Dear Barb:
It’s getting harder and harder to fill our orders. I place in IT and we are only filling 30% of our orders. It makes me crazy that we’re leaving so much money on the table. Do I start a new niche or do I continue to struggle to find candidates that everyone seems to be having a hard time finding?
Frustrated in San Francisco
Dear Frustrated:
IT is an extremely lucrative niche. If talent was easy to find, you would not have a career. Your services are needed which is why you have so many orders. You need to become well known as an expert in your niche, so top talent tracks you down.
Ask yourself the following questions:
- Do you write for trade publications?
- Do you have a blog on IT topics?
- Are you ranked high, if I do a search for an IT recruiter?
- Is your LinkedIn profile strong?
- Do you comment on other entries on blogs?
It’s time to realize it’s in your best interest that top talent is hard to find. You now have to challenge yourself to fill more of the orders you write. Make sure you are not writing orders that are unrealistic or mission impossible.
Do not leave the IT niche!
Barbara J. Bruno, CPC, CTS