How to Identify a Great Tech Recruiter

Automated recruiting platforms allow tech companies to significantly streamline the hiring process. The platforms sift through resumes, zero in on qualified applicants, and even schedule interviews.

For the applicant, however, hiring platforms are another hurdle that must be overcome on the way to securing a job. As a result, many seeking tech jobs look to tech recruiters to help them navigate the job search process and bypass the challenges that automated platforms pose.

“If you are looking for a job in today’s tech market, you can apply for the job along with everyone else and run the risk of getting auto rejected by the HR department’s automated platform, or you can bypass HR completely and go directly to the hiring manager with the help of a recruiter,” explains Michael Gibbs, CEO of Go Cloud Careers.

Gibbs has more than two decades of experience in helping tech pros secure elite careers in cloud computing. Go Cloud Careers takes a unique approach to training that provides students with a deep knowledge of both cloud computing technologies and business acumen. This “certification plus” approach has proven to be wildly successful, resulting in virtually 100 percent of those who complete the Go Cloud Career training securing jobs with six-figure salaries.

The role of the tech recruiter

To understand the value that recruiters bring to the job search process, think of the value that a realtor brings to finding a home. Realtors have the expertise to serve as an expert advocate for both the buyer and the seller. They understand what both parties need, as well as the industry trends that can influence the transaction. Their unique perspective positions them to bring two parties together in a way that is mutually beneficial.

Recruiters play the same type of role in the job search process. They understand the technical skills, qualifications, and experience that companies are looking for, as well as the opportunities that applicants seek. Recruiters can quickly provide companies with a list of vetted applicants who are poised and ready to step into any available role.

As Gibbs explains, companies rely on recruiters because they can identify the needle in the haystack.

“Companies hire a recruiter because they know that it is nearly impossible to find a great candidate for their key technology and executive leadership positions,” he says. “A company might need to interview 10,000 people to find that one person who can actually do the job. Instead of taking the time to whittle down the list, they look to a recruiter to provide them with top applicants.”

Finding a great recruiter

Whether you are a company looking for great applicants or an applicant looking for great opportunities, the key to finding a great recruiter is identifying someone with insider information. The best recruiters know much more than the information you can find on the internet. They are essentially insiders who have personal connections with hiring managers and have spent time getting to know applicants.

Gibbs describes the best recruiters as sales executives who have the information they need to effectively sell their clients to the hiring manager.

“To sell something effectively, you need to know the exact needs of the person who is buying,” Gibbs explains. “Great recruiters must have deep relationships with hiring managers. They’re probably playing golf with them periodically. They’re having dinners with them. They know exactly what the corporate leadership wants in an applicant.”

By building a strong relationship with hiring managers, recruiters also gain the insights needed to look beyond the job description and understand exactly what type of applicant a company needs.

“Most managers don’t have time to write a job description, so they go to the internet, cut and paste a little from what they find there, and throw in some stuff of their own. Therefore, most job descriptions are more of a comedy routine than an actual explanation of what the job will entail,” Gibbs says.

Recruiters are able to reach out to the hiring manager to get a true picture of the company’s needs. Armed with that knowledge, they can turn to their database of applicants and find the right fit.

The final step in the process involves the recruiter positioning the applicant for success. This involves tuning their resume to fit the position, giving them the insider info that will help them win the interview, and pre-selling them to the hiring manager.

“A good recruiter is a strong asset to have on your side when it comes to getting hired,” Gibbs says. “They can polish you up and present you as the best candidate for the employer, giving you a competitive edge and helping you secure the job of your dreams.”