Recruiting Archives

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How To Job Search With a Busy Schedule

Searching for a job can feel like a full-time job. It requires quite a bit of time and energy, which can feel exhausting even when you have ample amounts of time to dedicate to it. When you may be already overwhelmed by the demands of your current job and other life-related tasks, carving out the time to hunt for a new job can feel almost impossible. But it does not have to be that way for you. Keep reading to learn how to effectively work a job search into your busy schedule, so that you can continue to grow and evolve.

Prioritize

When you are job hunting, it is important to remember that not everything is urgent, even if it may feel that way. While some tasks are time-sensitive, like meeting application deadlines or scheduling interviews, other tasks can be worked into your schedule however you can fit them in. Prioritizing your tasks and remaining organized will help you free your mind and keep your schedule under control.

Be Active

If you are quite serious about finding a new job, you must pursue it actively. Casually browsing jobs or merely entertaining the idea of applying for a new job is rarely fruitful. Passive job searching is not as productive or efficient as an active search. Your determination here will be a great indicator of how strongly you feel about finding a new job.

Taking a more active approach to your job search can benefit you in two ways. First, it will help you feel more in control of the process. And second, it will help you figure out how serious you are. If you find that your heart is not in it, maybe take a break from the search and work on determining some personal goals, instead. This will make it easier for you to figure out where your path goes from here, and how to start drawing that map. But by giving your job search structure, you can avoid feeling as if the work you are putting in is aimless or fruitless. Using a planner to make a timeline for yourself or creating to-do lists will help keep you on track and will also help you to observe your progress.

Take Breaks

It is imperative, regardless of what you are doing, to take breaks and time for yourself. Sure, you feel busier than you ever have, but you should never try to power through each day with minimal breaks. This will lead you to burnout and is not sustainable long-term. Although it might not seem like you have any room left in your schedule, finding time to take breaks is essential to your well-being. Build breaks into your schedule and spend them doing things that re-energize you, whether it is exercising, cooking, or talking to a loved one. No matter what you do, make sure that you are taking time for yourself. Doing so will drastically improve not only your job search stamina but your overall mental health.

Take the Pressure Off

You are only one human being. You only have a certain capacity, and a job search can take a great deal of it. Consider the work you are putting in at your current job; are you going above and beyond? If so, you may have room to dial it back a little. If you are serious about finding a new job, it is time to cut yourself some slack at your current job.

This is not to say that you should shirk your responsibilities and risk bad references or strained relationships with your colleagues and managers. But it is a suitable time to reconsider your boundaries at work, maybe don’t answer work emails after hours, or avoid taking on that extra project. Maintaining appropriate boundaries at work is important regardless of whether you are looking for a new job or not. Dedicate some of your valuable time to setting boundaries to protect your valuable time.

Use your PTO

If you are having trouble balancing your job search with your daily life/work schedule, and you have paid time off available, consider using it. Taking advantage of your PTO is a perfect way to gain the time you need to really focus on looking for a job. If you have longer application tasks, like interviews, taking a day off work will help you to clear your mind of work responsibilities, and really put all your energy into your application process.

Do Not Settle

A job search can feel exhausting, especially when you are also managing the demands of your current job and life, so when you receive an offer, it can be very tempting to take it. But it is crucial that the job you take is really the right choice for you and your life; otherwise, all your time and efforts have been for not. The job hunt takes time, and you will feel fatigued at points. Be kind to yourself and use those moments to check in with your commitment to this process – taking breaks when you need them. You are the decider and the only one who truly knows what is good for you. Do your best not to sell yourself short, the future “you” will thank you.

A job search feels incredibly daunting, but if you stick with it and are true to who you are, eventually, all your arduous work will pay off. You will find the company or path that is right for you – fostering your superpowers and discovering your people. Hang in there! And if you ever need help – we are standing by.

Fir trees and empty bench covered in snow. Text: 5 Reasons to Job Search During the Holidays

[Infographic] 5 Reasons to Job Search During the Holidays

Why it’s a candidate’s market

by Kris Minkel, Recruiting Manager

You have the idea. A vision and know what you want to do but you need to find the talent to get there? We know that unemployment rates are very low – the Seattle unemployment rate is hovering under 3% and the IT unemployment rate is under 2%. Why is that?

A key reason: Lack of qualified resources

The lack of qualified resources means the same people are contacted for the same positions over and over again. I have a friend who works in IT and was in the market for work. When I asked him for his perspective on what he saw and heard from recruiters he said that he was contacted for positions not relevant to his experience, for roles out of state and all over, and that he was bombarded by emails from recruiters asking him to provide personal information over email such as the last four of his SSN, date of birth, and other sensitive, personal information. Clearly, this type of engagement leads to a terrible candidate experience and gives recruiters a bad name.

As recruiters we need to be better. Besides that, we need to remember that the market is very tight with plenty of openings and candidates who “don’t meet the bar” or “aren’t a team fit”.

But back to why this is a candidate’s market. What do candidates go through when looking for work?

Imagine being a seasoned Software Developer looking for a new opportunity. The most common ways people look for work is via:

People they know or are connected to
Applying to companies directly
Connecting with recruiters on LinkedIn
Posting a resume to job boards

But then what?

For most people it turns into an episode of the TV show Shark Tank. For those who are unfamiliar, Shark Tank is a show where people walk in with a business idea and present it to five seasoned entrepreneurs. The goal is to sell a percentage of your equity in your business to a “Shark” to gain cash and the services of the “Shark” to be a mentor to help your business elevate.

Now let’s look at the scenario from a candidate’s perspective. With the hot market in the Seattle area and the number of openings, candidates are often working with multiple recruiters, on lots of openings, with multiple companies competing for their talents. They are at different stages in the interview process for full-time positions (usually longer recruiting cycles) and contract positions (usually shorter recruiting cycles). Candidates aren’t always transparent about where they are at with the various processes and often companies may make a hiring decision earlier in the process if they discover a candidate who meets their needs.

So what can we do to as recruiters and hiring managers to fix the gap and help ease the process?

Recruiters:

Do not spam candidates with email opportunities unrelated to their search.
Establish relationships with candidates and be a resource for them. Help them with interview advice and put them in a position to be successful.
Treat people like people. Understand that your offer might not work out but in IT people usually look for work every two years; so don’t burn a bridge because they may turn into your next hiring manager.

Hiring Managers:

Understand that the market is hot. The days of a three week interview process are over.
At home assessments are great! Having a potential candidate take an at home assessment is a great tool but use it to streamline the process.
Your culture is very important. Know that the candidate should be sold on why they should work for you. Just because an offer is extended it doesn’t mean it will be accepted.

These are just a few of the items that have helped in my five plus years of IT recruiting. Working together and establishing relationships on both sides of the fence are very important. It is a relationship driven business and the more we come together the more we can achieve.

What to Consider When Considering a New Career in the New Year

New year, new resolutions, should a career change be one?

New Year’s is that time when we reflect on who we have been, who we want to be, and what we can do to move a little bit closer to our ideal self. It’s time for self-realization and assessment of where we are professionally and personally.

For most heading into the New Year, there is generally more of an open-mindedness towards keeping career options open, or at least networking to gain an understanding of the current job market and one’s value within it. What fewer people seem to do is to deeply consider what it is that they both like and dislike about their current role. This is important because without a solid and fundamental understanding of where we are in relation to where we want to be, and without getting in contact with those basic human elements that are responsible for our motivations, we are bound to repeat our same patterns, even if they are not optimal.

In this New Year, ask yourself why you have stayed where you are for so long, what would you change about your current situation, and why it is that you are considering change other than the arbitrary start of a new calendar year? Hopefully, you will arrive at the conclusion that you have stayed in your current role for good reason. While there is a time to consider a career change, don’t do so expecting an impossible perfection from a future role when your current one is great. On the other hand, don’t fall into the trap of convincing yourself that your mediocre role is great without seeking answers to hard questions.

For a start, consider some basics: do you have the title that you want, is there a path in your current company towards that title if you don’t have it, what is the timeline to get there? Are you even title sensitive? Is your company as flat or as structured as you would like it to be? Is your company culture one that is strong, one that you have an affinity for, and one that is inclusive?

Is your company hiring people that are easy to work with? Do you have the freedom and autonomy that you would prefer to have? Are you comfortable that the impact you are making is substantial enough? Are you providing products or services that bring you immense pride? Are the products cutting edge enough for you? Is there a stability that you are experiencing that is difficult to sacrifice even if the perfect opportunity presented itself? There is a whole myriad of concrete and common reasons behind strong positive or negative feelings towards your current role, or even the ennui that paralyzes you into quasi-satisfaction.

If your recruiting consultant is a good recruiting consultant, they should be able to direct you. They should not hesitate to listen and tell you when you actually are in a good situation, and they should be aggressive enough to help you find a step closer to towards an ideal change should your current situation not be satisfactory. If you aren’t asked basic motivational questions, you risk a fate of being in a role where you are unaware of whether or not it is the best fit for you at best, and you risk moving to a situation that is ultimately less satisfactory at worst.

Thoughts on WTIA’s FullConTech 2015

Seattle is on a roll. With the number of construction cranes in the air, and vehicles on the road, it would be hard to miss that something is up with Seattle. Championship football team? Check. Amazing (summer) weather? Check. Leading technology center of the world? Check. Check. Check.

Quardev recently had the opportunity to attend the WTIA’s FullConTech conference, held at the Washington State Convention Center. At this inaugural event, members of the high-tech community, along with representatives from industry, government, and other regional stakeholders gathered to address the Seattle regions continued challenges in its effort to keep up with the demand in the technology space.

Seattle sports icon Lenny Wilkens kicked things off as the keynote speaker. Drawing on a lifetime of teamwork, Coach Wilkens fired up the attendees for the day at hand with inspiring stories. Members of the Quardev team attended the offered panel discussions with a primary theme being “attracting top talent” to the PNW. Compelling panel members and moderators from the region answered questions and provided first-hand anecdotes how their companies are meeting the tech talent challenges.

It’s clear that traditional career paths are not as common – particularly in the technology sector. A couple of the key points for each perspective:

Employers are looking at personality, non-cognitive skills, and IQ of candidates, which seem to have the best correlation to success on the job.
Candidates are looking for a sense of ownership, inspiration, and work/life balance.

Companies who can screen for a good culture/skills mix and then give these bright people reign and purpose have a winning recipe for success.

There was much more and we at Quardev look to stay inspired ourselves and in turn share that with our clients and employees. Great event!

Tag: Recruiting