Logo courtesy of Sapphire Technologies
Sapphire Technologies, a Randstad company, helps connect technical and engineering professionals with the best IT jobs in the industry. Sapphire has been around for over 25 years and has a global network of member companies and is one of the most extensive IT staffing organizations in the world. I'm privileged to have a friend, Mike Louer, who is a recruiter for Sapphire and he was kind enough to do a quick Q & A session regarding today's marketplace in IT staffing. His contact is below in case you may be looking for a job in this field. Just taking a quick look at opportunities they currently have in Chicago, I see positions ranging from Web Developer, Systems Engineer, Director of IT - Healthcare Systems, Coldfusion Developer, and many more.
1)How has 2009 been thus far in the recruiting industry? How has it progressed?
The job market and economy in general started a drastic downward spiral towards mid-late Q4 of 2008 and certainly didn't get any better as we started a new year. Massive layoffs, hiring freezes and panic were the norm in Q1 of 2009 and job orders were scarce to non-existant. However, there seems to have been a gradual increase in opportunities as of the last 8-12 weeks.
2)How is the tech space doing from your viewpoint?
Technology has typically been an area that seems to fare better than most industries in times of economic downturn. Areas such as HR, clerical and operations seem to take the hardest hits in suffering economies.
3)Are there any specific niche spaces within the tech space that are seeing more growth and hiring than others?
Health Care technology seems to be the hottest space right now and virtually the only area with actual growth. As most medical providers are moving towards electronic billing and record keeping, individuals who are trained and certified in those technologies are in high demand. Outside of that I can't say that there is one area that is stronger than others within technology right now. However it seems that most companies are looking for canidates that can wear multiple hats. Technical specialists are being asked to perform more business and client-facing related tasks so strong communication skills are required where they perhaps could have been over looked before.
4)Has the Federal government stimulus packaged had any effects on your industry and clients hiring?
I have yet to see a major impact from the stimulas package, the majority of that spend seems to be going towards government contracting. Most of the clients we service are in the financial, insurance and manufacturing domain, the government sector is an entirley different beast.
5)How long does Sapphire typically have a job before it is filled?
Contract positions that are fully funded typically close within 48-72 hrs. Permanent positions usually take longer, perhaps 2-4 weeks. There are many, many candidates on the market right now and almost 500 local vendors competing for each and every job order.
6)Does Sapphire place temp, FT, contract or all of them?
Sapphire specializes in contract, contract-to-hire and permanent placement.
7)What are some recommendations to people looking for jobs from your vantage point? What are you seeing in the marketplace and is there anything you can take away from that to give advice to job seekers?
My best advice is to stay positive. While that might be easier said than done, candidates whom appear frustrated and disgruntled due to being unemployed have trouble networking and interviewing. Talk to every recruiter, I don't have access to every job in town and neither does the recruiter who just called you, but by broadening your search you expand your network and increase your chances of getting an interview. Continuing education and training is key as well. Hiring managers will ask you how you've been spending your time while unemployed and simply saying you've been looking for work is not going to cut it. You want to make sure you keep your skills sharp and current, even if you haven't been activiely working.
8)Last but not least, what opportunities are you currently working on and looking to fill?
We always have opportunities within the areas of Project Management, Business Analysis, Development, Database Adminstration, Networking and Support.
If someone is interested in speaking with you, how can they reach you?
mike.louer@sapphire.com
http://www.linkedin.com/in/mikelouer
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