Tag Archives: technical recruiting

Naming a Company in the IT Staffing Industry

What’s in a name?  That which we call an IT recruiting company by any other name would work just as hard.  So the art of technical recruiting is not as elegant or dramatic as a Shakespearean play, but this borrowed line has a point.  What goes into naming technical recruiting agencies to identify them as IT recruiting companies, but that they also deliver a competitive edge?

Research

Making a final decision on the name of an IT staffing company does not happen overnight.  Often, it is a long process ranging from weeks to even months.  Always research what your name means and ask others for their opinion.  Be sure that your name is not already trademarked and that it does not translate to something offense if you choose to expand your business internationally.  If necessary, seek professional resources or ask fellow technical recruiters for input.

Relative

Once you have created a list of desired names, narrow the selection to names that are both relevant and not obscure.  Trying too hard or being overly trendy could backfire as consumers will not understand what product or service you offer.  Likewise, a simple name can also be overshadowed by its competitors.  Avoid unusual spelling which can cause confusion and mispronunciation, losing a sense of the company’s identity.    Choose a name that both relates to your IT recruiters while also catching an eye.

Avoid Location

Unless IT staffing agencies plan on permanently focusing business in one location, drop any geographic tags to the company.  If you do use a name with a city and expand beyond its borders, the company could become confusing to consumers.  By avoiding names with geographic terms, you will not limit yourself to one region and maintain a standard business procedure.

Go with Your Gut

If you have strong feelings toward a certain name, go with your intuition.  You do not want to have remorse over a name that could define your values and business.  With your number one choice backed by your passion, go with it. You could regret not going with your number choice because one person did not agree so trust your instinct.

Willing to Change

Not all names are a perfect fit so do not be afraid to change it if you must.  Changing the name of IT staffing companies is an opportunity to rebrand the company, drive productivity, and get a fresh start.  One of the worst things you can do is stick with an unfitting name in fear of regret.

Technical Recruiting at Home

It is 8:00 am and a technical recruiter rolls out of his bed and prepares for work.  His routine is the same as any other day, breakfast, coffee, and sports page.  He begins his commute… one flight down the stairs to the basement and twelve steps across the carpeted floor to his personal IT staffing office.

Why it works

IT recruiters will typically experience less stress working at home than in the office.  Efficiency levels can improve with a nixed commute, flexible schedule, and less office distractions, perks for both IT recruiting companies as well as employees.  Recruiters may also spend more or less time on lunch and breaks, making time up later in the day when they are feeling more productive and improving output.

Working from home not only benefits the employees, but also IT recruiting agencies.  Technical staffing companies will spend less on office expenses such as supplies and energy bills.  Employee retention rates may improve as technical recruiters are more satisfied with their working conditions.

Why it does not work

Working from home has a number of perks, but with added benefits come restraints.  IT staffing firms thrive on team work, but working at home is less personable than sharing an office or having a cubicle neighbor.  The recruiter may miss office gatherings and water cooler chat, making the recruiter feel left out or less part of a team.

Working when the recruiter feels like it can be a disruptive routine.  Poor habits and distractions will catch up to him and he could fall behind in work.  The recruiter may also become so consumed with work that he cannot separate his work from his personal life.

How to manage

When recruiters work from home, they should create a designated work space and turn off all distractions.   Try shutting the door and notifying others when busy.  Changing into work clothes can help to get in the office mode, too.  By having a consistent routine, recruiters will be more apt to manage time and tackle tasks.

The Deadbeat Technical Recruiter

You remember your first interaction with IT recruiting companies, an unexpected phone call offering a world of IT jobs and opportunities.  You eagerly engage in a phone conversation, followed by an in-person interview with your IT recruiter.  After much prepping, you land a role and then your recruiter disappears.

Stay Connected

Technical recruiters are supposed to be available for their candidates.  The relationship does not stop after the client accepts a position.  Be sure to maintain contact through the duration of the contract, and if appropriate, help the contractor take on additional roles after positions end.

The candidates of IT recruiters are a reflection of their work.  If the candidates are unhappy or have concerns about their roles, it is the recruiter’s responsibility to promptly address these issues in a professional manner.  Leaving loose ends with contractors is a poor reflection on not only recruiters, but also IT staffing firms.

Procrastination is Contagious

It might be tempting put off assignments and bask in the glory of “free time”, but this free time is typically borrowed time at technical recruiting companies.  When a recruiter procrastinates, there is generally someone waiting on the other end.  Holding up others drastically reduces efficiency levels and increases stress levels.

A recruiter’s lax work ethic can be contagious and affect other’s output.  Others within the IT recruiting firm will observe how the recruiter may get by with doing less work or have tasks done for him and follow suit.   Some may do the opposite and dismiss all projects related to the lazy IT headhunter, eliminating potential networking.

Self-Motivated Success

The key to technical recruiting is self-driven success.  If a recruiter feels he is not being challenged, he may resort to laziness.  Rather, he should be productive by setting goals, making changes to his routine, and rewarding himself for his accomplishments.  When the lazy recruiter begins to work with other lazy co-workers, he may become frustrated and reconsider his actions and priorities!

Asking For More Challenges in the IT Staffing Industry

It is noon and an IT recruiter has finished his tasks for the day.  What should he do next?  If he finds he’s twiddling his thumbs at work, or is not being challenged, it might be time to ask his manager for more responsibilities.  Some technical recruiters avoid new tasks and duties because they do not want to appear bored or lack work.  Here are some reasons IT headhunters should consider varying their workload.

Initiative

Proactive employees are always looking for ways to improve themselves, as well as the company.  Managers seek out these recruiters, as they are valuable assets to the future of technical staffing agencies.  If you know of an existing issue and have a valid solution, bring it to your manager’s attention.  IT recruiters who share a drive for more work and improvement are usually the ones considered for upward mobility.

Improve Skills

Adding more responsibility will increase your value as you are exposed to new departments and skills within technical recruiting agencies.  Learning new traits and multitasking can help improve your existing tasks while also embellishing your resume.  Before your take on new roles, discuss your strengths and weaknesses with your manager for a smooth transition.

Build Network

Working in different areas allows you to expand your network as you mingle with levels of IT recruiting management.  Use these relationships to help identify a potential career path and connect on LinkedIn. If appropriate, ask for a recommendation.

Checks and Balances

Find out how much free time you have to work with.  Test out the new tasks and see if you actually like it.   Before you consider taking on new duties, evaluate your current position.  Are you finishing projects ahead of schedule or just meeting deadlines?  Is there room for improvement in your work?  If so, address these issues before you pile up your plate.

Energy Drinks—The New Coffee of the IT Recruiting Industry?

Coffee has been brewed since the mid 1400’s, providing a natural source of caffeine and an extra push when needed for IT recruiters. For years, technical staffing firms looked forward to their morning or afternoon brew, perfected with their choice fixings, and distinct flavor. Now with innovative caffeine products such as energy drinks and shots, is coffee’s prevalence in the caffeine market threatened? When technical recruiters need a boost, which should they turn to, coffee or energy drinks? The answer is it depends…

Caffeine

Both coffee and energy drinks provide different levels of caffeine. The caffeine content of coffee is in the hands of the IT staffing representatives. Coffee can have its caffeine content diluted, or you can choose to drink decaffeinated coffee. Likewise, the coffee can be double brewed for an extra kick, or you  can simply order a larger size.

Energy drinks come with designated caffeine content, leaving technical recruiting reps to choose if they would like to drink the entire can or opt for a drink with more or less caffeine. The drinks also range in size and amount of provided caffeine, so there are options!

Price

Coffee is more affordable when you consider price and where you purchase it. Home brewed coffee is significantly cheaper than paying a visit to a coffee shop daily, with shop prices typically ranging from $1.50 to $5.00. Energy drinks are similarly priced to coffee shops, typically $2.00 to $5.00, depending on size and caffeine content. If you are money conscious, opt to brew your own coffee in the IT recruitment office and save!

Availability

You usually need to go to a store to buy an energy drink or buy in bulk to have readily available (and get a better deal). Luckily, for Boston IT recruiting firms, there are stores and coffee shops on nearly every corner. You can have coffee stored in your cabinet for whenever you need it, too.

Health

Coffee is healthier than energy drinks when consumed without all the bells and whistles. Black coffee is natural and provides antioxidants and fiber. Energy drinks lack vitamins and are typically made with copious amounts of sugar or artificial sweeteners. If IT headhunters cannot handle the taste of black coffee, they can opt for skim milk rather than cream and flavored coffee to ward off additional sugar.

Alternative Energy Sources

Coffee and energy drinks are not the only way to boost your mood and work level. Never use caffeine to subsidize sleep or suppress appetite.  Productivity levels will crash! Naturally increase your energy by going for a walk or snacking on healthy fruit and vegetables. Be sure to exercise regularly and get enough sleep each night to maintain good focus and improve your attitude.

Seeking…a client? Part II

During the Meeting

The Introduction

The opening of the meeting should be about building a relationship.  Always greet your client by name and extend a handshake.  As IT recruiters, you want to establish a rapport before you jump into business, so have your client open up to you and do the same.  Once you feel comfortable, move onto the business side of the meeting.

Getting to Business

Gradually shift to the topic of the meeting, but do not make it completely random.  This segment of the meeting should be entirely about the candidate, so turn on your technical recruiting cues.  Ask what the IT manager’s wants and needs are about this position.  Address any questions and concerns.  If you do not have an answer right away, be sure to write them down to follow up.

Discuss the IT jobs and the prerequisites.  Ensure he or she has all the required experience and skills before you get his heart set on the position.  If the client does not have specific experience or skills, make it known so you do not get his hopes up.  Offer to keep him or her in mind for other openings you may be working on.

The Conclusion

When closing the IT staffing meeting, make sure you have addressed all the key topics, concerns, and details of the position.  Thank the client for his or her time and try to always end a meeting on good terms.  Sincerely extend another handshake, offer your business card, reiterate the value-add that you and your IT recruiting firm can provide, then wish the prospective client well.

Like dating, keep arranging client meetings with different candidates until you have found “the one”. 

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!

Is Cold Calling a Dying Art with IT Staffing Salespeople?

When I first started in the IT recruiting industry fourteen years ago, there were no resume databases, no job boards, no social media and no professional networking websites.  In fact, email was something still pretty new that we didn’t utilize on a daily basis.  As an IT staffing salesperson, I was set up with a phone and call sheets.  Smile and dial, cold call until your fingers got tired or your mouth went dry.

While it’s still critical to get an IT manager on the phone to build a relationship, IT staffing salespeople rely far more heavily on email.  Whether it’s right or wrong, good or bad, email is pushing the art of cold calling into extinction.

Regardless of your career, if you stop practicing, you get rusty.  Cold calling is no different.  The more you cold call, the better you’re able to hone your skills.  The more you cold call, the better you’re able to rebut objections, nudge a client into taking the time to meet with you or even convince an IT manager to give you a chance to fill his/her open hiring need.

While cold calling might be a dying art with salespeople in the technical recruiting industry, it’s still a constant in the world of technical recruiters.  Regardless of whether an IT recruiter initiates contact with a prospective candidate via email, it is virtually impossible, or more accurately, virtually scary to think of a technical recruiter never speaking with a candidate live before sending his or her resume to a client.  There are so many nuances to a typical IT recruitment.  There are so many questions that could only be answered in a live conversation in which the technical recruiter can analyze a candidate’s response.  The slightest hesitations, changes in pitch or tone can tip off any astute IT recruiters who are used to picking up on subtle signs that ultimately lead to the truth.

How To Find The IT Recruiting Job That is Right For You

There are so numerous IT recruiting  jobs out there.  The problem for many IT recruiters is that they may not know they’re value or level of experience in comparison to other technical recruiters.  Therefore, here are a few ways to navigate the IT recruitment industry and find the right job for you.

Try taking on new projects within your current IT staffing company. This will allow you to venture into other parts of the recruiting industry without having to switch careers.  During these projects you may meet new people within the company and learn about the kinds of tasks they do in their technical recruiting job.

Read blogs that pertain to the IT recruitment industry.  Many IT recruiting companies have blogs that are saturated with industry information and technical chatter.  Learn about other recruiting professionals and what they are doing for a living.  You can research the companies they work for and the opportunities they have access to.  This will allow you to see what IT recruiters MA are up to and what you can potentially do in the future.

If there is something you think might interest you, try presenting a project to your boss that will allow you to try out them out.  Trying out new roles will help you decide whether it is the right thing for you.

Also contact one of the many IT staffing firms local to you.  Build a relationship with a handful of headunters (based on their credibility, responsiveness and other factors that separate them from the thousands of recruiters out there).  Research local IT recruiting agencies.  Find which specialize in information technology, then read the reviews about each company.  Narrow your search to the best of the best as this is your career you’re putting in their hands.

In the end, the more you try out and explore other roles or companies, the more you’ll be able to identify what it is you want to do within the information technology recruiting industry…..and what company you want to work for.  Activity is king, sitting back and doing nothing will get you nowhere.

How to Advance Your IT Recruiting Career

The IT staffing industry is extremely competitive and like everyone else you will want to advance in your IT recruiting career.  There are various ways to do this, but you need to differentiate yourself.  It is not all about the IT recruitment skills that you have or the number of technical recruiting years on the job.  Here are a few tips to getting promoted in the technical staffing industry.

Hard Work:  There’s no substitute.  Ever.  If you’re not working for an IT recruiting firm that rewards hard work, then find another IT staffing agency.  If you work hard, good things will eventually happen.

Confidence: Be confident in all the IT recruiting work you do.  Confidence will show that you know what you are doing and as well as be sure that you are willing to back up your proposals.

Team Guru:  IT recruiters typically work in a team environment.  Be a team player.  When the day comes in which you’re promoted, you will likely be managing multiple IT recruiters Boston.  Therefore you will need to be skilled with motivating a group of people and finding how they can effectively work together.

Using these tips will help you attain that promotion in your IT staffing career.  Leaders have certain traits and in order to be one you will need to work on yours.  So take these tips and help yourself become the leader in your field.