactly, but rehearse your pitch and prepare answers to typical question that IT managers may ask. The more prepared you are for a meeting the more confidence you will have. As a salesperson in the IT recruiting industry, public speaking is not only a tool that will help you network, it will ultimately put money in your pocket.

If you plan on advancing in your IT recruitment career, you will eventually be giving presentations and speaking to managers and executives in your technical recruiting company. Therefore, practice your public speaking. It will give you the confidence you need and help you in various aspects of your life.

How to Solve Work-related Problems at IT Staffing Companies

Problems will arise from time to time in any industry including IT staffing.  Of course some issues are smaller than others and may not really affect your IT recruiting job.  However, sometimes you will come across a problem that will affect your IT recruitment job.  Therefore, how should you handle the problems that arise?

First, go right to the source.  Ask the IT recruiter or IT recruiters, to sit down and discuss the matter. If that doesn’t resolve the problem, have a meeting with your boss.  Whether he or she is your IT recruiting manager or the director of the IT staffing office, tell him or her about the problems that you’re facing.  It is better to discuss these when they arise.  Your IT recruiting Boston job could be at risk if it is affecting your productivity.  You may start to lose interest in technical recruiting which in turn will affect your work.

Next discuss how you would like the problem to end.  Let them know the solution you want achieved.  It’s better to get it all out in the open rather than keep it to yourself. Figure out what needs to be done and ask your boss what he/she thinks is the appropriate action to achieve that solution.  Getting an opinion outside of the situation will help get some fresh plan of actions.

Lastly, make sure you to some action as soon as possible.  When a problem affects your incentive to work, then it needs to be solved immediately.  If there seems to be no solution to your problem then it may be time to consider a new IT staffing firm.  Maybe you can even transfer out of the IT recruiting department and get away from the issues you may be dealing with there.

IT Recruiting Professionals Working on the Go

Depending on the career path you chose in the IT staffing industry, you may find yourself always moving.  Your office ends up being anywhere you can sit down with internet access.  So how can you get your work done in a timely fashion while keeping other IT recruiters in the loop?

Here are a few tips to help those mobile IT staffing workers:

Since you are always on the go, you want to make sure that you have everything you need.  In order to keep connected with your emails and send important documents, you need to be able to get Wi-Fi access.  Some IT recruiters Boston choose to pay for wireless internet on their mobile phone.  However, another option is finding free Wi-Fi access or even tethering your cellphone.  Whichever you prefer, this should provide you with the ability to access the internet in most areas.

Additional locations that make great hot spots are coffee shops.  You can relax a bit and have a coffee while you recruit or email with clients.  If you need a quieter location, you may want to try going to a library.  There is usually one in every town and most likely will be emptier during work hours.

Another tool that is essential for technical recruiters on the move is having a portal where you can access files and documents.  One such location is called Dropbox.  If you are always on the go, you do not want to be carrying around flashdrives or external hard drives to store your information safely.  This will allow you to easily save your files online while sending them to your coworkers without much effort.

If you plan on being a mobile technical recruiter, make sure you take a look at all of your options so you don’t miss out on any IT recruiting needs.  You do not want to be stuck in a location without the ability to access the internet or in a place that doesn’t allow you to access your files.

How to Professionally Decline an IT Recruiting job Offer

As an IT recruiter on the job market, you will likely be offered more than one opportunity.  Subsequently, there will come a time when you need to choose the IT recruiting opportunity is right for you. After accepting, the question arises how to professionally decline the job offers from the other IT staffing companies.

However, before making that decision, take a look at all of the factors – not just compensation.  What is your opportunity for growth within the IT recruiting firm?  Could you see yourself working in their IT staffing office?  Did you get a good sense of whether you would enjoy reporting to your boss?  What about your peers and other IT recruiters Boston?  Also consider which IT recruiting position will better suit your work-life balance needs at the time.

Once you have decided which job offer to accept, you then have to contact the other IT recruiting agencies and professionally decline their offers.  Always leave a good impression and put your best foot forward.  Subsequently, make sure to call the hiring manager personally.  Don’t leave it to chance that they received an email notification instead.

When you decline the IT recruiting job offer, make sure to thank the hiring manager for the time they spent interviewing you and informing you more about the position.  Their time is just as important as yours so make sure you express your gratitude.  Next explain your reasoning for declining the offer.  Remember to keep the reason as legitimate as possible.  Do not make the hiring manager feel bad as in the future you may need to interact with them.  Finally, leave on good terms.  Tell them that you enjoyed your conversation(s) and would like to keep in touch.  You never know what the future holds.

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.

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.

How to Improve Your Work Life

Whether you are an IT recruiter or an IT professional, you may not realize that most of your time is spent working rather than at home.  Therefore, you should make sure that your time at work is used productively and enjoyably.

One of the most important factors you need to establish is the boundaries between work and personal life.  Without this boundary, you will not be able to enjoy both parts.  You need to know when it is time to go home and leave any unfinished work at work.

Some IT recruiters tend to have very little time during when the IT jobs start coming in.  Therefore, in order to get the perfect candidate for the technical job they end up working through lunch.  If you find yourself in this situation, be sure to take a walk or spend a few minutes doing something that allows you to take a brief break in your hectic work day.  Avoid burning out.

Another part of your work life is to bring in some of the things that you enjoy.  You may have a hobby or there may be another aspect of your life that bring joy to you.  So why not bring those parts with you to your IT recruiting office.  It’s good to decorate your cubicle or bring in office supplies that show off your personality.  This will allow you to show your creativity and be more relaxed while at work.

Work should not become a drag.  You need to enjoy being as work as much as possible as this is ultimately where we spend the majority of our lives.  If after taking these tips into consideration you still aren’t enjoying your work environment, then it may be time to contact an IT staffing agency to see what kinds of IT jobs are available to you.

How to Prepare For IT Job Fairs

It is that time of the year again, where career fairs are popping up everywhere.  If you are back at school finishing up your MBA or your bachelor’s degree, you may need to start looking for that IT job.  There are a few things you will need to keep in mind when attending these IT recruiting events.

First of all, make sure you research the IT recruiting agency or company beforehand.  You as a prospective candidate need to show a keen interest in the firm.  Learn a little about the IT recruiters or hiring managers representing the company.  Find out what their role is and even where they were prior to joining the company.  All this can be found on Linkedin.  Where knowledge is power, and hitting it off with a prospective employer is critical, use the information that is at your fingertips.

Second, you should think about your ideal role and what additional positions that you’re qualified to fill.  Even if the various IT recruiting agencies Boston or client companies are not advertising your desired position, leave them with a resume.  You never know when an IT job position will open up.  If the Boston recruiters already have your information, you may be one of the first prospective candidates on their list when that high tech job opens up.

Next, come prepared.  As an information technology professional looking for a new job, you need to dress the part.  Do not go in jeans and a t-shirt.  Try business casual or business formal.  First impressions are critical.  In addition, make sure you have enough copies of your resume and of course do not forget to proofread it to make sure all the necessary technology keywords are on there.

Finally, break out of your comfort zone.  IT job fairs are useless unless you talk to IT recruiters and/or prospective employers.  If there’s a long line to speak with technical recruiters, then wait in it.  If you feel awkward about approaching a potential employer, walk up and introduce yourself.  The more people you meet, the better your chance of making a connection that will help you find that next IT job.