Providing Thousands of Talented Technical Professionals to Leading Companies

Elite Technical Named Top Talent Management Solution 2025

Thu, 04 Dec 2025 19:19:57 GMT

Linking top professionals with leading companies, on the daily

In December of 2025, Manage HR magazine named Elite Technical 2025's Top Talent Management Solution.

According to Manage HR, "This award is in recognition of Elite Technical’s stellar reputation and trust among customers and industry peers, evident in the numerous nominations we received from our subscribers. Elite Technical emerged as the Top Talent Management Solution 2025 after an exhaustive evaluation by an expert panel of C-level executives, industry thought leaders, and our editorial board."

Alex Gonsalves, Managing Editor, revealed the award saying, "We are pleased to acknowledge Elite Technical's outstanding place in this industry. In 2025's competitive hiring landscape, Elite Technical's professional recruiting team has proven highly successful at connecting hiring managers with the professional talent they need across a diverse range of industries - particularly in the technical sector, nationwide.

Reflecting on the award, Joseph Monaco, Elite Technical’s Chief Operating Officer and Senior Vice President, said, “We appreciate this very special recognition and appreciate the support of our clients, contractors, and colleagues who make our success possible.

"The Elite Technical team works tirelessly to ensure that our clients engage the special technical, legal, healthcare and professional talent they require. As a result, we have been privileged to meet the needs of over 400 of the nation’s leading companies by placing more than 4,500 high caliber technical professionals and other talent in significant positions over the years.”

Said Donna Keller, Elite Technical President and CEO, "Our 33 years in the staffing industry has been exceptionally gratifying. We are blessed with a terrific team that truly cares about our clients and candidates - making it possible for us to deliver highly effective people to our clients. The potential of AI is wonderful, but the human talent and insight behind technical innovation brings the real power. We are lucky to play a role in providing those people."

The above article is also available online at: https://www.managehrmagazine.com/elite-technical . Please feel free to share it.

In addition, we have been featured in the Talent Management section of Manage HR.

Also see our showcase as the Top Talent Management Solution.

For more information about Elite Technical, please contact us at info@EliteTechnical.com or call 1-800-ELITE-50 or

1-855-561-7695 .

Elite Technical Shares 7 Strategies for Sustainable Success

Mon, 29 Sep 2025 19:52:52 GMT

As we mark our 33 ^rd Business Anniversary, t he Elite Technical team reveals 7 proven strategies we used to ensure sustainable business success. Let us know what you think.

1. Build a Stellar Reputation: On Day One (September 24,1992), Elite Technical committed to ensuring a stellar reputation based on integrity in all interactions. Whether serving clients, candidates, contractors, or colleagues, co-founders Joseph Monaco, Donna Keller, and the late Bruce Keller, made it a priority to ensure service excellence and transparency in every relationship. Reputation has been the rudder guiding our business ever since.

2. Understand Your Motivation: With a big personal vision and a heart for putting people to work, Joe Monaco found strong purpose in connecting talented professionals with next-level opportunities at leading companies. Said Joe, “There’s a special joy in telling a candidate, "You’ve got the job!" Thirty-three years later, everyone on the Elite Technical team resonates with the thrill of putting people to work – and the success it brings to all. Great jobs change lives! They create opportunities for personal and professional growth, feed families, and generate financial success for all involved. That’s why putting great tech talent to work became the heart of our story. What motivates you?

3. Master the Success Mindset: Whether you need to take one small step forward or transform an entire company, success is rooted in (1) mental habits that align with your mission/purpose. These habits include developing high self-worth for resilience under pressure, empowering beliefs that enable you to show up fully without doubts, visible goals to stay on target, long- and short-term action plans, personal responsibility, win/win relationships, and expert communication.

Success also requires (2) serious attention to quality-managed processes . For example, Elite Technical’s IQD Recruiting Process includes careful Identification of potential candidates, expert Qualification protocols with a distinctive submittal package, followed by Delivery of the best talent available today. At Elite Technical, we focus on the processes needed to ensure success – and it works for us. No matter what industry you work in, implementing best process, ensuring quality management, and delivering excellence – relentlessly – are the secrets to lasting success.

If you need help mastering your mindset or developing a process that works for your business, seek help from a professional coach.

4. Sharpen Your Focus: Time is money. We learned early on that properly qualifying clients and candidates up front saves time later. First, create a profile of your best client, then consider what companies or people are likely to become your most valuable long-term customers. Learn their pain points, size, industry, budgets, accessibility, gatekeepers, decision-making processes, and culture. Armed with that information, you can then focus your time on gaining leads and introductions to the right contacts for you - which will help you maximize conversions.

5. Focus on Relationships: In a service business like Elite Technical, your most valuable relationships will be with the people you build the most trust with – whether they are colleagues, clients, or strategic allies and referral sources. Years ago, we learned that when people you work with know that you care, i.e., have their best interest at heart, they are more likely to trust you with their business needs, goals, and dreams.

But relationships require more than words. Like plants nourished in rich soil, relationships grow roots in proof – the actions and outcomes that reveal your service commitment and demonstrated value. While it’s true that many deals hinge on financial cost factors, you can enhance perceived value with integrity (keeping your word), reliability (showing up in the ways promised), listening well, communicating thoughtfully, responding effectively to feedback, and – drum roll, please – actually solving their problems. Proving value is the game changer.

6. Negotiate for the Win-Win: After you’ve researched the other party’s problems and needs and developed good relationship rapport, work to find common ground. Start with open-ended questions so you can uncover and address hidden priorities. For example, when our Senior Technical Recruiters are negotiating with candidates, they might ask, “What do you need to make this job a win for you?” When speaking with clients, our Account Executives might ask, “What’s most important to you? Is it a broad range of pre-qualified candidates, candidate proximity, or a special skill we haven’t discussed yet?”

With your own clients, you might ask, “ What’s likely to be the biggest challenge here today? What problem do we really need to solve?” Before entering negotiations, get clear on your objective. What outcome(s) do you need? What do you think the other party needs? In discussion, reflect on your prospect's words and needs, and reframe them in your own words to demonstrate understanding. Watch for head nodding to make sure you are in alignment. Then, make clear how your value proposition meets those needs. For example: Besides delivering excellent talent and customer service, Elite Technical ensures fair market rates - all of which will positively impact your bottom line. When presenting your offer, be upfront about your own needs. And always communicate with respect, kindness, and empathy for the other party.

Over our 33 years, the Elite Technical team has learned the power in win/win negotiating. Both parties need to come away feeling like winners. As the saying goes, you’ve got to give to get - and vice-versa. For example, if the other party, requires a faster delivery than you prepared for, your “win” might become faster payment terms.

Remember also that the word “no” is not the end. That's actually your clue that it’s time to negotiate. Be prepared with your fallback position regarding potential objections. Finally, don’t be afraid to walk away. In the best relationships, both parties feel rewarded and respected. If you aren't feeling that, you may need to work on strengthening your negotiating skills and/or reflect on Number 4 above: Sharpen your focus and protect your time! Go back to the well and identify a company or person who is better qualified to work with you than the one you just met with. Then, move on to your next prospect. And follow best-process negotiating again.

7. Stay in Gratitude: Words can barely express how truly grateful Elite Technical’s founders are for the blessing of 33 years in business! We deeply appreciate the contribution of the many team members, clients, contractors. and candidates who have made our success possible. We are especially grateful for the longevity of our sales, recruiting, and back-office teams. Many of our corporate employees have been with us for 15 to 30+ years – and many Elite Technical contractors return for future engagements with our clients. This is remarkable given that typical turnover in the staffing industry is estimated at over 30% annually. [

We deeply appreciate our team’s dedication to success on the daily as they deliver win after win for our team. Kudos to all! You are the best!

Remember — Whether expressing gratitude in words, a hand-written note, a personal call, a quick email or a social media post to acknowledge someone’s contribution, the impact of saying thank you is greater than you may know. Gratitude releases feel-good hormones like oxytocin and endorphins, improving both the giver’s and receiver’s mood. [1]

Expressions of gratitude also show a level of respect that deepens connection and leads to more long-term people and business relationships. Cheers to lasting success! Cheers to 33 Years!

Thank you for reading! We’d love your feedback. Feel free to contact Elite Technical or call 1-800-ELITE-50 (1-855-354-8350). And, if you have a need, ask how we can help you succeed in your career or business. We’re here for you.

[1] https://www.verywellmind.com/ways-to-say-thank-you-8597809

Unlocking Recruiting Automation: Elevating the Talent Acquisition Experience

Fri, 23 May 2025 15:19:01 GMT

Welcome to the future of recruiting—where precision, inclusivity, and speed work together to deliver exceptional results for employers and candidates alike. Whether you’re an organization searching for the perfect technical

hire or a job seeker striving for your next big opportunity, understanding the shifting landscape of talent acquisition has never been more crucial. At Elite Technical, we believe that embracing recruiting automation is key to creating a smarter, more dynamic, and rewarding hiring journey for everyone involved.

What is Recruiting Automation?

Recruiting automation refers to leveraging technology—especially artificial intelligence (AI) and smart software platforms—to streamline the hiring process from start to finish. It’s about replacing repetitive manual tasks with

seamless, data-driven workflows that empower recruiters, hiring managers, and candidates.

In practical terms, recruiting automation might mean:

AI-powered resume screening that highlights top matches
Automated scheduling tools that eliminate back-and-forth emails
Predictive analytics that assess candidate fit and retention likelihood
Intelligent recommendations that connect job seekers with the best opportunities

Rather than replacing people, recruiting automation amplifies human expertise. Your team spends less time on administrative tasks and more time nurturing relationships and understanding candidate aspirations.

How Elite Technical Powers Smarter Recruiting

At Elite Technical, we’re passionate about harnessing technology not just for efficiency, but to deliver a more personalized and thoughtful experience for our clients and candidates. Our approach goes beyond traditional

methods by integrating AI-enabled platforms throughout the talent journey.

Advanced Talent Sourcing

Through automated talent sourcing, we swiftly identify qualified professionals across technical specialties. Powerful search tools scan thousands of profiles, flagging those who match your unique needs in skills, experience, and culture fit. This approach increases both the quality and diversity of your talent pool, driving more meaningful connections in less time.

Precision in Candidate Selection

Leveraging ai recruitment, we evaluate candidates using objective, data-backed criteria. Machine learning algorithms can highlight subtle skills and patterns, helping our recruiters make fairer decisions—and reducing unconscious bias. The result? Every candidate has an equal opportunity to showcase their potential, and employers receive a shortlist of truly outstanding talent.

Seamless Communication

Our automated platforms keep everyone informed and aligned throughout the process. Candidates receive regular updates, interview reminders, and feedback. Clients gain instant visibility into search progress and insights on the candidate market. This transparency makes the entire experience less stressful and more engaging for all.

How Recruiting Automation Improves Technical Staffing

In technical and engineering fields, speed and accuracy are everything. The best talent is in high demand, and organizations can’t afford long vacancy periods. That’s why recruiting automation is a game-changer for technical staffing.

Faster Placement: Automated resume screening and interview scheduling dramatically reduce time-to-hire, allowing you to secure top professionals before your competitors do.
Reduced Bias: Standardized evaluation processes and AI-supported workflows help remove subjective factors, ensuring selections focus on merit and alignment.
Improved Quality of Hire: Data-driven assessments and predictive analytics identify candidates not just suited for today’s role, but who will thrive in your organization for the long haul.
Stronger Talent Pipelining: Proactive sourcing ensures a steady flow of well-matched prospects, so your projects won’t be slowed by talent gaps.

By optimizing the entire talent sourcing process, automation frees up your recruiters to focus on what truly matters—building relationships, understanding client needs, and ensuring each match is a success.

The Power of AI-Enabled Technology in Hiring

AI isn’t just a buzzword at Elite Technical—it’s a driving force behind our commitment to innovation. Here’s how our AI-enabled technology elevates your hiring outcomes:

Unparalleled Insights: AI tools analyze vast datasets to reveal hidden talent, predict future performance, and identify transferable skills that might otherwise go unnoticed.
Continuous Learning: Advanced algorithms get smarter with each hire, fine-tuning their recommendations and improving over time.
Candidate Experience: Automated engagement keeps job seekers informed and empowered, reinforcing your brand’s reputation for professionalism and care.

When you combine the expertise of seasoned recruiters with the precision of AI, you create an environment where every placement is informed, timely, and impactful.

Why Choose Elite Technical As Your Recruiting Partner

What sets Elite Technical apart isn’t just our technology—it’s our unwavering dedication to your success. As a certified Woman-Owned Small Business recognized for excellence in healthcare staffing, we’re proud to champion diversity, inclusion, and social responsibility at every step.

By integrating recruiting automation with our core values, we help organizations and individuals achieve their goals, contribute to vibrant communities, and shape a brighter future for the industry.

Join the Future of Talent Acquisition

Ready to experience a smarter, faster, and more intentional approach to hiring? Connect with Elite Technical’s talent network today. Let us show you how our combination of expertise, innovation, and heart will elevate your

next career move or recruitment campaign.

Your success story starts with the right partner—and the future of recruiting is here.

What is Included in a Talent Acquisition Strategy?

Mon, 19 May 2025 16:26:10 GMT

Organizations must stand out in an increasingly competitive job market to attract the best talent. A robust talent acquisition strategy is essential to achieve this goal. It involves a deliberate approach to identify, attract, and hire the right candidates who not only have the appropriate skills and experience but also fit into the company culture. In this article, we will delve into the key components included in effective talent acquisition strategies.

Understanding the Goals of Talent Acquisition

Before forming a talent acquisition strategy, it’s critical to understand the goals. These goals can vary widely based on the organization’s needs. For example, some may aim to fill specific technical roles while others focus on building a diverse workforce. Establishing clear goals aids in shaping the direction of recruitment efforts and aligns them with overall business objectives.

Aligning With Business Objectives

An effective talent acquisition strategy should align with the broader business objectives of the organization. For instance, if a company aims to expand its operations, the strategy should include a plan for sourcing talent skilled in relevant fields. This alignment ensures that talent acquisition becomes a direct contributor to business success.

Employer Branding

An organization's brand reputation plays a significant role in attracting top talent. Employer branding refers to how prospective candidates perceive a company as a workplace. Organizations with a strong employer brand attract better candidates and have higher employee retention rates.

Building a Strong Employer Brand

Creating a positive employer brand can be achieved through various channels, including social media engagement, employee testimonials, and public recognition of company culture. Organizations should proactively showcase their values and mission to resonate with potential applicants. Effective branding is an integral part of successful talent acquisition strategies.

Sourcing Candidates

Once the goals are established and the employer brand is strong, the next step is sourcing candidates. Various channels can be used to source potential employees, including job boards, social media, employee referrals, and recruitment agencies .

Leveraging Social Media

In today’s digital age, social media is a powerful tool in talent acquisition. Platforms like LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook can be used to reach a broader audience and promote job openings. Sharing engaging content related to company culture or current projects can attract candidates who align with the organization’s values.

Candidate Engagement

Engaging candidates throughout the recruitment process is critical for a successful talent acquisition strategy. The goal is to create a positive experience for candidates, regardless of the outcome of their application.

Communication is Key

Keeping candidates informed throughout the hiring process helps foster transparency and builds trust. Regular updates about their application status and informative communication about the company can enhance the overall experience, motivating candidates to be more invested in the process.

Selection Process

The selection process is the backbone of any talent acquisition strategy. This includes screening applicants, conducting interviews, and assessing their skills.

Best Practices for Selection

Incorporating structured interviews and assessment tools can lead to more informed hiring decisions. It’s important to balance technical abilities with cultural fit, ensuring that new hires can integrate smoothly into the existing team.

Onboarding

An effective talent acquisition strategy does not stop at hiring; it extends into the onboarding process. A well-structured onboarding program can significantly improve employee retention and satisfaction levels.

The Role of Onboarding in Talent Acquisition

Onboarding is the process of integrating new hires into the company and providing them with the tools and information needed for success. Organizations that invest in robust onboarding processes see a quicker transition for new employees and increased productivity in the long run.

Final Thoughts

In conclusion, developing an effective talent acquisition strategy requires a multifaceted approach. By aligning recruitment goals with business objectives, building a strong employer brand, engaging candidates, and streamlining the selection and onboarding processes, organizations can acquire top talent effectively. As the job market evolves, so too should talent acquisition strategies adapt and innovate to meet changing demands and maintain a competitive edge. By implementing these components, companies can thrive in attracting and retaining the best talent available.

The Compelling Journey of a Woman in Technology

Sun, 30 Mar 2025 19:46:15 GMT

Featuring Senior Technical Recruiter Tia Sharma's Insights on Recruiting and Advice for Candidates During Women's History Month

Imagine growing up in a small town in southeast India. You’re a young woman who believes that technology is your key to a beautiful future, and you desperately want to live in that world. Your spirit won’t let go of your desire to immerse yourself in the emerging tech world – a man’s world. You hound your parents for permission to study technology. They worry that more education will raise the cost of your dowry because you would then need to marry a man whose education was at least equal to yours. The family of a highly educated man would, of course, expect a bigger dowry – and you had already earned a master’s in education.

As Women’s History Month draws to a close, we call attention to the compelling story of Senior Technical Recruiter, Tia Sharma, one of Elite Technical’s highly accomplished team members. Below, we share Tia’s personal journey as well as her insights on recruiting and her advice for candidates.

Not one to forfeit her dreams, Tia relentlessly appealed to her father’s own entrepreneurial spirit. “I am not coming to you with a problem,” she told her father, an engineer. “I am coming to you with a solution.” Her approach worked. Tia gained permission to study technology. Further, she won use of her dad’s scooter for the long commute to tech school.

It was the year 2000 and computer technology was booming. “Everyone wanted to learn,” said Tia, who met many others looking to advance themselves with technical skills. Highly enterprising, Tia struck a deal with the owner of a new computer training institute. For each student she enrolled, Tia would receive a 10% commission. Within two months, she had recruited 75 students! Not only had she earned enough to pay for her technical education, she stashed away a surplus.

“I already had a very good education, for which I thank my mother, the biggest influencer of my life. My mother, who got married at 15, and had a 7 ^th grade education always pushed me to multi-task and never saw a different between girls and boys. My father, an engineer, had an open mind, too, so I grew up in a very good family environment and developed a go-go attitude.”

From India to the United States of America

In 2006, after moving to New Delhi with her brother (a computer engineer), Tia landed a job as an office coordinator because she had learned the MS Office suite. Then, she responded to an ad for a U.S.-based recruiting firm that offered to train her to recruit candidates in the US market. Given the time difference between India and the U.S., Tia had to work the 8 PM - 4 AM shift and was well compensated for it, earning almost 5x what she had earned in her previous job. “I kind of fell into the recruiting industry,” she said.

Always outgoing and friendly, in 2007, Tia had befriended Andromeda, a recruiter who worked for one of Tia’s clients in the U.S. Andromeda had always wanted to visit India, but suffered from a blood cancer and couldn’t travel. Instead, she sent Tia the formal invitation needed get a tourist visa to the U.S. It took a year of paperwork before Tia was approved to travel to meet her friend in person. As Tia's visit came to a close, her employer suggested filing for an H1B visa for her since she was already in the U.S., and he always appreciated her work. Tia applied for the visa and joined the firm’s New Jersey office in 2015.

“Because of Andromeda’s blessing and love, I came here. My purpose was to come see her, but indirectly she was opening a door for me to the United States,” said Tia, who six months later moved to the U.S. for good.

Senior Technical Recruiter Tia Sharma

Tia’s Recruiting Philosophy

Since joining Elite Technical in 2021, Tia has focused mainly on IT placements. “There is so much to do in technical recruitment. Every once in a while, you see a new tech coming up, so you never stop learning. There was JAVA, and now AI. You need to learn about each technology so you know what to ask clients and candidates. Technology runs in my veins now.”

While Tia has supplied IT candidates for Elite Technical clients such as APWU, E&Y, and Estée Lauder among others, her background in network engineering and network security informs her ability to recruit for positions in cyber security.

“Without a technical background, it would be hard to understand what’s needed for cyber security. When evaluating candidates, I look at their education backgrounds, certifications, experiences, and how well they can explain themselves.

“I educate candidates on what’s needed to win the jobs they want. Through video screening, I connect with them person-to-person, and I talk to them with a human touch. I want our conversations to be friendly, so they know I am here for them and at the same time helping my client," she said.

When screening candidates, Tia drills down on skills. “I’m asking questions like, ‘What exactly you do? For example, do you do firewall checks? Load balancing? How do you coordinate with your team? How do you secure a Windows environment or Linux system? I need to make sure they can really explain themselves.”

“Sometimes a resume looks good and a candidate can give you answers on a preliminary call. When you do video screening, you can judge if people really know the job by visual cues. (Are they googling for answers while on the call?!) Sometimes you meet a fresh graduate who can detail exact features or their actual responsibilities or provide case studies, but they end up going round and round," said Tia.

“Fake resumes” are a challenge to guard against today. Candidates use resume writers who fluff them up, but don’t themselves understand the technical nuance of job descriptions. Of the eight to ten people Tia screens each day, one or two can’t explain their jobs well, or express their work, or demonstrate the required professionalism.

Tia’s Advice for Candidates

“Trying to match your resume for every client doesn’t work. My job is to make sure the right experience is on the resume.” Tia advises against resume stuffing. “If you are a Java developer, don’t try to be Full Stack, etc., because that will trip you up on interviews. I help candidates with keywords and let them know that they have to explain their experience in the right way. ‘Your resume is going for the interview,’ I tell them, and I am the bridge to making sure their resume is valid before I submit it to my client.

“Stay up to date on the tech side. Learn more and similarly, learn some cross-technology. Let’s say a client needs a Java developer, but they might also want them to know the Cloud environment using AI. Don’t stick to just one technology today! Learn from your peers as much as you can. The more cross-technical skills you have, the faster you will be marketable and get a job.

“Secondly, soft skills quality is very important as is the relationship you develop with your recruiter. Remember that recruiters are a bridge to your future. They are here to help you out. Use good manners and be very patient. When you contact a recruiter, send an follow up email as soon as possible. The customer also is busy. Everybody has a different issue. "Patience is your karma. If you are patient, good things will come your way," said Tia.

Tia 's Experience with Elite Technical

Before coming to Elite Technical, I had never worked on high-level Federal projects. It’s been very amazing. And I feel very connected when I work on government requirements. It’s fascinated me.”

At Elite Technical, Tia feels empowered to do what she does best. “When I met Jeff (Keller, Director of IT Staffing Programs) and Phil (Mosca, Vice President, Operations), I felt very comfortable. We laughed, we talked, and I loved them, which makes the work easy. And the best part is when I joined, Jeff said, ‘Don’t worry, we do not micromanage. Just do your thing.’” And Tia excels in Elite Technical's can-do environment.

Tia’s Greatest Success

When asked about her greatest success story, Tia replied, “Working in America has been my greatest success. I came on my own. Nobody was here to support me. My friends tell me, ‘You were such a brave girl. You made your own life.’ In my early life, my friends were very traditional, while I learned to ride a scooter. I won sports medals, dancing competitions, everything. Coming to America alone was one of the biggest achievements of my life.

“Recruiting is a very interesting job. You learn new things day by day. You talk to so many people. You learn about behavior. You learn the market culture, how people are, the ups and downs of jobs, of human behavior, and you’re making friends. Once a recruiter, you’re always a recruiter. It gets in your blood.”

Tia’s Life Philosophy
“What is gone is gone, just focus on the future and where you want to go. We have so many things to worry about. So why not celebrate the things you can? When you laugh, your body gets healthy. So why not laugh? In India people gather in a park for laughing groups. It is called ‘artificial laughing.’ They raise their arms and laugh, and it feels good,” she shared.

At home in Centereach, NY, Tia loves gardening and soft music, including Ghazal.

Interview Strategy for Clinching the Job

Mon, 09 Sep 2024 02:14:51 GMT

Advice from Senior Technical Recruiter John Keller

Winning the job requires careful interview prep. And that includes the ability to build trust so conversations flow toward mutual understanding and respect.

“When you really connect with your interviewer(s), good things happen,” said Elite Technical Senior Technical Recruiter John Keller, whose goal is to guide talented candidates to great companies, successful interviews, and solid job offers. Ready to connect? Here’s how:

Before Your Interview:

Mentally step yourself into the interviewer’s shoes for a moment. Imagine what they will be seeing, hearing, or feeling when interacting with you. Look to exceed the interviewer’s expectations on how prepared, professional, polite, and friendly you are throughout the interview.

Prepare to give the hiring manager specific evidence to show you are the best, the only, and the most logical choice to deliver the results they need. Arm yourself with at least 3 – 5 concrete examples of successes you personally delivered or helped create in significant (not peripheral) ways. Be ready to discuss your experience in detail.

TIP – The Wheelbarrow Test
When choosing examples of your contributions, describe your accomplishments so concretely that they appear as items real enough to drop into a wheelbarrow. (Think technical designs, images, and specific outcomes, such as time saved and revenue gained.) Speaking concretely will help the hiring manager form a mental picture of the ultimate impact you can deliver. Also include concrete examples of your successes in your resume.
Practice explaining your current and prior roles and the outcomes you’ve delivered. Be specific about how you solved relevant problems. This will give your interviewer valuable insight to how you think. Interviewers will be looking for signs of your insight and judgment as well as your hard and soft skills.
If you are prone to anxiety during high-stakes conversations, practice slow breathing and other mental activities several times before your interview to calm your thoughts. When calm, your brain is more likely to reach the flow state you need to stay on top of your game.

Also, choose an affirmation to help you succeed. And keep the positive outcome you want top of mind. Repeat after me: “I am going to wow them with concrete examples of my work and land this job!

During Your Interview

Tune into your interviewer by watching for subtle body language and vocal cues. Monitor your own tone of voice and body language. If appropriate, mirror the tone of your interviewer(s).

If invited to tell to tell about yourself, be sure to manage your pacing and not talk too long. "I’ve seen too many candidates waste precious interview time by not realizing that the interviewer already mentally checked out," said John. Interviewers will be watching how you communicate as well as listening to what you have to say.

When speaking, look for signs, such as a head nod, to indicate you are on the right track. Head nodding often means that the interviewer feels his/her needs are understood and you are in good rapport. If you don’t see signs of rapport, consider asking curiosity questions to clarify what’s under discussion. Asking good questions shows that you are listening!

Your questions might include: How is this going now? What would you like to see happen? What would lead to the outcomes you want to see? Can you tell me more about it? What is most important to you? Would you like to hear my ideas?

Also ask “curiosity questions” to help you understand the interviewer’s state of mind. Curiosity questions may include: Can you tell me more about that? What else factors into this? What would be the criteria for that? Exactly what would you like to see happen here?

To maintain rapport, summarize the interviewer’s words, where appropriate, to demonstrate your understanding.

Winding Up Your Interview

Asking questions shows interest in what others think and have to say. The answers you get may lead to insight on issues like anticipated needs, results, culture. and growth. Consider the questions (and follow up comments) below, such as:

1. Where do you need the biggest results, fastest? (Reinforce your experience in delivering similar outcomes.)

2. What challenges do you anticipate for the person in this position? (Follow on with your insight to overcoming them.)

3. Is there a specific skill or experience you are looking for that we haven’t discussed? (Briefly focus on relevant skills/experience you missed discussing.)

4. How does this position factor into company growth and objectives? (This can help you determine where your work fits into the overall picture.)

5. What would success in this position look like at the 3-month, 6-month, 12-month marks? (Listen carefully and if relevant, speak to successes you’ve made in those time frames. You can mentally catalog these ahead of time if there’s a need to elaborate.)

6. How will you choose the best candidate? What else would you need to hear from me to be sure I check all your boxes? (This may be your best clue to whether you are a contender.)

7. What is the growth potential for this role? (This open-ended question might elicit information on career track, performance reviews, etc.)

8. What do your compensation and benefits packages look like? (Will it align with your needs?)

9. What is most important for me to know about the company and team culture here? (Are you a great fit?)

Finally, communicate your serious interest in the job. Ask about the decision timeline and next steps.

Then, follow up with a thank you email and/or a hand-written note.

About John Keller

With 25 years of experience recruiting top IT and Engineering Talent, John Keller’s expertise in prescreening, technical evaluation, and negotiations leads to hundreds of candidate placements every year in a wide range of technical disciplines. John also provides consultative support and assistance to new hires on benefits, policies and employment relations, and 401K.

In his personal life, John is an outdoorsman and football fan, who enjoys family sports outings and resides in Dingman's Ferry, PA, with his wife, Mary, and their two daughters.

Looking for your next great connection? Connect with John Keller on LinkedIn or directly at: jkeller@elitetechnical.com
Or visit the Elite Technical Jobs Board at: https://www.elitetechnicaljobs.com/

How Not to Derail Your Job Interview

Fri, 05 Apr 2024 05:45:33 GMT

Insight and Advice from Senior Technical Recruiter Branden Lodato

Wondering which single mistake will derail your job interview fastest? That mistake, according to Elite Technical Senior Technical Recruiter Branden Lodato, is hyping up a resume without substantiating your claims.

Hiring managers will want to know more than simply what you did. They’ll want evidence of how you did it. Be prepared to provide detailed examples of your work and contributions as well as your successes on individual and team projects. Let the examples you provide during your interview tell your career story for you. And, be ready to explain the results of your work.

To Demonstrate Your Potential

Often candidates wish to not only relate what they’ve done in the past, but also to play up their potential for success in a new job. If you want to highlight your potential to succeed in new situations, discuss examples of stretch goals you set and how you reached them. You can also discuss lessons you personally learned when dealing with past challenges and how those challenges helped you grow professionally.

To Succeed on Interviews

“My advice is simple. If you don’t have experience with something, don’t try to be something you’re not. Just lay it out the way it is,” said Branden.

On your résumé, include only those experiences you can back up and discuss in detail. Skilled interviewers who are knowledgeable about specific position requirements will see right through an embellished résumé, Branden explained..

For example, a recent candidate was unable to elaborate on claims he made during screening; he could not provide details or specific examples of projects he completed. Another candidate’s résumé had boasted proficiency with electrical engineering; on interview, it became clear he did not have the senior-level experience touted when he could not discuss the project in-depth. He was missing details the interviewer needed to hear. Both interviews tanked.

Lesson learned: Prepare solid examples of your work – and only apply to positions for whichyou are well suited.

How Recruiters Choose the Right Candidates

“A recruiter has got to be a bit of a detective to determine if what a candidate shows on paper is really who they are and what they know and do. To accomplish that, we ask many questions during interviews to ensure that each candidates we present will meet the mark for our clients.

“When recruiters don’t ask for enough detail, they are not serving either the candidate or the company well. We want our candidates to win not only the interview, but we want them to land the job. To achieve that, we need the nitty gritty up front," Branden said. "Digging deep during screening and pre-submittal interviews benefits everyone in the long run. Our goal is to submit only candidates who are a solid match for our clients’ needs."

Thus, Branden holds in-depth conversations to assess a candidate’s relevant knowledge and experience. “To evaluate skills, I ask candidates to explain what they did and how they used specific technologies. I am looking for case-study evidence. And it has to make sense,” he added.

About Branden Lodato

After graduating a program in computer networking in 1999 from Computer Career Center, Branden started his career providing desktop, MS Windows, and server support including tier III technical support for Optimum (now Altice), a cable company. He joined Elite Technical in August 2005, and after a hiatus to do missionary work, he returned to the recruiting fold. He now sources a wide range of technical professionals and has placed hundreds of technical professionals in great positions over the years.

Branden focuses on ensuring that candidates meet client requirements – which means drilling deep drilling into resumes and asking candidates questions that help all concerned: clients, candidates, and recruiters alike. He typically recruits for cyber security, network engineering, systems administration, engineering, and server administration positions.

Branden’s Perspective on Recruiting

“Beyond screening and interviewing, successful recruiting comes down to hustling – staying focused, following up, and trying to be available to the hard-to-reach candidates, even during off hours. It’s important to be available to connect with candidates when they can connect with you,” said Branden, who works diligently to locate, get to know, and evaluate prospective candidates.

“When it comes to clients, it’s not just ‘Get me a network engineer’ and be done with it,” said Branden. “Expectations run very high, and sometimes requirements are not fully clear. It can be difficult for hiring managers to know exactly the candidate they want until they see or don’t see the right person – which necessitates multiple candidates and interviews.

“Hiring managers are specific about the positions they’re looking to fill. But, it often takes interviewing the clients themselves to identify those details that will make a difference in locating the exact candidates they need. We sometimes have to dig for more information to ensure we get it right.”

“As recruiters, it’s up to us to ask the right questions to elicit the information we need to home in on just the right candidates,” said Brandon. "And that means really understanding the nitty gritty of technical jobs.”

Elite Technical also utilizes a technical quality engineer with hands-on, in-the-trenches technical experience to review requisitions and “optimize them” by providing recruiters with an insider’s view to specific on-the-job requirements. This extra step gives Elite Technical recruiters a deeper understanding of exactly what to look for.

Today's Biggest Recruiting Challenge

"Since the Covid lockdown, it’s harder to find fully qualified technical candidates willing to work on site. If you go back in time, job seekers were only able to look for positions in their own general neighborhoods, based on how far they could commute. Since remote options became more common, technical candidates have more choice and many can tie into jobs anywhere in the country; many candidates just hold out for a remote offer.

"The job openings our account managers bring in now include more remote opportunities than in the past,” he noted. At the same time, many companies are demanding that employees work on site – particularly in the engineering world.

Branden's Favorite Placement Story

“There are many! I’ve made hundreds of placements over the years, so it's hard to choose. What I’ve been most proud of was receiving Elite Technical’s Recruiter of the Month award six times last year.“

Branden's Favorite Part of Working at Elite Technical

“One thing that’s cool is that Elite Technical is a family-type environment. You’re appreciated and not just a number. Everybody, including management, is pretty balanced in expectations. They value work/life balance and recognize that life isn’t only about work and career, but life should be family friendly, as well," Branden noted.

“Co-founder Joseph Monaco said in a recent team meeting, ‘We don’t just want you to be the best you can be at work; we want you to be the best you can be in your personal life and for your family.’ That means a lot,” said Branden.

Community Support - Every Elite Technical Placement Results in Charitable Giving!

In addition to placing candidates in desirable jobs, Branden, and all Elite Technical recruiters, support their communities through Elite Technical’s charitable giving program, Recruit for Your Cause . Each recruiter chooses a charity that will receive a donation from Elite Technical each time he or she makes a placement. Branden chose to support the Jehovah’s Witnesses organization with his placement contributions. Elite Technical supports numerous other charities , as well.

Recruit for Your Cause is a win/win/win: Recruiters stay motivated by knowing their work makes a difference in their communities; the charities benefit financially; and Elite Technical stays engaged with community organizations.

“Every month, Management reports to our team on total contributions made to each organization. And everyone feels good about that,” Branden added.

A Personal Glimpse

Branden is a sports enthusiast who was raised on Long Island, NY. His favorite sports teams include the New York Mets, Knicks, and Giants. He and Amelda, his wife of 12 years, now live in Winston, Salem, NC, with their young son, Nate,

Contact Us

For more information about Elite Technical recruiting services, please call 1.800.ELITE-50 or email info@elitetechnical.com .

If you are a candidate seeking a position, please check out our open jobs at EliteTechnicalJobs.com .

Or feel free to connect with Branden via LinkedIn.

Has Recruiting Changed Forever?

Mon, 22 Jan 2024 17:09:27 GMT

Insight and Advice from Senior Technical Recruiter Mark Klaaren

Senior Technical Recruiter Mark Klaaren, an integral part of Elite Technical’s recruiting powerhouse, offers proven advice for candidates in today's market. His strategic guidance has landed hundreds of technical professionals in great jobs with leading companies. Mark began his recruiting career with MCI Telecommunications, shortly after having graduated Columbia University Teachers College in 1994. He also enjoyed a stint in legal recruiting early in his career.

Recruiting technical professionals: When asked whether he specializes in recruiting for a particular technical discipline, Mark quipped, “As long as I have a job description, I can recruit for almost any role. But I really like the challenging requisitions - unusual and emerging technical disciplines.” Mark often fills positions such as software and electrical engineers, cyber specialists, and project managers, among others.

Now celebrating his seventh year with Elite Technical, Mark recruits from a broad array of technical disciplines – and particularly loves searching for individuals to fill unusual requirements. At the time of this interview, Mark was seeking a manufacturing engineer for an energetics company that builds propulsion systems for armaments. While there are a number of qualified manufacturing engineers able to fill very specific technical requirements, it can be a challenge to find the right candidate in a specific location – as was the case when recruiting for a manufacturer in Tennessee.

Mark Klaaren, Senior Technical Recruiter, Elite Technical

Increasingly, technical professionals – engineers included – are seeking 100% remote work. But more and more of today’s big companies are calling techies back onsite and increasingly loathed to offer remote or even hybrid solutions. Yet, candidates believe they hold the cards and are holding out for remote opportunities - with many believing they are entitled to work from home in our post-Covid-19 world.

This begs the question: Has recruiting changed forever or will hiring go back to the pre-Covid perspective ?

How do candidate attitudes change recruiting and hiring? According to Mark, “For many positions - especially those with companies requiring onsite work - we’re concentrating on local, rather than national, searches. Sometimes we still come across a terrific candidate from afar. In those cases, we generally advise our clients to offer relocation assistance - especially for direct hires.

"Desire to work onsite or remotely is mainly a mental construct," Mark said. “But, particularly in engineering, you need to be able to put your hands on what you are designing. To put things together, you need a place to do it.” Most manufacturers want prototypes and technology put together in their own space. And many want to make use of their real estate investment.

Mark’s advice for job seekers: "Ask yourself: ‘Is an onsite or hybrid position really that onerous for you? Can you possibly work your schedule around it - for the right position?' Remember how work used to be in the office full-time? Many of today’s clients are not budging or making concessions on location.”

It’s all about perspective: Said Mark, “While engineers want to design at home and come in only when they absolutely need to, my advice is: For the right job, be as flexible as possible.

"And, I get it - as a job seeker, I would want to hold out for the remote job, too. But companies want candidates who will come back inside. Many need employees on site 5 days a week - especially in manufacturing environments.”

Don't give up the opportunity for a terrific job with a great company for convenience alone. There are many other benefits to consider.

With a priority to secure great jobs for his candidates, Mark added, “While I’m matching requirements to information on a resume, I sometimes get a gut feeling and know a particular candidate is a great fit and will get the position. Knowing that is very satisfying; I get a lot of enjoyment for the folks who get the job – especially when they've followed my advice and did what was needed to secure it — and when I hear later how well they're doing."

Interviewing advice: ”Strategies for navigating today’s phone and video interviews are somewhat different than in the past - when most interviews were conducted on location and the interviewer and candidate were in the same space. When you're physically walking into a conference room, you’ve got a few moments to pause, observe, and make conversation while getting seated.” The physical connection helps establish rapport - .

But rapport-building is different online and over the phone than in physical proximity because the visual cues and opportunities differ. Good rapport inspires the kind of trust and confidence that facilitates open dialog and conversation flow. Basic courtesy, showing respect, listening carefully, staying present mentally, responding appropriately to stated and intuited needs, and matching tone and body language are necessary to good rapport. (Watch for our upcoming blog on building rapport.)

Questions candidates should ask: Whether online or onsite, Mark advises candidates to thank the interviewer for their time and ask a few key questions. For example, “In reviewing your job description, I see the basic blueprint for the person you want, but what does your ideal candidate really look like to you?”

Ask for specifics, such as: Where do you need the biggest result first? ... What's your timeline for that? ... What are your priorities for the first six months?' By asking the right questions, you can lead the interviewer to provide clues that will help you keep communication relevant and follow up accordingly.

If you want the job, "When wrapping up your interview, make sure you tell them you are definitely interested in the role, and ask about the next steps as the interview winds down.”

Mark’s favorite recruiting story: “I had the opportunity fill a Top Secret/SCI Counter-intelligence Polygraph Oracle DBA position with one of our Federal clients. What made that really special was, the candidate I identified was one of my old high school classmates - whom I hadn’t seen in 35 years. We got to talking and realized we had traveled in similar circles over the years and had many mutual friends, but hadn’t previously crossed paths. It turned out he was the perfect candidate to fill that Federal position. It was pretty awesome to reconnect with him - and then connect him with a great job.”

Elite Technical Placements Result in Charitable Giving!

Mark’s efforts not only land people in great jobs, they also help communities. Each time Mark makes a placement, Elite Technical donates money to The Family Service League of Long Island – a charity he selected. Elite Technical’s unique giving back program, Recruit for Your Cause, allows each recruiter to choose the charity the company donates to when that individual makes a placement. It’s a win/win/win. “And we love that Management reports to our team every month on total contributions made to each organization.”

Life on the job: “One of the things I enjoy most about Elite is the teamwork. Many recruiting offices have to deal with recruiters stepping over each other. We don’t encounter that often because our account team and collaborative Intranet platform provide clear communication. And, any conflicts we’ve seen over the years were amicably resolved.”

Personal Insight: Originally from Ohio, Mark is a skier, fisherman, and chauffeur to his son’s swim team efforts. He and his wife, Dawn, now live on Long Island (NY) with their son, a high school Varsity swimmer.

For more information about Elite Technical recruiting services: Please call 1.800.ELITE50 or email info@elitetechnical.com . If you are a candidate seeking a position, please check out our open jobs at EliteTechnicalJobs.com Or connect with Mark Klaaren via LinkedIn.

It's Been a Year to Celebrate

Sun, 17 Dec 2023 12:46:57 GMT

2023 brought three new awards and many reasons to celebrate.

Taking time to recognize achievements is an important aspect of our work at Elite Technical. According to a 2021 Gallup report, "How successes are celebrated is an important element in the teamwork equation, and a strengths-based approach in which employees know their own strengths, as well as the strengths of their team members, is vital to improving teamwork."

We agree! Every Friday, the Elite Technical team gathers on a video call to discuss progress, set priorities, and celebrate individual wins. Monthly, we celebrate the Recruiter of the Month with special recognition for outstanding performance, an award, and a bonus check. At those meetings, we also provide team members with a monthly report of charitable donations we've made through our unique Recruit for Your Cause corporate giving program.

This year, we've had many reasons to celebrate!

In addition to expanding our corporate giving program, the certified woman-owned business enterprise we established in 1992 continues to enjoy healthy business growth. We've expanded our recruiting team and added another accomplished professional to our sales team in 2023. (You'll meet him soon in an upcoming blog.) We've also grown the number of valuable 5-star reviews and testimonials on GlassDoor, Indeed, and EliteTechnicalJobs.com by clients, contractors we've placed on assignment, and candidates we've represented. We think that's worth celebrating - as are three special awards we've received this year. Learn more below:

Long Island Business News recognized Jeff Keller, Director, IT Staffing Programs, with the prestigious
40 Under Fort y award

On December 5, Jeff Keller, our Director IT Staffing Programs, was inducted into the prestigious 2023 40 Under Forty class of business professionals celebrated at an annual event presented by Long Island Business News. The annual 40 Under Forty program recognizes Long Island professionals 40 years of age or younger who have distinguished themselves in business, government, education, or the not-for-profit sector. Elite Technical team members Phil Mosca, Rose Mosca, Donna Keller, John Keller, as well as Mrs. Jeff Keller and Jessica Smith joined Jeff at an elegant awards dinner attended by hundreds at the Crest Hollow Country Club. We are all very proud of Jeff. (Of note, our SVP/COO Joseph Monaco was inducted into the inaugural 40 Under Forty class in 1999.)

Hover over each photo to view captions.

Elite Technical Named Company of the Year in Healthcare Staffing Services

In June of 2023, Healthcare Business Review named Elite Technical Company of the Year, after first listing us among the “Top 10” Healthcare Staffing Companies in the United States. To learn more about the award criteria, please read our June 21, 2023 Press Release.

“We appreciate this very special recognition and would not have achieved this without the support of our clients and colleagues. Over the past 30 years, Elite Technical has been privileged to fill the needs of more than 400 of the nation’s leading companies and to place more than 3,000 high caliber technical professionals in significant positions with great companies,” said Joseph Monaco, Elite Technical’s Chief Operating Officer and Senior Vice President.

Global Business Leaders Magazine listed Elite Technical among 30 Best Companies to Watch in 2023

Noting that in a "fiercely competitive market, Elite Technical has emerged as a national leader," the magazine article went on went on to say, "Elite Technical's staff augmentation model has been a game changer in the IT recruiting industry." We are humbled by the accolades and grateful for our ability to serve.

More to come

In the summer of 2023, Elite Technical participated in the Hyer Culture 50 Employee Survey and was pleased to hear we had been selected among the Culture 50 - Top Emerging Recruitment Companies To Work For. According to Hyer, who surveyed employees at more than 1,000 companies, "The Culture Changers aren't simply adapting to the evolving landscape. They are the architects, building foundations for a future where companies are as passionate about their people as they are about their profits." Award selections were made by a committee including executives from leading companies such as Gallup, Google, CondeNast, and NetFlix, among others.

We look forward to sharing more information about this developing initiative with you in 2024.

Wrapping up with best wishes to you

As 2023 winds to a close, the Elite Technical team is extremely grateful for our good fortune, great friends, and loving families. We appreciate the opportunities we've had to serve the needs of our clients, contractors and candidates. We've enjoyed celebrating many successes as a team over the past year. We also know that our success resides in yours - and we work diligently to ensure it.

Last but not least, we wish you many reasons to celebrate in the year ahead. Happy holidays and warm wishes for a prosperous and personally fulfilling new year!

Jeff Keller Named among "40 Under Forty" Long Island Leaders

Wed, 01 Nov 2023 22:22:52 GMT

"These young leaders are inspirational ... and we are pleased to honor them for all they have done and will continue to do."
— Jenna Natale, Long Island Business News

Elite Technical is pleased to celebrate our very own Jeff Keller, Director of IT Programs, who has been named to the “2023 40 Under Forty” class of business professionals on Long Island by Long Island Business News. He will be among the honorees feted at a reception on December 5th at the Crest Hollow Country Club (Woodbury, NY).

“The 2023 40 Under Forty are professionally successful, but they understand giving back is part of their mission. They juggle busy jobs, education and family, all while finding time to make a difference in the lives of others,” said Jenna Natale, associate publisher of Long Island Business News. “These young leaders are inspirational, and we at Long Island Business News are pleased to honor them for all they have done and will continue to do.”

“This year’s 40 Under Forty are young leaders who are making significant contributions to their professions, improving their communities and inspiring change,” said Ms. Natale. “They are the next generation of Long Island leaders, and we are honored to recognize them for their incredible achievements.”

“Jeff's business development skills have been a big factor in Elite Technical’s growth over the years," said Elite Technical’s Senior Vice President / Chief Operating Officer Joseph Monaco, "His passion, focus and successful history in executive-level sales, management and operations has led to growth and profitability for our company and clients. As important, he's helped put thousands of technical professionals to work in jobs with leading companies, and has personally placed more than 1,000 individuals in great jobs over the years."

Elite Technical serves a diverse array of industries, ranging from aerospace and defense to automotive, commercial, financial IT, healthcare IT, federal government, media/broadcasting, medical device, among others.

Combining experience and expertise for outstanding success

Jeff draws on 20+ years of technical staffing experience and knowledge of go-to-market and growth strategies, product development, life cycles, technology services, and strong marketing and branding acumen. With in-depth understanding of target clients and markets, he is skilled at identifying and capturing new business opportunities.

Focused on sales operations and ensuring exceptional team performance, Jeff is passionate about effectively addressing client needs and challenges. His knowledge of information technology integration, infrastructure, platform and process optimization, as well as enterprise security, informs his work on behalf of Government, Fortune 1000, mid-sized and SMB clients.

Jeff's outstanding creativity and innovation have positively influenced Elite Technical's enterprise, from process management and optimization to strategic team development, management and operations, strategic planning and decision making. In turn, his skills deliver high value for clients.

Service spirit

As an effective mentor to our team members, Jeff's service spirit and team-minded outlook makes a difference. In addition to business mentoring, Jeff helped found Recruit for Your Cause, Elite Technical's ongoing charitable endeavor established in 2020. This unique and motivational donation program provides monthly contributions to multiple organizations chosen by Elite Technical recruiters each month.

On a personal note, Jeff is a sports enthusiast who enjoys traveling on weekends with his family of five to cheer on his daughter's high school volley ball team.

At Elite Technical, we are all very proud of Jeff.

Need help staffing your next project? Talk with Jeff.

Walking the Values Talk

Wed, 20 Sep 2023 16:25:49 GMT

Engaging Team Members through Mission, Vision and Values — Helping team members learn about the company mission and discussing ways to implement it on the daily is a powerful way to enliven and transmit company culture.

Elite Technical’s vivacious mission began with the thrill Co-Founder Joseph Monaco, felt the very first time he placed a technical professional in a job that was about to change that person’s life.

I asked Mr. Monaco about the genesis of that mission and here is the Story he shared: "There’s a special joy in telling a candidate, ‘You’ve got the job!’ As a team, we all love the excitement of someone who just heard those words. It never gets old!"

Recruiting the right people is essential to buiding and managing reputation

Sharing your company story can be an effective way to attract and recruit people who are a good fit for your team.

For 31 years, Elite Technical's mission "to fill the greatest tech jobs with the most talented people" has been the touchstone for company sales and recruiting efforts. Executing that mission effectively is essential to driving reputation as a trustworthy staffing and recruiting firm. And that requires understanding of and adherence to a shared mission and set of corporate values.

Says Mr. Monaco, "Our hard-earned reputation for excellence, integrity and ethics means everything to us."

He attributes the firm's excellent performance to the power of talented people focused on a single mission and doing their jobs well. "In fact, our team has placed more than 3,000 people in great jobs with over 400 of the nation's leading companies. We are a team in action," he added.

According to Vice President Philip Mosca, Elite Technical stresses the importance of conducting client, contractor andcolleague interactions in a transparent, respectful and accountable fashion. "With everyone toeing that line, we make a great team."

Driving Organizational Culture

Adherenceto this shared set of values , behaviors, and processes translates into an energetic workplace culture.When recruiting new team members, Elite Technical looks for individuals whose talent, historyand experience demonstrate a commitment to the mission and valueswe share. Then, we hire people who will be a great fit.

Once aboard, the company reinforces those values every day through an open-door leadership policy, collaborative work spaces, team meetings (even at a distance), integrity,commitment to diversity, equity, inclusivity, as well as fair market pricing for clients and desirable compensation packages for our team.

A Culture of Giving Back

The team's service commitment doesn't end with clients and candidates; it extends to the community, too. In 2020, the firm established Recruit for Your Cause ,a charitable giving program that honors the memory of co-founder, BruceKeller. This charitable giving program also celebrates the many achievements of its recruiters with a charitable donation each time anElite Technical recruiter makes a placement. Recruiters each choose a recipientcharity for contributions made in recognition of that individual's successful efforts. To boost motivation, at each monthly team awards meeting, the team reviews donations made, which provides a real "feel good" moment for all present. See a list ofcharities and not-for profit organizations we support through our manysuccesses.

The Power in Relationships

A sa family-owned small business enterprise, Elite Technical works to build strong relationships– with candidates, contractors on assignment, and clients alike. During multiple information-sharing, goal-setting ,and feedback meetings each week, the team stays apprised and accountable.

"We foster open, honest communication as a key to building trust and forging long-term partnerships. We encourage employees (as well as candidates and clients) to share their thoughts and honest feedback with us. And, we’re fortunate to receive many referrals from past team members, as well as hundreds of testimonials and many five star reviews," said President Donna Keller.

Longevity as a Key Measure of Culture and Engagement

The extreme longevity of Elite Technical team members is a testament to the qualityof relationships built inside and beyond company walls and the success of its team. When people feel satisfied, successful and appreciated they remain engaged!

With a clear understanding of mission, purpose, vision and values, the team has been able to serve the needs of many long-term clients. "And, while it’s inevitable that some people move on to new opportunities, we are grateful for those individuals who have made longstanding contributions to our mission and our success over the years," added Mr. Monaco.

Elite Technical is proud that its employees stay the course! Some have worked with this woman-owned small business enterprise for as many as 15, 20, 23, 27, 29 and 31 years.

"We think that’s pretty amazing,and we are thrilled to say our loyal long-term team members – and those who have joined us since – help bring our mission and values to life every day. Cheers to them!" added President Keller.

Advancing the Dream of Dr. Martin Luther King

Mon, 16 Jan 2023 21:03:37 GMT

And How the Staffing Industry Can Help

Born January 15, 1929, as the son of a Baptist minister and his wife, the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., is renowned for his inspirational role as a leader of the American civil rights movement in the 1950s and 60s.

Known for his rousing combination of impassioned speeches and call for nonviolent protest of segregation, King earned a doctoral degree in theology in 1955, went on the organize the first major protest in support of African American civil rights, and helped achieve significant civil rights advances for African Americans.

The peaceful protests that Dr. King had advocated and led throughout the South were often met with violence, but the freedom movement continued to grow. During that tumultuous era, Dr. King’s message “had appealed to the Christian and American ideals of the time, which led to support from the federal government and Northern whites,” according to the website History.com (January 15th article, This Day in History.)

In 1957, the U.S. Congress had established a civil rights section of the Justice Department, along with a Commission on Civil Rights to investigate discriminatory conditions. In 1963, the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom concluded with Dr. King’s famous “I Have a Dream” speech. (See History.com )

The Rev. M.L. King’s Impact on Employment Law
King’s inspiration and dedication had far-reaching impact. He successfully lobbied for passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, along with famous activists such as The Hon. John Lewis (a Georgia resident who later was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives), and Bayard Rustin and A. Philip Randolph, who led the massive March of Washington. Of note, white labor organizer Walter Reuther spoke at that event, as did Rabbi Joachim Prinz, a white German American Zionist, and a black woman, Daisy Bates, who spoke on behalf of Rosa Parks with a message for black women. (Find more interesting facts about the famous I Have a Dream speech.)

The Civil Rights Act of 1964 ended segregation in public places and banned racial discrimination in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. It also outlawed racial segregation in public education and facilities.

Dr. King, who later won the Nobel Peace Prize, said the Civil Rights Act of 1964 was nothing less than a “second emancipation,” according to History.com.

Founder of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, King was assassinated in Memphis, Tennessee, on April 4, 1968, which led to an “outpouring of anger among black Americans, as well as a period of national mourning that also helped speed the way for an equal housing bill, The Civil Rights Act was later expanded to bring disabled Americans, the elderly, and women in collegiate athletics under its umbrella,” according to History.com

Advancing the MLK Dream

Despite great progress legally and socially over the years, our country still remains divided by beliefs and practices around racism. So, how do we as a society change a circumstance that has existed in just about every society across every period in history as we know it?

To create a truly colorblind society we must first change as people – on the inside - in order to effect change outside. We also must deeply believe in the change(s) we want to see.

A great fan of Mahatma Gandhi’s non-violent civil disobedience, Dr. King patterned his protests on those of Gandhi, who advised us to, “ Be the change you want to see in the world.”

To get there, we must challenge our own beliefs as individuals and as communities about what is fair and just and why we believe that. We must seek the evidence – not the rhetoric – behind our beliefs and peel back the layers to decide what is true and what beliefs would be helpful to discard. In other words, what limiting beliefs can and should we let go?

Drawing on the wisdom of Albert Einstein, we also must consider that, “We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.” We cannot solve division by widening the divide or by persisting in mental camps of “us” and “them.”

With the Staffing Industry’s natural focus on Human Resources and its push for diversity over the years, we are in a unique position to lead change. For a chance at meaningful change, corporations, large and small, must continue to champion workplace fairness and equality -and support training initiatives that meet people where they are mentally and emotionally.

A few ways the Staffing Industry and HR Leaders can help:

• Set great examples by continuing to practice fair and equitable hiring and compensation policies and packages.

• Offer training for employees in critical thinking. Also sponsor trainings for community members.

• Support community initiatives and organizations that advance fairness, peace, prosperity and equity among people and groups in ways that match your corporate values.

• Model being responsible for one’s own emotions at work. Take 100% responsibility for managing our feelings and set expectations to avoid blaming and shaming. (As we know, emotions run high during conversations about racism.)

• Offer employee training in managing emotions and building emotional resilience .

• Commit to having courageous and Crucial Conversations , when appropriate, to help teams and constituents seek and find common ground.

• Help people learn to step into another’s shoes so they get a feel for another’s experience and views from the inside out. (Visualization exercises and Neurolinguistic Programming training / strategies can help.)

• Offer training to build Extraordinary Relationships and Win-Win Communication .

• Focus on solving the right problems with input from a diverse team. Foster the importance of diverse perspectives in workplace conversations, while remembering that diversity programs must focus on the question of how to solve the right problems in the right way(s). Then litmus test your problem solving hypothesis for clarity, transparency and fairness. (See Thinking Fast and Slow by Nobel laureate Daniel Kahneman.)

And, remember - if you want to work with a diverse, productive team committed to equity and social responsibility - contact us at info@elitetechnical.com , call us at 1-800-ELITE-50, or submit your resume at elitetechnicaljobs.com.

Happy Martin Luther King Day!

Social Responsibility in the Staffing Industry

Fri, 13 Jan 2023 22:48:01 GMT

Caring about people, planet, and enterprise leads to win-win-win

We all want to make an impact in the world on a personal or business level - or both. That’s why it feels good to place many talented technical professionals in great jobs with socially conscious companies.

In fact, working for socially responsible companies is increasingly important to job seekers today. And, we are grateful to place many technical professionals with companies who are committed to curbing global warming and using clean, ecological, and environmentally sensitive technologies.

Elite Technical's Socially Responsible Strategies

Operating Elite Technical with a commitment to social responsibility and sustainability makes good sense. We strive for win-wn-win outcomes for our people, our planet and our enterprise. We govern our business with an eye toward environmental concerns, social equity, and philanthropy - as well as responsibility to clients, candidates, contractors, and colleagues.

For example, Elite Technical maintains an almost paperless environment. Our mainly digital platform enables us to minimize negative environmental impact by reducing physical waste and our carbon footprint. Over the years, we've transitioned to an entirely paperless recruiting system, as well as paperless on-boarding of contractors and employees.

Further, to help replenish environmental resources and reduce the impact of climate change, we contribute to organizations such as One Tree Planted , which supports global reforestation, and 4Ocean , which is dedicated to ending the ocean plastic crisis.

And, our commitment to ethical and inclusive hiring practices, fair-market pricing, and facilitating low-impact technology innovation permeates our work culture and our work itself. For instance, our in-house team developed SubmittalCheck, a proprietary cloud-based, right-to-represent application that ensures integrity in the hiring process.

In addition, Elite Technical's charitable giving campaign — Recruit for Your Cause — supports charities, not-for-profits and socially conscious organizations, while celebrating the achievements of our own amazing recruiters. For example, each time an Elite Technical recruiter places a candidate, our company contributes to a charity chosen by that recruiter.

Staffing Industry Insights and Contributions

A growing trend toward socially responsible business has emerged over the years – with governments worldwide and the United Nations taking up the mantle, as well.

The American Staffing Industry asserts that "ASA is proud to support the Global Principles for Socially Responsible Associations and Nonprofits. These principles are intended to promote sustainable development and good corporate citizenship among the members of the association community. The principles, which are based on universally accepted principles contained in the United Nations Global Compact , help create a network of associations, nonprofit organizations, and industry partners that can exchange ideas and best practices."

Staffing company contributions include establishing "green teams" focused on internal recycling and resource reduction to electronic payrolling, energy audits, community development initiatives, and grant awards, among others.

According to the American Staffing Association , federal and state agencies that oversee environmental and workplace regulations now have formal programs that recognize and reward companies that have taken proactive measures to reduce adverse environmental, health, and safety effects.

And, U.S. federal sentencing guidelines now allow penalties and fines against corporations to be reduced or even eliminated if a company can show it has taken actions to improve its performance.

Three Things Needed to Sustain Environmental, Social and Governance Goals

Balancing business needs with societal and environmental concerns, amid government pressure, is essential.

Conscious corporate governance requires the ability to deliver valued goods and services at a price people and companies can afford — and to develop necessary resources to support business and worker needs, employee morale, health and safety, efficiency, and philanthropy — all while mitigating environmental, societal and business risks.

At the end of the day, the very businesses that provide income and stability for individuals and families the world over will not survive without (1) producing and delivering products people want and need in careful ways; (2) capital to sustain and grow operations in line with goals and industry demands; and (3) rewarding the people who make it all possible – employees, clients, contractors, and investors alike.

Elite Technical's Commitment

At Elite Technical, we are committed to innovations that enable efficient energy, reduce waste and unnecessary resource consumption, lower or safeguard our carbon footprint, and protect our planet. We also commit to responsibly stewarding company decisions and investments that will benefit our customers, our company, and the communities we serve.

As one small woman-owned enterprise, our impact may be small. But, we take our obligation to those we serve seriously. As we move into the future, we expect our sustainability practices will evolve accordingly. We remain committed to learning as we go and doing the right things right.

Want to work with a responsible staffing company? Contact us at 1-800-ELITE-50 or email us at info@elitetechnical.com .

If you are a job seeker, join the Elite Technical Talent Network at https://www.elitetechnicaljobs.com/join/ and get opportunities sent right to your inbox. And/or download the Elite Technical Jobs App from the Apple App Store or Google Pla y to your favorite device to stay apprised of new openings in your field. We also maintain a list of openings you can check any time at https://elitetechnicaljobs.com

Post-Military Leader and CEO William Toti Recalibrates Military-to-Industry Transition Training

Tue, 07 Jun 2022 00:18:36 GMT

His New Book Offers Insight and Advice for Veterans

Dispelling the myth that military leadership translates to easy success in corporate environments, Captain William Toti, US Navy (Retired), offers a new take on transition training and expectations.

His new book, From CO to CEO: A Practical Guide for Transitioning from Military to Industry Leadership , teaches veterans the realities of industry and how to navigate in a new environment. Also a terrific resource for military-talent recruiters, the book provides insight to the mindset and information needed for less stress and more success. Want to read it? Elite Technical has arranged free audio books for the first 10 individuals who send a request to Captain Toti via his website contact page.

According to Captain Toti, veterans change jobs every two years, on average, indicating the frequent mismatch between expectations and reality. “From my experience, that data point is not because of shifts in general (employee) culture, but because mismatches are made between the employee and the employer….The veteran loved the idea of the job at the start, so something went wrong,” said the captain.

The former submarine captain and submarine fleet commodore – who eventually rose to the position of CEO of a defense company and earned an impressive series of military and industry awards — says current military transition training reinforces the inaccurate assumption that veterans simply need to “leverage [their] leadership experience” to succeed in civilian enterprises.

The truth is far more complicated. Successful military-to-industry transition requires understanding the stark difference between military culture and the ethos of a corporate workplace. Success at one’s new job requires a shift in viewpoint and expectations, as well as the ability to excel at “hard and soft industry skills and everything in between,” according to Captain Toti. Worse— he thinks that the transition training your military service gives you when you leave active duty may set you up for failure. “The military wants you to feel good about your time on active duty, and you should feel good about that. But in building up your feeling of self and past service, they unintentionally lower your guard on the changes you will have to make in your life to succeed in your future career.”

Recommendations in his book draw on observations and experiences gleaned during his 26+ year military career and later industry leadership positions with enterprises, such as Raytheon, Hewlett Packard, Cubic Global Defense (CGD), DXC, Maritime Sensor Systems at L3 Technologies (now L3 Harris), and Spartan Corporation, a defense manufacturer of maritime and naval systems, from which he retired in January 2022.

“Luckily, when I started at Raytheon (in 2006), as soon as we realized we had a disconnect, they were willing to train me,” he recalled. Post-transition, Toti recognized the information gap impeding his success in the corporate world – and his employer saw the value in training over separation. Not all veterans are so lucky. Lack of proper knowledge, training and expectations often lead to employment failures.

For example: “[Military members] on active duty never fail to understand the mission. They know what they are doing is important,” he explained. But “the mission” is less obvious when veterans join a civilian company. These individuals are used to being mission driven. In industry, “They start to question why they are doing what they are doing. And, many become disillusioned, thinking, Am I just working to make money for my boss?”

Civilians, in general, don’t struggle with the profit basis that drives industry forward. They have lived with it from corporate “birth” and naturally understand it, said Captain Toti.

But for veterans drilled in ideal-centered missions, such as protecting the homeland, advancing democracy, and safeguarding American values, “this failure to grasp their new mission can be a huge stumbling block. Veterans often don’t feel the same ‘fire in the belly’ absent a strong sense of higher purpose,” explained Captain Toti. Yet, their new corporate bosses do expect to see just that in them – and they expect it to drive results.

“When I made the transition, I learned bit by bit that most of what the folks teaching my transition course told me was flat-out wrong. Then, as I progressed up the career ladder, I saw thousands of other military people transition and make the same mistakes I made. I realized this problem was not isolated to just me—it was systemic. So, I wondered, ‘How do I get the information and knowledge I need to survive and excel in industry?’ I tried my best to counsel folks one-on-one, but that is inefficient. Nobody has the time to help everyone that needs help, while still doing their actual job. I decided the book was a much more efficient way to reach out to the broader military population.” His engaging story reveals what he learned the hard way.

“The capacity for strong leadership doesn’t save you from lack of knowledge or mismatched expectations,” he added. “You need to learn a lot of other stuff to succeed in industry. Transition training typically tells people they will have to think differently, but it doesn’t tell them how or why. How does a company operate? What’s important to them? What’s the difference between a public and private company? What are those executives really looking for in their employees?

“Leadership is hard, but it’s even harder when you are leading people who can actually quit! [You realize that] when you succeeded in the past, it was [under] a certain constrained and limited set of conditions. You assume that prior success yields future success, but it doesn’t really [work that way in other settings.]

If, for example, “You find yourself leading a business, and employees start bailing on you. Perhaps you are not exhibiting the right behaviors or articulating the right vision. The point is even the leadership skills you gained don’t necessarily translate in industry. You need to develop a correct understanding of how things are different in this new civilian environment,” said Captain Toti.

In Toti’s view, success happens when an individual’s passion for learning leads to understanding the nuances of other systems, technologies, and environments. Industry longevity among veterans will improve when all parties — veterans, transition experts, recruiters, and industry leaders — better understand the background, experience, knowledge, skills, and expectations required for success, and take action to close gaps that will always exist.

For more information on this topic, check out this book. Or reach out to Donna Anselmo, Director of Marketing Communication at Elite Technical , or visit: WilliamToti.com

Philip Mosca Promoted to Vice President, Delivery Operations

Thu, 09 Dec 2021 00:08:40 GMT

Connect with Phil to Get His Views on the Industry Right Now

Elite Technical is pleased to announce the promotion of Philip Mosca to Vice President, Delivery Operations. Mr. Mosca, previously served as Director of Enterprise Programs, for which he was responsible for business development and account growth.

In his new role, Mr. Mosca oversees talent delivery for all Federal and commercial sector accounts, ensuring excellent service for every client we serve. In addition to assigning requisitions to remote and corporate-based recruiters, he oversees performance and accountability of all Elite Technical recruiting teams, while also supporting sales operations, and directly serving a select group of clients.

Monitoring Trends

Given the ongoing pandemic, corporate commitments to slow the spread, and Covid-19 workplace policies, contract workers now have unprecedented ability to choose their work environment, said Mr. Mosca. And, temporary, contract and full-time staff have little desire to return to the office.

“Workers across a broad spectrum of industries are proving themselves capable of excelling in remote environments. They’ve also gained comfort with working from home and remote locations.

“Technology contractors, in particular, are increasingly home-based because their skill sets make them adaptable to remote work,” said Mr. Mosca.

"In addition, the sheer number of remote workers today presents new challenges and solutions for managers . Now that folks have gotten comfortable working from home, we’ve seen the need to adapt management styles to effectively motivate and monitor home-based workers.

“The watchwords ‘employee engagement’ are highly relevant now. Staying connected with workers and keeping them connected to the business mission is paramount.

"Many managers also are working remotely and increasing their use of technology to maintain close contact. Regular contact is essential to ensure employee and contractor access to mission-critical information, equipment, and training, as needed.

“It’s easy for data and projects to slip through the proverbial cracks when eyeball contact is missing, so ongoing results assessment also is key. That’s why regular communication, project tracking efforts, and focusing on technology that fosters individual accountability in the context of a team are all essential,” he added.

Eyes on the Future

“I believe employers soon will want their teams back in the office, but they may face worker reluctance,” said Mr. Mosca.

"To entice people in-house again during the Covid-19 era, companies have already been offering hybrid (at home and in office) work schedules, while others are considering special incentives for workers to return.

“The good news is the post-shutdown staffing market is strong again. At Elite Technical, our corporate and remote sales and recruiting teams continue expanding.

And, our ongoing goal is to expand our customer footprint and continue providing value-added service," he noted.

"With new growth, and the sheer number of requisitions in play, I equate my role with that of an air-traffic controller. When it comes to prioritizing, we are constantly focused on the flow of requisitions and making sure clients' needs are met promptly," Mr. Mosca added.

To speak with Mr. Mosca about your company’s hiring needs, please contact him at 1-631-256-1406 or email pmosca@elitetechnical.com.

To explore Elite Technical job opportunities, please visit: https://www.elitetechnicaljobs.com/

Do You Know If You Are Eligible for Rehire?

Wed, 21 Jul 2021 06:36:32 GMT

Rehire Eligibility May Be Your Ticket to Future Employment

Leaving a job while in good standing with the company may be the ticket to your next job.

Whether your contract just ended, you left voluntarily, retired, were part of a layoff, or were terminated, it’s very likely that the recruiter or hiring manager for a future opening will check your references before agreeing to hire you.

Don’t rely on urban wisdom that nobody takes reference checks seriously, or that HR people won’t give a negative reference to avoid a potential lawsuit. The truth is companies conduct reference checks to avoid hiring mishaps. And companies do take references seriously.

An HR department representative might choose not to comment on your overall performance during a reference check. But, when asked whether you are “eligible for rehire,” that same person will have no problem answering the tell-tale question.

Not doing everything in your power to ensure a positive response (especially if you are a contractor concerned about your next assignment) can derail your applications for future employment. So, prepare early!

For example, to gather well-rounded feedback on candidates, leading companies have begun conducting 360° reference checks by interviewing the person the applicant reports to, as well as one or two peers, and a colleague who presently reports to the candidate.

What does this mean for you? Strive each day to make a positive impact on those around you, at various levels!

Ensure Your Own Rehire Eligibility

Most company policies specify criteria for rehire eligibility, such as: length of time an employee spent with the company, quality of the individual’s work, documentation that the candidate left the company in good standing, as well as proof of an individual’s ability to meet new job specifications, if rehired.

To make sure you will be eligible for rehire, take the following steps:

1. While still on the job, make yourself valuable to the organization. Work each day to exceed your employer’s expectations by excelling at what you were hired to do and going beyond expectations where practical.

Employees with unsatisfactory reviews are not typically eligible for rehire. So, be sure to pay attention to details, deliver projects on time, review and correct your work before submitting it, and keep excellent records. It would also be helpful to plan ahead for your off-boarding by presenting your supervisor with information and/or materials to assist in transitioning your workload or documentation to appropriate personnel.

2. Be sure to return all company property when off-boarding. That includes files, work products, key cards, cars, computer or other technical equipment, and business records. Ask for a checklist of items requiring return, and be sure to check off each item before you leave.

3. Always follow company policies, such as those addressing work hours, attendance, break time, PTO, vacation, medical absence, confidentiality, workplace health and safety, etc. Always provide advance notice and obtain permission when you need to miss work. In the event of illness or emergency, give notice in accordance with specified protocol.

4. If you‘ve been lucky enough to skate by with a warning after an unfortunate breach of policy, heed that warning and refrain from further policy violations. Violation of company policy—especially when it leads to involuntary termination—is a serious mistake and will leave you ineligible for rehire.

5. It should go without saying, but for the sake of thoroughness, we stress that illegal or unethical behavior leaves even talented workers ineligible for rehire and will undermine future job search efforts. Take your reputation seriously. It is one of your most precious business assets.

6. Be relentless with success efforts and sincere about resolving problems. If you’ve had difficulties at work, don’t quit while you can still meet goals and/or improvement markers. Learn what’s needed for success and work through your improvement plan. Final impressions count, too.

7. Most employers check LinkedIn profiles before hiring, so commit in advance to continual updates and interaction on that platform. If you maintain a LinkedIn page, be sure to give worthy colleagues a recommendation. They will most likely return the favor, which will add to your own credibility.

8. As we say at Elite Technical, our reputation means everything to us. (We know how much our integrity and high level of transparency counts with our corporate employees, contractors and clients.)

So, when relying on colleagues to provide references for you, be aware that their reputations are on the line, too. HR and hiring managers may temper their recommendations to ensure that their own reputations within the industry are not tarnished by injudicious compliments.

How to counter that? Cultivate excellent relationships in and beyond the workplace. Be trustworthy. Keep your word. Don’t gossip. Don’t pass blame. Use good judgment and conduct yourself in ways that leave merit- and integrity-based positive impressions.

For example, Socrates, the Greek philosopher, advocated putting information through three filters before sharing it: truth, goodness, and usefulness. Before deciding what information to share, it’s helpful to ask yourself questions, such as, “Is it true? Does passing this information serve a good purpose? Will it help the recipient to know this?” The answers will probably keep you from making the kind of mistakes that can damage reputations.

9. Ensuring a good reference should stay top of mind. Maintain a reputation for diligence, honesty, integrity and great work. When making decisions, also use the lens of “Will this action or outcome reflect well and help me get a good reference?”

10. Finally, if you are a contractor on assignment, feel free to ask your Recruiter how to make sure you are eligible for rehire with your staffing agency.

Before starting a new job search, be sure to verify your rehire eligibility with prior companies, especially if you intend to use those companies as references.

Also, be sure to download the Elite Technical Jobs App at the Apple App Store or via Google Play for quick access to our newest job postings.

And feel free to stay in touch with Elite Technical Recruiters by signing up for the Elite Technical Network . We look forward to hearing from you! E-mail us at info@elitetechnical.com. Or call 1-800-ELITE-50.

7 Strategies for Building Strong Business Relationships

Sat, 13 Feb 2021 19:48:10 GMT

With Valentine's Day in mind, Elite Technical is reflecting on the value of strong business relationships. We’re also happy to share seven steps for developing relationships with staying power:

1. Acknowledge Others with Sincere Appreciation.

It doesn’t matter who you are or what you do. Everyone loves to feel appreciated. Acknowledgement of another person's efforts or contributions goes a long way. Whether it is with a spoken thank you, a handwritten note or a phone call, research shows that appreciation goes a long way.

In today’s fast-paced, socially distanced, tech-oriented culture, it’s easy to let personal connection fall by the wayside. Instead, make an effort to personalize interactions as much as possible. As the saying goes, people may forget your words, but they will long remember how you made them feel. (Maya Angelou)

2. Make Yourself Available.

There’s nothing more frustrating than not being able to get the answers or service you need when you need it. Being available—and mentally present—for people when they need you helps them know you have their best interests at heart.

Giving of your time is a great way to show people they matter. Listening carefully to their concerns, and responding with empathy and validation, helps people feel heard. When people feel validated, they are more willing to cooperate in problem solving.

Joe Monaco, Elite Technical’s SVP/COO, says, “Staying available and in rapport with clients and employees at all levels is a win-win. Whether you’ve just partnered with us, or we’ve served you for years, feel free to contact us anytime. We want to hear from you, and we know your feedback will help us serve you better. We strive to keep cell phones on 24/7 and make sure we’re there when you need us.”

3. Cultivate Win-Win Relationships.

Customers want to feel valued, and companies want to make sure they are positioned to serve customer needs. A well-balanced relationship is essential for long-term success!

If a relationship is knocked off kilter by an unexpected event or shift in perspective, search for the best way to restore balance.

One way to safeguard relationships is to step into the shoes of the other person and see things through his/her eyes. Stepping back from your own wants and needs long enough to shift perspective can be very enlightening. It often leads to important information, aka valuable feedback.

Sometimes all it takes is closing your eyes, taking a deep breath and visualizing what the other person must be mentally seeing, hearing or feeling in their own body to come to the conclusions they have.

Today’s leading psychologists and business coaches teach the mental techniques of Neurolinguistic Programming (NLP) to business leaders. NLP training, developed in the late 1970s, helps people change inside, which facilitates positive behavioral change by increasing awareness of one’s inner language, beliefs and thought patterns. In the process, participants learn how to monitor and shift their ways of thinking.

Dr. Diane Kramer, founder of the Extraordinary Self Program, advises her self-help program participants to visualize themselves stepping into the other person’s shoes.

As you do that yourself, consider what sense the other may be making of the words you use, the services you present, or the images you project. ( Note: Perceptions are filtered not only by facts, but also through the lens of one’s own prior experiences, beliefs and thoughts.)

If visualization doesn’t produce new insights for you, simply ask the other person for feedback on the relationship. This will help you avoid erroneous assumptions. You might ask, “What can I do to ensure that your needs are met?” or “ What else is important to you? or “What factors helped you reach that conclusion?”

Then, determine how best to balance your relationship so that each of you gets your needs met with mutual satisfaction.

4. Keep Your Promises.

It’s very important to protect your reputation at all costs. If you say you’re going to do something, do it. If you make a promise, keep it. When promises are kept, relationships thrive.

For example, our business relationships resulted in more than 3,000 successful technical placements with more than 400 of the nation’s leading companies. Our satisfaction guarantee is our commitment to keeping our word.

Database integrity also is deeply important to us. That’s why no candidates are entered into our proprietary candidate portal until their skills and history have been vetted by our recruiters through personal conversations with those technical professionals. Wondering Why? Because we know our clients need qualified technical talent to achieve their business goals and innovate with high-performing teams! And, we know our candidates and contractors rely on us to represent their interests fairly. Honoring those needs is part of keeping our promise.

5. Take 100% Responsibility.

It’s tempting to blame others when outcomes aren’t achieved. But, it’s more effective to take take 100% responsibility for the parts of your relationship that are in your control. What could you have done differently? What can you do differently now? What changes do you need in place to negotiate a win-win outcome? What does the other person need for the relationship to work? What steps can you take to make that happen?

When working toward negotiation or compromise, also think about where you may be willing to compromise—or not. For example, if something is super important to the other person, but only a 2 out of 10 on your scale, you might feel fine about giving that item up in exchange for something else you need more from the relationship. That said, these strategies work in business and personal relationships, too!

If your needs are not satisfied, it may be time to part ways. Not all relationships work. But you can improve the odds with extraordinary relationship skills.

6. Always Be Learning.

The difference between being skilled and being masterful is ongoing effort and discovery. For instance, when you first start an exercise plan, it takes a while to see results. But the more time, effort and discipline you add, the better and faster you achieve your goals.

Relationships also take intense commitment. But, first you need to know where you want to go together. Clarify your relationship goals in terms of outcomes needed and priorities. Then, ask yourself, what do you still need to learn or do to reach that Next Step in your relationship? How can you get there?

To figure it out, you may need to get quiet and visualize again. Here’s another NLP technique for you: Visualize a timeline in your mind stretching from past to present to future.

Stand at the present point and look back to see how your present relationships differ from those of your past. What did past relationships look like? How did you feel, think, believe or behave in them? How did past relationships influence your thinking or beliefs?

Next, turn your focus to your present position. What are you experiencing in current relationships? What do you see happening? Do you see repeating patterns? What are you hearing in your mind or from others? What are your feelings like? How could your present relationship(s) be better? What needs to change? What do you need to learn to make that happen? How will you learn it? Who can help?

Next, turn your mind to the other end of your timeline—your future. How will relationships be different when you learn new ways of relating and how to take 100% responsibility for managing your part? How will you feel about your improved relationships? What will they do for you?

To build relationship skills, launch yourself into learning mode. Ask questions. Request feedback and integrate what you learn about the other person into your relationship growth plan. Find a mentor, coach or proven self-help course.

7. Stay Connected.

Let customers, colleagues, friends and family members know you care about them, whether it’s through a phone call, a quick visit (if allowed) or a greeting card. Ask questions, such as “How’s it going?” or “Can we do anything special for you today?”

In the immortal words of Dale Carnegie, “You can make more friends in two months by becoming interested in other people than you can in two years by trying to get other people interested in you.”

Remember to touch base regularly. As with an annual physical, business checkups are like preventative maintenance; when done right, they promote feel-good experiences.

Wrap Up

Today’s blog is our way to let you know we think you are important, and we're committed to nurturing our relationship. At Elite Technical, whether you are our candidate, contract employee or client, we thank you for the opportunity to share your world. We deeply appreciate the trust you’ve placed in us to represent you and your interests.

We also appreciate your feedback! Please let us know what’s been important to you as you've gotten to know us. Feel free to reach out to us anytime, or give us a review on Glassdoor or Indeed. Thanks so much and Happy Valentine’s Day!

Want to Land the Job? Prepare to Discuss a Fact-Based Resume

Thu, 17 Sep 2020 18:15:37 GMT

Realistic self-assessment during resume discussions adds points on interviews.

One of the biggest complaints among hiring managers is candidates who don’t measure up to their resume!

Case in point— We recently received a resume boasting extensive experience with a particular skill set. In a pre-interview, the candidate was unable to provide us a clear answer or explanation illustrating his competence in the areas detailed on his resume. The pre-interview was a flop, leading to feelings of frustration on both ends, candidate and recruiter alike. Had we sent this candidate to a client, we all would have looked bad.

Never overstate your experience level or familiarity with tools and technology! Candidates sometimes convince themselves that once on the job, they can fake it till they make it. The reality is those candidates end up rejected during the interview process, or even worse, they get fired from a job for which they were unprepared.

To avoid rejection, don’t be swiss-cheesy! Be forthright and realistic when preparing and discussing your resume—particularly when it comes to presenting your skill levels and actual experience. If your skill is less than the job description specified, focus on your true strengths and accomplishments that would compensate. If you’re not sure what they are, ask a colleague for some honest feedback on your strong and weak suits.

7 Tips to Support a Realistic Resume Discussion

1. Know Thyself! Before Interviewing, Conduct an Honest Self-Assessment of your skills, experience and aptitude so you can prepare your best value proposition, while being authentic.

2. Develop Your Value Proposition. While your resume focuses on the past, your interview must show how your abilities and attributes will translate on the new job. Sum up the contribution you expect to make so the employer will know why to hire you.

3. Communicate Strengths Effectively. Prepare to discuss at least one particular technical skill, business skill, knowledge or personal character trait that illustrates experience gained on similar projects. Prepare a story demonstrating which skills or attributes helped you succeed. Discuss which strengths you believe are most relevant to the new position and why.

4. Focus on Metrics and Outcomes. Numbers count! Be specific, providing job relevant metrics, such as time to value, production, dollars saved, throughput, etc.

5. Differentiate yourself. Decide what makes you best suited for the job and back it up with real evidence. For example:
• Which skills and business knowledge set you apart from others? And why?
• How have you brought projects in on time and on budget? When and where?
• What tangible results have you delivered in the past?
• Why are you the best person for the job? What proof can you offer?

6. Prepare Appropriate Answers for Thorny Interview Questions (such as) :
What is your greatest weakness? Career coach Alan Carniol suggests recognizing that a weakness is the downside of a given strength. He recommends starting with something positive , such as: “I’m someone who keeps a busy schedule.” Then admitting to the downside , e.g., “B ut at times it’s hard to take a step back and see how to keep everything moving forward.” Then adding your correction: “So, I’m learning to delegate more and working on that.”

Why did you leave your last job? One great strategy of five highlighted in a recent Forbes article (August 24, 2020) is to focus on the future more than the past, steering the question to what you want to work on, challenges you’d like to address, and/or products/projects you are excited about working on. Or, perhaps the company’s strategic direction was less interesting to you, so you are now following your passion.v Whatever your reason, frame it in the positive.

No matter the question asked, always refrain from sharing confidential details about business at prior firms or talking negatively about prior employers! It will count against you.

7. Be Honest. Take a realistic look at yourself and your skills. As Beatle John Lennon said, “Being honest may not get you a lot of friends, but it’ll always get you the right ones.” When it comes to a job search, a realistic skill and experience assessment will help you land the right job for you now. That can lead to bigger and better opportunities in the future.

For more insight, speak with an Elite Technical recruiter. Our professional recruiting staff has personally screened and/or interviewed close more than 90,000 technical professionals seeking their next career moves. Wondering which aspects of your resume are most valuable to current openings? Give us a call at 1-800-ELITE-50.

Insider Tips for Mastering Your Video Interview

Mon, 20 Jul 2020 09:07:19 GMT

Help to Navigate Successfully through our New Business World!

So, you’ve spent your career, college education, or maybe your specific technical studies, preparing for a coveted job—only to find the economy suddenly shut down —and you with it . As if that wasn't enough, the hiring world suddenly went all Alice in Wonderland on you.

Instead of the slam-dunk interview you expected to ace—given your ebullient personality and great qualifications—you are forced to prepare for a remote interview with a slim chance to develop the personal chemistry you hoped would earn you the job. Then again, you may be the all-business type, hoping your job interview will focus on your resumé instead of your personality.

Either way, scoring a job now may mean mastering a video interview a la digital software. And, in the immortal words of football coach Paul Bear Bryant, “It’s not the will to win that matters – everyone has that. It’s the will to prepare to win that matters.”

Here are Elite Technical’s tips on how to do just that.

BEFORE THE INTERVIEW:

Familiarize yourself with the digital platform required by the interviewer and download the program in advance. Whether using Skype for Business, Zoom, another teleconference platform, or any new equipment you must get for an online meeting, be sure to make enough time to test it well in advance of your scheduled interview. Make sure you know how to turn your camera and microphone on for video-conferencing.

Check your online connections and make sure you have adequate signal strength. (If not, find a better location.) Also ensure that your computer or phone is pre-charged or that you are plugged into a reliable electrical source. Early on your Interview Day, test your own equipment and Internet connection —again.
Prepare your locale. Test your lighting. There’s nothing worse than interviewing someone who looks like (s)he is in a grainy dungeon. Position a bright light in front or above you so that your picture is clear. Also make sure your interview space appears clean and organized.

Be available and ready at your computer or phone at least 10 minutes ahead of your scheduled interview time.
Minimize distractions . Whether conducting your interview at home or another location, inform those around you that you will be on an important call. Go to a quiet place in your home or office and make sure in advance that those around you know that you require a quiet zone and cannot be interrupted. It may help to let others know exactly when and approximately how long you will be occupied.

Turn off the ringer on other phones and cell phones, and shut down anything else that will create annoying background noise, including noisy fans, air conditioners, the radio, background music, TV, etc.

If you have young children at home, be sure to provide them with other supervision and/or a safe activity that will keep them quietly occupied during your interview.

Have a glass of water nearby to avoid dry mouth during your interview. If you must cough or clear your throat, be sure to turn away from the phone or microphone.
Plan key points you want to make and focus those on how your skills and experience will add value for the company, project and/or manager.
Print out and review your resumé in advance, and keep it handy during your interview. Add to your resumé that you are available and able to work remotely if needed.

Practice speaking in short but thoughtful sound bites. Avoid long monologues, whenever possible and prepare for questions you anticipate. To sound authentic instead of rehearsed, try piggybacking your thoughts in the moment on the interviewers questions or comments and striking a conversational tone.
Practice distilling your messages into snippets of information that you can string together in an orderly sequence, using examples and anecdotes that help tell your story while conveying your skills, insights and passion for your work.

Also, practice with friends, relatives or a mentor , allowing them to ask you typical interview questions and give you time to get comfortable speaking about yourself and your skills. The point is to just practice being yourself so you won’t sound over-rehearsed.
If you must use a cell phone, do so in a stationary location and not while driving or walking through the home or office. Movement can interrupt the reception and call quality mid-interview. Not to mention, if using Facetime or similar app, you don’t want to make your interviewer dizzy!
If you will be using a phone with call waiting, disable those interruption services before the interview if you are able.
If you anticipate being nervous, practice slow breathing or meditation in advance . ( Note: You can practice relaxing today by registering for a free online stress reduction course at ExtraordinarySelf.com ; the comprehensive Transform Your Stress Landscape course includes a simple breathing exercise that promotes relaxation and the course helps you understand and control stress triggers and reactions. Alternately, you might try apps, such as Calm , or use other relaxation techniques.
Have your interview notes at the ready and a pen and notepad to take notes during your interview, if needed . Avoid clicking away on a keyboard as the tapping sounds may distract your interviewer.
As with an in person interview, plan your interview outfit and dress professionally .
First impressions count big.
Be sure to learn about the company, the hiring manager and the job. Read the company website; know the company mission; familiarize yourself with the company values and culture; and find out as much as you can about the job requirements. If you are working with a recruiter, ask for any tips or information he or she can provide to help you win the job!

DURING THE INTERVIEW

Behave in the same courteous manner you would in person.
Speak directly into your audio source and look into the camera. Watch your interviewer’s body language and take note of visual cues. Also be aware of your own body language. Maintain eye contact, smile when appropriate, and avoid fidgeting.
Watch and listen carefully for the interviewer’s voice during the interview. When you hear it, be sure to stop talking. You will most likely be given an opportunity to revisit, expand on or reshape your thoughts before the interview ends. In the meantime, pace yourself to your interviewer to establish good rapport.
Be sure to smile during the interview. Smiling will help you feel good and sound friendly and accessible. Also infuse energy into your voice! It conveys enthusiasm. An author I know jumps on a trampoline before making sales calls so she will sound energetic and lively on the phone. She is very successful!
Remember, the goal of the interview is to help the hiring manager decide why to hire you. Be very clear in your own mind about why! Your discussion should communicate your relevant experience, insights, work ethic and understanding of job requirements. Know your accomplishments, career goals, how you overcame work and personal challenges, and why you are interested in working for that company.

Be prepared to discuss your strengths and (the dreaded question about your) weaknesses. Also be ready to explain how you would your evaluate project success, individual or team success on the job.
Present evidence. Explain how your skills, approach or insights resulted in specific successes at work. If possible, share helpful performance metrics and outcomes.
Be ready with questions to ask, such as queries about company goals, position or manager’s goals, organizational structure, workplace culture, expectations, performance measures, and next steps.

AFTER THE INTERVIEW

Celebrate your good work and reward yourself, if only with a chest thump or pat on your heart for preparing, learning and making a solid effort.
Follow up with a brief and carefully written email to your interviewer(s) within 24 hours. Use this thank you note as a reminder of your key message or after thoughts you think might sway the hiring decision your way. Remember to focus this short message on value. Your interview is as much about their needs as about you.
Stay in touch with your recruiter to follow up on a pending job offer and on-boarding needs. If no offer is made, ask your recruiter for feedback you can learn from so you will be even better prepared for a future interview.

If you haven’t yet landed an interview, be sure to check out EliteTechnicalJobs.com for current opportunities. Also, feel free to contact an Elite Technical Recruiter about positions of interest to you.

As author Joe Poyer said, “Thorough preparation makes its own luck.” — We wish you much luck!

Positivity Abounds During COVID-19 Pandemic

Tue, 07 Apr 2020 02:54:41 GMT

Everyday People and Their Courage in Serving is an Inspiration for All

The Coronavirus brought not only a global pandemic, but incredible evidence of the positive difference people and organizations make when we all come together for the greater good.

The Internet is replete with stories of regular people stepping up to help others through this gargantuan challenge. In the midst of crisis, it helps to remember the good stuff.

Our team was inspired by the recent collaboration between Fox and iHeartMedia , which brought The iHeart Living Room Concert for America to a mass audience, while honoring front-line health professionals and first responders. Especially cool was knowing the concert raised more than $8 Million for:|

— First Responders Children’s Foundation , which provides support to first responder families enduring financial hardship due to the coronavirus outbreak. This organization also supports, promotes, and facilitates educational activities and programs created and operated by law enforcement and firefighting organizations whose purpose is to benefit children or the community at large: and

— Feeding America , a nationwide network of food banks serving the hungry. While food itself is not scarce in this country, food banks are especially challenged by heightened demand while more people are out of work and food delivery chains are interrupted by diminishing workforce capacity. For example, many local grocers are limiting store hours and/or operating with less staff due to coronavirus transmission, self-quarantines and shelter-in-place recommendations.

Making the Best of a Tough Situation

In challenging times, it’s natural to focus first on the needs of our own families, friends and businesses because that’s where our actions typically make the most difference. During this pandemic, we should focus on the parts that are actually in our control — caring for our families, making good choices for our companies, washing our hands, maintaining social distance, shopping for an elderly friend, thanking a Front-Line worker, and contributing to charity as best we can.

But the needs beyond our individual control remain huge. News headlines remind us hour-by-hour of rising death tolls, sliding stocks, long-term economic woes, and heartbreaking stories. Let’s do what we can to counter the bad news! Rather than live with fear, let’s make a difference today by resolving to stay positive. Let’s remember that our feelings and emotions are in our own control. We can choose how we want to respond and choose to draw on inner strengths, knowledge and fortitude. We can take 100% responsibility for our small part in the solution. And we can work on staying resilient.

The iHeart Living Room Concert for America was a welcome distraction in the midst of fear and unexpected hardship. If you missed it, watch it on YouTube to make social isolation a little more palatable. Hosted by Elton John, popular musicians contributed performances, using personal cell phones, cameras and audio equipment to maintain social distance.

At Elite Technical, we draw inspiration from the courage and steadfast support of people on the front lines, including thousands of volunteers working in hospitals and clinics; military personnel building supply chain solutions; corporate leaders who contribute a solutions mindset, innovative ideas, products and personnel; our government leaders, and so many others, who pull together during times of crisis to demonstrate the incredible potential of humanity.

The Elite Technical team is pleased to play even a small part by contributing to worthy organizations on the front lines. We’ve just donated to the First Responders Children’s Fund and Feeding America, and added them to our ongoing charitable-giving program, Recruit for Your Cause . In the spirit of giving back, we make a small contribution to a worthy cause each time one of our amazing recruiters places a new candidate in a technical job. It's our way of spreading a little more good in the world.

8 Essential Tips for Managing Remote Workers During the COVID-19 Pandemic and Beyond

Fri, 13 Mar 2020 18:45:52 GMT

Use these Practices to Facilitate Success for Remote Work Teams

Two weeks ago, a friend who founded a small web design firm in New York engaged a contractor to work in her office. This week, she required that person to work from home.

This scenario is repeating itself across the country, spreading almost as fast as the novel coronavirus. Elite Technical clients—Fortune 1000, Fortune 500 and industry leaders nationwide—rely on contract labor to augment their own corporate and field teams.

Like Elite Technical, these firms have begun rolling out COVID-19 response policies and are developing business continuity plans that include remote workers. Our IT recruiting firm is pleased to help.

Below is our short list of practices to facilitate success with your remote work team.

1. Lead with clarity. Communicate business challenges and needs. Set clear expectations about problems that need solving and by when. Communicate proactively and ask questions to ensure that remote workers understand exactly what you need and are positioned to provide it. Clear expectations lead to fewer mistakes on the job! Require team members to alert you if deadlines are in jeopardy. Explain priorities and provide honest urgency assessments to ensure that your team can manage to expectations. Let your team know that you don't want to hear bad news second hand. Make sure everyone understands the need to share relevant facts, especially when work happens at a distance.

2. Stay open-minded during times of change. Understand that more guidance is needed during times of change than typically required when conducting business as usual. Ask questions to clarify the reasoning behind unusual worker requests or schedules. Confirm your worker’s accessibility during regular business hours, and be open to flexible work hours, especially for workers with sick family members at home or children whose schools have closed due to coronavirus fears. When workers know you also have their best interests at heart, they are more likely to make your needs a priority.

3. Incentivize remote workers to ensure timely project completion. Project completion bonuses and other reward programs are tools for keeping workers motivated, especially when it's easy to be distracted by home surroundings and in-your-face family demands. Financial rewards are great motivators, but also remember the power in a few words of encouragement and positive reinforcement, or a spontaneous surprise, such as a package in the mail.

4. Make sure people have required resources and are empowered to take action. Familiarize workers with company policy on telecommuting, your plan for ensuring data security, and company expectations for managing business confidentiality outside usual work environments. Again, make sure remote workers know what's expected. Also, confirm plans with your corporate office to ensure workers have or can acquire what they need to succeed. Notify team members of urgent (and other) matters through collaborative software updates or email so everyone stays in the loop and knows their role.

5. Engage with your team. A quick face-to-face chat can help avoid communication mishaps and keep projects on track. To lower the risk of COVID-19 transmission, replace in-person meetings and travel requirements with online meetings (whenever possible) to maintain the sense of connectedness important to business relationships. "Face-to-face" business reports and commitments (made possible by Skype, Zoom or UberConference meetings) also help foster accountability. Announce virtual “Town Meetings” to explain what’s happening with special projects and why you need remote workers to stay focused and involved. Also use group phone meetings and text messaging to ensure real-time updates.

6. Employ business tools that facilitate both collaboration and management. For example, Adobe Docusign will keep contracts flowing, and Hubstaff runs software on the virtual employee’s desktop, making it possible for managers to track remote workers’ time on task. Management consultant Jeff Bullas has compiled this list of 11 Remote Team Management Tools. Check it out.

7. Assess your resource plan periodically. Not all business managers are comfortable with remote work. If you need to locate contract workers who have proven successful in remote work environments, or if you require different technology solutions for remote workers, ask your favorite staffing provider to help with requirements. They have people and tech resources ready to meet almost any staffing challenge.

8. Ask for and encourage feedback from remote workers . Whether responding to a virus threat, the likes of which we’ve never seen, or its unfolding impact on our work environments, it’s important to stay apprised of facts, review the data, evaluate processes, and learn from results. In doing so, we are sure to uncover options and best practices, push our flexibility, and adapt for ongoing success. Stay focused on learning from feedback, and you’ll weather these strange times. In the meantime, wash your hands, stay well and be happy!

BTW, if you’re interested in Elite Technical’s COVID-19 Response Policy , you can access it on our website. If you need help hiring remote workers to increase competitiveness and ensure a happy, healthy workforce during the COVID-19 crisis and into the future, please call us at: 1-800-ELITE-50 .

Setting Your Criteria for a Great Staffing Partner

Tue, 18 Dec 2018 22:30:38 GMT

Identifying criteria to ensure the right staffing partner for you will improve the likelihood of desired outcomes

Want to improve your chance of choosing the right staffing partner? Imagine this scenario .... You arrive at your office raring to go, only to find your computer systems down and your cloud services offline. To make things worse, the people you depend on at work didn’t show up, and those who are available don’t have the skills you need. It’s a bomb of a day, and you’ve got a mountain of projects to tackle. If you’re lucky, you’ve got a technical staffing company on contract to quickly supply the talent you need to tackle system repairs and your mounting workload. In short, you need both people and technology to perform as expected.

Partnering with the right vendor(s) for technical talent and technology is crucial to your success and peace of mind. We recommend setting specific criteria for the perfect selection. Define what a great outcome looks like for you and add it as an item on an "outcomes criteria" checklist. When you check all those boxes for a vendor, you can trust your decision. Job done!

In speaking with many high-level tech leaders and senior HR professionals, we've determined that the criteria for a great staffing partner include:

1. Expert competence;
2. Responsiveness;
3. Experience;
4. Flexibility; and
5. Trustworthiness.

We've worked hard to ensure we earn a coveted “check mark” in every box; as a result, our clients can expect us to meet or exceed all expectations.

THE TOP 5 REASONS FOR CHOOSING ELITE TECHNICAL

1. COMPETENCE: We bring deep expertise to assessing and managing complex IT requirements across information technology landscapes. Our in-house Technical Quality Engineers understand underlying technologies and precisely match highly qualified candidates to each client’s specific requirements.

2. RESPONSIVENESS : A recruiting powerhouse, we give you personalized, small-business agility with enterprise-level capabilities for rapid response to your particular requirements. Our innovative, proprietary software database and specialized recruiting methodologies help our customers win the competitive war for the most talented people. Our sharp technology drill down and detailed attention results in shorter hiring cycles and excellent compliance with role requirements.

3. EXPERIENCE : Established in 1992, and having made more than 3,000 placements for over 400 clients nationwide, we relentlessly focus on delivering strong value, fair market pricing, and excellent service to each client we serve. Elite Technical continuously invests in industry-leading infrastructure, expert recruiters and powerful systems to ensure our clients receive qualified and reliable technical talent whenever needed.

4: FLEXIBILITY : Elite Technical offers flexible engagement options to support your talent-acquisition strategy. Ask about Contract, Contract-to-Direct, and Direct Placement options. We also can work via Subcontract, MSA or SOW .

5. TRUSTWORTHINESS: At Elite Technical, our reputation means everything to us. Placing strong value on our reputation assures our clients of integrity, accountability and success across our service spectrum.

C onclusion
There are good reasons and great reasons to choose suppliers. Whether selecting a staffing supplier, or working to build other business relationships, setting clear criteria for a sound decision is a powerful decision strategy.

Have questions? For more information, Contact Us today at 1-800-ELITE-50.

Meet Joseph Monaco, SVP, Elite Technical

Wed, 28 Nov 2018 05:03:16 GMT

Joe Offers His "Top 7" Recommendations for Job Search Success

We asked Joseph Monaco , Senior Vice President at Elite Technical, for information that will help job seekers land the technology positions they want.

A staff augmentation industry veteran, Joe began his career as a technical recruiter specializing in the Aerospace & Defense sector in 1990. At that time, he learned recruiting while placing Software Engineers for a client who was working on the TCAS (traffic collision avoidance system) project for the FAA. In September 1992, Joe co-founded Elite Technical and since then, he’s been responsible, with his talented team, for placing more than 3,000 people in great tech jobs with a diverse range of industries, nationwide.

“Right from my first placement I was hooked,” he said. “Connecting amazingly talented people with great companies is still thrilling. And, helping people land their dream jobs is my greatest ambition.”

Drawing on 28 years of Talent Acquisition experience, Joe is happy to provide job seekers with insights to maximize their search efforts.

“Thanks to evolving technologies and a strong economy, there are constant openings for technically skilled candidates, which is great news,” said Joe. “Even so, job searches can feel daunting, whether the candidate is a newbie or a seasoned professional targeting a managerial or leadership position. To improve the odds of landing the job you want, it’s important to manage your search effectively,” he said.

Joseph Monaco’s “Top 7” Recommendations for Managing Your Tech Job Search:

1. Get organized. Organizing your job search is key to reducing search anxiety and preparing you for success. Create a Job Search Journal. Use a spreadsheet, desktop folder, notebook, or binder to track where you send your resume. Log all your contacts with recruiters into your journal. If needed, create a separate professional email address to use for your job searches. You can create a free g-mail or Yahoo account and make the name sound very professional. As an idea, a Mechanical Designer created [Name]MechanicalDesigner@gmail.com. We liked it!

2. Tailor your resume to the job you want. For example, if you want to be hired as a project manager, then highlight relevant experience and skills, such as budgeting, time management, project planning and implementation successes. Also list the personal attributes that make you (or will make you) a successful project manager.

3. Be proactive. If you are contacted by or call recruiters, make sure to capture their e-mail and/or phone contact information so you can follow up. Recruiters keep very busy reviewing the resumes of your competitors, so don’t wait for them to get back to you. Be proactive. If you haven’t heard back in a few days, be sure to check in with them again. Also, since they are resume experts, ask their opinion about yours.

4. Avoid the risk of double submittals. Make sure you give the “Right to Represent” you for a specific opening with a particular employer to only one recruiter. Steer clear of being submitted twice for the same job by two separate recruiters. Don’t fall for the fantasy that seeing your name multiple times will increase your chance of being chosen. To avoid potential representation conflicts, employers typically discard those resumes submitted by multiple recruiters.

5. Keep your media profiles pristine. Most Recruiters check out your LinkedIn profile right away. A professional looking profile on LinkedIn can give you an edge. Today’s employers search for and evaluate potential candidates based on social media profiles and posts. Before you send out your resume, make sure to delete any photos or posts and comments that could make an employer think you would be a risky hire.

6. Get reviewed. Solid third-party testimonials will help recruiters and prospective employers decide you are a worthy candidate. Invite people and influencers in your circle to act as your advocates by giving you a positive review on LinkedIn.

7. Post a professional photo (not a casual shot) of you on LinkedIn and other sites, and include your resume, when applicable. Invest in a professional portrait if possible. Ask your local chamber of commerce or a friend in the art or marketing fields to recommend a photographer to you.

We wish you the best always, and if you have questions about your career, or want to share your resume with our team, please e-mail info@elitetechnical.com , review our job opportunities , join our talent network , or call 1-800-354-8350.

Gratitude Makes a Difference

Wed, 21 Nov 2018 18:34:43 GMT

Our Thoughts as Thanksgiving Approaches

Thanksgiving is more than a day to us. It is an attitude we carry to work each day, with the simplicity of a sincere “Thank You.” We’ve noticed the positive impact a moment of appreciation can make on someone’s day. We’ve learned that heartfelt appreciation—and expressions of recognition—can spark a shift in outlook that lasts a lifetime. We’ve witnessed the power of gratitude firsthand, and it is borne out by research, too.

Studies show that even more than compensation, employees want to know their jobs matter and their work is appreciated. Research by the Cicero Group, a management consulting research firm specializing in predictive analysis, demonstrates that 50% of the employees believe being thanked by managers improves their relationships and builds trust with managers. The survey also shows that 75% of employees believe recognition, such as an award or verbal thank you, increases confidence in their own skills, drive and determination, company connection, work relationships and personal standing). The Cicero team called it a "virtuous cycle," saying recognition "increases their commitment to succeed, which leads to more recognition. In turn, employees engage at even higher levels, resulting in improved performance for the individual and the entire company." Clearly, gratitude makes a difference.

As we prepare for Thanksgiving with a grateful heart, Elite Technical wishes to thank the many people and companies who have made a difference in our lives. We appreciate your faith in us, and we count you among our blessings. We appreciate that you let us be part of your life and business.

We intend to keep you in our thoughts and prayers on Thanksgiving as we give thanks, and we wish you all could be around our family table. Since that is not possible, we’ve gathered a selection of bountiful thoughts by others to share with you as food for the soul. Enjoy a few of our favorite Thanksgiving quotes …

_____________________________________________________________________________

Thanksgiving, after all, is a word of action. — W.J. Cameron

_____________________________________________________________________________

Gratitude can transform common days into Thanksgiving, turn routine jobs into joy,
and change ordinary opportunities into blessings. — William Arthur Ward

_____________________________________________________________________________

Gratitude is a currency that we can mint for ourselves, and spend without fear of bankruptcy.
— Fred De Witt Van Amburgh
_____________________________________________________________________________

Let us be grateful to the people who make us happy;
they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom.— Marcel Proust
_____________________________________________________________________________

When I started counting my blessings, my whole life turned around. — Willie Nelson
_____________________________________________________________________________

O Lord that lends me life, lend me a heart replete with thankfulness. — William Shakespeare
_____________________________________________________________________________

And last but not least, let’s give thanks for the laughter in our lives …

Thanksgiving dinners take 18 hours to prepare. They are consumed in 12 minutes.
Halftime takes 12 minutes. This is not coincidence. — Erma Bombeck
_____________________________________________________________________________

At Thanksgiving and always Elite Technical wishes you

an abundance of opportunities and a great career ahead.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Insight to Why Phil Mosca Makes Successful Tech Placements

Fri, 02 Nov 2018 01:58:53 GMT

We Interviewed Phil Mosca, Subject Matter Expert in Tech Staffing, to Learn His Thoughts and Views on Recruiting in Today's Market

As Elite Technical’s Director, Enterprise Accounts, Phil Mosca works with Program Managers, Project Managers, HR Executives and Technology Leaders to ensure they have the very best technical talent available in today's market. He spends much of his time making sure he understands his clients' business, projects, initiatives, and resource requirements. Phil then leads and helps his team understand all the important details and nuances that will help them identify the right candidates for his clients. Phil's personal drive is a perfect match for Elite Technical's mission: to fill the greatest tech jobs with the most talented people.

Let’s get to know him better:

Most important to Phil “Workwise, it’s making incredible client connections and important placements for the companies and people I work with. By doing a great job, I know the business I bring in will take good care of my co-workers. When people feel happy and secure in their jobs for themselves and their families, they can focus better on the day-to-day tasks. And, that helps us deliver better hires for our clients.

“I also love the variety of working with both Federal and Commercial Enterprise and knowing the people we place have a big impact on our world; for example, we’re helping TSA to secure airports and technology environments. In other sectors, we’re developing and safeguarding technologies and making it possible for clients to serve their own customers more efficiently.”

“That said, my wife and children are my world!”

The coolest work experience Phil recalls was bringing in his first client. “I still feel the same thrill every time I sign with a new company!”

His biggest success? “It all started when I got the opportunity to provide contract employees to Unisys, in 1996, which we developed into a multi-million-dollar account. That led to great outcomes for hiring managers, the engineers we put to work, and everyone involved.”

Scroll down to the end for a representative list of Phil Mosca's clients over the years.

His biggest challenge? “With today’s low unemployment, especially in the government sector, there is big demand for cleared candidates. We must compete strongly to recruit qualified talent from a very small pool. But we do it! ”

To meet the challenge, “We network, we dig, we advertise on social media and traditional sites. Essentially, we go everywhere! You have to be relentless to find the right talent in this environment. And, we heavily invest in recruiting people with the skills our clients require."

Lessons learned ? “ You need to be true to who you are. It takes integrity to build long-term relationships. Doing what you promise is important to the success and security of everyone involved. To succeed, you also need to be strategic and align your company with those clients you have the capabilities to serve really well.”

What Phil sees on the industry horizon: “I see a huge push to implement AI in the sourcing and recruiting process. Elite Technical is already investing in AI because moving fast today makes a big difference! I also see emerging technologies creating new skill gaps for which we must prepare. Also, companies will continue investing in new technologies and in the people with skills needed to grow their businesses.”

Advice for people wanting to work in technology : “Be passionate about it and willing to adapt by learning new skills, e.g., Cloud, Artificial Intelligence, etc. Learn the technologies that will drive us into the future. Everything in our lives centers around software and security now. No matter what technology direction you choose, whether it is software development, IT Security or Engineering , always be furthering your education and training.”

Phil wants clients and prospects to know: “I care about their challenges, and I will work hard each day to make sure they are satisfied. I believe in honesty and integrity. It’s how I live my life, and that’s what I bring to my customers every day.”

What if he could wave a magic wand and change one thing? “I would save more for my children’s college education,” quips Phil, who is the father of twin high school students. “I’d also develop new technologies that cure diseases and save lives.”

Phil’s favorite leisure activities: “I love working outside my house, landscaping and being outdoors. I put my headphones on while I work and go into my own little world. Then, when I am done, I sit by my pond with my drink. That’s my summer routine, and I love it.”

Want to ask Phil a question? Call 631-256-1406 or email: pmosca@elitetechnical.com

Sampling of Clients Trusting Phil Mosca to Deliver Technical Talent

Commercial Enterprises

Alien Technology
All Native Group
American Express
CACI
CSRA
DCR Inc.
Deloitte Consulting
Estee Lauder
GDIT
IPS
IT Savvy
K.Hovnanian
KeySpan
McGraw Hill
Motorola/Symbol
Neohapsis
Nice, Inc.
Noblis
Pen Fed
Petro
Red River
Sbarro, Inc.
SC3
Scholastic, Inc.
Sensormatic
Standard Chartered Bank
Time, Inc.
Union Bank of Switzerland
Unisys
Visionary Integration Professionals
Zurich Insurance

Federal/State Agencies Supported as a Subcontractor

Census Bureau (US)
Center for Disease Control
Custom Border Protection
Department of Defense
Department of Homeland Security
Department of Justice
Executive Office of the President
Federal Deposit Insurance Corp
GSA
Government Accountability Office
Health and Human Services
New York City Transit Authority
The Port Authority of NY & NJ
Transportation Security Administration

Recognizing the Contributions of U.S. Labor and Celebrating Opportunities for the Nation's Workforce

Mon, 03 Sep 2018 06:26:53 GMT

Labor Day 2018 Gives Us Many Reasons to Celebrate Our Team and Our Nation

Celebrating Labor Day, Elite Technical is grateful to the thousands of talented workers who have helped us prosper and grow for more than a quarter-century. We couldn’t have done it without the professionalism, skill and commitment of the talented individuals we place or the recruiters, account managers and people who work behind the scenes to make sure we deliver the outstanding service our clients expect.

Labor Day commemorates the social and economic achievements of American workers, as well as their contributions to the strength, prosperity and well-being of our country. First celebrated in 1894 and 1885 through municipal ordinances that were later followed by state ordinances, Labor Day did not become a national holiday until 1909.

Just as the founders of the labor movement understood the power of people, this Labor Day, we are especially cognizant of the power in teamwork. Elite Technical workers are responsible for the ability of our small, woman-owned enterprise to provide 400+ clients with 3000+ professionals over more than 25 years.

Without talented individuals working in the context of a team, America would not have evolved and prospered in a way that has made our nation truly exceptional. As we celebrate Labor Day 2018, Elite Technical encourages our own team members to take time out for well-deserved rest, relaxation, recreation, and recognition.

Good News for Workers

Opportunities abound, especially for technical workers. With the lowest unemployment rate in a half century—according to Fortune and CNN Money headlines—companies across America are competing vigorously for the best and brightest talent. Elite Technical recruiters will continue laboring to expertly match the best talent with the best jobs in the nation. This is good news for workers.

We are grateful to be part of a great country with network of businesses capable of offering opportunities for people at all levels. And as we celebrate Labor Day 2018, we are thrilled that opportunity continues to grow. In fact, the job market for technical workers is better than ever—another reason to celebrate this Labor Day! As we posted in our Speed is the Best Talent Acquisition Strategy blog, IT staff remains the second hardest professional group to fill, outpaced only by skilled trades, such as electricians, carpenters, welders, and plumbers. And, research shows that 76.7 percent of software developers are already employed full time.

Looking for a New Opportunity?

If you are a technical professional looking to make a change or start your career with a great company, then bookmark our EliteTechnicalJobs.com or sign up for Elite Technical’s Job Alerts for access to great positions as soon as they come available. Make sure to also follow us on LinkedIn , where we post Job Alerts and links to articles of interest to technical professionals and hiring managers.

Three Reasons Recruiting Costs More Than Ever Before

Wed, 08 Aug 2018 17:26:26 GMT

Engaging top talent has always been expensive, but now it’s really expensive.

To help today's recruiters identify the best qualified candidates in the shortest time, diligent staffing companies are investing heavily in the growing costs of recruiting.

Every recruiter’s number one goal is to exceed their clients’ expectations by placing fantastic candidates in contract or direct positions. Ongoing success requires access to newer platforms, greater social media competence and increased brand visibility.

While recruiters still use traditional methods, the need to also become experts at social media recruiting and search engine optimization makes the task dramatically more complicated and the investment per candidate way more expensive than ever before.

3 Reasons Recruiting Costs More

1. Emerging Résumé and Job Websites: Not only do you need to scour traditional résumé sources like Monster.com, Career Builder , Dice , and Clearance Jobs , but now you also must pay for featured postings on newer players, such as Indeed and ZipRecruiter, to reach "active" candidates.

(BTW—If you’re looking for work, check out the technical opportunities on EliteTechnicalJobs.com . For more than 25 years, we’ve built connections to the best tech jobs in the industry and the best people to fill them. And we’re doing more connecting now than ever. We regularly post Job Alerts on Linked In, too. Stay connected with us on social media, or if you prefer, call us at 1-800-ELITE-50.)

2. Social Media Platforms: In the past, staffing companies relied heavily on their recruiting managers, but today they also must invest in social media managers. Without social media investments, recruiters will lag behind and lose out on many potential placements.

Today’s success-minded recruiters must employ social media platforms, such as LinkedIn , Facebook , YouTube, Instagram , Twitter, and even SnapChat , to locate qualified talent. They also need a dedicated social media manager to make sure their social presence is noticed and to help build their online connections. These strategies help uncover "passive" candidates.

Why Social Media Recruiting? In 2016, statistics indicated that:
• 20% of job seekers applied for jobs they first learned about on social media.
• 86% of job seekers in the first 10 years of their careers used social media to find work.

While investments in social media and related workflows increase hiring costs, the investment is well worth it. By sifting through social media profiles and connections, we’re turning out fresh candidates to interview and making great matches, faster.

3. Search Engine Optimization: Staffing companies need to rank high on Google . This alone requires large ongoing capital investments and SEO expertise with a very user-friendly website and smooth application processes functioning well across all devices. Finally, recruiting firms also need to focus on integrating AI, in all its evolving iterations, and AI costs are not yet clear.

In an evolving technology landscape, staffing company investments must keep pace, and we anticipate costs will continue rising.

At Elite Technical, we’ve committed to investing extensively in our social media relationships and technology to make the brightest matches for clients and contractors. We’ll keep you posted via LinkedIn with regular job alerts and articles of interest.

Let’s stay connected!

A Simple Thank You Note May Influence Hiring Decisions

Wed, 01 Aug 2018 20:41:44 GMT

Showing Appreciation is an Easy Way to Distinguish Yourself

Want to stand out in the minds of hiring managers? Follow up your interview with an expression of gratitude and appreciation. A simple thank you note can leave you top of mind with a prospective employer and start you off on a profitable new relationship.

According to Ask Your Target Market's latest survey, 22% of respondents said they often send thank you notes, either by mail or electronically. Another 38% sometimes send thank you notes while 27% rarely send them, and 14% said they never do. Keep your hat in the ring with this easy relationship builder.

In fact, 80% of survey respondents said they appreciate receiving thank you notes from others. Case in point: “At Elite Technical this week, we interviewed two candidates for a particular IT position. Shortly after, one candidate sent us a thank you e-mail. It made us take notice, and it also drew an instant favorable impression, compared to the candidate who didn’t follow up with a note,” said Joseph Monaco, Senior Vice President .

Wondering about thank you delivery options? Almost three-quarters of respondents consider paper thank you notes more meaningful than electronic ones. One added advantage of a handwritten note or card is shelf life. While emails are quickly deleted, a nice card or letter gets a longer look and provides a tactile reminder of your presence.

“In an increasingly informal digital world, continuing to pull out pen and paper is a way to distinguish yourself,” says Dan Post Sennet, at EmilyPost.com . “The handwritten thank-you note speaks volumes simply as a medium and sends the message that you care enough to invest yourself personally in acknowledging another.”

That personal investment doesn’t take long, but goes a long way. A thank you note, via email or hard mail, helps a candidate re-affirm interest in the position and will impress decision makers by demonstrating that you are both mannerly and went the proverbial extra mile to get the job. That alone can signal an employer that you’re the kind of person (s)he wants on the team.

Not sure where to begin? Keep your notes short, simple and sincere. Three or four short sentences are plenty. No need to overwrite a simple acknowledgement! You might say, “Thank you for giving me the opportunity to discuss your position requirements today. I would be honored to join your team and help reach your project goals. I appreciate the time you spent with me; if I can serve your needs, I look forward to hearing from you.”

Whether it’s a thank you note, a birthday card to clients and contractors, or an email sent with appreciation, we believe that acknowledging others by following up or taking time to remember then makes a meaningful difference in overall success at Elite Technical. We wish success for you, too, and we thank you for reading our blog! You are much appreciated!

Speed Is Today's Best Talent Acquisition Strategy

Tue, 24 Jul 2018 19:54:04 GMT

7 Steps to Win the Talent War and Land the Top Candidate

Speed is the new watch word in hiring, especially in the tech sector. To secure the most desirable candidate, act fast, or your competition will snatch top talent from your grip.

IT staff remains the second hardest professional group to fill, outpaced only by skilled trades, such as electricians, carpenters, welders, and plumbers. And, research shows that 76.7 percent of software developers are already employed full time.

"Most candidates today have multiple offers on the table," said Phil Mosca, Branch Director, at Elite Technical .
"But there are steps you can take to help secure the candidates you want."

Improve the Odds of Securing Top Candidates

1. Decide your hiring timeline in advance to ensure the right people will be onboard when needed. Provide your staffing agency or internal recruiter with an urgency assessment that aligns with your decision schedule.

2. Confirm your budget allocation in advance. For help determining pay rate, ask your staffing partner for information on fair market rates, or visit sites, such as Salary.com, for insight. Expect pay scales to vary based on talent availability and geographic market.

3. Write very specific position requirements. Make sure job descriptions clearly convey exactly the requirements you need to your internal recruiting team, IT staffing partner and candidates.

4. Check schedules of your interview team in advance. Then, review candidate submittals promptly. Schedule interviews with your top candidates as soon as possible.

5. Establish a Rating System. List criteria that will demonstrate skill, appropriate attitudes, behavior, experience, judgment and cultural fit. Create a checklist for proof of special licensing, training, or security clearances and other requirements for easy reference and standardized comparisons.

6. Organize for success. Streamline the steps in your interview process by trusting your staffing vendor( s) to appropriately screen candidates for you. This is part of the service you pay for. Eliminate time-robbing rounds of interviews by combining your technical and manager interviews into one step. If you require onsite interviews, first conduct the in-depth technical interview by phone or Skype. A staffing agency who can rapidly submit attractive candidates can help you shorten the lengthy search-and-interview process to a two-step interview sequence that can be completed within 5 -10 business days, enabling you to win the talent race.

7. Make a competitive offer. Salaries are rising for competitive skill sets. Be cognizant of current rates for the talent you seek. Make an offer in line with the market. Also, get creative. Companies are again offering signing bonuses, performance-based bonuses and other benefits, such as training, to attract and retain expert talent.

Elite Technical’s IQS Recruiting Process takes the guess work out of candidate selection. Developed over 25 years of experience with IT and Engineering staffing, this process results in candidates with the skills and experience to help companies speed up productivity and profitability.

For assistance with IT or Engineering recruitment—and better hires, faster—contact Elite Technical. Our account managers and recruiters are ready to help.

Thumbs Up to Women in Leadership Positions

Thu, 19 Jul 2018 21:56:34 GMT

Congratulations to Kathy Warden, upcoming Northrop Grumman CEO

Did you know that women currently hold only 25 of the CEO positions at companies on the S&P 500 list? This number translates to just 5 % of CEO positions among those leading companies—according to information currently released by Catalyst, a global nonprofit working with world-leading CEOs to build workplaces that work for women.

On July 12, Northrop Grumman announced that Kathy Warden will replace CEO Wes Bush when he steps down. Ms. Warden, who currently serves as the company’s president and chief operating officer, was elected to the Northrop Grumman board of directors prior to the announcement of her upcoming transition. This is good news.

Starting in January 2019, Warden will join the ranks of S&P 500 women CEOs, such as Mary T. Barra (General Motors), Marilyn A. Hewson (Lockheed Martin Corporation), Phoebe N. Novakovik (General Dynamics Corp.), Virginia M. Rometty (IBM), Lisa Su (Advanced Micro Devices), Michele Buck (The Hershey Company), and Adena Friedman (Nasdaq) to name a few. We congratulate Ms. Warden, Northrop Grumman, and these inclusive companies for their insight and regard for gender parity. We believe the contributions of these women and the open-mindedness of these organizations pave the way for others.

As a certified Woman-Owned Business Enterprise, Elite Technical is heartened when women are recognized for their contributions to business success. We’re also proud of our ability, as a WBE, to help government and business entities meet their own mandates to engage more women-owned businesses in servicing their constituents.

As Elite Technical’s project teams, consultants, contract labor and permanent placements help our clients meet their business goals with high-quality talent, we’re pleased to note cultural changes that welcome more women into high-level positions. Diversity is a good thing because it increases discussion of different points of view and positively shapes workplace culture.

Today, we take time out to congratulate Kathy Warden on the announcement of her new role. Many women never receive the workplace recognition or pay they deserve. We salute the companies who make this a priority, and the work of organizations such as Catalyst, which educate and advocate for gender parity, corporate social responsibility and supplier diversity. We believe it’s incumbent on each of us to foster diverse business and social cultures that recognize and reward the contribution of all who make success happen.

Maximizing the Impact of Temporary and Permanent Labor for Long Term Gains

Wed, 18 Jul 2018 17:57:18 GMT

Five Tips to Plug the Brain Drain

Alternative employment scenarios, particularly in the technical sector, place contract workers on assignments lasting from six months to two years. Hired to meet specific objectives, contractors typically move on after project goals are met. Consider also that baby boomers are retiring at the alarming rate of 10,000 workers per day. So, what happens to the vast knowledge those people bring to or develop on the job? With some advance planning, you can keep it.

To mitigate loss of business knowledge, procedures and institutional memory, develop a business continuity plan (BCP) that includes a corporate knowledge library. This will help you transfer information from one generation of workers to the next. Sound good? Here are five tips to get you started:

1. Communicate your objective. Discuss the importance of contingency planning with your team in a way that reduces alarm. Explain the goal of a BCP is not to hasten retirements, cut headcount or micro-manage staff, but to foster understanding of what makes your company tick and operate effectively—no matter what comes down the pike. A BCP will help meet learning goals while also preparing your team for down-the-road emergencies. Procedure manuals, for example, can provide important documentation to secure necessary budgets, improve decision making, speed disaster recovery, and even earn a thumbs-up from bankers who must be convinced that lending arrangements are backed by business protocols capable of protecting their investments.

2. Determine what vital information is needed for smooth operations. Discuss with workers which processes, documents and insights are needed to satisfy business, financial, employee learning, customer satisfaction and investor objectives.

3. Be specific. Develop information-gathering forms to help standardize library additions and guide personnel at all levels. Ask people from all departments to describe everything they do each day that affects outcomes. Ask for insight to effectively conducting tasks and work processes. Prepare flow charts and procedures that ensure objectives are met. Collect information on role responsibilities and job descriptions; informal and formal department and corporate policies; and tables of organization. Also create an index of file names and locations of important documents by department. Save screen shots of pertinent data and directories; and include lists of go-to URLS, Web or Intranet resources. Add up-to-date contact information for clients/customers, vendors and partners. These documents should enable someone else to quickly understand how to do each job in case of emergency and ensure important knowledge won’t fall through the cracks during vacations, an extended sick leave, or following a departure.

4. Set a firm date by which information is to be submitted. Also schedule time to review submissions and identify any information gaps. Remind team members that time invested in this effort is time well spent. Also schedule periodic information updates, as needed, to keep your data current.

5. Decide where all information will be stored. Set up an Internal database for easy-retrieval and choose backup systems that are multiply redundant.

Enjoy the Outcomes

Later, when on-boarding new employees or cross-training to cover employee vacations, leaves or terminations, your firm will be better positioned to transfer knowledge, ensure competent teams, and maintain productivity.

Want help to ensure productivity, profitability and business continuity? Contact Elite Technical .

How to Win an iPAD from Elite Technical

Fri, 02 Feb 2018 02:20:59 GMT

Do you have a success story to share? We want to hear it!

Calling All Technology Professionals, HR Executives and Project Managers!
Elite Technical has an opportunity for you. Most days, it’s a job opportunity. Today, it’s news about our drawing for a new iPAD, along with an opportunity to reflect on the reasons behind your own success. Have a thought? Send it to us for a chance to win this cool prize.

Entering is simple. See details, then send us your success story. Need inspiration? Read on …

Reflecting on Success
While reflecting on another successful year at Elite Technical, I found myself exploring what sparked my own personal success drive and why it still pushes me to perform decades later. Perhaps my story will help you remember the defining moment that steered you down the right path for you.

As a kid, I loved the chance to shadow my grandfather at work and hear his lively stories around the family table. I remember him saying, “Joe, your reputation means everything in life and business.” And, he stressed that more than once. Years later, his wisdom molded the foundation of my work as a recruiter, and later, a business executive.

Ensuring a trustworthy reputation for Elite Technical became the rudder for our business. It drove us to make sure that people doing business with us saw us as credible, sensed our competence, relied on our expertise, and trusted our integrity. Focusing on our reputation from Day One positively impacted every aspect of our company, from technology and processes to the exceptional relationships we’ve built with our candidates, contractors and clients. We believe it had a great influence on our success.

Finding Your Own Success Spark
Here are just a few thoughts to help you enter our drawing. Consider what person, wisdom or experience helped mold your own success. Which practices helped you stay on point, or maybe even ahead of the curve? What do you plan to do differently in the new year to ensure ongoing growth and success? Spend just a few minutes, by Monday, April 30, 2018, to let us know what influenced your success, which success stories you admire, or what advice you want to share with others. Your response will automatically enter you into our drawing for an iPAD. Get details now. Need more inspiration? Find it on our contest webpage.

What's Your Story? Please Share your Thoughts!
Entering is easy. Get details, or simply fill out the form on the What's Your Story Contest page under the About menu on our Website. With your permission, we’ll publish your thoughts on our website, and we will credit you. Or, you can remain anonymous, and we will not publish your story. Whether or not you give us permission to share your story, you will be entered into the drawing.

No time for contests, but want to speak to an Elite Technical recruiter or account manager today? Contact us today.

WHAT DO YOU EXPECT FROM YOUR NEXT JOB OR HIRE?

Wed, 13 Dec 2017 17:03:29 GMT

Manage to those Expectations!

I remember a small plaque hanging in my uncle’s den when I was a kid. The black type on that worn wooden disk advised, “Never expect anything, and you’ll never be disappointed."

As a child, it made little sense to me. However, as an adult who has spent my entire career working in the staffing industry, I now realize how insightful an expression it is. Expectations are the filter through which every upcoming experience is calibrated. The more we expect, the more intensely we judge the result. If you want consistently great outcomes, it’s critical to manage your practices to the commensurate expectation.

At Elite Technical, we strive to exceed expectations. For this reason, we actually go out of our way to disqualify candidates before choosing to submit them. And while it sounds counter-intuitive, we sometimes decline to pursue business with companies seeking to enlist our services. Why are we so selective about the very contractors and clients we hope to serve? Because we set our own expectations with a vision for great end results.

We base every future action on our ability to meet or exceed expectations for our clients, contractors and company. We begin every potential engagement based on those expectations. We then manage every action, including our diligent qualification process, to ensure that in the end, we have served all involved parties well!

So, imagine how disappointed I felt upon hearing recently that an Elite Technical-submitted candidate had backed out of a placement after being selected by the hiring manager. Fortunately, this rarely happens. But when it does, it really hurts. That candidate missed an opportunity to grow with a great company, that client lost critical time in the hiring process during a peak season, and our team spent a lot of time on a placement that didn’t work out. No party achieved their expected outcome, and we are ultimately accountable for that.

Managing expectations is why we ask tough questions. We must evaluate more than a candidate’s skill level, experience and history to meet them. We also try to learn as much as we can about the tangible and intangible characteristics of each client’s culture and preferred candidate character traits. We must elicit the maximum amount of information available, on both sides, to assess the likelihood that a given candidate will accept the job, assimilate into the client’s corporate culture and successfully fulfill the technical and/or functional requirements of the position for which the candidate is hired. When achieved, that result would meet or exceed even the loftiest expectations of everyone involved. That’s our job.

What expectations do you have for your own work, relationships and processes? How do you meet them?

FOUR TIPS FOR ENSURING DESIRED OUTCOMES

First, set clear expectations for actions and results needed when you engage in a project or business relationship.

We know there can be bumps in the road. We understand that sometimes we'll need a contingency plan. But, to ensure desired results, work toward the best possible outcome from the start—by outlining expectations as you begin, and then managing your process to meet them. For example: At Elite Technical, we start candidate relationships by ensuring that our candidates consciously choose Elite Technical. We execute Right-to-Represent Agreements with all our candidates. As a result, our clients can trust that each candidate we submit has signed us as their sole representative for the position sought. In essence, they know what to expect at contract time when they choose to hire the person we submit.

Second, communicate clearly, concisely, consistently and comprehensively to make sure everyone understands all expectations.

At Elite Technical, we communicate to each candidate what it means to be an Elite Technical contractor and tell them what they can expect from our team with respect to the recruitment-to-placement process. We share information about our recruiting and hiring processes, benefits packages and educational opportunities. We let candidates know that, if hired, they will become part of Elite Technical’s extensive contractor network which helps them stay apprised of market trends and skill-building opportunities, while making new contacts. We discuss contract terms and provide professional legal agreements that clearly spell out expectations for both parties. We further inform our candidates so they understand what to expect when they are on-boarded by Elite Technical and how to best prepare for a successful engagement with the company contracting for their services.

Third, consider the expectations of all stakeholders and create a plan to address them.

At the start of each engagement, we set expectations not only with candidates but for and with our clients, too. We let our clients know exactly what to expect from Elite Technical’s quality-managed team throughout the process and even after hiring. As a trusted partner, we detail skills and also share what we learn from the rigorous assessments and behavioral interviews we conduct with candidates. Our professional submittal packages ensure that clients receive the information necessary for good hiring decisions. We present what we can do for our clients, and also we let our clients know what we need from them to do the best job possible.

Fourth, evaluate how well you met those expectations and implement changes needed for continuous satisfaction.

Elite Technical has spent more than 25 years building our reputation for upholding the highest standards of integrity and service to clients, candidates and contractors. During qualification and contracting processes, we dig deeply to help ensure that clients and contractors are delighted and their high expectations are satisfied. In the rare instance that an engagement doesn’t work out to everyone’s satisfaction, our replacement program provides a safety net. Upon client request, we get right back to our proven process for identifying a candidate who not only looks great on paper and during interviews, but is equally thrilled to meet our client’s needs throughout the project life-cycle. That's what you can expect from Elite Technical.

Want to know more about how we qualify candidates and plan successful placements? Ask us.
Have a position you need us to fill? Tell us about it.
Have skills we are searching for? Let us know / submit your résumé.

DISPELLING THE FASTER IS BETTER MYTH SURROUNDING CANDIDATE SUBMITTALS

Fri, 01 Dec 2017 04:09:35 GMT

Let's Eliminate the Incentive for Blind Submittals!

If you’re a hiring manager, you’ve probably been frustrated by recruiters who quickly submit candidates with great résumés and get your hopes up for a fast hire. Unfortunately, hopes are dashed when you later learn the candidate you want to engage is not available. Sound familiar? It should. This situation is endemic to the staffing industry—and totally preventable. We’ve got the right fix.

When competitive agencies deploy speed as their primary strategy for landing business, the result is often a decline in quality, transparency and ethics. Case in point: trigger happy staffing agencies who rush to submit candidates before a competitor beats them to the punch.

While timeliness is prized in the staffing industry, quality and integrity are absolutely critical. Without them, hiring is compromised. But, in haste, many agencies submit candidates without first establishing a relationship with them, properly credentialing the match or confirming the availability and inclination of the candidate.

The unethical practice of blind submittals (processed without the candidate’s knowledge and approval) creates headaches for hiring managers, ethical staffing providers and candidates alike. Lack of vetting and submittal ethics also diminishes quality control and often leads to multiple submittals of the same candidate by different vendors. This wastes time, lowers productivity and forces hiring companies to wrestle with policies regarding candidate ownership.

Consider a Better Strategy

One impetus for recruiters to jump the gun with submittals is the fact that companies often award the hire to the first agency making the submittal. We recommend a better approach: credit the candidate to the agency that took time to properly vet him/her and submit a Right-to-Represent (R2R) agreement from the start. Requiring an agency to submit an R2R along with the résumé would eliminate the issue of multiple submittals and help ensure a better match, and ultimately, a faster hire.

The Power of Right-to-Represent Platforms

Years ago, with a goal to increase transparency and engage qualified job seekers as active participants in the submittal process, Elite Technical pioneered SubmittalCheck(TM) a right-to-represent platform. This innovative technology serves as a digital handshake between a recruiter and a jobseeker, reducing conflicts such as last-minute back-outs and concerns caused by blind submittals. SubmittalCheck helps define the rules of engagement and protects the process by providing a staffing agency with a third-party-verified R2R certification. This assures hiring companies of recruiting integrity. SubmittalCheck demonstrates to hiring managers that the candidate is engaged in the process. At Elite Technical, we obtain an R2R agreement from every candidate before we submit. We also take time to assess each candidate’s willingness to take the position, if offered, which preempts the potential for last-minute back-outs.

When managed service providers, vendor management systems and hiring companies integrate right-to-represent platforms into the hiring process, everyone benefits—client, candidate and staffing company.

For more information, reach out to an Elite Technical recruiter at your convenience. We look forward to speaking with you.

IT'S THE SPIRIT OF THANKSGIVING THAT COUNTS MOST

Wed, 22 Nov 2017 01:37:28 GMT

GRATITUDE IS A POWERFUL ATTITUDE

Most Everything You Learned About Thanksgiving is Wrong, according to a report by the same name in today’s edition of The New York Times (11.21.17). The article featured a historian’s view that the nation’s celebration of Thanksgiving as a day of gratitude and friendship between Native Americans and English settlers in 1623 is based on misinformation.

The reporter noted that the truth of how Pilgrims and Native Americans ended up feasting together is probably unknown. The imperfection of oral tradition and alleged embellishments over the years fuel the controversy. In fact, Thanksgiving wasn’t even official until President Abraham Lincoln declared a national day of gratitude in appreciation for Civil War victories in 1863, rather than an unusual social experience and shared harvest between cultural groups.

Who knew?

Does it really matter when or how Thanksgiving began? We believe the spirit of Thanksgiving and the acts we do today are what count most. We believe sharing a meal brings people closer together, and cultivating gratitude leads to the happiness and fulfillment so important in life and work.

There’s no need to debunk Thanksgiving. The world is better for its spirit. Findings of a 2007 study by Robert Emmons, who researched gratitude through a psychological lens, found that expressing gratitude improves mental, physical and relational well-being. Emmons concludes gratitude has the power to heal, energize and change lives. It impacts the experience of happiness, and the benefits of gratitude are long-lasting. Giving thanks is healthy!

At Elite Technical, Thanksgiving Day reminds us of the blessings we’ve enjoyed in shared partnership with our team, our contractors, our clients, and our community. Thanksgiving Day is one more opportunity to say “Thank You” to the many people who give meaning to the work we do each day. We thank you all.

As business leaders, we appreciate the way Ayn Rand characterized our Thanksgiving tradition. This Russian-American novelist born and educated in the USSR before immigrating to the U.S. in 1926, said: “Thanksgiving is a typically American holiday. The lavish meal is a symbol of the fact that abundant consumption is the result and reward of production,” said Rand, who authored The Fountainhead (1943) and Atlas Shrugged (1957), among other literary works.

Elite Technical’s talent recruiting team worked productively in 2017 to ensure excellent placements for the skilled IT and Engineering experts we represent, as well as the companies we supply. Our team is still at it, and we are grateful for their success. As we prepare for Thanksgiving travels, bountiful meals, and moments with family, we appreciate the spirit of people who strive each day to serve the needs of others and, in doing so, enjoy the rewards of their hard work and generous spirit. It is both deserved and appreciated.

May you also enjoy a blessedly productive life of abundance with many reasons for Thanksgiving, today, tomorrow and always.

How to Develop Your Technical Consulting Career

Wed, 15 Nov 2017 20:58:26 GMT

Recruitment Insights to Fuel Your IT Career Plan

As technical recruiters, when we interview a consultant for IT or Engineering positions, we ask about the candidate’s career game plan. If you’re our candidate, we need to know where you want your career to be next year, three years from now, and five years down the line. Why is that important? Seeing the big picture helps pin down the actions and details needed to get you there.

Knowing where you want to go helps our technical recruiters determine the best placements for you. A frank, two-way discussion with your recruiter can help you break through career inertia. Identifying specific job opportunities is one benefit; exposure to a fresh, data-driven perspective on your objectives is another.

Discussing your goals also helps clarify your criteria for the jobs you want, which makes it easier for you to be strategic when pursuing and accepting career opportunities. Your criteria may include a specific company or geographic location, a pay rate that makes it easier to support your lifestyle, and a workplace culture that matches your personality. Perhaps your criteria will include an opportunity to expand your comfort zone or learn new skills.

As a technical recruiting agency, Elite Technical adheres to our own criteria for IT and engineering candidate placements. Among other things, we target individuals with a demonstrated success record and the ability to work effectively in a team environment. We want people who communicate well and demonstrate reliability. We also look for the same high level of commitment to ethics and integrity that we bring to work every day.

Career Advice: How to Achieve Your Career Goals

To advance your career, consider what motivates you to succeed. What impact will reaching your goals make on your life? What might get in your way? Clarity strengthens purpose.

• Be specific about what you want to achieve, and write down your goals. The more details you provide, the greater your chance of recognizing the right opportunities. Asking yourself open-ended questions about your intentions, then writing your answers brings clarity. Research demonstrates that putting pencil to paper, and physically writing your thoughts, helps strengthen your brain’s connection to your goals. Keeping a written copy also will provide a checklist and a mark in time against which you can assess progress.

• State your targeted career growth time frame, and work toward it by charting your next steps.

• Keep your career game plan checklist where you can see it and monitor your progress.

• If you feel overwhelmed, chunk down your list and approach your goal(s) one step at a time.

• If you find yourself falling off track, pick a step you can work on in the next day, week or month. That step might be as simple as refreshing your resumé, hiring a business coach, checking the Elite Technical Job Board , or registering for a technology certification program. As you make progress, your motivation will grow.

• Identify what you must learn to master challenging objectives; then identify the resources you need. You might need to improve your interview skills, build social media connections, or add an in-demand skill set to your resume. You also might need to identify a training program or necessary financial resources. Meeting those needs starts with a first step forward.

To support your technical career plan, contact the Elite Technical team. We’ve got resources we’re happy to share.

CELEBRATING 25 YEARS OF SERVICE EXCELLENCE

Thu, 02 Nov 2017 18:08:41 GMT

We're Grateful for the Opportunity to Help Companies Identify and Hire Talented People

Elite Technical opened its doors November 2, 1992 as a humble home-based startup with a dream. Today, we are privileged to mark our 25th year as a provider of top-tier technology talent to the nation's leading companies. And, we have you to thank for it.

We owe our success to the many companies who took a chance on our small firm over the years; a trusted corps of accomplished Information Technology and Engineering consultants who expertly serve our clients every day; and our dedicated group of corporate associates, several of whom have been with our team since Day One. Serving you all has been our pleasure and privilege.

As we embark on our next quarter century, the Elite Technical team is grateful to the many people who made our growth possible. Your unflagging support gifted us with tremendous opportunity to grow our own business and help many others in the process. We love that we've been able to pay it forward.

"The opportunity to serve, to help develop the careers of our consultants, and to impact the mission-critical projects of our clients leaves us both honored and humbled," said Joseph Monaco, Senior Vice President and Co-Founder. "We recognize the staggering role technology advances make in business and society and we are thrilled to play even a small part."

At Elite Technical, we have always been proud to honor our solid heritage of excellence, integrity, respect, transparency and service. We are passionate as ever about our mission, our people, and the role we play in shaping careers and companies.

"We have worked every day of the last quarter-century to exceed customer expectations and ensure progress for our clients, consultants and company alike," said Donna Keller, President and Co-Founder. "We have great appreciation for the opportunity to partner with so many well-regarded people and companies over the years. In the words of Henry Ford, 'Coming together is a beginning, keeping together is progress, working together is success.' "

Technology touches billions of lives each day. We are honored to keep many hands on the pulse and deeply grateful to all who have made Elite Technical's last 25 years possible.

We'll see you on the journey forward!

STUDIES SHOW CANDIDATES PREFER HIGH TOUCH TO HIGH TECH

Tue, 31 Oct 2017 16:37:10 GMT

WHY WE BELIEVE HIGH TOUCH IS A POWERFUL BUSINESS STRATEGY

A recent survey found that 91% of job seekers believe technology has made the job search process significantly more effective; at the same time, 87% believe technology makes the process more impersonal, according to featured news on the American Staffing Association website.

While we love technology, the heart of our business from Day One has been our people: our inside team, those we’ve embraced as Elite Technical consultants and the clients we serve. Our high-tech operation has been solidly high-touch from the get go!

Why High-Touch Is a Powerful Business Strategy

1. As the saying goes, people want to do business with people they like and trust. To like and trust you, they need to know you. They need to hear you speak, sense how you think, and tell you what’s important to them, too. They need to believe you have their best interest at heart. That requires a personal connection.

2. While it takes more time to have a conversation than to zip off an email, time invested in real discussion leads to the deeper insights needed to serve candidates and companies well. When people experience the trust and rapport built through expert service, they are more likely to stay engaged. It’s a win-win.

3. We believe employee loyalty and retention are essential to business success. Great experiences enhance loyalty. 89% of companies cite customer experience as a key factor driving loyalty and customer retention. Candidates and employees are our customers. Fostering meaningful experiences for customers (especially Millennials who thrive on experiences) leads to greater longevity, which contributes to a stronger bottom line. (It costs five times less to keep a customer happy than to find a new one.) Again, win-win.

4. When we dig deeper into a candidate's past and potential contributions through personal dialog, we seize an opportunity to strengthen the relationship. We learn why and how to value those candidates; we gather information that teaches us how to respect and regard them. This business intelligence fosters the deeper engagement needed for those long-term, high-value relationships that serve every business well.

Wonder how well our high-touch approach works at Elite Technical? Here’s what a contractor told us:

".... From the first e-mail exchange between us and the first telephone call I received, [my Elite Technical recruiter] has consistently shown me he cares about me. I can tell he cares about me from the tone of his communications and the subject matter we discuss. [He] consistently follows up with me in a very timely manner regarding issues of import to Elite Technical and me ... Everything about [him] says he is a professional who not only takes his work seriously, but deep down really cares about the people he works with .... I feel like I have a good friend in [him], although we have never met in person. In my opinion, that speaks volumes about the kind of person he is …” — M. Busby, Systems Engineer

Learn more about Elite Technical contractor experiences at: elitetechnicaljobs.com

Opening Opportunities for Technology Consultants

Fri, 27 Oct 2017 14:47:21 GMT

A Sampling of Elite Technical’s September 2017 Placements

Elite Technical is privileged to place talented technology consultants with leading companies throughout the year. In September, our recruiting teams and account managers celebrated our new placements because we believe in celebrating a job well done. Wondering what positions we filled? Check out highlighted placements below.

Field Technician - Supporting a highly regarded IT services client, Elite Technical placed a mid-level Field Technician in the Treasure Coast region of Florida. The project involves modernizing much of the existing network/telecom backbone for a large State’s voice/data systems.

Are you seeking placement as a Field Technician? Contact us.

Software Engineer - Elite Technical also placed a senior level Software Engineer with strong Object Oriented C/C++ programming experience who will write front-end applications in a Linux environment for accessing an innovative camera device. Are you a Software Engineer looking for a new placement? Let us know your goals.

Security Engineer - We also placed a Security Engineer who will provide complex engineering analysis and support for firewalls, routers, networks and operating systems. This engineer also will perform and evaluate vulnerability scans within a multi-platform, large enterprise environment.

Seeking a position in Data Security? Ask us who we know.

Tune in again next month for an update on new placements, and check out Elite Technical’s Career page on LinkedIn here. Know a talented consultant seeking his or her next placement? Please share our information.

An Innovative Technology Services Company – Driven by Talented People

We are passionate about serving our clients. How can we help you?

Founded in New York in 1992, Elite Technical is a privately held, certified Woman-Owned Small Business (WOSB). Talent recruiting is our core expertise.

From our humble genesis as a home-based startup, Elite Technical grew into a nationally recognized provider of Information Technology and Engineering talent. Today, our respected client base includes leaders in Aerospace, Defense, Commercial Enterprise, Financial IT, Healthcare IT, Media, Power & Energy, as well as top-tier federal systems integrators and key governmental agencies.

To learn more about Elite Technical’s capabilities, please give us a call at 1-800-ELITE-50.

FIVE THINGS TO LOOK FOR IN AN IT PROFESSIONAL SERVICES COMPANY

Sat, 16 Jan 2016 00:00:00 GMT

Finding the right IT Professional Services Company is important, but not always easy. Here are five traits you should look for that will save you time and money.

General economic improvement, uptick in technology spending, and the rapid migration to mobile platforms and cloud computing is causing more companies to invest in technology. According to the Gartner Worldwide IT Spending Forecast, IT spending is projected to accelerate from 2014 to 2017 at an annual rate of over 3.5%. This means that a lot more investing will happen in technology and with all this spending, there will be many IT service companies clamoring for attention.

Finding the right IT Professional Services Company to partner with is very important, but is not always easy. Here are five traits you should look for when seeking out an IT Professional Services Company that will save you time and money and ensure your projects are completed on time and on budget.

Five Things to Look For:

Expertise. Every complex project will inevitably encounter unexpected variables that are unique to that situation. Working with a company that has expertise in your particular field will prevent a variable from becoming a time-consuming roadblock.
Integrity. Due to the complex nature of IT projects there are bound to be issues that require trust; a company with integrity gives you piece of mind knowing the smallest details of your project have been handled appropriately.
Experience. A company that is able to draw from their prior experiences in order to address common problems that companies like yours have faced in the past. They are ahead of the learning curve and will help complete your project quickly while minimizing day-to-day problems.
Wide Range of Services. Delegating individual segments of an project to different service companies or individuals is time-consuming and potentially hazardous to your project deadline. Each has their own strategy of completing the task given to them, and because of that you risk bringing on multiple strategies that ultimately may not work well together. Sometimes, the individual groups you hired to collaborate on a mission-critical workgroup can’t to work together.
1. When you work with an IT Professional Services Company with a wide range of services, it is much easier on your project schedule. The IT Professional Services Company will able to handle all of your needs effortlessly and seamlessly in a timely manner without the run-around.
A Network of Trusted Talent. Even IT Professional Service Companies that provide a wide range of services may not be able to provide all the answers. If your IT Professional Service Company is not able to address a concern that arises, they should be able to put you in contact with someone who can. An IT Professional Service Company with a network of trusted talent that they collaborate with regularly will be able to meet your needs through a resourcefulness that other IT companies may not be able to supply.

Bonus: In it for the long haul. Whether your next project is large and mission-critical or simple, it is important to find an IT Professional Services Company that is interested in establishing a long-term partnership. This ensures that if you need modifications or upgrades you can work with the same experts that helped you with the initial implementation. Just like you visit the same doctor, make sure your IT Professional Services Company is one you continue to work with as your company grows.

Are you in the process of searching for an IT Professional Services Company to help with an upcoming project? Contact us to discuss how we can help you.

WHY STAFF AUGMENTATION IS YOUR BEST OPTION FOR THE NEXT THREE YEARS

Sat, 02 Jan 2016 00:00:00 GMT

Staff augmentation is the solution many companies are using because it is most effective in helping them when it comes to the needs of their business. Here are a few reasons why Staff Augmentation may benefit your business.

Even though the US economy has been steadily growing the last four years (according to a myriad of economic indicators) many American companies are still uneasy about the future prospects of the health of the recovery. The tepid economic environment has caused most American companies to be extremely cautious about expanding their staff, which can be seen in the monthly hiring reports released by the Labor Department and ADP.

Why Choose Staff Augmentation?

Companies are getting creative in order to maintain current productivity and pursue new growth opportunities while adequately staffing workgroups, staying within budget, and minimizing risk exposure if the economy experiences a double dip or a slowdown.

Staff Augmentation Helps Find the Right People for the Job

Staff Augmentation gives a company the opportunity to fully staff workgroups with precision and efficiency. Individuals with specific skill sets are brought up to speed quickly and make immediate positive contributions to the project. Staff Augmentation provides an ability to adapt and increases nimbleness which aligns with the needs of the finance department to improve clarity on expense management.

Staff Augmentation Saves Money

Cost reduction is another major advantage of Staff Augmentation. Using Staff Augmentation cuts your costs by eliminating productivity slumps caused by training inexperienced personnel and reduces redundant staffing overlap. The Human Resources Department will be able to work with a staff augmentation expert to assist your company with the precise duration and expertise of staffing needed in order to keep costs at a minimum.

Staff Augmentation Gives Companies Flexibility

Minimizing an organization’s risk exposure to an economic downturn is the biggest advantage to Staff Augmentation. Staff Augmentation gives companies the ability to adapt to future unforeseen variables. This flexibility will save a company a great deal annually and reduce financial stress.

The Bottom Line

Staff augmentation allows a large, successful company to sustain its competitive advantages while being able to react to change like its smaller, more nimble counterparts. According to a recent study conducted by Gartner, IT spending is going to increase dramatically over the next three years. Still, companies will approach this opportunity with an appropriate amount of caution due to the uncertain US economic environment, tight corporate margins, and the necessity to maintain flexibility.

Are you interested in exploring how staff augmentation can help your business? Contact us to begin discussing your needs with a Staff Augmentation expert.