How To Work Well With Corporate Recruiters

TC: As a recruiter, what's the number one piece of advice you'd give an IT professional looking for a new job today?

Kapoor: Preparation is key. In an increasingly competitive market, preparation for the interview is an important differentiator during the interview process. This can include, but is not limited to the following:

1. Research the company (e.g., Edgar database) to understand the company's performance and its standing in the market.
2. Thoroughly understand the job description and be able to relate your past experience to the position's requirements.
3. Bring relevant deliverables to the interview meeting (e.g., samples of work depending on position).
4. Where appropriate, find out information as to the inner workings of the company to which you are applying and even information about the interviewer. You can do this by speaking to current or past employees. This will demonstrate your eagerness and initiative " as well as allow you to quickly relate to the interviewer and the company on a more personal level.

		For more expert career advice and articles on career issues and topics, visit TechCareers.

TC: What are common mistakes techs make when working with a corporate recruiter?

Kapoor: During the interview, candidates need to not oversell themselves. The best interviews are not interviews but are conversations with a free flow of ideas. One of the biggest complaints I get from hiring managers is that the candidate had poor listening skills and or "would talk over me." Hence, a candidate should answer clearly and to the point. Where appropriate illustrate your point with specific examples.

TC: What's the major IT job trend today—are enterprises looking for more business-It folks than ever before, or is there a specific skill that is in high demand today (such as IP telephony)?

Kapoor: While the demand for IT skills has not reached the levels we all experienced during the technology bubble, there is a definite up tick in many areas of IT recruiting, especially as it relates to IP telephony in both delivery and "pre-sales" capacities. In fact, my company, Dimension Data needs to hire 30-40 IP telephony specialists in the near future just to meet demand.

Therefore, we have implemented an accelerated and intense training program (dubbed "Jed-IPT") to help engineers who already have a solid foundation of networking skills and certifications to become IPT specialists, capable of leading IPT deployments in the field. If you already possess this expertise, then you will find that skill in high demand as more and more companies migrate to IPT.

Next Page »