HRHeadlines

The economic climate in the US has created an interesting dilemna for a number of highly experienced IT professionals. The age old tradition of staying with the same company throughout your career is gone. In it’s place, we find a workforce that can only be characterized as highly skilled, highly specialized and portable. At my desk, I get many calls from people with whom I have worked with in the past and even previous clients who find themselves in transition during a time when many companies’ budgets for new hires are limited. What to do during these times? It’s fight or flight and time to consider a new opportunity! Now more than ever, I recommend looking at the corporate world in a whole new way. You’re the expert, the challenge is to re-package yourself and sell your skills as a hired gun in the contract market.

Exploring opportunities on a contract or consulting basis is the silver lining here. More and more experienced professionals are finding success in selling their skills as contract consultants. This new and flexible working arrangement is a win/win for both sides. For the professional, these short and long-term engagements allow them to sell their expertise while at the same time finding opportunities to grow their skills in new areas and build valuable contacts. This helps them create stability in this new working arrangement. These engagements are often highly rewarding experiences where they are positioned as “trusted advisors”. Many engagements offer flexibility to work from home and save on commuting costs as well. For corporations, the flexibility to hire high level professionals on an “as needed” basis provides increased ability to manage to budgets and create a “go-to” team of trusted advisors.

Now is the time to consider opportunities for contract employment. They key for success is finding “partners” or staffing firms who have established relationships with Fortune 500 companies. Meet those recruiters, position your skills and keep the lines of communication open so that when the right opportunity comes across their desk….they know just who to call!

We want to hear from you! Have you considered/tried contract employment? What was the impact on your search for permanent employment?

Liz Cummings
Sr. IT Recruiter

Monroe Staffing Services, an Initio International company, is pleased to announce the opening of the firm’s thirteenth office in Nashua, NH. Headquartered in Trumbull, CT, Monroe Staffing has offices throughout the Northeast in the states of CT, MA, RI & NH. In 2010, Monroe Staffing opened an office in Manchester, NH. Continued growth in New Hampshire enabled the firm’s expansion to Nashua this month.

“The opening of this office marks a significant step in our strategic growth,” says Matt Briand, President & CEO.  “Last year we believed New Hampshire to be a key area for Monroe Staffing to expand.  Launching Nashua, our second New Hampshire office in twelve months, allows Monroe Staffing to grow many of its services in new market sectors.”

What a Recruiter Can Do For You!

-Using the right firm can greatly impact your ability to market yourself effectively in the course of your job search. Most recruiting firms have access to many jobs that have not already been advertised by their clients directly, and due to the nature of their relationship with their clients, can expedite the process enormously.  However, be sure to choose a partner that has expertise within the industry you are targeting.  By working with a firm that focuses on placing candidates with your skill sets, you will eliminate annoying calls about irrelevant opportunities and maximize their ability to assist in your search.  For instance, firms with a proven track record of placing candidates within the Finance and Accounting sector know how to best position your experience and skills to your target audience, and can help “sell” intangible qualities that your resume itself may not speak to.

-Your recruiter can take much of the guesswork out of interview preparation, and allow you to arrive confident and ready to showcase your skills.  Expect a good recruiter to provide you with some insight into the personalities of your audience, topics to steer away from, and what aspects of your work history will make you an attractive candidate.  Your recruiter will know, specifically, what voids the right candidate will potentially fill for their client, and how this opening ties into the departmental or overall company strategy.

-Don’t be afraid to ask your recruiter to help coach you through the actual interview itself.  Rehearsing standard interview questions/answers, explaining nuances of your work history, and practicing your overall “pitch” will enable you to appear more confident and reduce the risk of being caught off guard during the interview itself.

-Understand how your recruiter and their client would like to handle compensation inquiries and negotiations, prior to your interview.  Too often, candidates commit to compensation ranges/start dates/etc… , for fear of jeopardizing their candidacy. Be sure that your recruiter has set expectations as to your salary requirements, and other factors related to your ability to accept a potential offer, to ensure that you are limiting your interviews to clients that can meet your needs and offer desirable opportunities.

Over the past few weeks, we have been polling our staff about some of the most recent tips they have been doling out to applicants.

Here are some of the recurring themes:

-Have at least 5 prepared, written questions pertaining to your potential new role, and 5 about the company themselves. Incorporating industry or economic information is a subtle means of letting the interviewer know you did your homework.

-Be prepared to discuss any facet of your resume. Statements that require factual data should be supported. If you cannot intelligibly speak to it-leave it off.

-Always double check the “Objective” section of your resume. Stating that your ideal position is in an unrelated field/role could cast a negative light on the rest of your presentation.

-Don’t be afraid to let your personality shine through! Candidates who engage the interviewer with a friendly demeanor and good questions tend to be invited back for the next round!