top rated staffing firm

Tech Talent Link Named a top Rated Staffing Firm for the Second Half of 2023

top rated staffing firm

 

January 20, 2023 (LAKE OSWEGO, OR) — Tech Talent Link is proud to announce that it has been named a Top Rated Staffing Firm award for the second half of 2022. This recognition from Great Recruiters recognizes Tech Talent Link’s achievements in candidate experience, organizational efficiency, and brand reputation.

Joining the ranks of over 100 prestigious firms, Tech Talent Link has demonstrated their commitment to capturing and acting on candidate and client reviews, using those insights to provide even better experiences to the people they serve.

“Tech Talent Link has always striven to set the standard for innovation, success, and candidate and client satisfaction in the incredibly competitive and rapidly changing world of recruiting,” said Susan Robinson, Chief Talent Connector at Tech Talent Link. “This award is a testament to our staff’s commitment to proactively seeking feedback, which makes it possible for us to provide an exceptional experience throughout the hiring process.”

“Our customers and candidates deserve a low pressure, enjoyable experience in the recruiting process,” stated Ben Newbill, Director and Lead Talent Connector at Tech Talent Link. “At Tech Talent Link, I get to be a real partner with Technology professionals who are looking for someone they can depend on.  Delivering for people who need help is a real motivator.”

The Great Recruiters Top Rated awards provide external validation that Tech Talent Link is a leader in the IT staffing sector. “I could not be more proud of the hard work our Top Rated award winners have put in every day to earn this award,” said Adam Conrad, Great Recruiters founder & CXO. “Our Top Rated staffing firms show that creating and measuring great experiences is key to being competitive in 2023 and beyond. It’s an honor to work with this cohort of industry leaders.”

This validation is also reflected in job-seekers’ reviews. In one such review, a candidate wrote “Annie was a great help in connecting me with my new employer. She made sure that I was prepared ahead of time, and followed up with me every step of the way. I would be happy to work with her again!”

About Great Recruiters:

Great Recruiters is an experience management and brand promotion platform that automates online review capture down to the desk level, enabling users to provide better experiences, increase referrals, improve organizational efficiency & QA, and grow their brand reputation. To learn more about their Top Rated awards, visit https://greatrecuriters.com/.

About Tech Talent Link:

Since 2013, Tech Talent Link provides technical staffing services.  Founded on the believe that the hiring process should be a positive experience for their candidates and clients, Tech Talent Link continuously works hard to find ways to improve this process. Tech Talent Link’s experienced team uses their industry knowledge as well as their true desire to help their clients and candidates to successfully match technology professionals with their next careers opportunity as well as help their clients solve their technical staffing needs.  Visit www.techtalentlink.com to learn more.

Tech Talent Link on Portland Business Journal’s Fastest Growing Private Companies Again

On June 9th, 2022, the Portland Business Journal announced its list of Oregon’s Top 100 Fastest Growing Private Companies for 2022 and for the 3rd year in a row Tech Talent Link was among them.  This year they landed 30th after landing 40th in 2021 and 31st in 2020.

The French-themed event featuring on-theme food, drink and music was held at the Portland Hilton Hotel where honorees collected their awards.  Many of the attendees dressed up including several of the Tech Talent Link team members.

To make the list, Oregon and Southwest Washington companies had to have revenue growth exceeding 22% from 2019 to 2021.  To earn the 30th spot, Tech Talent Link had 97.66% growth during that period.

Tech Talent Link’s consistent growth over these past three years reflects their commitment to providing outstanding technical staffing services to their candidates and their clients.

“This is by far the best team I’ve worked with and so excited to share this achievement with them,” said Susan Robinson, Chief Talent Connector at Tech Talent Link. “Every one of them has embraced our company’s core values, and that shines through in the amazing partnerships we’ve built with our clients and candidates. These partnerships are what inspire us to provide high quality, innovative services, and it’s exciting to see our work acknowledged for the third year in a row.”

In addition to three consecutive years as one of Oregon’s Top 100 Fastest Growing Private Companies, in the past year Tech Talent Link has been Great Recruiters Certified 2022 by Great Recruiters, a leading experience and reputation management platform, and has received an Excellence Award from TechService Alliance, recognizing our commitment to performance, productivity, and continuous improvement.

Since 2013, Tech Talent Link provides technical staffing services.  Founded on the believe that the hiring process should be a positive experience for their candidates and clients, Tech Talent Link continuously works hard to find ways to improve this process. Tech Talent Link’s experienced team uses their industry knowledge as well as their true desire to help their clients and candidates to successfully match technology professionals with their next careers opportunity as well as help their clients solve their technical staffing needs. Visit www.techtalentlink.com to learn more.

great recruiters

Tech Talent Link Named “Great Recruiters Certified 2022”

great recruiters

Lake Oswego, Oregon — February 28, 2022 – Tech Talent Link announced today it has been named Great Recruiters Certified 2022 by Great Recruiters, a leading experience and reputation management platform specifically designed for recruiting and staffing organizations.

Great Recruiters Certified 2022 recipients have earned this distinction by putting into place and following processes to ensure a great experience for their candidates and customers, as well as displaying review ratings that demonstrate their commitment to the highest level of recruitment practices. These recipients commit to excellence by offering a simple way to provide transparency to the experience they provide for future job-seekers and to clients who are interested in working with their staffing organization in the future.

Tech Talent Link is among those staffing organizations that sets the standard for innovation, success, and candidate and client satisfaction in the incredibly competitive world of recruitment,” said Susan Robinson, Chief Talent Connector at Tech Talent Link. “This certification is a testament to the skill, ingenuity, and commitment made by our staff who, like Great Recruiters, aspire to transform the reputation of the recruiting industry.”

“Our customers and candidates deserve a low pressure, enjoyable experience in the recruiting process,” stated Ben Newbill, Director and Lead Talent Connector at Tech Talent Link. “At Tech Talent Link, I get to be a real partner with Technology professionals who are looking for someone they can depend on.  Delivering for people who need help is a real motivator.”

In order to be considered as a Great Recruiter Certified 2022, recruiting firms must meet a set of criteria, which includes being on the Great Recruiters platform for a minimum of six months; regularly soliciting feedback from jobs-seekers and placed talent; achieving an average Great Recruiters rating of 4.6 or higher; and at least 33% of the agency’s recruiting team achieving Great Recruiter certification.

About Tech Talent Link:

Since 2013, Tech Talent Link provides technical staffing services.  Founded on the believe that the hiring process should be a positive experience for their candidates and clients, Tech Talent Link continuously works hard to find ways to improve this process. Tech Talent Link’s experienced team uses their industry knowledge as well as their true desire to help their clients and candidates to successfully match technology professionals with their next careers opportunity as well as help their clients solve their technical staffing needs.  Visit www.techtalentlink.com to learn more. 

About Great Recruiters:

Great Recruiters was founded in 2017 with a simple mission to increase trust and transparency in the recruitment industry. Great Recruiters provide its clients with a simple and meaningful way to capture, act-on, measure, and promote real-time feedback from those they serve. In an industry with low barriers to entry, Great Recruiters believes it is imperative to help job seekers find and identify great recruiters and staffing companies that can help serve their needs.

techserve alliance

Tech Talent Link is Recognized by TechServe Alliance with “Excellence Award”

techserve alliance

Honor recognizes top performing IT & engineering staffing and solutions firms

Portland, Oregon December 15, 2021 Tech Talent Link today announced it has earned the annual Excellence Award from TechServe Alliance. The award recognizes IT & engineering staffing and solutions firms that have demonstrated fervent commitment to performance, productivity, and continuous improvement. TechServe Alliance, the national trade association of the IT & engineering staffing and solutions industry, recognized Tech Talent Link at its Executive Summit in Amelia Island, FL, November 17-19, 2021.

“TechServe Alliance Excellence Award winners exemplify the very best of our industry. They are committed to delivering world-class solutions to their clients and providing valuable career opportunities to IT and engineering professionals while far exceeding industry performance standards,” said Mark Roberts, CEO of TechServe Alliance. “These award recipients truly set themselves apart from the competition,” added Roberts.

TechServe’s Monthly Dashboard survey platform was utilized this year to collect firms’ data from January 2021 – September 2021. Recognition was given to the select group of top-performing firms that have outstanding performance and demonstrated a clear commitment to excellence.

“Recognition by the IT and engineering staffing and solutions industry’s national trade association is an incredible honor. We are both proud and humbled to have met the high standards necessary to earn the award. I speak for our entire team when I say that we will not rest on our laurels. In the coming year, we look forward to redoubling our efforts in delivering extraordinary service to our clients and consultants. We hope to be in position to earn this mark of distinction in future years,” said Susan Robinson, Chief Talent Connector at Tech Talent Link.

About TechServe Alliance

As the industry’s national trade association, TechServe Alliance is singularly focused on driving the success of IT & Engineering staffing and solutions firms through innovative programs and services, access to proprietary industry research and data, a culture of knowledge sharing and collaboration and promoting fair business practices. TechServe Alliance serves as the voice of the industry before the policymakers, the national and trade press and provides the information and resources for companies to remain competitive in a constantly evolving legislative, regulatory, and legal environment. By advancing industry knowledge and best practices, TechServe supports IT & engineering staffing and solutions companies in providing best-in-class services for their clients and exceptional professional opportunities for consultants. Visit www.techservealliance.org to learn more.

About Tech Talent Link

Since 2013, Tech Talent Link provides technical staffing services.  Founded on the believe that the hiring process should be a positive experience for their candidates and clients, Tech Talent Link continuously works hard to find ways to improve this process. Tech Talent Link’s experienced team uses their industry knowledge as well as their true desire to help their clients and candidates to successfully match technology professionals with their next careers opportunity as well as help their clients solve their technical staffing needs.  Visit www.techtalentlink.com to learn more.

Is Your DevOps Engineer Salary Scale Why You Can’t Hire Talent?

Hiring Talent Is Not All About Salary

You’ve posted your vacancy for a DevOps Engineer, and you’re confident you’ll find the perfect candidate. Afterall, since the beginning of the pandemic, 74% of job seekers are finding it more competitive out there. So surely, you’ll have a choice from many top-talent DevOps Engineers looking for a new role.

You spend a lot of time and money on the recruitment process. But nothing. You received plenty of applicants, but none of them really provide the talent you’re looking for. The individuals are out there, so why aren’t they coming forward? Or worse, why are they turning down your job offer at the last hurdle?

You can only assume it’s the salary. But you may be wrong. Of course, if the salary isn’t positioned correctly on the pay scale, you’ll struggle to appeal to the right candidate and to keep them on board long-term.  But if you think salary is everything to a DevOps Engineer, you might be missing the bigger picture. In fact, according to a study conducted by Hays this year, 23% are not even looking for a pay increase when looking for a new position.

In this article we’ll go beyond salary to explore what other elements of a job are more important to some of the most talented tech employees today.

What do the best DevOps Engineers really want from their jobs?

Employees are speaking up. A study conducted by Unum found that 57% of Millennials and 65% of Gen Zers are likely to consider switching jobs in pursuit of better benefits. They want so much more than a pay packet from their employers.

Ignoring this will send the most promising candidates to competitors who are offering them what they want. Let’s look at what is more important to your future DevOps Engineer.

Good company culture

According to Hays, 47% of employees identify their company’s culture as the reason they want to find a new job.

A positive company culture doesn’t just help you attract and retain the best talent in the industry. According to Forbes, a culture that makes employees feel appreciated with team-focus leadership can improve your revenue up by 682%.

Additional areas to look at:

  • Do you have a clear company vision and is it well communicated to all levels of the organization?
  • Does your employee onboarding process make employees feel welcomed and part of the team quickly?
  • How do you support employees career development and progression? Keeping skillsets current is very important to DevOps Engineers.

Benefits & Perks

The typical benefits and perks that employees expect to see on a job description include:

  • Health insurance
  • Dental and vision insurances
  • Pension schemes
  • Paid holiday leave
  • Sick pay

However – and particularly since lockdown when everybody took the time to reflect on what is important to them – the wellbeing of an individual is becoming a crucial part of employment today.

Wellbeing & the work/life balance

Whilst all the typical benefits are helpful towards an employee, the shift is focusing to benefits and support that prevent, not cure.

Many employees are interested in actively maintaining their health and wellbeing and a company can help them by providing healthy snacks, or wellness and exercise sessions during breaks. This a huge health benefit, particularly to office-based workers who are least active in their working day. Many studies have shown that such long periods of sitting down at a desk are negatively affecting individuals’ mental and physical health. In addition to providing a workplace that promotes wellness, gym memberships are also an attractive benefit.

For many employees, flexibility is now not only an advantage, it is a necessity. Particularly in the middle of the pandemic, people are having to adjust their daily lives to cope with the ‘new normal’ and employers must support them in the process. Employees need to be able to assist children with distance learning or care for family members and for many being able to work from home at least part-time is a must. Employers should find ways to accommodate these needs now and after the pandemic is over.

Some organizations even run workshops for employees to spend time talking about problems they may be having, either personally or professionally, or both.

All these things can prevent staff absence and strengthen staff retention, and provide a healthy, happy workforce.

Review your job description

Now that we’ve discussed how to stand out against your competitors when a DevOps Engineer is deciding between companies, let’s turn to how to grab their attention in the first place.

Make sure your job description includes:

  • A brief yet attention-grabbing summary
  • An overview of your company’s culture
  • A description of the role and the soft and hard skills required
  • The correct salary reflective of the duties and responsibilities
  • A clear list of perks, incentives and support provided to the successful candidate

You know that salary isn’t everything, and there’s a whole host of perks that will strengthen your business by attracting top talent. Ensure that you highlight all these, and you will stand out from the competitors who are also hiring DevOps Engineers.

Here at Tech Talent Link, we have our finger on the pulse with the best software and DevOps engineering talent waiting to find their perfect role. Get in touch today, and we’ll help you find the perfect fit for your team.

Getting the most out of your interview!

Getting The Most Out of Your Interview!

The job application process can be painful. 

Navigating various application systems and websites without ever even talking to a real person, can feel hopeless.

You fill out a 2-3 page application form.  Attach a resume.  Enter the exact information that was already in your resume.  24 hours later, receive an automated email response: “thank you for applying.”  2-4 weeks later, receive another automated email response: “We have reviewed your application. However, we have decided to move forward with other candidates.” Repeat.

After all that, just getting to an interview can feel like a reliefthat is, until the anxiety of preparing for the interview kicks in. The idea of interviewing is enough to make anyone’s palms sweat and heart race, but there are ways to set your self up for success, and to understand if this job is really the best fit for you. 

Let’s focus on some practical ways to get the most out of the interview!  

Prepare in advance.

  • Research the company. Understand their products, customers, mission, values.
  • Research the interviewers.  Are you talking with HR? The CEO? A Software Development Manager? Those are three different conversations.
  • Go into the interview with the mindset that this is THE JOB you want.  If they feel you don’t want the job, then I wouldn’t expect an offer.
  • Bring three copies of your resume and a notepad to write on.
  • Three questions are coming:
  1. Tell me about yourself? This should be a 4-5 sentence professional summary, including an accomplishment you’re incredibly proud of.
  2. Tell me a time when you failed & how you worked through it?  Take ownership of a failure and emphasize what you’ve learned. This example can also shape the entire tone of the interview.  Personalize the message, help them feel your pain and growth.
  3. Why do you want the job? If you don’t know this answer, that’s going to be problematic.

Get clarity on the job.

  • Ask questions. Three Priorities:
    1. What are the position’s core technical responsibilities?  If you know these, then you can be clear about your relevant experience.
    2. What are the pain points?  You might be able to provide advice or a solution during the interview.
    3. How will you add the most value to the company immediately? This adds clarity to what the first couple months look like, no surprises.
  • When they ask questions about experience that you don’t have, confirm if that experience is significant to the job.

Understand career advancement opportunities.

  • Is there a specific career path for this role or a precedent that has been set?
  • Is there an expectation of advancement after a year or two?
  • Let’s say you don’t have the experience required for the Software Developer job that you’re interviewing for.  I know several companies that hire candidates for QA or Product Support jobs and discuss a plan to transition to a Software Developer position within a clear time frame.  Ask if there is a precedent for a path like this.
  • What do the most successful employees do well?

Define work culture.

Answers to these questions should provide insight into the company culture:

  • How does leadership empower employees?
  • How does change happen?
  • What are a few of the real values in the DNA of the company?
  • Tell me about a time when you felt overwhelmed, what happened? How was it resolved?
  • How did leadership communicate with employees during the pandemic? Did you feel supported?

Give them a recap of what you heard.

  • Because, once you have clarity on the reality of the job & you know that you have the skills to do the job, then you should be able to observe the body language and communication of the interviewer, that tends to reveal the answer. You are looking for agreeable head nods and language describing how you will be effective in this role.
  • This approach also creates space if there’s a disconnect. The interviewer can add clarity and then you can provide a better explanation of your experience and emphasize your interest.
  • Repeat the three focus items (responsibilities, pain, and value) and emphasize your fit and interest.

Salary negotiation.

  • First, emphasize job fit, team fit, company fit, and then tell them “I’m looking for your best offer.”
  • I recommend providing a salary range for similar jobs that you’re interviewing for & for your skills.
  • If your salary is above average, then be ready to provide examples of what differentiates you from your peers.
  • Remember, if money is your #1 priority, that tends to show.

Can I promise an offer if you follow this advice?  No.  There are too many unknown variables in play. But with this approach, you should be able to make a good impression and understand (before receiving feedback) if this opportunity is the right fit or not. Additionally, the experience of the interview should be more pleasant.

Big picture… Use your network.  Be diligent in the process.  Contact Tech Talent Link for interview prep advice.

pdxwit

Tech Talent Link Becomes PDX Women in Tech Bronze Sponsor

Tech Talent Link is invested in the Portland community. We have been a part of Portland Women in Technology (PDXWIT) since the beginning stages of the organization, when Susan Robinson, CEO of Tech Talent Link, attended one of their first networking events in 2012. At that time, it was only around a dozen women meeting in a bar, but Susan jumped at the chance to get involved and volunteered her time during the beginning stages of the mentorship program and job seeker tables.

In 2014, Megan, Founder and current President of PDXWIT, voiced the need for some assistance putting on various networking events. Annie Schrock, TTL Talent Connector, leaped in to helped run things behind the scenes during this vital period for the organization. Her work as one of the organization’s first volunteers ensured that they were able to continue putting on these events, and Annie has seen them grow from 30-40 attendees to over 250! In 2016, when PDXWIT became a non-profit, Annie was asked to be one of the founding board members. She is currently in her second term and has served as Secretary for almost four years.

In addition to our history of volunteer service with PDXWIT, Tech Talent Link has also recently had the opportunity to provide financial support to the organization by becoming a Bronze sponsor. This will help PDXWIT support its operations and fund their Scholarship Program, State of the Community Survey, and many more amazing programs. Tech Talent Link is very proud to work with this organization and looks forward to continuing our support.

Ben Newbill

Ben Newbill Joins the Tech Talent Link Team

Tech Talent Link is excited to announce that Ben Newbill is joining the Tech Talent Link Team as a Lead Talent Connector.  He brings 15 years of technical recruiting experience in the Portland area.  Ben started his career in recruiting when Susan Robinson hired him as a Recruiting Assistant at ATSI Group, and she is thrilled to be working with him again.  His role will include account management, recruiting, and training the team as we grow.

 

He is a connector who believes in building authentic relationships. For him, partnering with candidates and clients throughout the interview process is the most fulfilling part of the job.

 

Ben is married with three kids and lives in Lake Oswego.  He enjoys volunteering at Oregon Food Bank, paddle boarding on the Willamette, golfing (15 handicap), coffee, whiskey, wheat beer, and mindfulness breathing.