Candidate Do’s & Don’ts: IT Staffing Reality Versus Online Rumor
In 2016, Dallas/Fort Worth has a booming job market and the Information Technology sector definitely plays a part of the flux. In fact, for all of 2015, DFW employment grew 3.3 percent, outpacing both the state of Texas at 1.5 percent and the nation at 1.9 percent. In the IT sector, DFW has about “3,000 technology companies and nearly 230,000 high-tech employees,” according to D Magazine. DFW is “arguably the second-largest technology business center in the country, behind California’s Silicon Valley.” This means there are available jobs for individuals with the proper combination of skills. The IT recruiting process has changed some since the last IT boom and it is up to you to learn how to navigate the sea of recruiter agencies and the talent recruiters already represent. Recruiters often are the first line of contact for many Information Technology companies. These are the people you will need to initially impress if you want to land that interview and eventually get the job.
Online Rumor: Be Searchable
Absolutely true! Many times you have a resume all polished and ready to go but you are only handing them out physically or sending them along with an online application. Today it is a totally different world and you need to extend your job search online. Many IT professionals upload their resumes to individual job boards. By doing so, you make you and your skills searchable for recruiters. If you are worried about your current employer finding your resume, you can always make them confidential and available upon request. Make sure you are on LinkedIn if you aren’t already, and update the jobs and responsibilities from at least from the last 5-10 years. Recruiters make sure we look in a variety of places, but if your resume is only on your computer we can’t make the connection.
BCT TIP: Get on LinkedIn, Dice and Monster.com to start your job search.
Online Rumor: Don’t Write a Cover Letter
This one is both true and false. While you could probably get away without writing a cover letter, why risk it? Many articles today state the death of the cover letter and there is a little truth to this online staffing rumor. Recruiters today and especially here at BCT get hundreds of resumes. Reading a cover letter on top of resumes can get to be a lengthy process. The electronic medium in which resumes are transmitted today means a cover letter can be an unnecessary burden. The cover letter is still important in today’s recruiting and job-hunting environment. Recruiters have to present you to their clients. Knowing what your strengths are and your unique value is crucial to making sure the job you are seeking is a good fit and that you get presented effectively to the company seeking a candidate. Help recruiters out by having a concise summary of what you bring to the table and what makes you stand out for the position. Keep it clear, concise and make it readable.
BCT TIP: Have a concise summary of your abilities and how they are unique for the job.
Online Rumor: Be Persistent
Recruiters want to know that you are hungry for the job and you know what you can represent yourself intelligently. It is important to show eagerness and when presenting yourself in an interview both via the phone and in person, persistence can be crucial in making a professional impression. This shows that your career path is important to you and you are proud of your craft. The trick is knowing the process of recruiting. Many times it can be “start and stop” as recruiters wind through the steps necessary to submit an eligible candidate, getting approvals and setting up interview dates. Excessively calling and / or emailing your recruiter can set a negative impression and until the client moves forward many times the recruiter is waiting as anxiously as you are. We want you to get this job just as much as you do, so trust that we will let you know when there is news or a crucial point has arrived in the process.
BCT TIP: Be eager but understand the recruiting process.
At Business Centric Technology our experience allows us to partner with you to determine and define your business problem, and then provide the IT expertise to solve it and the IT people to run it.
Go to http://bct-corp.com. Put our people and process to work.
Our mission is to ensure client success in the deployment and management of technology.