Robert Half Tech, TEKsystems, and any other IT staffing companies..

How was your experience with them? I just moved to the Denver area and I'm trying to get an IT job. I hope Security +, Network +, and A+ (but no experience) will be enough to get an entry level job.

Thanks everyone.

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hiddenknight821

But you have a degree, right?

Everyone

Robert Half has never responded to my resume when I've sent it to them for jobs they have listed in my area. I think they might be strict on wanting you to have a degree (I don't have one).

TEKSystems has contacted me after finding my resume off Monster. I had someone call me from then within a couple weeks of posting my resume the last time I was on the market, and this time around too.

TEKSystems recruiters were always nice and professional, and best of all they speak English as their native language. :P However I've never had them land me an interview. I think they submitted me for at least 1 position last time around. This time, the recruiter hasn't found any jobs that are a good fit for me, so nothing to submit me too yet.

If a recruiter contacts me and sounds like they actually read my resume, I'm always willing to talk to them. If they contact me for an opening they have that doesn't even remotely match my skills, I tell them I'm not interested. I also tend to avoid the foreign recruiters that I can't understand. If they can't speak clear English and seem in a rush, I don't want to deal with them.

Sometimes these places will have jobs that aren't listed on any job board. Sometimes the jobs aren't even listed on the company's website that they're recruiting on behalf of.

Other times, they are just relisting positions, and may not even have an in with the company. Ask the recruiting what their relationship with the company their trying to fill the position at is. If they haven't filled one for them before, you may be better off applying directly.

mypcrepairguy

I did a 2.5 month contract with TEKsystems in WV. The site was in Charleston and I was commuting from Parkersburg about a 77mi trip each way. Overall working with TEKsystems was a good experience. I would entertain options of accepting a new contract if there was something closer to home. As it stands I am focusing on completing as many WGU CU's as I can each term. Hopefully once my wife is done with residency here in WV we will be able to move back to Denver (a place with REAL mountains).

OP With the certs that you have you should have some experience to make yourself stand out from the crowd. Otherwise I would suggest grabbing MCDST and upgrading it to MCITP: EDST to give you a better cert portfolio.

YuckTheFankees

I'm 30 credits away

When I said entry level, I meant help desk/ computer support...

Everyone

The company I work for now uses TekSystems to bring in entry level (read Help Desk) people. They usually do a contract to hire sort of thing. If we need extra help there, they'll bring on a handfull of people from TekSystems. I have seen a few of them eventually end up becoming full time employees.

d0gma

For recruiting companies I would say Teksystem is the best you'd prolly encounter but you experience with them is dependent on the actual recruiter representing you.

The best piece of advice I would give to you is to not fall for their hype. They may make you feel like that can offer you the world but in actuality most don't care, are trying to fill positions and make money off of you. Make sure you're not working for Teksystem but instead Teksystems is working for you. If you're just looking for a good helpdesk job to add to the resume and make a few bucks, tek is the way to go. I've landed a Helpdesk position because of them and have been with the company for about a year now, but thats only because I am finishing my degree at the moment.

SteveLord

Yeah don't fall for the hype. And don't act like some of these newbies that think they're the greatest thing in IT because they were discovered by these headhunters on Monster/Careerbuilder.

Grain of salt. Take it.

ehnde

The company I work for uses teksystems and other staffing companies to hire. I don't think they hire directly at all. Teksystems - in my own experience - has been very professional. (I'm on a contract-to-hire basis right now)

I think a degree and some certs helps you out quite a bit. If you want helpdesk go get A+ and/or MCITP:EDT.

Hypntick

I have had positive experiences with both Robert half and Teksystems. Are they going to find you an amazing job that's going to pay you 100k a year? No way, but they will find you something that could turn full time or at least hold you over until you find something better on your own. It's much easier to find a job when you already have one and if you have to take a contract spot to do that it's a means to an end.

tbgree00

I didn't mind my Tek experience too much. I felt they oversold the job to me as more than it was and the benefits are extremely expensive if you need decent insurance. Luckily I was on my wife's insurance from the layoff so I didn't need it.

I would probably work a contract for them again if it came to it, though I would try to negotiate a little better. They would ask me for the lowest wage I would accept and then came back with one two dollars lower. They did that on three jobs they submitted me for. Just temper your hopes and expectations and enjoy the work experience.

NetworkingStudent

YuckTheFankees wrote: »

How was your experience with them? I just moved to the Denver area and I'm trying to get an IT job. I hope Security +, Network +, and A+ (but no experience) will be enough to get an entry level job.

Thanks everyone.

Here's some tips for working with recruiters:

Minnesota Headhunter: 10 Things You Should Know About When Working With An Agency Recruiter

10 Things You Should Know About When Working With An Agency Recruiter
SmartMoney has 10 Things Employment Recruiters Won't Say and I have to say… I agree with most of what they say.

It should be noted that there are exceptions. While most Search Firm Recruiters, Agency Recruiters, Employment Recruiters are in the business for the transactions there are many of us who are in it for the relationships.

So not all of these fit for every Recruiter but it would be safe to start here. Do click the link above to see their explanations. I have put mine below:

1. “There are better ways to find a job.”

I do not know about better but working with someone like me is one of the many tools you should be using. Do not rely on any one thing or person to find you your next job.

2. “We don’t work for you.”

Absolutely true. While this Recruiter has your best interests in mind and my goal is to make you and my client happy (because then I had a really good day) it is the client who ultimately decides what is best for them and it is they who cut a check in my name.

3. “Until a year ago, I was a car salesman.”

Not in my case but I did work for Enterprise Rent A Car out of college. So maybe it part true

Do some home work on the Recruiter and the Firm. You do this when finding a doctor, teacher, banker, etc so you should do so with your career.

4. “The job we advertised may not exist.”

Sad but true. I don’t but I know many who do and while it does not seem fair think about it from the other side and you too might do it.

5. “We already know quite a bit about you.”

Hell Yes. Maybe not the credit history and legal checks but I do frequently use a site like Pipl. Try it for yourself and see what you (or me) find.

6. “Our jobs aren’t so hot either.”

I call it 50/50. In my case if the client sucks to work with I have no interest in putting you there and I will move on to something else.

7. “You’re at the mercy of a computer, just like online job board users.”

I 100% disagree with this.

8. “The ‘temp-to-perm’ carrot is rotten.”

More often than it should be.

9. “If you have a job, I could get you fired.”

Technically true but you if you have done your homework on us then you have little to worry about. And I have not heard of this happening in a really long time.

10. “If I’m in Virginia, I probably won’t help you find a job in Nebraska.”

Mostly true. I focus on Minnesota so if you are looking for a gig in Silicon Valley I will be little if any direct help. Indirectly I may be able to refer you on to a colleague but not always.

I hope this helps.

Xcluziv

My experience with Robert Half and TEKsystems has been pretty good. Actually both companies met with me regarding temp/temp-perm opportunities (I didn't take). They were pretty professional when meeting with me and being direct with me about the job. Robert Half generally administers test on your skillset you want to be recruited for. This is to make you more marketable to the client for RHT if you may not have relevant work experience and or want to prove mastery of certain concepts. There were a few others but they didn't really inquire any further information about job opportunities

EuclidJones

I haven't worked with TEKsystems but a couple of my friends have and they've had nothing but good things to say.

I've worked with Robert Half here in the Florida area and the recruiter I dealt with was extremely helpful in helping me find work. I found a job posting online and responded, called their office the next day, and I was working less than a week later.

With that very positive experience in mind I immediately looked to Robert Half when I started making plans to move to the Phoenix, AZ area. I found a job I thought I'd be a good fit for, sent in my resume, and called the next day. The recruiter wasn't available. So I left a message with my name, phonenumber, a short blurb about the position I was applying for, etc. I got no response. So, I think to myself "Eh, there'll be more work out there" and don't stress over it. A couple weeks later I see an excellent job through Robert Half and call again. I actually managed to get a hold of the right person. Apparently the job didn't exist! I got a little irked at that point. I haven't contacted RH there again, but I would probably do so if I see another job I like.

Similar to the above, I saw a great job through Kelly IT Resources and applied. I got a response via phone later that day. We do a preliminary phone interview, both the recruiter and I think I'd be an excellent fit. Problem : Kelly IT Resources had a policy that they had to interview a prospective candidate in person. They were completely unwilling to do an interview over the phone or even via Skype. I was a PERFECT candidate for this job, already have all the plans in place and money saved to move out there (So they didn't need to help with relocation..) and their policy was keeping them out of the 21st century.

spd3432

EuclidJones wrote: »

Similar to the above, I saw a great job through Kelly IT Resources and applied. I got a response via phone later that day. We do a preliminary phone interview, both the recruiter and I think I'd be an excellent fit. Problem : Kelly IT Resources had a policy that they had to interview a prospective candidate in person. They were completely unwilling to do an interview over the phone or even via Skype. I was a PERFECT candidate for this job, already have all the plans in place and money saved to move out there (So they didn't need to help with relocation..) and their policy was keeping them out of the 21st century.

I saw a job from Kelly IT Resources I applied for a few weeks back. screen said "blah blah blah a recruiter will contact you" Waited three days, then called them. No one willing to talk to me. Might be because

Provide three professional references -- ok, did that.
Provide three personal references -- Don't see what the purpose of this is, so no, didn't do it.

Provide a list of everywhere you've applied that you haven't had interviews.
Provide a list of everywhere you've applied that you got an interview but didn't get hired.

If I'm applying for jobs I'm interested in, I'm not going to tell a bunch of other people about it. Kelly IT can do their own searches, I don't need the extra competition for the few jobs that are out there, besides which, the majority of the postings state "principals only, no recruiters".

johnnyBoy

Garbage.

Turgon

They are basically thieves. Use them as they use you to get some experience and then move on to something more substantial.