There you go! Another position is open at your company and you reach out to your technology recruiter for the right technology skills. Is your staffing firm sending you the best IT talent out there? How do know you are getting the right technology candidates? Do they meet the job requirements on paper, but don’t fit the bill in person? Believe it or not, there are ways to make sure that your recruiting partner accomplishes the mission you brought them in for by getting you the best value. Here are some benchmarks of great recruiting.
The Ball is in Your Court
When you decide to partner with a technology recruiter, you need to keep in mind that they are part of your team. Their goal is to make sure that you are getting the right technology candidates and in order to accomplish that you must take the time to educate your recruiter on what is important to you. It is not merely about technology skills. Invest time in helping your staffing firm to understand your company’s hiring initiatives, diversity culture and core values. Integrating the technology recruiter into your team allows them to locate applicants who are passionate about your company’s technology, culture, and mission.
Clear Expectations
So, you have a job opening and you let your IT staffing firm know. What happens next? Do you patiently wait for them to send applicants your way? Do you feel that you are involved in the process or are you dependent on other people’s judgement? A technology recruiter who works on getting the right technology candidates for your team discusses with you and establishes clear expectations of who is actually a good candidate. If an applicant lacks technology skills but is willing to work hard and has the potential to grow, your recruiter must be comfortable conveying that to you. Setting clear expectations up front allows everyone to be held accountable and eliminates wasted time and frustration.
Sturdy Communication
You know it better than anyone. Having the technology skills for the project is only part of the story. There are other aspects to take into account as well. Some candidates look great on paper but they fail to meet your expectations. With that said, it is crucial that your IT recruiter establishes and maintains open channels of communication throughout the entire recruiting process. It is not only about sending you resumes. They must communicate their recruiting strategy and feel comfortable speaking candidly with you about market conditions, skill set challenges, and budget constraints.
On Point
Very often you sit in interviews with applicants who do not completely match the requirements of the position. For instance, you have a Java developer who has technology skills in building a financial trading applications but limited experience in retail banking applications. For you, it is important that they demonstrate how their past experience links to the job you are offering them. You know that you are getting the right technology candidates when your technology recruiter takes the time to prepare and coach the applicant and can speak with specific examples that justify the value they bring to the table. When they make sure that any concerns you have are being addressed up front, your recruiter is delivering quality service.
On the Same Page
Your company’s success must be the priority of your team. It is as simple as that. In order to be able to communicate this to the candidates that they send your way, your staffing firm must be aware of what success means to you. Educate them on the problems you are hoping to solve, the challenges you face and how a good candidate is going to help you achieve certain goals. Only then is your technology recruiter going to locate candidates who are excited to join your team. Keep this in mind when you brief your recruiting firm about your objectives. The more they know, the better applicants you are going to get.
Key Takeaways:
1. Integrate your staffing firm into your team and invest time in conveying your culture
2. Setting clear expectations is key in getting the right technology candidates
3. Your technology recruiter must keep the lines of communication open
4. The candidates you interview must be ready to address any of your concerns
5. Thoroughly educate your staffing firm on your company’s goals
