Tag Archives: Monster

Differentiate Yourself From Other IT Job Seekers

In the IT staffing industry, IT recruiters are constantly looking for those candidates that will stick out to a hiring manager.  Our technical recruiters will rummage through applications and search resume databases (like Monster or Indeed) for prospective candidates who appear to have the skills needed for the IT job.

Once our IT recruiters compile their list of prospective candidates, they contact each one, verify their experience, and make sure they’re interested in the particular IT job.  Subsequently, to differentiate themselves from the competition, the prospective IT job seekers need to articulate why they are different from other applicants.  The tech industry is extremely competitive, so the more each candidate can sell themselves, the better odds they have at landing IT jobs.

Therefore, before you apply to that next IT job or send your resume to IT recruiters, take a look at your skills and experience.  Analyze them and cater your specialty towards the technical position that you’re applying to.  Help differentiate yourself from the competition.

Keywords, the main ingredient to being found

In the IT staffing, there are keywords that are specific to a certain job position.  Each one varies and allows them to find the appropriate candidates.  Some keywords for example would be ‘Java’ or ‘.NET’.

When IT recruiters go on websites such as Career Builder and Monster, they type in keywords (such as skill sets) to search for resumes.  Technical recruiters are usually well versed in using Boolean searching techniques in order to optimize their resume searches.  Therefore, in order to make sure you come up in relevant searches, use the skills keywords that will help IT recruiters find you.  Do not use terms that are not commonly used or synonyms.  Be direct on your resume and include exactly what it is that you are skilled in.

IT recruiting agencies train their IT recruiters to pay close attention to keywords in IT job descriptions.  Therefore take a look at a job description that interests you and model your resume using the relevant keywords.

Where to find your candidates

IT recruiting companies need to be aware of where their IT staffing competitors are looking for candidates, as well as where candidates are posting their resumes themselves.  You may think everyone is just using job boards such as Monster or CareerBuilder.  However, there are many more options depending on what specific IT staffing industry you are looking at.  Some of these options are websites such as LinkedIn and Twitter that are now being used for networking instead of socializing.  Others include niche websites and/or those specific to local geographies.

So how do you choose the right place to look for candidates to fill IT jobs?  To start, you need to test some of these websites out.  During the trial period it would be a good idea to keep track of where the candidates are coming from.  This will help you decide how many candidates you got from each IT job board and the quality of the candidates coming from each.  Once you gather your data, you will be able to analyze each IT job board based on metrics IT recruiting companies keep in mind.

Put yourself in the candidate’s shoes and think about where they are looking for IT jobs

A day in the Life of an IT recruiter

The IT staffing is a very fast-paced, sometimes hectic industry.  IT recruiters are speaking to hundreds of prospective candidates each week.  Even the very best IT recruiters can find it challenging to ensure they keep all of their candidates organized and within reach.  Additionally, in the IT recruiting world, clients typically needed IT contractors “yesterday.”  Therefore, when an IT job order gets called in, IT recruiters need to tap into their candidate network immediately and/or begin their IT recruiting process as quickly as possible.  Days are hectic and nights can be long depending upon the client’s sense of urgency.  Therefore, the IT staffing industry is not for everyone.  Those who do not do well under pressure or thrive in a hectic environment, best not enter the IT recruiting world.  On the flip side, people who like to be busy and thrive on an ever-changing job, tend to fare very well in the IT staffing industry.

A typical day for an IT recruiter….is anything but typical.  They will usually be assigned to one IT job order.  As they search the IT staffing agency’s database, and other IT job boards such as Monster, Dice, CareerBuilder, Hot Jobs, they will make dozens (if not hundreds) of calls.  Or they will send out countless emails every day.  As people respond, the IT recruiter works to communicate with each person via email or phone.  As the IT recruiter is taking the time to respond to every person, additional prospective candidates continue to flood in via postings or responses.  On many occasions, as these tasks are keeping an IT recruiter busy, he or she may have a handful of internal candidate interviews as well.  This adds more work to an already busy day.

As you can see, a day in the life of an IT recruiter is typically hectic.  However, for the right person who thrives on the fast-paced, exciting work environment, the IT staffing industry can be extremely rewarding (both in terms of monetarily and intrinsic satisfaction as the IT recruiter is ultimately helping people find work).