Tag Archives: IT recruiting

IT Staffing Firms: The Best Friend of Candidates and Companies

Saves Time and Patience

IT recruiting companies save hiring companies the time and effort in researching applicants for IT jobs.  Without the hassle of sifting through resumes and weeding out candidates, human resources can refocus their attention to other areas.  Recruiters also help the company and applicants negotiate rates and contracts which might be sensitive topics for both parties.

Working with technical recruiters provides candidates with a direct contact for honest feedback and thorough interviewing schedule.  Applicants may feel more confident working with IT staffing companies because recruiters can offer tips and suggestions while also providing a source to hiring manages.  If an interview does not go well or a job is not a good fit, the recruiter can also make suggestions and recommend an applicant for other positions.

Saves Money

Because human resources will not need to concern themselves with the hiring process, the company can spend the allocated budget on other divisions within business.  Companies will not incur overhead expenses related to contacting prospective candidates such as technology and benefits to support IT contractors or technical staffing firms.  If the hiring company is successful with IT recruiting agencies, they will continue to utilize their services and save money long term.

Better Results

IT recruiters are specialized to seek out the most qualified candidates for their open positions.  They have been trained to ask all the right questions while finding those with the most relevant experience.  Human resources generally works alongside departments to find the best fit, but both HR and IT segments may be too busy to focus on the key criteria while conducting interviews.  Rather than rushing through the interviewing process, IT staffing agencies can help to refine the candidate pool by screening candidates and find the best fit.

IT recruiting may not be for everyone.  Some companies prefer to keep their staffing in house and not all candidates wish to work with a recruiter.  If you are new to the job market or a hiring company seeking alternative staffing methods, consider the opportunity to work with a recruiter!

IT Recruiting Cues: Choosing Your References

Do Not Sell Yourself Short

Chances are you have a number of skills, but when you choose only supervisors who witnessed your multitasking ability or worked with you on desktop maintenance you miss the chance to have others boast about your performance.  Prove to technical recruiters that you are qualified by spicing up your reference sheet with contacts who have witnessed all your strengths.

Consider the Questions

The point of the recommendation is to confirm you have the experience, knowledge, and skill to perform IT jobs. Research questions employers and IT recruiting firms tend to ask and consider who would provide the best response.  Never list contacts from positions that ended on bad terms and if you feel hesitant about certain references, do not include them as it might hurt your chances with IT staffing companies.

Ask for Permission

After you have narrowed your selection, contact your references and ask for permission to use them for a recommendation.  Not only are you asking for authorization to use their contact information, but you are also providing a heads up that you are actively seeking employment and that hiring managers or IT recruiting agencies will be contacting them in the future.

Keep References Informed

Keep in touch with your references so when you do reach out to them, it does not seem random.  If possible, provide them with a copy of your latest resume.  Connect with previous employers, co-workers, and IT recruiters on LinkedIn to keep them abreast of new positions or industries of interest.  See if you share a connection to the hiring company that may be able to provide a recommendation for you.  When you increase your network you open yourself up to more opportunities!

Stay Confidential

Keep references confidential and only provide them when interviewers or IT staffing firms request them.  You have been granted permission to use this contact information, but do not abuse it by including it with every resume you send to technical recruiting companies.  Finally, thank your references for their time.  Their kind words could land you the job!

IT Staffing Companies Take On Boston

IT recruiters Boston not only share the benefit of working with different clients and building networks, but they also have the city at their fingertips.  Technical recruiting companies should take advantage of what the city has to offer.  Here are some suggestions to have fun outside the offices of IT staffing agencies.

History

One of the perks of working in one of the oldest cities in the country is all of the historical landmarks and sites scattered throughout Boston.  Educate yourself with a walk along the Freedom Trail or visit a museum.  If you are not into the do-it yourself routine, take a guided tour such as the Boston Duck Tours.  Invite fellow technical recruiters to share the experience and build a bond outside IT recruiting firms.

Be Active

There are a number of ways to be physically active in Boston without wearing down your wallet.  The Frog Pond in the Boston Commons has public skating during the winter as well as a wading pool in the summer.  Take a stroll through the public garden as the flowers begin to blossom and sail or kayak the Charles River if you want to be more in touch with nature.

Retail Therapy

Faneuil Hall and Newbury Street are among the many hot spots for shoppers in Boston.  During a lunch trip away from IT recruiting companies, peruse the vast shops of Downtown Crossings. Walk through Haymarket to find numerous street vendors offering fresh produce at steal prices.

Fine Dining

Boston’s dining experiences are unlike any other.  Coordinate an IT recruiting lunch or dinner for co-workers to show your appreciation and to discuss your non-work related lives.  If you are short on time, there are plenty of small shops, from bakeries in the North End to ice cream shops scattered throughout Boston, you will not be disappointed.

Other Fun

There are plenty of other things to do in Boston.  Catch a Red Sox game or enjoy free concerts at the Hatchshell.  If the weather is not so good, see if the Celtics or Bruins are playing for last minute tickets or share drafts friends.  If you are more of a night owl, explore Boston’s diverse nightlife and find your niche.

The city does not need to be just your place of work, explore what you have been missing and share ideas and tips with another technical recruiter.

Five Interview Rules in the IT Recruiting Industry

1.       Prepare

When candidates work with technical recruiting companies, they help guide you through the interview process and increase your chances of landing IT jobs.  If you are unfamiliar with recruiting, draft a series of questions for IT recruiters to have a better understanding.

Research the company and hiring managers conducting the interview on your own time.  Take note of the company’s industry and news such as recent mergers or acquisitions.  Think of questions to ask during the interview, even if you do not have any.  Bring copies of your resume and references to the interview just in case.

2.       Look and Be the Part

After you have completed your research, choose two outfits.  Be sure that each outfit is neatly pressed and interview appropriate.  Do not worry if you are over dressed because it is better to look professional than sloppy or too casual.  During the interview, avoid talking too much about irrelevant information, but do speak enough to cover all questions and your related experience.  Think through your responses and answer with confidence.  Stay positive despite sensitive topics and never speak ill of a former employer or poor experiences with other IT recruiting companies.

3.       Non-verbal Communication

Non-verbal communication is just as important as the conversation.  During an interview remain focused and maintain eye contact.  Avoid distractions such as a cell phone by turning it off or leaving it in your car.  Try to ignore nervous habits and fidgeting.

4.       Be Honest

When an interviewer asks you a question and you are unsure of how to respond or do not have an answer, be honest.  Think through your response or explain you do not have experience in a certain area.  It is better to be upfront than caught in a lie later which will embarrass not only yourself, but also your IT recruiter.

5.       Follow Up

One of the most important aspects of interviewing is thanking the interviewer for his time.  Follow up with a personalized thank you to each interviewer and reiterate your interest in the position.  Try to send your thank you within twenty-four hours of the interview.  Do not forget to acknowledge the IT staffing firms and technical recruiters you work with!

IT Recruiting: Out with Summer, In with Fall

As the summer winds down, technical recruiting companies get a second wind.  With children returning to school, parents experienced in the information technology industry may seek IT jobs to fill up free time.  Interns return to their respective colleges and universities, leaving technical recruiters to take on the workload.  How can IT recruiters still manage their time while appreciating the fall?

Outdoors

IT recruiters Boston have the luxury of New England’s infamous fall weather and beautiful foliage.  Take a walk after work through the woods or plan a weekend hike with friends.  Go for a drive north and see what the hype is with leaf peeping.  Many farms offer apple picking which can be great for children as well as adults, plus you will have a treat to bring in the IT staffing office after.

Social Life

The fall is pumpkin season, so grab a fellow recruiter and treat yourselves to a pumpkin muffin and coffee.  A hard day in the life of technical recruiting agencies?  Go downtown for pumpkin ale after work.  If you are more of a baker, carve a pumpkin and use the inside to make a pie or bread.

Oktoberfest lasts from mid-September through the beginning of October.  IT recruiting companies can attend the Harpoon Brewery’s celebration or Harvard Square’s festivities with friends and family.  Once the celebration dies down, you can begin preparing for Halloween.

Get Out of Town

If you miss Oktoberfest, plan a long weekend getaway for Columbus Day or a vacation and research the best deals.  With off-season rates and less tourists, you will be able to enjoy your time off more while leaving some money in your pocket, too.  If you cannot plan a whole trip, buy tickets to a football game and make a day out of it with tailgating!

Dealing with Difficult People in the IT Recruiting World

The US population is over 307 million people with diverse backgrounds, beliefs, and personalities.  Meeting others through the IT staffing industry is fun, educational, and shapes your overall character.  While shared qualities might bring some together, there are qualities that set us apart.  When you meet someone who appears to be difficult, how do you manage the situation?

Accepting It

Technical recruiters work with a number of different personalities on their IT jobs, so they must be as open minded as possible.  Working with an unaccommodating individual may lead you to have a better appreciation for patience and understanding.  Perhaps you might be the difficult person.  In this case , working with someone who is also stubborn may help you see how others perceive you and thus increase your flexibility.

Ignoring It

Ignoring someone’s negativity is typically ideal in most IT staffing agencies.  Those who choose to be pessimistic will try to bring others down with them, whether intentionally or not.  Rather than acknowledging someone’s miseries, change the subject, focus on a specific goal, or choose not to work with that person.

Tolerating It

Everyone is entitled to their own thoughts, so be respectful.  No one has to be right when the matter is opinion-based.  Do not hold grudges.  Especially at IT recruiting agencies, this will make working conditions more troublesome.  Most importantly, never post your feelings on blogs or sites such as Twitter or Facebook.  When IT recruiters or candidates come at you with a condescending email or snide remark, bite your tongue.  Give it time and think out an appropriate response.  Chances are you will be less worked up later if you do not exert a great amount of effort in defending yourself.

Saying No

If you absolutely cannot work with a difficult person, do not do it.  There are plenty of assignments and partners to move to within IT staffing firms.  Ask a supervisor for help in dealing with offenders, chances are, this is not the first time they have heard this.

While it is not fun to work with stubborn people, the worst thing IT headhunters can do is give up without trying.  Usually there is a reason someone is being difficult.  Try to see their point of view and then make your decisions.  You might have a change of heart!

Seeking a…Client? Part I

It seems coffee meetings are the go to from catching up with business or friends to first dates and meeting with new IT staffing clients.  At first glance, comparing the IT recruiting business with dating might seem entirely wrong, but when you think about it the processes are pretty similar.  They both involve finding “the one” with all the perfect attributes, right?

The Want Ad

Technical recruiters use job boards to post open positions, listing specific criteria to find their most ideal match for the IT job.  It is a blind way of weeding out candidates without personally offending anyone.   Job listings also provide the luxury of choosing from multiple candidates without having to limit yourself to just one applicant.

Preliminary Screening—The Background Check

You will most likely conduct some investigating prior to a date and the same goes for a client meeting.   As a technical recruiter, you will research a consultant’s prior experiences and check to see if you have any connections through LinkedIn or past companies.  A phone call prior to the face to face meeting may help ease nerves for the IT recruiter and contractor.

Getting Ready

Dress to impress as you prepare for your meeting.  Run through your check list to be sure you have all the right material…resume, job description, notepad for questions.  Note the client’s interests so you have topics for conversation.  Leave early so you allow plenty of time to arrive early or on time in case of traffic.

Looking for tips during the meeting?  Check AVID’s blog for Seeking…a Client? Part II.

Sink or Swim—Welcome to the World of IT Recruiting

Starting a new IT recruiting role in a different company can be a stressful experience.  From unfamiliar fellow IT recruiters and shared work space to unusual IT staffing business practices and procedures, severe changes can send new technical recruiters running in the opposite direction.  Before you decide to call it quits or look into other IT recruitment positions, here are some suggestions to ease the transition process.

Cut Yourself Some Slack

When you start at a new company, there is a strong chance your expectations of yourself are higher than that of your IT recruiting manager.  Managers understand there is a learning curve with new IT recruiters and encourage that you ask questions when you do not understand or uncertain.   New tasks and responsibilities may seem hard at first, but gradually they will become easier as you learn.

Teamwork

IT recruiting firms may seem more competitive and self-driven in terms of work, but IT staffing agencies thrive off team work.  Building relationships and connections help keep the firm running, so do not be afraid to speak to other coworkers or ask questions.  Remember that your peer IT recruiters have been in your situation before and can provide the best, most helpful advice.

Time Management

When you are feeling overwhelmed with tasks, write out each task in no particular order.  Once you have completed your list, rank each task in order of time sensitivity and priority, then tackle the list.  If you cannot commit enough time to thoroughly finish each task, express this concern.  IT staffing managers would rather hear you cannot commit to something than disappoint them later or let something slip through the cracks.

Keep a planner handy so you know when you will be busy or free for appointments.  If you forget to check your planner or fear you will lose it, set alarms for reminders.

Planning Goals

Setting up goals and creating plans can help you prepare for new IT recruiting tasks or responsibilities.  Maintain a positive attitude and recognize each time you accomplish one of your goals.  These goals are telltale signs that you are learning and progressing with the transition.

It might seem hard to catch on right away with some responsibilities or duties, but do not be afraid to ask questions.  Take notes and refer to them whenever possible.  It is when you do not address your concerns that you will be in over your head…

Taking Breaks in an IT Recruiting Office

You know those IT recruiters who constantly get out of their seat, walk around, chat by the water cooler, surf the web, and get a cup of coffee…basically any excuse not to do their job?  There is a common misconception that the ideal, efficient technical recruiters who rarely takes breaks and continuously plows through projects and phone calls.  Unfortunately, those employees are far and few between.  The reality is that IT recruiters, like any other employee in any other industry, need to take occasional breaks to keep their sanity (especially in the IT staffing industry where people can literally wear you down).  Sometimes it’s even healthy to take a quick break.

Signs of a needed break

Here are just a few examples of when it is time to take a break:

  • Loss of attention span
  • Inability to focus
  • Frustration
  • Frequent errors
  • High stress

Consequences of not taking a break

There is a difference between consistently working and working efficiently.  Technical recruiters Boston tend to work atypical hours to accommodate the needs of their clients.  Ignoring the signs listed above can trigger the IT recruiter to feel burned out and he will eventually start making errors which could potentially affect relationships with clients.  Stress is not just a mental state and can take tolls on emotional and physical well being, too.  Do not sacrifice your health when there is a simple solution to these stress factors.

Break Suggestions

Boston IT staffing firms have the luxury of working in the city.  Leave your desk and go for a walk through a park at lunch, even if it is for just fifteen minutes you will feel refreshed upon your return.  When projects seem long and cumbersome, split it up into segments.  When you finish a section, reward yourself with a short break so when you start up again you have a clearer mind.  If you cannot seem to focus on a certain project, move onto another and return to it later.

You do not have to forgo output to take a break.  Working at a comfortable pace with breaks and no errors is better than working in overdrive and making frequent mistakes along the way!

When Going Above and Beyond is a Bad Thing

Finishing all your work in a timely manner and helping out when necessary, but when does being productive cross the line into being overworked?  While some IT recruiters might do the bare minimum at their IT staffing company, there are those who go above and beyond what is considered the norm—and this is not always best.  Setting unrealistic expectations and overworking yourself to meet unattainable goals sets you up to be burned out.  Technical recruiters often confuse stress with burnout, but while some stress is beneficial, burnout is detrimental to one’s overall health.  Here are some tips to maintain your work load without sacrificing your wellbeing.

Leaving Work in the IT recruiting Office.  IT recruiters need to be readily available to his clients, but remember you have needs that you must meet outside of work obligations, too.  Bringing technical recruiting work home with you everyday prevents you from spending time with your family and friends and, most importantly, takes away time from relaxing and recovering.  Exercise to burn off stress and maintain a healthy, clear mind.  Work will not disappear; it will be waiting for your return in the morning, so give it a rest!

Working Overtime

Everyone experiences times when they must work more than expected, but do not make this a habit.  Working overtime is not always best because your quality of work diminishes as your interest level drops.  If you are paid hourly, the money might be enticing, but align your priorities first.  If you find you cannot complete your tasks in an appropriate time period, it is your responsibility to speak up that you have too much of a work load.

Asking for Help and Saying No

Some employees carry too much pride to ask for help when they need it.  Work continues to pile up and the individual tries to rush through his projects, leaving room for errors.  Take a step back and evaluate what you can and cannot handle.  If someone addresses you for help, be honest when you cannot take on additional work.  People appreciate the truth more than hearing yes and being let down.

Remember that doing your best does not mean working all hours of the day and night.  It has been proven that taking periodic breaks can improve your work performance.  No amount of money is worth sacrificing your health and relationships!