How a Technical Recruiter Enhances Your IT Career Growth

by Javier Ceide

March 20, 2019

 

 

This year, 33% of companies expect to increase their IT staff. Where are all those jobs going, and which opportunities might be right for your IT career growth? The answers are likely in the hands of someone you have yet to meet.

A great technical recruiter does more than just forward job descriptions to you. Those at the top of the recruiting profession become your guide to the IT job search process while often taking on the role of professional mentor. Let’s take a look at the many ways partnering with a technical recruiter can advance your IT career.

 

 

Grow Your IT Skills

Career growth in technology is closely tied to skill growth, which is a big reason why 29% of IT professionals are planning on learning a new skill this year. Technical recruiters know that expanding into the hottest niches can open up your future in the industry and make you even more attractive to exciting IT employers. Recruiters hear firsthand which skills are most in-demand before others in the industry, and therefore can give you a head start on getting certified in the next popular specialization. For example, large enterprises are ten times as likely to implement an emerging technology compared to smaller companies. When it comes to AI, automation, edge computing, and other innovations, a recruiter knows who is hiring for those roles and can introduce you to them.

 

 

Boost Your Networking

Advancing an IT career takes special skills, but it also takes connections. The more people you know, the more likely you are to hear about tech job opportunities, new industry trends, or local tech events to attend. By working with a technical recruiter, your networking is instantly expanded. Recruiters know a vast number of people they can introduce you to, both those hiring in the industry and peers whom you can connect with in productive groups. A recruiter can help you brand yourself to others and become your gateway to a whole new community, both on LinkedIn and in person.

 

Find Flexible Opportunities

You know that working in IT is often grueling, comprising of long hours and tremendous pressure. This is a big reason why 57% of tech pros say that good work-life balance is critical to their career aspirations. It’s just too hard to work 30+ years in this industry without some flexibility. However, not all IT jobs offer the amount of flexibility you might be looking for. Technical recruiters listen to what you want in a role. For example, if you want to work remotely at least one day per week, your recruiter will seek out jobs for you that meet that requirement. They know which companies offer unlimited vacation or other benefits to improve work-life balance, and can connect you to only those opportunities.

 

 

Prepare for Interviews

At a certain point in your career, you probably know all about interview best practices: research the company, make eye contact, and ask insightful questions. While some technical recruiters will give you similar tips, the best recruiters will coach you on interviewing with specific employers by giving you the insider info that sets you apart from other candidates. Whether it’s prepping you for the questions an interviewer often asks, telling you an interviewer’s favorite sports team to encourage a personal connection, or discussing the latest news item about that company, a recruiter can set you up for interview success.

 

Improve Your Salary

With 68% of technology professionals saying they’d change jobs to receive a higher salary, there’s no question that salary is important to many. The question that remains is: how do you secure that higher salary? Recruiters in IT are especially in tune with realistic compensation market rates and what certain companies are paying for roles. This is a crucial benefit of working with a technical recruiter. If you need a certain dollar figure for your next role, they will only present you with those opportunities. Alternatively, if your expectations are out of sync with the market, a recruiter can have an honest conversation with you about what steps to take to build adjacent skills or obtain new certifications that qualify you for the roles paying what you desire.

 

 

Bolster Your Resume

Updating your resume may sound like a minor task, but it’s one that is often overlooked when you’re managing your career on your own. Top technical recruiters know resume best practices, but they also know what will catch the eye of the hiring managers in the companies you’re applying to. They can help you highlight important aspects of your background and provide input while you create different versions of your resume for different roles. Whether it’s tweaking a special skills section or talking about responsibilities from your previous role that are most applicable to the job you’re applying for, recruiters provide valuable technical resume advice that can make all the difference.

 

Save Time

Over a quarter of tech pros plan to find a new job this year, but few will have the time to go about a proper IT job search. A technical recruiter keeps your job search going at a level that is impossible to maintain on your own. They’re saving you the trouble of locating the right opportunities for your career and they’re vetting them thoroughly. This saves so much time, especially since you’ll no longer be going through applications and interview processes for roles only to find out, deep in the process, that they don’t match your career, salary, corporate culture, or work-life balance expectations.

 

 

Stay in Communication

One of the worst feelings for an IT job seeker is to have a great interview followed by several weeks of silence. While hiring processes may get delayed from time to time, it’s not fun to be left wondering what’s going on with your potential career opportunity. Great technical recruiters keep you in the know. They communicate clearly and regularly, updating you on where things are in the process and why delays are happening if they arise. Recruiters keep in touch in whatever way is most convenient for you, and for nearly half of recruiters, that means texting their candidates and current applicants. It’s a refreshing change of pace that can keep you excited about your next IT role.

 

 

Find Unpublished Opportunities

You can’t apply for a job if you don’t know it exists, and yet some of the most exciting IT opportunities are never even made public. Technical recruiters work directly with hiring managers in companies and often know who is about to hire for a certain role. If one of their contacts mentions a position that you’re a good fit for, a recruiter may be able to connect you with the opportunity quickly before it is even published. Essentially, they can get you in the door right away so you can make an early and strong impression and increase your likelihood of landing the job that’s right for your tech career.

Find IT Career Growth with a Great Technical Recruiter

Given the competitive state of the IT industry, there are many recruiters in the sector. Whether you want to or not, you’re bound to come into contact with at least a few recruiters, and some of them will be employed directly by a single company and only have their employer’s best interests at heart. For unrivaled career growth, partner with an external recruiter at a staffing firm. The best of the best will be in your corner, singing your praises, and vouching for you as they leverage their trusted relationships with hiring managers across the industry.

Want one of the IT industry’s top recruiters on your side? Let’s have a conversation about your career.

 

Related:

Essential Criteria for Evaluating Your Next Tech Job Opportunity

Proven Ways for Taking Control of Your New Tech Job (and IT Career)

Anticipating 2019’s Most In-Demand Tech Skills for Your IT Career