Tag Archives: IT staffing agencies

Rescheduling and Cancelling Job Interviews

IT recruiters find that a surprising number of candidates ask to cancel or reschedule interviews for IT jobs last minute.  This might not seem like a big deal, but IT staffing firms see that it has some big repercussions for job seekers.   Here’s why technical recruiters suggest you never try to cancel or reschedule an interview last minute.

Cancelling the interview with very little notice (less than a few days) will definitely burn some bridges for you with potential employers and IT recruiting firms.  It’s almost always viewed as evidence that you’re possibly untrustworthy, disorganized, unreliable, or just plain rude.  (There are some exceptions to this rule, like medical or family emergencies, but these are obviously very rare.) Employers and IT staffing agencies often put a note in their system that you’ve done this.  They’ll usually blacklist you for it.  While you may not want to work for this employer right now, you never know about the future.

Asking your IT recruiting companies to reschedule an interview at the last minute may not totally burn bridges, but it won’t help you land jobs.  When you ask to reschedule an interview with less notice than a few days, employers will wonder if the job is a high priority for you.  (Again, there are exceptions to this rule, including family or medical emergencies, but these are rare.)  No companies want to hire people who aren’t excited about the opportunities they offer.  Depending on the reason you offer and how last minute you’re asking for a rescheduled interview, your IT staffing companies may also respond by submitting you to less jobs or sending you on less interviews.

So what should you do instead of cancelling or rescheduling last minute?  Start by making sure to really consider a job before letting your IT recruiting agencies submit you for it.  Is the commute ok with you?  Do you think you have the skills and experience to handle the work?  You don’t want to cancel the interview at the last minute because you’ve decided you don’t like something about the job or employer after all.  Next, when you give availability, make sure it’s not something that will change.  If you’re not positive you’re free on a certain day, it’s better not to take that risk.  Lastly, don’t lie about it if you do cancel last minute.  Some candidates do lie to their IT recruiters and fake a family or medical emergency.  If people find out you’ve lied, you’ll definitely burn a bridge with them and/or potential employers.

 

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Don’t try to reschedule an interview on short notice. Photo credit: Basti93 via Pixabay.

 

The 2 Highest-Paying IT Jobs

Most IT jobs pay well and are stable, even in a tough economy.  However, if you’re seeking roles with the best paycheck, recent studies have shown that you should consider being a Software Architect or Data Scientist.  IT recruiting firms see a huge boom in these two roles and believe it will continue into the future.

Software Architect: IT staffing agencies see trends that show that being a software architect is likely to give you the highest paycheck on average.  There are a few reasons for this.  Firstly, Software Architects almost always have a college degree in Computer Science (or a similar field) and an additional professional certification.  These qualifications alone are somewhat rare in the US.  Secondly, IT recruiting companies find that Software Architect roles require two very different kinds of skills.  Software Architects need high proficiency in technical skills including Engineering and Computer Science, but they also need great communication skills, particularly in highly corporate environments.  Often the more technical somebody is the less they want to be client-facing.  Software architects are some of the few IT professionals that not only walk this line, they embrace it.  This combination of skills is rare enough to warrant a high salary. Lastly, Software Architects are leaders.  They help direct the vision of projects and often supervise others in bringing it to life.

Data Scientist: IT recruiting firms find that Data Scientists are routinely listed as the second-highest paid role in tech because of the extreme demand for Big Data in pretty much every industry.  There are few companies that don’t want to be gathering and measuring client data to improve their performance.  Perhaps more notably, big companies with huge budgets for talent, like banks or oil companies, are setting the bar high for Data Scientist compensation.   Another reason why IT staffing firms find that Data Scientists are so well-paid is that Big Data can also help companies streamline their own processes to save time and money.  Lastly, Data Scientists usually have the education to demand high salaries.  More often than not, Data Scientists have a Master’s or Doctorate in Computer Science, Math, Statistics, or a similar area.

 

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Big Data is a hot commodity, as are Data Scientists. Photo credit: Tumisu via Pixabay.

 

Love Sports? You Could find Your Next IT Job in that Field

There are a few industries that are obviously creating more and more IT jobs each year.  Healthcare and the Insurance industry for instance, have both obviously embraced the ways that big data and security technologies can improve their best practices and drive more business.  The sports and athletic industry is a more surprising industry that IT staffing companies will see an uptick in hiring for in 2017 (and beyond).  Here are some jobs that IT recruiting firms will likely be filling in the near future in sports and athletics.

Mobile Developers: IT staffing agencies will likely see a need for more mobile developers for all kinds of sports apps.  Fans are using their mobile devices to engage more with their favorite teams, whether they’re at a game, the office, home, etc.

Data Engineers, Big Data Engineers: Technology is becoming a hot new tool in sports medicine and training.  Coaches and trainers can use things like wearable devices to track activity, improvement, or even analyze or prevent injuries.  This means that IT staffing firms are likely to see a real need for Data Engineers and Big Data Engineers.

Video Engineers: Fans are streaming games live, watching and sharing clips later, or going back to archived games and matches.  This all translates to IT recruiting agencies seeing a big uptick in Video Engineers for the sports industry.

Web Developers: As teams are finding more global fans, IT recruiting companies will see a real need for web developers to help create web sites for fans to easily access.  The more recent popularity in fantasy sports leagues will also create a drive for web developers.

 

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Love basketball? You might be able to do mobile development for fantasy basketball website. Photo credit: Jeffjuit via Pixabay.

 

Why IT Jobs Are Recession Proof

People commonly ask whether IT jobs are recession proof.  The simple answer that IT staffing companies would give is yes.  IT recruiting firms can point to the recent recessions as direct proof that IT professionals are very safe in their jobs, no matter how rocky the economy gets.

For solid proof that IT staffing agencies can help you find a job that will weather a recession, consider 2009.  That year, when unemployment rates in the US were over 10%, for the tech field it was more like 5.4%.  This number is strikingly low—it’s nearly as low as the unemployment rate is now after the recession (4.9% as of October 2016).

Why are IT jobs recession proof?  IT recruiting agencies find that these kinds of jobs are necessary for two big reasons.  Firstly, technology has become absolutely imperative to the basic functions of most businesses.  From the hardware a business uses, to the email system and customer management tools a business uses, to the web presence it maintains to attract and maintain customers, there is simply no way most (if not all) businesses could run without technology. This means that technical recruiters are constantly asked to find the IT professionals to maintain, improve, install, and help users understand, that technology.

The other reason that IT jobs are recession proof is that the technology is a way to improve business processes and cut costs in hard times.  IT recruiters find that in a recession, companies will often be all the more inclined to need tech professionals to help them streamline and save money.

If all of this doesn’t convince you to reach out to IT recruiting companies, the field is even stronger outside of a recession.  IT staffing firms are seeing an especially low 2.5% unemployment rate in tech this year.  IT jobs aren’t only recession proof, they’re a great way to go when the economy isn’t in crisis!

 

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IT unemployment is low, even in bad economic times. Photo credit: geralt via Pixabay.

 

How IT Recruiters Work

If you’ve never used IT recruiting companies before, here’s a little information about how IT recruiters work and why you may want to use them to find your future IT jobs.

What Technical Recruiters Do:

IT recruiting companies build relationships with companies that need to hire IT professionals.  When these companies need to add somebody new to their team, they call IT staffing companies they trust and describe the job, the company culture and any other pertinent details.  These IT staffing agencies then search within their database of candidates for people who would be a great fit for the role.   Great IT recruiting firms want to find somebody who not only fits the role technically, but will also be happy in it and mesh well with their coworkers.  In the end, they want the candidate to be happy in the role, and the company to be happy with the candidate.  This is the only way to achieve a really successful hire.

What Questions Will IT Recruiters Ask:

When you talk to IT recruiters they’ll start off by asking you to send them an updated version of your resume.  They’ll then have you walk them through your past experience.  If you haven’t really worked with IT recruiting agencies before, they’ll probably ask you to go more in-depth about what you’d like in your next role.  Don’t hold back on this part.  Be as honest as you can with IT staffing firms about what you like in a job and what makes it easier for you to succeed.

 What is the Process?

Often, IT recruiters will start by making sure they get a good sense of what you want in a role and what your experience and skillset is.  Then, they’ll submit you to jobs that they think are a good fit.  It’s worth noting here that you have an advantage when technical recruiters submit you.  Your resume comes with the backing of their expertise.  Employers trust them to find the right people, so when your resume is presented, you automatically get that recommendation.  If an employer agrees that you’d be a good fit for a job, you’ll either be set up with a phone interview, an in-person interview, or some combination.  Often your IT recruiters will work with you to set this up.  They may even walk you into the interview and provide copies of your resume.  The last step depends on how well the interviews go.  If the employer wants to make an offer, your IT recruiters will provide another advantage here by negotiating compensation for you.  If the interviews don’t go well, your technical recruiters may be able to get you feedback you can use in the future.

 

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Are you ready to call IT recruiters? Photo credit: Mimzy via Pixabay.

 

Do You Need to Move to Get a New IT Job?

IT recruiting firms find that IT professionals often wonder if they need to move to get new or better IT jobs.  The answer to this question may leave you happily surprised.

As is probably obvious, technology has become widely accepted as one of the most powerful tools for businesses and organizations.  This means that most, if not all businesses and organizations around the US use IT staffing companies to find tech professionals.  There are plenty of companies or organizations that you may not associate with technology, but these companies do use it quite a bit.  They use various technologies to interact with and attract consumers, streamline their business operations, connect their employees, and so much more. Some industries that you might not expect to use IT recruiting agencies to employ a lot of IT professionals include retail, healthcare, and education.

Taking all of this into account, you probably don’t have to move to find a new IT job with your technical recruiters.  Particularly if you’re near a big city, you’ll be near businesses or organizations that need Programmers, Systems Engineers, Business Analysts, and a wide variety of other IT professionals.   If you’re not close to a bigger metro area, your IT recruiting companies may suggest that you simply need to consider a slightly longer commute. All of this doesn’t even include remote options, which are certainly growing.

So before you resign yourself to moving, call your IT staffing firms.  You never know what jobs may be in your own backyard– literally.

 

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Will you need to move to get a new IT job? Probably not! Photo credit: MikeBird via Pixabay.

 

What IT Jobs Will Be In Demand In 2017?

IT recruiting agencies from California to NYC are still seeing a great market for job seekers, even as the fall is winding down and other industries are slowing their hiring.  While the whole tech field is booming, there are a few IT jobs that will be particularly hot in late 2016 and 2017.  Here are some of the jobs that IT staffing agencies will find most in demand in the next year or so.

Software Engineers, Systems Engineers: IT recruiting companies will be looking for candidates to fill these jobs because they’re so often essential.  Systems Engineers keep technologies running for businesses and keep them current.  When things crash, Systems Engineers are needed.  They’re also needed for installations, updates and/or maintenance.  Software Engineers will be essential to businesses and consumers in the next year because they’ll create and update the applications for cutting edge technologies.  There is no industry that won’t need Software Engineers and Systems Engineers in 2016 and 2017.

Network Analysts: IT recruiting firms will be seeking Network Analysts a lot in the near future because they can be so useful both on the business and technology side of things.  As business owners are coming to embrace the way technology can really enhance their business’s performance, Network Analysts will become all the more in-demand.

Data Analysts: With big data becoming more and more prevalent as a business tool, IT staffing companies will definitely be looking for Data Analysts.  The healthcare field especially, which is big and only getting bigger, has come to rely heavily on data analysts.  Of course, healthcare won’t be the only field using IT staffing firms to find data analysts.  Education and retail are also noted enthusiasts for Data Analysts.

 

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Healthcare is one industry driving the need for Data Analysts. Photo credit: Parentingupstream via Pixabay.

 

How to Land Jobs With Your Ideal Work-Life Balance

Work-life balance is becoming increasingly important to IT professionals, especially for some tech positions that may require odd shifts, being on call, or long hours.  To make sure you land in IT jobs that have a  good work-life balance for you,  take the right steps to communicate with your IT recruiting agencies and potential employers.  Here are three tips for landing a job with your ideal work-life balance.

1. Talk to your technical recruiters about exactly what you need in your next role. Do you need time to care for children?  Have a sick relative you’re taking care of?  Or do you just find that being on-call on the weekends makes you miserable?  Be upfront with your IT recruiters about things like this.  While you need to be reasonable in your expectations, your IT staffing companies can’t submit you to positions that have the kind of work-life balance you desire if you don’t ask for it.

2. Keep talking to your IT recruiting firms about these things before you go to an interview. Confirm before you go the interview that the job requires the kind of work-day, work-week, etc that you’re seeking.  Ask if these potential employers are likely to require you to be reachable after-hours, on weekends, etc.  Your IT staffing firms may not know the answer to every question you ask, but they should have a general idea.

3. Ask your remaining questions in the interview—but this time, with a more professional tone. You can still ask questions about work-life balance with your interviewer, but the tone needs to be very different.  With your IT staffing agencies, you want to be completely honest and open.  Good IT recruiting firms are partners who want to help you find a job you’re happy in.  Your interviewer isn’t solely focused on what you want.  They need to hire for their team’s needs, projects, etc.  With your interviewer, you want to make sure they feel like you’re ready to work hard and meet expectations.  Your focus is on making sure you convey that you’re a great fit for the job (if it truly is a good fit for you, of course).  Ask questions you have about work-life balance, but be careful to avoid looking like you’re making demands or are lazy.

 

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Be open with your IT recruiters about what you really need in your next role. Photo credit: paulbr75 via Pixabay.

 

3 Things Recruiters Will Need for Your Best Job Search

When you work with IT recruiting firms to find new IT jobs, they’ll be doing most of the work.  They’ll find opportunities that you’d be a great fit for, set up interviews, etc.  However, even with the best IT staffing companies, there are still some tasks you should be prepared to do:

1. Update and polish your resume. IT recruiting companies will help you edit your resume a bit, but this will mostly fall to you.  There are a few reasons for this.  Firstly, nobody understands your experience and skills the way you do.   Your IT recruiters can help shape a resume to fit a job opening better, but they don’t know about every project you’ve worked on or certification you’ve earned.

2. Research salary expectations for yourself before you call IT staffing agencies. It’s hard for Technical recruiters to get you a salary or rate you’re happy with if you don’t have at least a little input.  And you can’t have valid input without doing some research to see what people with comparable skills and experience make in your area.  Think of it this way:  You’ll never be happy with the salary your IT recruiting companies get if you think it doesn’t pay you what you’re worth in your area.  And you can’t know what you’re worth in your area if you don’t look into it.

3. Be ready to possibly take brief tests, submit some sample code, etc. Not all IT jobs require this, but some do.  Obviously IT staffing firms can’t do either of these for you.  And truthfully, you wouldn’t want anybody else to do them.  These kinds of tests protect you from landing in a job you can’t succeed in.  If you can’t pass a required test, you wouldn’t want that job, anyways!

 

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Did you research salary expectations? Your IT recruiters can’t get you what want you want if you don’t know what you want.  Photo credit: kaboompics via Pixabay.

4 Steps To Take When an Employee Resigns

It’s usually difficult for any employer when an employee resigns.  However, it’s particularly  difficult when you lose an IT professional.  In today’s market, it can be difficult to find the right person for your open IT jobs.    IT recruiting agencies suggest taking these 4 steps to make this loss for your team a lot easier—even if you have big looming deadlines.

1. Make a plan for knowledge transfer.  IT staffing agencies suggest you start by taking time to figure out what information you will need to transfer to this employee’s replacement. Figure out how you’ll get this information.  Will you have a meeting with the exiting employee?  Will they train their replacement?  Make a plan so you can get the new employee up to speed, no matter where the exiting employee was on a project.

2. Figure out what you need in a replacement.  IT recruiting firms suggest you continue by pulling up the resume you hired this employee with (if you have it).  Think about the strengths and weaknesses they brought to the position.  Create a list of what you think you’ll need.  The last thing to consider is if you need a full time employee to replace this person or if you need a contractor.  IT recruiters can help you find either.  There are certainly advantages to both.

3. Call your trusted technical recruiters.  Meet with your IT recruiters and share the information you’ve gathered in steps 1 and 2.  Be honest about what you need and give timelines for when you’d like to have the replacement employee.  Share your knowledge transfer plan.  The more you share with IT recruiting companies, the more they can help you find the best fit for your open job.

4. Consider taking feedback from the rest of your team as you complete the hiring process.  IT staffing companies suggest you ask for feedback and guidance from you team, as they may have a uniquely useful perspective on what you’ll need in a new hire.  It’s also important for the new hire to fit into your team.  Corporate culture is highly underrated.  Picking somebody who’s technically fit for the role and who gets along well with the team, end users, clients, etc will be far more successful.

 

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Don’t panic when an IT employee quits. Just focus on how to transfer important knowledge to their replacement. Photo credit: stevepb via Pixabay.