Staffing Jobs Overall

Let’s start with three great reasons why staffing jobs in general are so rewarding:

Independence, flexibility, and a dynamic work environment

Staffing jobs and recruiting roles easily mesh with remote work. Pre-pandemic geography was not a barrier and we actively sought out employees regardless of proximity to an ATR office. Obviously, we continue to look for great people no matter where they live or might work. The job responsibilities allow for flexible hours and independence in execution. No two days are alike in staffing, and no two clients are, either. One day you’re working with a leading telecom company, the next with a global pharmaceutical giant. It’s interesting and exciting work.

Staffing professionals are always in high demand

This is a career with job security. Demand for hiring and the need for people to work isn’t going away. If anything, it’s going to get more intense. Those hiring and those seeking jobs both need your help. If you want to be an in-demand professional and have a high level of job security, this is the career for you! 

It is incredibly rewarding

This is the best part of most staffing jobs: In the end, we are always making people happy. Clients are thrilled when they find the professional they need—no one likes to be understaffed, and having a full team can be the difference between success or failure. Placing a consultant in a job they need and want is even more rewarding. You see and feel the difference that you are making in people’s lives every day. Meaningful work is one of the top five things people are looking for in a job, a desire that has increased over the past two years.

ATR in Particular

Now let’s look at three reasons why ATR specifically is the ideal destination for your staffing career:

ATR is a “Goldilocks Firm”

We’re just the right size! We aren’t so big that you get lost in the shuffle or feel like a cog in a system. We’re a connected, supportive team that stays in touch and works together while offering autonomy in how and when you get things done. And while we’re small enough to provide an intimate working environment, you’ll still get the chance to work with some of the most prestigious and successful companies around. Plus, we provide a competitive salary and benefits package.

Professional development opportunities

We provide training where needed and help you grow and develop your staffing industry skills and expertise. We encourage ongoing learning at all levels, and as you become more experienced, you’ll have opportunities to mentor and develop others. Our team-based approach to client service can also help you gain leadership skills and manage your own team. If you are an experienced recruiter or staffing professional, your best opportunity to further your career is waiting at ATR.

Get promoted faster

If you’re smart and a hard worker, you can probably advance sooner at ATR than at many larger staffing firms. Your responsibilities will increase as your knowledge and experience does. There is a clear path from sourcer to recruiter, and once you reach that point, you can become a team leader, sales rep, account manager—anything is possible! We want to see our people succeed, so we promote from within as much as possible while always keeping watch for talented, experienced recruiters elsewhere. Whether you’re just starting out or a seasoned professional feeling like a change might be good, we’d love to hear from you.

If you want to work in an environment where “variety” is the word of the day and your job is helping people, the staffing industry is calling! If you want a position with flexibility, autonomy over your daily responsibilities, and the ability to work remotely, the industry could be a great fit for you. Finally, if that all sounds good and you want to work for an established firm that combines the benefits of a close-knit, team-focused workplace with great opportunities for learning and advancement, then ATR is where you want to be. Come join us!

Ready to take the first (or next) step in your staffing career? Check out our open positions today and join the team!

The post Six reasons to consider a staffing career at ATR appeared first on ATR International.

Are you playing it safe before committing to a recruiting strategy?

Either way, you can be certain that 2021 will look much different than 2020. The pandemic may not yet be over, but vaccines are getting into bloodstreams and candidates are reassessing their career options. For a hiring manager like you, that means there are several recruiting trends that will shape your year, regardless of your industry.

Remote Work and Hybrid Workplaces

In 2020, remote work was less a trend and more a required way of operation. In 2021, it will continue to be the biggest factor to impact the employment market. Simply put, remote work isn’t going anywhere. It’s going to take time for large numbers of professionals to receive vaccines and develop immunity, and even after that, we will need to practice precautions like social distancing and mask wearing. There is no switch to flip in 2021 that causes everything to suddenly go back to normal, so remote work will continue in some form throughout the year.

However, offices will be reopening in many locations. Most will do so in a hybrid model where some employees continue to work from home while others come into the office. These professionals may rotate depending on the day or the week. For example, Google plans to institute a “flexible workweek” that will see employees come in three days per week starting in September of 2021. Whatever is best for your business will be unique, but for most, it will resemble this type of hybrid model.

Recruiting and Salaries on a National Scale

From the very start of the pandemic, many hiring managers recognized that a remote-work world opens up recruiting pools like never before. Yet, for a lot of 2020, it was just talk. It was a theory. Many companies paused hiring, and many like ATR were lucky just to maintain our current staff and avoid letting anyone go. But as 2021 gets underway, it’s clear that hiring will steadily increase across industries. That means, for the first time in practice, many companies will be recruiting without regard to location.

As a result, salaries will slowly be changing. National averages are going to mean more than they did before. Some candidates from areas with traditionally higher income may expect more than you’re used to. You might be surprised to find bargains on exceptional talent moving to smaller, less expensive towns. Each offer is going to require more research than usual, not just to provide the right level of compensation, but to avoid violating any “ban the box” laws if you’re recruiting in areas that prohibit you from asking about salary history.

Candidates Demand Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

The events of last year make diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) a significant priority for 2021. As a certified minority business, we’ve been talking about these topics for years and believe that our dedication to diversity is our superpower. Candidates of diverse backgrounds, whether that means ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, disability, or another factor, have made their voice clear. Professionals stood up for what they wanted out of their society and their employer.

It’s no longer enough for a company to paste a few values or diversity mission statement on their website. Candidates see past that. They want to work for a company that reflects actual society. As hiring continues to pick up, competition for talent will become fierce since your competitors are now across the country. Companies with well-defined DE&I strategies, ones that make a tangible impact, are going to rise to the top of the list for many candidates.

Creating a diversity, equity, and inclusion strategy takes time. It may even take most of 2021 as you begin by connecting with your internal employees first, then translating what you discover into your recruiting efforts. As long as you stay authentic and truthful with candidates, even if you’re describing how you’re still laying the groundwork, the results will be positive. After all, Fast Company predicts that 2021 is the year for teams focused on diversity to expand and that, within five years, DE&I will become its own function sitting between HR and operations.

Finding Meaning Through Community

2020’s pandemic served as a wakeup call, forcing people to consider mortality like never before. It was a reminder that our time on earth is finite, and that time should be spent doing something positive. Just as with DE&I, candidates started reflecting more on the values of their employers. What does their community outreach look like? Are there volunteering opportunities? What positive impact does this company make on the world?

In short, professionals are looking for meaning in their work. Companies that provide a sense of connection and purpose are in a great position to recruit throughout the year. Reflect on your own COVID response, determine what positive impact you’ve made in your community or with nonprofits, and consider how you can support everyone even more. You’re likely already making strides here; just make sure your candidates know it.

Flexibility and Career Paths

Even after society finds a post-pandemic normal, your employees will continue to need flexibility throughout 2021 and beyond. Living through COVID-19 will have long-lasting repercussions for mental health. People will need more breaks. Maybe they’ve grown used to flexible working hours, starting work early in the morning so they can get out earlier and help kids with schoolwork. Providing flexibility means more than just remote work, and it will look different for every company. Find out what your employees want, ask candidates what they’re looking for, and recruit accordingly.

At the same time, put renewed attention on career paths and professional growth. 2020 forced everyone to take a step back and reassess their professional life, regardless of if it was going well or poorly prior to the pandemic. In 2021, more than ever before, candidates will come to the table asking about their potential career path at your company and what you will do to help them reach their professional goals.

2021 Recruiting Trends

The above represent just a few 2021 recruiting trends. There are many more, and they’re not all going to be this straightforward. Nevertheless, maintain your positivity to make this a good year. Put in the work. Ask the tough questions of your peers, managers, and employees. Have those conversations, and you’ll set the stage for a great year of recruiting exceptional talent.

Want a hand with your recruiting? We specialize in a number of industries. Reach out to us here to learn more.

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The post What Do 2021 Recruiting Trends Mean for Your Business? appeared first on ATR International.

Sure, mentioning the technology industry is an easy reply, but the true answer is always more nuanced than that. It’s not like the restaurant industry where one can quickly and easily define their type of cuisine, exact location, and whether they’re gourmet or fast-casual. The tech sector is home to thousands of different niches, all with their own focuses, innovations, processes, and outcomes.

No matter how you define your business or IT function, there are a number of 2021 IT industry trends that will impact the way you operate this year, especially when it comes to recruiting. In addition to addressing specific technologies which are set to spike, these trends represent the forces that will change how you hire for years to come.

Recruiting in Key Technologies

One of the most important questions an IT hiring manager can ask themselves is, “What type of talent should I seek out for my recruiting pipeline?” After all, knowing what skills your business needs right now is easy, but knowing what skills you’ll need in the future is what separates the best in technology from the mediocre. That’s because those organizations begin recruiting top individuals early, getting a leg up on the competition.

While this isn’t an all-inclusive list, the following are specific areas where you’ll see a lot of hiring throughout 2021:

Artificial Intelligence

Yes, we’ve been talking about AI for years, but for good reason. The potential of artificial intelligence grows exponentially with each stride in the field. One Salesforce executive has suggested that by the end of 2021 AI will be mainstream. It’s permeating new products and services each day, while trends like edge AI promise unheard-of levels of connectivity and efficiency.

5G & IoT

Most consumers only recognize 5G as a selling point for iPhones, but those in the tech industry realize it’s ushering in the cusp of a new era. 5G technology is set to revolutionize IoT technologies by connecting devices, programs, servers, and clouds like never before. It’s being touted as one of the biggest factors accelerating the shift toward Industry 4.0, the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

App Development:

These days, it seems like there’s an app for everything. That’s because consumers and businesses are demanding them. And considering that 71% of uninstalls are motivated by app crashes, it’s clear that standards are high. Quality matters in application development. Whether it’s a silly game for distracting kids or an analytics tool to monitor a production line, apps have to be created and updated with care to maintain success in 2021.

Big Data:

Did you know that it’s estimated that there are 40 times more bytes of data in existence than there are stars in the observable universe? For several years, big data and analytics have been inching further into the spotlight as businesses realize the power that uncovering trends can provide. If you find talent versed in this area, it’s wise to hire them as early as possible. As demand rises throughout the year, so will salary expectations.

Social Technologies:

The pandemic drove a surge in digital communications and the technologies that enabled people to feel connected when not together, and that will continue. However, as vaccines become widespread and businesses open up with fewer restrictions, people will desire that in-person, human interaction again. Fast Company believes this will drive innovation in technology that helps people feel safe in public and enhances physical get-togethers, and we agree.

Focusing on Security & Privacy:

2020’s lockdowns and quarantines sparked a surge in internet traffic over personal devices and home connections. While it’s great that many people could keep working from home, this increased traffic opened up a world of vulnerabilities. Businesses have to be extra vigilant in securing their data and all interactions with customers and employees. On top of that, privacy laws are consistently tightening as people become increasingly protective and conscious of their personal information and digital footprint. Fears of data breaches and fines from compliance violations will spur many companies to double down on security and privacy in 2021.

Feeling the Impact of Climate Change

Matt Trotter of Silicon Valley Bank believes that the impact of climate change on the tech industry will reach a crescendo this year. He makes the case that the huge push toward electric cars will have vast impacts on the technology sector as a whole. Given how many IT pros will be needed to achieve new emission standards and the lofty electric car production goals set by companies like General Motors, this makes sense. After all, great IT minds will need to reinvent most parts of the automobile, and that takes away talent from other niches.

Hiring Tech Pros with Business Skills

The IT department of any company has continued to gain importance, placing IT pros in rooms with executives and other business leaders. Today, soft skills are critical for technology talent. The ability to translate a technical concept to a non-IT person is essential not just for informing company leadership, but for communicating with other departments that may need to act on IT-based insights. While deep experience in hard skills will always be welcome, the tech pros who will make the biggest impact on your company are those well-rounded individuals with great business skills.

Addressing Diversity and Inclusion in Tech

As a minority business, we couldn’t write about 2021 IT industry trends without addressing diversity and inclusion. While these are topics that have been talked about for a long time, there was something different about the conversation in 2020. This coming year, companies will be taking a hard look at how they can improve here. After all, the tech industry has been historically unbalanced. In 1991, 36% of computing occupations were held by women, but that has steadily declined to 26% today. 2021 will be remembered as the year the tide turns for the better, not just for women, but for all groups who have been marginalized.

2021 IT Industry Trends

Like looking at a really long menu at a new restaurant, it can be overwhelming to consider dozens upon dozens of trends set to shape this year’s technology market. Of course, there are more movements than just the ones listed above. But select those that matter most to your business, address them with the attention and resources they require, and reap the rewards of being one step ahead of your competition each month of the year.

Want to dig into more IT industry stats and trends? Download your free Silicon Valley IT Salary Guide here.

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“Time is money.” – Ben Franklin, inventor, businessman, founding father of the United States     

“Price is what you pay. Value is what you get.” – Warren Buffet, American investor, CEO, philanthropist

Why should we use a staffing agency? It’s a fair question and one that I am asked often. These quotes from two distinguished Americans encompass the basic answer: because you will save time/money and get better value.

In a way, it is as simple as that. Most everyone, especially businesspeople, can see the innate wisdom in these statements and have likely experienced it personally. As it relates to our question, consider this:

1. You save time (part I) – When you hire an agency, they invest the time in finding and screening potential candidates. The hiring process is time-consuming. This is especially true if you don’t do it full-time. There are still interviews and other parts of the process that you can’t outsource, but there are absolutely some you should, and they are the more time-intensive ones. Staffing firms also have economies of scale and experience. The efficiencies that come with expertise are real and translate into real dollars.
   
   How much? Well, it can vary depending on industry and position, but for roles that require highly skilled people, estimates are $50,000+ which encompasses a number of investment costs. Consider this alone though: do you know how many hours each new hire takes? Who internally spends time that could be outsourced, and what else could they be focused on? How much are those hours costing you?
   
   
2. You save time (part II) – In almost all instances, time-to-fill (the amount of time a position is open) and time-to-hire (the amount of time from when a position is posted to when a candidate accepts an offer) is reduced when you use a staffing firm. When a job remains open, it means others are spending their time covering the responsibilities of the position. The sooner that great new hire starts, the sooner everyone is focused on their own responsibilities.
   
   How much? Again, it depends, but I’m sure you’ve probably already thought about this at some point. What won’t get done or will take longer to accomplish until someone is hired? Are you paying overtime for people to cover things or reprioritizing other work? Worse, are you burning your staff out or falling behind? Obviously, there are real and intangible costs associated with all of this.
   
   
3. You get better candidates – In addition to navigating the universe of active job seekers more efficiently, external recruiters have developed long-term relationships with people, which means they can tap into the passive talent pool much more effectively than you can. That translates into better quality candidates for you to choose from, and thus better hires. More talented employees that will be more successful. This is the hardest one of all to assign an associated cost, but I think it’s obvious that not giving yourself the best opportunity to hire the best people is going to have an effect.
   
   
4. All of the above x10 – For specific skill sets, niche talent, and areas where demand outpaces supply, everything above will have a bigger effect. Further, widespread unemployment does not necessarily equal easier hiring. In some cases, it will make hiring even more time-consuming to evaluate a flood of resumes and even more important that you know how and where to find the right candidates. In short, it will take more time to find better candidates and more time translates into more money.

Franklin tells us that time saved is money saved, while Buffet reminds us that cost is not the only consideration; quality and value count too. Working with a great staffing firm and its knowledgeable professionals can help you achieve both! Whether you outsource in full or need help with part of your recruitment strategy, you can benefit from partnering with a staffing firm that knows your needs, understands your business, and brings you great value while saving you time and money.

In search of the right staffing partner for your business? Learn about our next-generation services right here.

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Need to know the most up-to-date salary levels for technology roles in our region? We’ve got you covered, but this guide is more than just a collection of numbers. While compensation figures will help you make the right decisions for your business, you need more than that to truly be empowered. That requires taking a step back to see the full picture, looking at the employment stats and trends truly shaping technology hiring in Silicon Valley.

Several hard-to-ask questions have to be answered to accomplish that: Is the technology industry still as strong as it once was? Are people moving out of Silicon Valley? Is remote work helping or hurting the employment market? And are companies finally taking diversity seriously? The answers are enclosed, and they’ll do more than just give you hope; they’ll give you a blueprint for your 2021. They’ll empower you to determine an appropriate salary, but they’ll also open your eyes to the real story of Silicon Valley and not just the one the news focuses on.

This wide-angle view helps you recruit the skilled professionals who can maximize your company’s opportunities, and we should know. ATR has been here for 32 years, and we’ve seen it all. We know that things will be ok as long as we stay informed and adapt to a shifting market. Silicon Valley’s technology industry outlook is still strong, but it’s strongest when we come together to share our perspectives.

To access the insights and compensation figures that will shape your 2021, fill out the form below.

The post Hiring Managers: Download Your Free 2021 Silicon Valley IT Salary Guide appeared first on ATR International.

We often share advice for people looking to improve their resume and coach our personal candidates as well. You’ve probably shared similar advice: “Don’t make your resume too long.” “Remove acronyms and other jargon.” “Make it easy to find the information that matters.” It’s all good advice, and if you think about it, that very same advice can help companies and hiring managers too.

If you want to attract more applicants, pay attention to your job descriptions. Better descriptions deliver better results. When it comes to job descriptions, the recipe for success contains some of the same ingredients.

Keep It Brief

Anyone who has to review resumes would agree that a shorter resume is more effective. “TL;DR” could be the recruiter’s mantra. Job seekers feel the same way. They don’t want to read through lengthy paragraphs that cover everything from A to Z about your company. They want the key information so they can quickly determine if they are a good match with your position – the salary and compensation, specific qualifications, and the responsibilities of the position. Job seekers cull opportunities just as quickly as any recruiter.

Lengthy descriptions and too much info can cause qualified people to move on. They don’t need a lot of general information or a lengthy paragraph about your company’s mission or culture. If someone is interested, they’ll link to your website, where they should find that kind of info! Be prepared for them there. In the job posting, too much extraneous info turns applicants away. Consider using bullet points or a short summary up front to convey key information clearly and quickly. Display info visually, if possible, rather than strictly text.

Lengthwise, 300-800 words is optimal. Studies show that postings in this range receive more submissions than shorter or lengthier posts. It’s a wide enough range that should be enough for any job. If you’re thinking you need more than that, then yours is probably too long.

You know the stat that says a recruiter spends 30-60 seconds before moving on to the next resume? It’s similar for those looking at job postings.

Get Rid of Jargon  

Do your eyes glaze over when you read that someone has a proven track record of success or uses sports terminology? Well, people reading job descriptions feel the same way when they read that your company is looking for a hardworking, team player. They want language that means something, that is recognizable. It starts early, with the job title. Clever, whimsical titles like Happiness Ambassador or Ninja of any kind are an example of unwelcome jargon. It’s well-meaning to want to showcase your company culture and personality, but the job title isn’t where to do it.

A title should tell the applicant something! Something about what the job actually is, and in clear language. A good title allows a potential applicant to quickly get an idea of whether the position is junior or senior, client facing or internally focused, etc. so they can make a good decision about whether to keep reading. A good decision is the one that doesn’t waste their time. Titles like business development manager or senior data analyst key convey information that helps quickly. Also, remember search engines and job board filters are how people will find you. SEO matters when it comes to titles and using the terms people search for will get you better results.

When it comes to the meat of the description, bullet points can be a big help, again. Provide what people are looking for – salary and compensation, job responsibilities, needed qualifications. If you want to elaborate in prose, a short paragraph or two can follow. Be careful about loading your list with qualifications that would be “nice to have” but aren’t really necessary. You will lose qualified applicants who opt out as soon as they see something they don’t have. Don’t use acronyms or internal terms unless they are well-known and truly applicable to the position. Vague or undefinable language like “communicate effectively” isn’t as helpful as “experience leading internal team meetings” or “demonstrated success delivering feedback and coaching direct reports to promotion.”

Writing Better Job Descriptions Can Help

Finding the right people is too critical to a business’s success to leave any potential advantage untapped. Don’t let your job description sabotage your hiring efforts right out of the gate. First impressions count. Keeping your posting jargon-free and brief will ensure that yours is a positive one. You can’t impress a potential hire if you don’t get a chance to meet them first!

Want to chat about your recruiting process? Need help making the right hire? Reach out to us today!

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Become a recruiter!

The career prospects are bright for recruiters – finding the talent needed to support the business community will be a tall order for the foreseeable future, as demand outweighs supply in most industries and jobs. That is especially true in technology sectors. Recruiting can offer you a dynamic career with great potential.

Many companies don’t have the time to take away from their daily duties to source or recruit for their internal needs, so they count on staffing agencies so they can focus on their primary goals, their business. Some outsource all of their hiring needs, others supplement their own internal recruiters, especially for hard to fill positions.

Everyone needs help finding employees!

Now the big question: Should you work for a business and be an internal recruiter or a staffing agency as an external recruiter? What’s the difference? Is one better than the other?

All good questions! The answers? It depends…

I know, that seems like a cop out but it’s true. It depends on who you are – your personality, career goals, skills, and what you like to do. In many ways, internal and external recruiting do similar jobs with similar activities and responsibilities. But staffing firms offer those opportunities at a different, often higher and better level.

A Focus on Recruiting

Internal recruiters are often part of HR and have HR responsibilities as well, especially in smaller departments/companies. In corporate, hiring freezes or being at full staffing during certain seasons greatly reduces your role and means you will likely be asked to do other activities. At a staffing firm, you are focused on recruiting, as are your coworkers.

You learn from each other. You’re surrounded by other recruiters – peers and more experienced people. This exponentially increases your ability to learn, to be mentored, and to more quickly advance your knowledge about recruiting and the industries you work in.

A More Robust Experience

Do you like hiring for the same positions over and over or do you prefer a changing, challenging environment where you’re tasked with filling multiple roles?

Internal recruiters are recruiting for one company only, theirs. External recruiters work on behalf of multiple clients, across different industries. Recruiting for technology professionals encompasses nearly every business sector. You could have clients that include a global financial institution, a healthcare provider, and a leading software company. Recruiting for multiple companies provides opportunities to work with a diverse group of people, clients and candidates alike. It broadens your expertise and experience. If you’re up for a challenge and would like to become a truly well-rounded recruiter, then join the Staffing side.

An Active Daily Work Life

And by active, I mean active! Open positions in technology are a significant issue and it’s only expected to grow. Businesses need people and they expect quality results quickly. Recruiting is fast-paced and your days are rarely ever the same. On a daily basis you’re interacting with people from various backgrounds and experience, helping a diverse group of clients, and generally searching for a broader list of positions. Those corporate hiring freezes I mentioned earlier? They don’t happen at a staffing firm. It’s hard to get bored recruiting in our world!

The Opportunity for Advancement

A staffing firm needs staffing professionals, and many more of them than most individual companies where recruiting is a department, not the main business. The opportunities for promotion and advancement are much more numerous at a staffing firm. Between new clients and growth at existing ones, most firms have expanding needs. Smart firms promote from within first when possible; I know we do! This means it is often easier to advance as a recruiter and move into more senior, higher paying roles, in a staffing firm than in an internal role.

The Benefits of Recruiting for a Staffing Firm

Working in the staffing industry is exciting and rewarding. It’s more emotional than you might expect to work with someone to find a job. Helping someone to change their life, sometimes profoundly, is incredibly rewarding. It can be equally rewarding to help your clients, the people who, sometimes desperately, need to build their workforce. Helping them to succeed means they can provide better services or products to us all, thereby creating stronger and more successful communities.

I think that staffing firms provide recruiters with more opportunity to have these successes and experience these feelings, to learn, and grow, and advance. It’s absolutely worth thinking about these things as you contemplate your own career decisions.

Think you might be interested in exploring opportunities at ATR? Contact me!

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It’s an easy question to ask, but a very difficult one to answer. After all, it can singlehandedly shed light on inefficiencies in your interviewing, vetting, and onboarding processes. Given how common this question is, it’s clear that candidate fit is something businesses everywhere struggle with.

In light of ATR’s 30-year successful staffing track record, I’m often asked how we’re able to ensure the candidates we present are such great fits.

Why Culture and Personality Matter

A business cannot hire for candidate fit without first understanding why culture and personality matter and how they work together. In many industries, especially ones like IT, there is a huge emphasis on hard skills. That makes sense; after all, a Data Scientist may not be able to fulfill the responsibilities of a role if they don’t have the right education, certifications, and experience. With such low unemployment rates across all sectors, it’s also clear that companies are in dire need of talent. Businesses require a skilled individual as fast as possible so they can avoid leaving a role vacant, hurting their productivity and bottom line.

This is the crux of many hiring managers’ problems. It creates tunnel vision that almost exclusively focuses on matching resumes to job responsibilities while neglecting cultural fit. After all, hiring a certified expert in any role will be meaningless if that person causes conflict, doesn’t work well with your existing teams, or ends up quitting after two months. In fact, studies show that when a new hire doesn’t work, 89% of the time it’s because of difficulties integrating into the workplace.

High-performing teams are the ones that get along. They excel at helping each other out on hectic days, communicating the status of projects clearly, and collaborating on solutions to problems. On top of that, every company has a unique corporate culture. Some may be more traditional and reserved while others emulate the colorful nature of Facebook or Google. Even within the same company, there can exist a different culture in different departments or different office locations. While there is no “right” culture that works for every organization, selecting talent based on your specific culture is how to reduce turnover, boost productivity, and enjoy a stronger hiring process.

How ATR Achieves the Right Fit

In order to understand what will make the right fit for your culture, ATR focuses on communication and education. We build relationships with our clients in order to dig in and reach an understanding of your culture and what type of talent thrives in your environment. The reason that ATR often unlocks cultural fit when a client has struggled to is because of our perspective. While you’re living your culture, we can see that culture the way candidates do. After all, candidates are outsiders before they become employees. Understanding and communicating these different viewpoints can help you discover parts of your culture you’re too close to fully see the impact of.

Education means learning as much as we can about your company. Talking directly to hiring managers and the supervisors who will oversee the new employee goes a long way. Taking what we see as the right fit and blending it with what you see as the right fit requires collaboration and discussion. However, determining an ideal candidate profile also means aligning hiring with company goals. Some organizations think they need a certain type of talent simply because a role is open, but after strategic discussion, they realize a different resource would better help them achieve their goals. The more information ATR is able to pull out of a client, the easier and faster it is for us to find that right fit. If there’s a secret to our success in staffing, that just might be it.

Finally, I can’t talk about cultural fit without also discussing the role our recruiters play. All members of our recruiting team are skilled, but they each possess their own specialties. When engaging with a client, we make sure the appropriate recruiters are assigned to accounts that will benefit from their exact knowledge and skillset. For example, if you’re a financial company, we make sure one of our recruiters who has worked with Fortune 500 financial institutions is working with you. This sets a strong foundation and starting point for the relationship, making all those subsequent conversations about cultural fit even easier.

Forming an Accurate Picture of Candidates

All the above activities make sure we’re on the same page with our clients, understanding exactly the type of talent needed. While that is most of the battle in hiring, it’s not the whole battle. The way we work with our candidates ultimately helps businesses like yours find the right fit.

It comes down to this: candidates have to accurately present themselves to you so, in just one interview, you can know exactly what they would be like on the job. It sounds simple, but even the most talented individuals struggle during interviews. Working through their nerves so they can be themselves when they talk to you is a big part of what we do. We also work with candidates to discover their true strengths, not just the bullets on their resume. When these strengths match your culture, that’s a candidate who gets sent to you. When they don’t match your culture, even if they seem perfect on paper, they don’t move forward.

That idea of forming an accurate picture of the hiring equation goes both ways. Candidates want to know what’s expected of them in any job or organization. The better we get to know your business, culture, and open roles, the better we can set accurate expectations for them up front. By knowing what both candidates and hiring managers want, ATR is uniquely positioned to quickly understand what makes a great fit.

Cultural Fit in Hiring

Finding those great culture fits who will help your business thrive is a process that is part science and part art. No two organizations or professionals are the same. Certain people excel in certain environments, and the details surrounding the hiring process matter. A staffing agreement is not about a transaction; it’s about getting to know your business and culture and delivering talent accordingly. It’s not easy, but it’s why companies rely on us to make it happen.

Want to talk about how ATR can help your hiring? Reach out to us or come find me at the NMSDC conference in Atlanta from October 13^th to 16^th!

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The post How ATR Ensures Cultural Fit in Your Hiring appeared first on ATR International.

Job Search and Career Advice

Working with over 35,000 professionals throughout the years has taught us a number of best practices for your career and next job search.

1. Honing your technical or role-specific skills is essential, but don’t forget about improving your soft skills. Working on your communication, teamwork, and problem-solving abilities will take you far.
2. Keep your resume short and easy to read while staying professional and honest. It’s often your first impression with a hiring manager.
3. Attending conferences is a rewarding way to network, learn more about your role or industry, and grow professionally. Here’s a list of some of the best recurring conferences for different audiences.
4. Today’s offices are different than those of the past and require different mentalities. Modern office etiquette includes putting your cell phone away, staying focused in meetings, and thinking critically about your emails.
5. Expand your idea of what mentorship is by finding a wide range of people and sources to learn from. Don’t box yourself into only one avenue for growth.

Hiring and Employee Management Tips

Throughout our 31 years, we’ve partnered with everything from small companies to Fortune 500 organizations, constantly learning and applying new and effective employee management strategies.

6. Getting strategic at the highest level by fostering a growth mindset instead of a fixed mindset will smooth out operations and improve hiring.
7. There are many parallels between sports and business. Managers can learn and find inspiration about teamwork, never giving up, and recruiting from their favorite basketball or football team.
8. As massive Golden State Warriors fans, it was great to meet coach Steve Kerr and learn how his team’s onboarding process can help any business improve their own onboarding.
9. When it comes to improving employee retention, the best thing you can do is make your workforce feel appreciated and valued.
10. World-class recruiting requires help from several areas, but the HR department plays an important role in eliminating bottlenecks and setting the right foundation to secure the appropriate talent.

Minority Owned Business Insights

ATR is one of the biggest and most successful Minority Business Enterprises in the country, trailblazing a path for growing MBEs to follow.

11. Sharing our story, including how we persevered through adversity and encouraged greater diversity, provides several examples to learn from.
12. Those seeking to grow their minority owned business are wise to monitor their growth rate, diversify their clientele, focus on their brand, and connect with other MBEs.
13. The National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC) is an important organization and resource for any MBE. Each October they hold a rewarding conference and their network numbers in the thousands.
14. ATR does a number of things to support the minority business community, including mentoring other MBEs, engaging with diverse businesses when outside services are needed, and adhering to a supplier diversity support policy.

Inspiration for Women Professionals

With a female President and CEO, ATR sees itself as a beacon of light for women professionals everywhere and makes a point to support this vibrant group of talent.

15. In order to achieve high levels of confidence, women professionals should never hesitate to ask a question they have or be afraid to speak their minds at work.
16. Actress Regina King shed light on gender inequality in her 2019 Golden Globes speech. We must all accept her challenge to take a stand both in staffing and every other industry.
17. CEO Andrea Brenholz is leading ATR in male-dominated Silicon Valley. She maintains that diversity is vital to business, and setting an example for other women is a great way to find one’s voice.
18. The future of women in IT is especially bright, with many STEM education opportunities for youth and a number of support networks (such as Women in Technology International) growing quickly.

Technology Trends

While ATR serves a number of industries, we began our journey by specializing in IT staffing. That exciting industry will always hold a special place in our eyes.

19. There is a lot of talk about the IT skills shortage problem, but Generation Z will prove to be the solution. Their sheer numbers, early interest in STEM, gig economy mentality, and focus on training over degrees with make them the future of the industry.
20. The autonomous vehicle revolution is sparking a demand for a number of specific positions and skill sets, such as those versed in C-based programming languages, robotics, and simulation.
21. Cybersecurity is an especially in-demand tech niche. To recruit this type of talent, hiring managers often consider targeting young talent, highlighting company culture, not requiring a bachelor’s degree, and investing in training.
22. For IT professionals seeking to specialize in cybersecurity, it’s necessary to complete certifications and network with friends, colleagues, and mentors.

Staffing Industry Guidance

After three decades in the game, we’ve seen a number of changes in the staffing industry that have taught us how to adapt.

23. Successful partnerships between businesses and staffing firms are based on flexibility, timeliness, and clear communication.
24. Machine learning in staffing can help recruiters filter through large numbers of candidates quickly, improving efficiency and opening up time for the interview process.
25. Artificial intelligence is also impacting staffing in the form of chatbots that can perform basic screens of candidates prior to recruiter involvement.
26. Another technology making waves in staffing is blockchain. Powering smart contracts, blockchain can make vetting a candidate’s background and creating employment agreements a breeze.

Workplace Health Recommendations

Ultimately, staffing is about people and business is about more than just profits and losses. Concentrating on workplace health is crucial to the success of any company or individual.

27. Managing your own stress at work requires proactive prioritization, utilizing vacation time, and opening up to colleagues and supervisors.
28. When it comes to physical and mental health specifically, it’s important to adopt healthy office habits such as eating better, getting enough sleep, looking away from screens, and taking the stairs instead of the elevator.
29. Accommodating employees with disabilities is not just about legal compliance. Implement the right technology, consult specialists, and educate your workforce to ensure all employees are empowered to fulfill their roles.
30. Providing opportunities for philanthropy keeps workforces connected to the community and feeling good. Consider adopting a Volunteering Time Off program to encourage this; it’s good for people and good for business.
31. A paycheck is not enough to keep employees happy. Properly celebrate your workforce by spotlighting employees online, starting competitions, holding prize drawings, and much more.

Want to chat about any of the above topics? Need assistance recruiting talent or finding your next great job? Reach out to us here!

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The post Celebrating 31 Years with 31 Tips for Business Leaders and Job Seekers appeared first on ATR International.

As the importance of cybersecurity has grown, the need for skilled professionals is increasing. For now, and the foreseeable future, demand outpaces supply. You may already know this if you’ve tried to fill a security position. The labor pool is tight and it’s a real challenge to find and hire the people you need. It’s probably only going to get worse. Traditional recruiting isn’t going to fill all those open positions. For those in need of different strategies for success, there are several things you can do that will help.

Hire and develop young, emerging talent. Recruiting at colleges and universities is a standard practice. Make sure that you are looking for those graduates who are already interested in cybersecurity. More and more students are focusing on this area as the career opportunities have increased. Once you hire them, make sure that you are nurturing their interest and helping them grow as cybersecurity professionals. Developing your own talent can be one of the best ways to ensure you have the cybersecurity personnel you need for the future.

Highlight your company culture and the work they will do. People want to work on interesting projects and do meaningful work. Make sure that you are showcasing these things. Tell potential employees about the kind of cybersecurity projects they will be working on. Show them how their work will impact the company, customer, and community. Highlight cutting edge technology or frontline threats. Show the importance of their work. Making this kind of connection can help you recruit the talent you need.

Consider not requiring a bachelor’s degree. Relaxing requirements to capture those with experience but not education can expand the available talent pool. It’s long been true that there are many people who take non-traditional paths to IT knowledge and experience. Not all talented people go the traditional 4-year degree route but their real-world job experience often makes them equally knowledgeable. A robust interview process will allow you to evaluate a candidate and should provide data to make good decisions. A degree, which measures a certain kind of knowledge and achievement, is not always a good predictor of on-the-job success.

Invest in training your current employees. Look to your existing staff and turn them into cybersecurity experts. They already know your company and you know that they are a good worker and worth investing in. Not only does that make it worth the effort but it can actually be a real advantage to move into cybersecurity after working in another sector. For example, data analysts often make excellent security professionals since data plays an important role in recognizing certain threats or weaknesses. For many industries it may be better to find someone with deep healthcare or manufacturing experience who has the potential to grow in a cybersecurity role.

Expand the talent pipeline. Look outside of traditional tech and hire people from other backgrounds. Again, this experience can actually contribute to them being a better security professional. Recruit at colleges but in this case look to the many new programs that are designed to give people basic security knowledge to build on their existing experience and education. These programs can take a successful worker from another industry or tech area and transform them pretty quickly. Again, significant industry or other specialized sector knowledge may be more difficult to replicate or train for than cybersecurity skills. Remember, it may be better to train someone who knows your industry than vice versa.

Be a thought leader on cybersecurity. Attend conferences, write blogs on the topic, join industry groups, and participate in hackathons. Be a leader AND interact on their terms and locations. Some may be more traditional, others may require thinking outside of the box, but “walking the walk” can help you find and attract security professionals and position your company as a place where they want to work.

No one thing is going to magically make enough cybersecurity professionals appear and solve all our problems, but doing nothing won’t get your position filled either. Taking steps on a number of fronts can help increase your ability to attract those that are out there and help you train and create the next generation of cyber professionals.

Looking for a staffing firm that understands how to find hard-to-source candidates? Contact us.

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The post Cybersecurity Professionals: How to Find Them When There’s a Shortage appeared first on ATR International.