IamA Technical Recruiter for one of the largest government contractors in the US. Ask Me Anything!

Do you know of anyone looking for senior Swift developers? I've 5 years experience.

I have honestly never heard of a Swift Developer haha. What is that?

It's a crummy joke :( Swift is a programming language that was announced by Apple 2 days ago.

You slick sonofabitch.

Please explain "technical" recruiter. What is a "technical" career field? I only ask because I'm finishing up 11 years active Army service in logistics, and looking for a new career.

I basically hire people in the information technology field. Software Engineers, Network Engineers, Data Admins, etc.

11 years in the military with your profession, I think you shouldn't have a problem finding a job. Companies seem to hire ex military over civilians.

Audio engineers? Need one? It says engineer

I don't need one, but there are a lot of positions out there for them.

Any thing for Air Traffic Control Specialists? The FAA ain't biting BECAUSE I have experience.

No unfortunately not :(

I'm relocating from the D.C area right now to head back to Michigan. Any tips, tricks or such. What should I be prepared for? If you don't mind me asking.

Get your resume out there ASAP and create profiles on websites like Monster and Careerbuilder. Also, try indeed.com. It's a great job board that pulls every job posted from every job board when you do your search. Also, make sure you have a detailed linkedin account. Believe it or not, people do check those things. Good luck!

Also, find local staffing companies to the area and reach out to at least one recruiter at each one and stay in touch with them. You never know when they'll have a job pop up that fits your background. It's good to establish a relationship with them. Most recruiters, good ones at least, genuinely want to help you find something. It gives us great pleasure when we make someone happy finding them a job.

Not to harp on the subject https://www.usajobs.gov/ is what one would need to apply to for non-contracted gov't positions.

True. That is a good one.

By technical I usually think draftsmen, assemblers, builders, engineers etc. The more mechanical side of things. Having a degree in product design I see less demand for physical development as opposed to electronic development. The times are a changing I guess.

Is there demand for designers or engineers these days?

I'm really not sure. By technical I mean software engineers, data architects and things like that. When you hear IT (Information Technology) that's usually the type of positions they're referring to. I know physical development isn't in AS high of demand as electronic development, you're right about that.

What's the most unprofessional thing you've seen a professional person do?

Oh man, there are so many occasions. One that stands out was at my first recruiting job. In that particular company, it was against policy to date others in the office, like you could lose your job over this. They found out my manager was dating the girl in HR (who was about 20 years younger than him, that baller) and they fired him. She quit 2 days later, but before she left she sent out a mass email to everyone in the company that basically said "You are all terrible people and when your time comes, god will be the one who judges you. You all have a special place in hell for the terrible things you've done to us". I had no idea she was nuts, but man that was some weird shit.

I also once worked with a guy who I hung out with outside of the office one time with my girlfriend at the time. Apparently he was a huge douche bag and I didn't know it. I went to the bathroom at the club we were at, and apparently while I was gone the guy asked my gf what she was doing with a guy like me, said she should be with a guy like him and asked her if she'd like to come back to his place. She told him to fuck off. We broke up a few months later and he heard about it. He asked me if he could have her number because she's available and my manager told me to take a couple days off because he saw me headed over to his cube to punch him in the face (which I was going to, I was too young to care). One of my friends at work grabbed me and directed me out of the door. In hindsight, I'm glad my coworker stopped me from hurting him. I had been training in MMA at the time and i could have really hurt the guy. The dude was rich and would have sued the shit out of me. To this day, I'd still like to drop him.

Twist: OP gives example of himself as professional acting unprofessional in workplace.

You got me.

Everyone has someone in their office they would like to punch in the face.

Not in my office. Which is the first time in my life I can say that.

You must be 'that guy' then.

Shit, I didn't even think about that. Now I'm paranoid.

In that particular company, it was against policy to date others in the office, like you could lose your job over this.

That's a bit draconian isn't it? I know it can be awkward if people split up and have to work together but that's their problem.

Yeah I thought it was ridiculous. It's the only company I've worked for who had that policy.

Why was only the guy fired? I'm sure she was dating him just as much as he was dating her.

He left so she could keep her job. He assumed all responsibility. She left on her own terms.

What's the job market really like for technical professionals, from your perspective?

Do you recruit engineers for remote work?

It really depends on where you live. In the DC metro area, it's booming pretty well. I don't know about the rest of the country and I also don't see a lot of remote work for engineers. At least not on the contract I work on.

Quantico is a hotbed right now, I just got an offer :)

Quantico is always a hotbed. Congratulations! I've heard it's a good place to work.

Hope so, for all I know it's with your company. :)

It very well could be.

Are you hiring?

Depends on what you do. Plus, I would like to remain anonymous on Reddit, but you can always apply to available jobs online :)

Honestly, my company is so big, I have no idea what positions are available outside of the contract I work on. Most of our positions usually require pretty high level security clearances. If you're asking if we're hiring recruiters, not at the moment, no.

What about recent a recent college grad (AS) that lives on the other side of the country?

That's hard to say. I know it's harder and harder for recent grads to find a new job. All I can say is post your resume everywhere. Monster and careerbuilder are good sites, and indeed.com is a good site to search on. The best advice I can give, put a couple hours into searching each day and network as much as you can. Realistically, it could take a year or longer for you to find a job, just do not give up. Keep looking until you find something. The hardest thing is getting a foot in the door, but once you do, if you do well, you're set. Work something part time just to make some money and keep looking for a full time job and eventually you'll get one. Like my dad always said, just keep doing the foot work.

I lived in DC for years, contracted out to the freddie mac office out in Ashburn( they're building a metro out that way I hear? Insanity) and I did a little bit of pre-screening for our new temps and a lot of your info is 100% spot on. Its just nice to hear someone telling everyone super useful info. Faking it isn't always making it. Lol

Yeah I'm hoping the metro clears up some traffic because it's ridiculous out here.

As far as fake it til you make it goes. Some times honesty will get you further than you think.

I currently work for one of the largest government contractors in the US as well! Is the system "it's all about who you know" the only way to get noticed? What would increase my chances of getting an interview if I know no one in company?

No, once you reach a certain point it's not ALL about who you know, but it certainly helps. What I would do is try to find the specific people hiring for the job you're interested in, try to find their email or linkedin account and email them directly. I would definitely make sure you have a very well written resume. If you're completely unsure how to write a resume, contact and pay someone to write it for you. It's definitely worth the investment. A resume is the strongest first impression you're going to make.

What's the most common mistake you've seen job-seekers make?

Well one of the biggest ones is having a sloppy resume. You have to have a good looking resume to grab someones eye. It shows your attention to detail and willingness to do something the right way and take pride in your work.

Also, acting desperate in an interview. Never say "I just need a job" or anything to that affect. Some managers will understand, but most will take it as "this person will say anything just to get a job and could be lying". Be confident in your skills and work ethic. Act interested in the job, but don't act desperate. You should be there to interview the hiring manager just as much as they're interviewing you. A good manager will appreciate that.

Thanks for the response. Are there any other red flags that you often see that most job-seekers don't really understand are negative? And just for kicks, what are some of the worst flubs you've ever seen people make as they look for work?

Some people are just weird to be honest haha. That or they have a negative attitude. Go in with a positive attitude. No one wants to work with an asshole.

I haven't come across any major flubs, but I have been conducting a technical phone screen with someone and after a question they would say "ummm, uuuuh, uuum" while I could hear them typing because they were trying to look up the answer. I call them out every time and usually get off the phone with them pretty quick.

Can I show you my resume and have you look over it? I am having lots of trouble finding a job.

Because of the contract I work on, I honestly have to remain anonymous on here. However, I would definitely contact a recruiter and ask them for recommendations. There should be a ton of recruiters around. Also, you can pay someone to write your resume for you to make it look really good. Sorry I can't be of more help :(

Thanks for all the questions everyone! It was fun. Unfortunately I have to sign off now, but I'll try to answer as many questions as I can when I get back.

Thanks for doing this:
-What constitutes a good cover letter? Do I need to include everything mentioned in the job offer?

-If a job asks for experience I don't have, should I still apply or do I go directly on the reject file?

-I assume it's really bad to lie on your CV. Do you have a story about someone who made an outrageous claim on his CV and got caught out?

-Is there a tactic to play hard to get on an interview, saying you're not sure if you'd actually take the job? Or is that just plain stupid?

-Is it good to try to do some small talk with the interviewer before/after (because I will most likely be working with them) or should I keep it professional?

-Do people still ask the crazy questions like "How many golfballs would you need to fill a bus?"

1. A cover letter actually is pretty uncommon later in your career. I usually see these for people just getting started. You don't need to include everything in the job description, just write your experience and what would make you a valuable asset to the company.
2. Still apply. There are some things that you might have, and the things you don't they can easily train you on.
3. Yeah, don't lie on your resume. No one likes dishonest people, especially in the work place. No crazy stories, but I have seen it happen.
4. In an interview you can say something along the lines of "I'm really interested in this position, but there are a couple others I'm looking at as well".
5. Yes, absolutely make friends with the interviewer. This is beyond important, especially if you're new in your field. A lot of managers will hire you based on personality. If they think you would be a great person to work with, they can train you on everything else. I always tell everyone, go in there and make friends with the person. If they really like you but you don't fit the job, they'll remember you when something comes along that you are a fit for. I've seen this happen more times than I can count.
6. No I've never heard any crazy questions like that. I had one lady in an interview ask me when i'm sitting at a red light, do I look at the other light to see when it turns red so I can go as soon as the other one turns green. But that was a good question. She was trying to judge my level of patience.

How has the job market changed over the last nine years? Were there more jobs available nine years ago? Are you getting more qualified applicants than you used to?

It's actually kind of hard to tell. Because I'm in the DC metro area, there are always a lot of jobs on government contracts. I'm not sure what the difference is between the private sector then and now. However, 9 years ago, there were definitely a lot more government jobs coming out.

What languages do you see the most demand for from a developing standpoint?

On the contract I work on, Java and Ruby on Rails are in pretty high demand.

What is the normal salary for a cleared mid level java developer in the area

Generally between 70 to 90k. The higher level guys make around 120k+.

Do you get lot of contacts from outside of your country?

Not me personally, but there are a lot of contracts that need people willing to travel outside of the US.

That's all I apply to, but man, not having a degree is really hurting me. I just want to go back to Afghanistan hah.

Yeah it's tough sometimes, man. I never went to college, I just got a lucky break and consider myself extremely lucky to have ended up where I did. Just keep working at it and you'll find something.

Thoughts on jumping around? I'm 5 years out of college and on my 5th job, 4 major gov't contractors and now a small boutique consulting firm.

I've never been asked to leave, or had an issue with my other jobs, I've only happened to find better opportunities for growth at better pay. I'd love to answer the inevitable questions about it with "Don't give me a reason to leave," but try to be more PC about it in interviews.

Edit: DC metro area here.

If they're contracts, people will understand and if you weren't fired and did good work, you can always provide references. Just make sure you make it clear on your resume that they were short term contracts.

If you were let go from a lot of permanent positions, then yeah that raises concerns. I was a contractor for a bit and had four 6 month contracts in one year. With contract recruiting, that's extremely common.

how'd you get a job as a recruiter/ degree in human resoruces?

Nope, never went to college. Extreme luck. Met a guy at the gym who was the VP of a staffing company. Liked me and asked if I would like to give it a try. One of the coolest guys I've ever met.

I'm in the Baltimore area and have been working as a Technical Writer in IT (as a contractor) for the last seven years. Please woo me, I'm not challenged at my current position.

Look for another position. It's good that you already have a job because when you interview for other jobs, you can interview them to make sure it's what you're looking for. Make sure you let them know you're looking for more of a challenge. If you want a new job because you're not challenged, that tells me you take pride in your work and abilities and are probably a valuable asset. I don't think someone like you will have trouble finding what you're looking for.

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I don't see anything wrong with it, as long as they're not excessive. I have visible tattoos on both of my arms and I wear short sleeves every day. However, this is the first job I've had in my career that i can wear short sleeves. I used to have to wear long sleeves all the time. The way I see it, almost everyone has tattoos now. If they're not on your neck, face, hands and aren't some gang shit, who cares?

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You're probably getting an email that went through a system and was sent to 500 other people. You may have had one word in your resume that matches what they searched for. I get these all the time.

When are your recruits going to put us all in camps?

Devising a plan now.

The FBI is currently reconsidering its zero-tolerance policy on marijuana for some of their computer recruits. What is your opinion on this?

Good. Marijuana should be completely legalized. It's absolutely ridiculous that it's still illegal to fire up a joint and enjoy a movie that would suck if you watched it sober.

Dumb question: I'm a student, and I've done internships for three years. Would that count as three years of experience?

I'm also in the DC metro area BTW. Falls Church! :)

I definitely would, yeah.

Do you take fresh applicants, or only prior experience.

Also, can i have a job :)

The contract I recruit for only hires pretty high level people, but we do get a few for more entry level stuff but you have to have around 3 years of prior experience.

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In staffing it's a lot more cut throat and commission based jobs are always hard. We had set metrics we had to meet and it was definitely faster paced and a lot more work. I had to interview people before sending them off for an interview, etc. Now all I have to do is call them up, qualify them and find out their salary and then send them to the manager. I don't do any interviewing and I rarely have to negotiate salary. Also, if they get an offer and don't take it, I still make the same amount of money. Nothing pissed me off more than when someone accepted an offer then called the day before to say they took a better offer. It's like someone stealing $2000 out of your wallet. Basically, corporate recruiting is so much less stressful and generally corporate recruiters are more fun to work with.

Yeah sometimes I do feel bad for supporting the US government system, but the people we hire, it's not their fault that congress and our government suck.

During the application process, I've always been conflicted on the "What's your current salary" question. Is lying and saying you make more than you do to try to get a better offer frowned upon or expected?

I've always lied and never had a problem. There is no way for them to find out. If a company asks to see a copy of your W2 to prove it, get up and walk out. That's not a company you want to work for.

I recently left an agency recruiting job...this was always a tough question to have to ask people...and we did work with companies that asked for it.

On the upside...my current job didn't ask for a W2 and I got double my previous base :)

That's awesome. I did that when I left my last staffing job and transitioned to corporate. About a 40k raise. It's definitely a life changer and a jump I'm glad I made. Congrats to you!

Dyncorp?

In the words of Mark Wahlberg in The Departed "maybe, maybe not, maybe fuck yourself". I kid.

Did a 1 year contract with them in Afghanistan as a Prime Power Plant Operations guy. I know they have a lot of IT positions open right now, as I look at their jobs posted list every now and then. Dyncorp is one of the largest government contractors in the US. It's a pretty likely option.

Yeah they're huge, but I'll tell you I don't work for them. There are a few companies bigger than mine.

First of all, thank you for your time.

Your "Technical Recruiter" position got me very interested since I would consider myself in a technical field (television broadcast / engineering / production). But then I read your comment:

"I basically hire people in the information technology field. Software Engineers, Network Engineers, Data Admins, etc. "

Are there any technical recruiters that would hire media / production / design professionals for the corporate sector?

For example: Video / Audio producers, production managers, project managers, etc. Someone that would work alongside the creative / marketing team from concept to inception.

I have 15+ years of experience in television broadcast industry, but can never seem to find leads in the corporate industry. I can imagine that my skills can be very valuable outside the broadcast industry, but have no idea where to start. Any suggestions on finding those kind of jobs.

Oh yeah absolutely. There are positions like that on other contracts here. I just focus specifically on the positions I mentioned. Actually when I started here, I was surprised to see they had positions in your field for contracts in the federal govt.

Oh yeah absolutely. There are positions like that on other contracts here. I just focus specifically on the positions I mentioned. Actually when I started here, I was surprised to see they had positions in your field for contracts in the federal govt.

Thanks! Can you recommend a website or a recruiting service to start with if I wanted to pursue an industry change?

What area do you live in? I can probably do a quick search for staffing agencies in your area. Also, indeed.com is an awesome job search site. You basically put in what you're looking for and the location. It'll run a search and pull every job posted from every job board. It's really great.

New Jersey

What city? I have to run out, but I'll do a search when I get back to the office.

Say I have a few years as a technical analyst for a fortune 100 equipment manufacturer at a dealership level, a few years supervisory duties with same dealership and no college education. What are the chances of transitioning out of my sector without going to school? My current position title is Condition monitoring analyst. Sorry for any grammer/spelling errors, tiny screen/ keyboard.

Do you mean switching careers paths or just going from one sector to another? One sector to another shouldn't be too tough. I've done it without a degree. If you want to switch fields, it's probably pretty tough.

Since you've done both staffing and corporate recruiting, what would you say are the main difference between the two?

Someone asked this question already and here was my response.

In staffing it's a lot more cut throat and commission based jobs are always hard. We had set metrics we had to meet and it was definitely faster paced and a lot more work. I had to interview people before sending them off for an interview, etc. Now all I have to do is call them up, qualify them and find out their salary and then send them to the manager. I don't do any interviewing and I rarely have to negotiate salary. Also, if they get an offer and don't take it, I still make the same amount of money. Nothing pissed me off more than when someone accepted an offer then called the day before to say they took a better offer. It's like someone stealing $2000 out of your wallet. Basically, corporate recruiting is so much less stressful and generally corporate recruiters are more fun to work with.

Have you every hired anyone for NSA? And which Universities do you hire from for government contracts?

No, never worked on an NSA contract. We have done job fairs at universities in the area like George Mason and GWU.

When people ask me why I left my previous jobs, what is the best response?

I feel like the truth will get me disqualified (its happened before.)

For example, one of my jobs my manager flat out told me she didn't want me there as a supervisor (despite the fact that I was one of the top performing supervisors on the project) and that I had absolutely no room to continue moving up. Another job I just left recently had bed bug infestations that they refused to acknowledge or take care of.

How should I convey that kind of situation to recruiters?

Bed bug infestations? What in gods name do you do? haha.

You could say you left the job for a better opportunity. That's usually your safest bet. Let them know there was no more room for growth and you wanted more out of your career so you took a position where there was room to grow.

Well my previous positions have been call centers, and bed bugs are really bad in my city right now. Especially in places where there are a lot of people concurrently. I know callcenters are awful pitholes but I'm good at the work and I can manage a team like no one's business. I have a talent for getting people who hate their job to love doing it.

Thanks for the quick response, your AMA is really interesting!

You just keep doing what you're doing, have a good work ethic, stay good at what you do and you'll be ok :)

You keep saying you only recruit high level people. Can you elaborate on that. If I have a decade of experience and i teach my field, is that considered high level?

Yeah I would say so. What I mean is we don't usually get positions for entry level stuff.

How should someone who is currently employed but looking for a better opportunity go about doing it? As in, how do you keep your job while dealing with the risk of a prospective employer contacting your current employer as a reference?

Well first, you have to give them permission to contact your current employer. If they contact them without getting permission, they could face a lawsuit. In all my years, I've found that it's pretty hard for your current company to find out you're looking. Unless you go change into a suit and walk out of the building at lunch. Then they might be suspicious.

What universities do you recruit from primarily?

Ones in the DC metro area like GWU and Mason.

How does one not already in a job needing one, get a security clearance that is needed to apply for many jobs?

You can't, unless you pay for it yourself and it's really expensive. Most companies will sponsor you for a lower level clearance if you don't have one.

Have you ever hired any Canadians? currently an IT student, but after school im pretty willing to travel for good jobs

If you get a green card you shouldn't have a problem. I've hired so many people I honestly can't remember.

what sets some recruits above the rest

IMHO, genuinely caring about and wanting to help people. You can spot a recruiter who only cares about money.

Have any sociopaths blown up your boat to try and get at the cargo, only to give it back to you

Um, wot?

No but we did have Daryl and Brennan take over our boat to film Boats n Hoes.

Where the hell does a boat fit in to all this?

Would you rather fight one horse sized duck or 100 duck sized horses?

Have you ever seen the end of Step Brothers when they beat the shit out of 100 kids on the play ground no problem? You have my answer.