3 Important Things to Consider If you Want to Hire a Technical Recruiter

Using a technical recruiter can work wonders for your hiring process….except when it doesn’t.

Working in the industry, I often hear about bad experiences that clients have encountered with a past recruiter. Many HR managers have trusted technical recruiters that they’ve used for many years. But just because a recruiter has consistently provided accountants and financial analysts in the past, doesn’t mean they can help staff technical positions today. What if your “tech” recruiter doesn’t have any knowledge of engineering or IT? Technology is the backbone of our economy, but it evolves so quickly that what your engineers and IT staff needed to know last year may already be outdated.

To help firms find the right fit, I have put together a quick guide to help you choose the right technical recruiter for those mission-critical positions inside your company. For those of you that prefer video, check out the clip at the bottom of the article.

3 Questions to Ask Yourself Before Hiring a Technical Recruiter

#1 – What is the recruiter’s specialty?

Do you use one recruiter for all of your needs or do you have many specialty recruiters for each function within your company? Does the technical recruiter have the background and experience to source/screen/present engineering and IT candidates? Make sure you know what they specialize in and ask for examples of recent successful placements. If you are using one jack of all trades recruiter, make sure they possess the specific knowledge to get the job done.

#2 – What positions have the recruiter recently placed?

Looking at a recruiter’s recent history can be a huge help here. If a technical recruiter just completed the successful placement of an SQL Database Admin or an Electrical Engineer with a PE license. They likely have lots of fresh resumes and contacts in this area. Due to the speed of change within engineering and IT, if the technical recruiter hasn’t screened a .NET Software Developer resume recently or completed any interviews, they may not quickly connect the job requirements with the qualifications of the candidate.

#3 – Has the recruiter worked in engineering or IT in the past?

Remember: Warm bodies tend to source the resumes of warm bodies.

Technical recruiters that have worked in and around the job functions that you’re seeking candidates for are more likely to understand your requirements. They will be able to carefully screen potential candidates. A technical recruiter with experience in the area is far more likely to have robust professional networks and be a member of industry-specific job boards.