When you’re focused on these things, it can be easy to lose focus of the other important job components. You might have all the right skills to work on a project, but what about the skills that make you a successful co-worker, leader, or team member? Soft skills are the additional requirements that businesses want to see in a candidate that says that can contribute, play well with others, and can use their skills and knowledge to make an impact.

What are some of the most important soft skills?

• Good Communication: You don’t need to be an English major, but it’s important to be able to communicate effectively and professionally. You need to be able to follow up on an email and even write a report that someone outside of your department can understand. In the workplace, it’s also important to be able to communicate in ways that are different from how you’re used to – you’ll need to get comfortable emailing, calling, texting, video chatting, and more.
• Being Organized: Being able to complete a project is absolutely an asset. But it’s also important to be able to meet deadlines and even multi-task occasionally. It can be easy to be heads-down at your desk working on a project and lose track of time or miss an email or meeting. Being organized and able to manage your time goes a long way.
• Being a Team Player: No matter what you’re doing – programming, troubleshooting, installation, or product development – it’s key to be able to work well with others. Teams are how a lot of work gets done and the most successful employees are the ones who can go off on their own and work and can also come together as part of the group.

Mastering these soft skills can help give you an edge over other candidates and present you as a well-rounded potential employee. If you’re looking for a place to put your skills to work, get in touch today.

The post Improve Your Soft Skills to Increase your Hireability appeared first on Open Systems Inc..

Continuous Engineering Recruitment

One of the main differences of using an engineering recruitment agency compared to using your company’s internal human resources or corporate recruiters is professional engineering recruiters like Open Systems are continually identifying and cultivating new engineering career talent.

Our engineer recruiters are an integrated part of professional, industry and trade organizations where we meet talent at all career levels for all types of engineers, such as electrical, applications, software, network, civil and manufacturing.

For internal human resources or corporate recruiters, the recruitment process doesn’t begin until positions and budgets are approved. This is a significant disadvantage because it delays the candidate identification process by several weeks.

Recruiters are Ready When You Are

By already having a qualified and varied applicant database, engineering recruiters can quickly move to the qualifying stage of matching engineer candidates to your company’s specific job description in just a matter of days.

Internal hiring processes typically take two months or longer for high-demand fields like engineering. Often, by the time the interview process is ready to start, the candidates have been placed elsewhere. In a competitive career like engineering, immediacy is critical.

Efficiency in Hiring Engineering Candidate

Professional engineering staffing firms like Open Systems have proven recruitment processes that ensure the most efficient use of your hiring manager’s time. Here’s an example of Open Systems’ recruiting process.

This five-step best practice recruiting process all happens BEFORE each candidate is submitted for requisition:

• Skill evaluation
• Reference checks
• Right to represent from the candidate
• Negotiate rate
• Social profile verification

Moving Forward

Recruiting and hiring for technical positions, like engineering, can be a challenging task, especially in today’s competitive job market. One of the best strategies is to align your company with professional recruiters that are an integral part of the engineering profession.

At Open Systems, our senior engineering recruiters are involved participants in the engineering communities. Contact our engineering recruiters today!

The post Why Use a Staffing Agency for Engineering Hires? appeared first on Open Systems Inc..

The Top Signs It’s Time for A Change

 You Have More Bad Days than Good Days

If you’re having more bad days than good days, then it may be time for a change. There are many times when a professional becomes dissatisfied with their position or job responsibilities. When this occurs, most of the time the only resolution is moving on. Before moving on, however, make a list of what really makes you unhappy with your current situation. What would improve your mood and career satisfaction? By performing this intake, you will ensure that your next job will improve your happiness and will not just be a temporary placebo of being ‘something new.’

You Aren’t Being Promoted 

While the sting of being passed over for a promotion hurts, it may be a sign that you need a change. Whether the reason is based on skills or personal relationships, it is best to accept that this situation probably won’t improve and now is the time to find something new. If your skills are at the heart of the issue, participate in some training and possibly earn certifications to get your skills up-to-date. With updated skills in hand, it’s time to get your resume out and start finding a new role where the slate is clean.

A Robot May Soon Be Filling Your Chair

With the emergence of artificial intelligence (AI), many companies are automating some positions. Roles in cloud and platform technologies are especially vulnerable. For professionals who find themselves competing with AI, it may be time to invest in some new training. It is also best to do a little research and discover new roles that are in-line with your past experience and which have a bright future ahead without too many robots in the competition pool!

Moving Forward

A professional’s career is a long and varied road. At times, there are signs that a big move could increase personal happiness and professional growth. When the times comes to make your next big move, contact the experts at Open Systems. At Open Systems, we place tech professionals in all stages of their careers. Contact us today to learn more!

The post When is the Right Time to Make a Career Move? appeared first on Open Systems Inc..

The Top Benefits of Working with a Recruiter 

Expert Advice on Resume and Interview Preparation

“More than 250 resumes will be submitted for every corporate job opening. From this pile of over 250 resumes, 4 to 6 candidates will be interviewed, and 1 will be offered the job.” With statistics like these, it’s imperative that your resume is in the best possible shape to stand out from the competition. A recruiter can provide a candidate with valuable resume tips. Tips include the proper industry format and right buzzwords that will make a resume truly shine. Also, a professional recruiter can help prepare candidates for interviews. This preparation can significantly increase the chances the interview will be successful.

The Ability to Help Candidates Find the Right Placement

Professional recruiters have the necessary industry knowledge and expertise which allows them to match a candidate with a company correctly. Recruiters take the time to read a candidate’s resume and learn about a candidate’s background including future aspirations ensuring that the position a candidate is placed in will move their career forward in the future.

Industry Connections: Access to Jobs Not Publicly Posted

Many companies today are forgoing in-house recruiting divisions, instead opting to seek outside recruiting services. This shift away from in-house recruiters is occurring for two reasons. The first, companies want recruiters who have a diverse reach. Secondly, in-house recruiters can cost a lot in overhead, cutting into corporate budgets. By utilizing outside recruiters, organizations can better budget recruiting and hiring expenses. Due to this change in recruiting strategy, many job openings now go straight to contracted recruiters, thus ensuring that many job postings never find their way to a corporate website or job board. This is especially true for more senior IT and IT executive level positions.

Market Knowledge To Ensure Smooth Negotiations and Top Compensation

Compensation negotiations are challenging events, which if not executed correctly can cause negative results. Since these negotiations are so crucial to success, it is best to have a professional negotiating on your behalf. Recruiters know how to handle negotiations properly and how to keep them on track if they hit a snag. Also, with their years of experience placing candidates, coupled with their industry knowledge, recruiters know their market. Thus, candidates who work with professional recruiters are much more likely to receive offers that are in-line with market conditions.

Moving Forward

A job search is a long, complicated process. One of the best ways to combat this laborious process is to have a professional recruiter in your corner.  At Open Systems, we are experts in working with and placing candidates in the tech industry, at all stages of their careers. Contact us today to learn more!

The post The Importance of Working with a Recruiter in Your IT Job Search appeared first on Open Systems Inc..