[PODCAST] How Companies and Candidates Can Stand Out In a Competitive IT Market

About This Discussion:

If you blink, it’s very possible you’ll see a change in the IT Industry. With new technologies emerging, what feels like every two minutes, it is a known challenge for companies of all sizes to find the right talent.

IT Staffing Expert and Director of New Business Development at The InSource Group, Brett Schaefer joins us in this episode to talk about all things recruiting and IT staffing. We discussed what the landscape looks like now, and how it changing, along with how candidates can stand out, what companies are looking for outside of just exact skill sets, and how companies can also stand out when competition is very tight.

This is a must listen for those who are job seeking, but also those companies looking to hire the absolute best talent.

About Brett Schaefer: 

Brett is a well established IT staffing professional with over 30 years of relationships in DFW. He has been with The InSource Group for 15 years, working with clients as a partnership and ingratiating himself as a trusted advisor for his clients. The InSource Group prides itself with its high degree of ethics and trust that is required in the small fraternity of technology. 

Catch Brett's frequent videos on Linkedin for the many career opportunities with his clients. You can reach Brett on LinkedIn and at The InSource Group.

Here is the official episode breakdown:

1:00 - Brett talks about his background in working both sides of recruiting where he also worked in sales, specifically all in IT

2:19 - What led Brett into staffing, and the funny story of how he thought they were trying to find him a job

4:10 - The challenges and fun of recruiting

5:56 - Where IT Professionals fall short, and why an IT Staffing firm may be such a great option for them

6:48 - The differences between men and women when communicating their strengths on a resume, and one of the best tricks to keep your resume the most up-to-date.

9:00 - Some of the biggest changes in the IT industry over the past few years and what Dallas offers from a job perspective that many cities don’t have

11:30 - Where Dallas lies in terms of job availability compared to other cities

13:00 - Quality talent — Would you be considered quality talent?

14:16 - Some of the issues mid-level companies are experiencing because of larger enterprise companies moving to a city (and how mid-level companies can actually get around this)

16:15 - The importance of great management, and one of the biggest reasons people leave jobs

17:00 - How does tenure and experience determine the desire to look for another job

17:45 - And millennials (yes, you know we had to go there)

19:47 - Millennials and the younger generations and the effect they have on the workforce

20:45 - Are degrees still required now and how companies are getting around this

23:15 - Are companies still relying on contract positions before moving into full-time positions?

24:16 - Are tenured employees taking advantage of learning new skill sets by utilizing boot camps and other available training

26:00 - Is aging out truly a thing of IT Professionals

27:45 - One of the shocking finds of the number of younger professionals looking for jobs

30:10 - We try to solve the United States education gaps

31:07 - EQ, How important is it for employees to have?

32:40 - Thinking outside of the box, can you interview for it, and how exactly do you discover someone actually has the skills to do so

34:15 - On the flip side, if I’m looking for a job what does the landscape look like for you. (And if you’re coming out of college, what’s the one thing you should do right now.)

37:10 - The unicorns that used to be impossible to find, but now are actually possible

38:07 - The role of LinkedIn in finding jobs, and does it make recruiting obsolete?

40:45 - Tips and tricks for those who are looking for jobs as the recessions in approaching

42:10 - What companies should be doing to stand out from the pack

44:17 - Systems that companies should implement in order to make the higher experience more positive for candidates

46:34 - How Brett is taking his own advice on company branding with the InSource Group

Want to learn more and connect with the InSourceGroup.com