The Minnesota IT market has a wide variety of IT talent and company cultures. Recruiters have a real advantage in making placements because they see both the candidate and the company in-person before an interview. It’s kind of like having an insider on your blind date set-up. A recruiter’s job is to match the right candidate with the right company culture (assuming the skill set is already in alignment).
Most IT candidates meet with recruiters because they are looking for a variety of job options. They are looking for both full-time and consulting openings, openings at large and small companies, and openings calling for different technical skills. It is a recruiter’s job to let candidates know about the current Minnesota IT market, which includes everything from compensation questions to culture questions.
When it comes to Minnesota IT cultures, that’s when the matching of candidates and companies gets fun. Candidates have their choice of working everywhere from smaller companies with a ping-pong table in the lobby, to larger corporations with on-site daycare. Some larger corporations have a business dress code, but allow their IT staff to wear jeans everyday or work remotely. Some smaller companies have an inviting culture, but higher benefit costs.
Minnesota IT hiring companies also have choices to make. Some hiring managers are looking for a software developer who can interface with management and their clients. Others are looking for a heads-down coder with creative solutions, who don’t need to interact with the rest of the company. Many companies are simply looking for the right skill set at the right price point.
The price point is where you see the full-time versus consulting debate. Most candidates are looking for the best job for their career and family, whether that is a full-time or consulting opening. Some candidates are adamant about wanting either the stability of a full-time job or the greater income of consulting work.
Companies usually hire a mix of consultants and full-time candidates, but depending on company strategy, they either want to hire more full-time IT candidates or more IT consultants at certain times. Companies need to hire consultants to move projects forward, but companies are always looking for full-time candidates who can be a long-term asset to their organization.
IT Recruiters can be helpful to both candidates and consultants for a number of reasons. Recruiters are great leading indicators of the Minnesota IT market. They know which company is hiring and firing, and what makes certain employers stand out from the pack. IT Recruiters also meet a lot of candidates and hiring managers, and know specifically what they are looking for. If you are a Minnesota IT candidate or hiring manager and have not called a recruiter lately, do it, and let the matchmaking begin!
Content provided by Joe Janasz
