By Mark Knowlton IT Recruiters have always had an adversarial relationship with the audiences with whom they interact: Hiring managers and the talent. There has always been a fractious veneer to the working dynamic between Recruiters and the Engineering audience with whom they work. …

By Mark Knowlton The HR Tech Universe has no shortage of product categories: Applicant Tracking Systems, Workforce Management, Compensation, Time & Attendance, Performance Management, Learning Management Systems, Sourcing, Technical Evaluation and Candidate Relationship Management are among the portfolio of tools available to HR organizations. IT recruiters may make use of…

By Mark Knowlton IT recruiters are often bashed by the people they recruit because they don’t understand technology. This is unfortunate, but it is also unfair. Most IT recruiters enter the space via an agency because staffing firms are one of the few businesses willing to hire recruiters who have…

By Mark Knowlton Staffing Account Executives are under intense pressure to get meetings and fill jobs. So many IT staffing firms hire inexperienced AEs, who face unyielding KPI pressure while learning the business basics. That is just the beginning of their challenges. So many IT hiring managers hold the opinion…

By Mark Knowlton IT Recruiters have a unique set of challenges among knowledge workers. With minor exceptions, most people enter IT Recruiting through one of the following paths: Get hired at an agency right out of college Transition into an agency role as a career-changer from some other sales or…

By Mark Knowlton You’re likely familiar with the expression ‘self-fulfilling prophecy’. Well the Recruiting industry has been going through ‘self-perpetuating redundancy’ for its entire history. Nearly all people who get into IT recruiting get their start in Staffing. Corporate TA doesn’t hire completely green new grads because there are too…

By Mark Knowlton IT recruiters have a thankless job and are often the butt of jokes and insults from the technical professionals who frequently seek their assistance. Acquiring meaningful technical knowledge takes more time than most recruiters have or are willing to sacrifice. Plus, the universe of IT knowledge is…

By Mark Knowlton IT staffing firms have no shortage of challenges in trying to deliver services to their clients. Buyers often look at staffing firms like they are commodities because of their sheer numbers and the fact that the industry does see a fair amount of turnover. New hires…

By Mark Knowlton The expression ‘you get what you pay for’ seems widely applicable, unless you ask someone who buys IT contract services. IT Staffing firms often hear gripes from clients regarding the fees or contract mark-ups they are required to pay. The analysis usually goes no deeper than “You…