This blog will cover three effective interview techniques that can help you evaluate an engineering candidate’s technical skills, as well as their personality and soft skills.

1. Focus on Content

Before interviewing candidates, you must decide exactly what core skills you are looking for. Look at the purpose of the engineering role and what technical or practical expertise is needed. Consider bringing in one of your senior engineers to consult about exactly what skills you’re looking for. You could also ask your whole engineering team what questions they would like to be asked to test a candidate’s aptitude for the position.

2. Be Consistent

Once you establish what you are looking for, be consistent with each candidate interview. Ask every candidate the same questions; this will allow you to effectively compare candidates and more accurately determine who fits the role.

Consistency in your interview questions helps you avoid being biased toward candidates. Prime talent may not shine on paper. Resumes, specifically educational credits and past work experience, can be impressive. However, just because a candidate looks good on paper does not mean they will be a good fit for your company and the role in question. Asking consistent questions allows you to compare candidates on a level playing field.

3. Be Creative

When it comes to evaluating engineering talent, be creative with your questions. The goal is to evaluate how a candidate will handle a problem or provide a strategy to help them succeed in the role you seek to fill. Your engineering team can be very helpful in formulating questions that determine technical skills and assess the candidate’s soft skills in handling situations.

Conclusion

Preparing an effective engineering interview takes time, patience, and focus. By focusing on the hard and soft skills needed for the role and enlisting your engineering team to help you vet prospective candidates, you can develop practical questions and techniques to interview engineering candidates and find the right fit for the job.

Let us help you hire top engineering talent! Contact ABBTECH today!

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If you’re eager to show your remote team your appreciation and gratitude, we have a few ideas! Let’s look at some great (and affordable) employee appreciation ideas perfect for your remote team.

Affordable Remote Employee Appreciation Ideas

Employee Recognition

Sometimes the simplest gesture is the most rewarding. You can show appreciation to your remote employees by appreciating them publicly. Send a personal “Thank You” note to each of them and thank them for all they’ve contributed over the past year. Be specific, too.

Organize a virtual event to recognize employee contributions throughout the year. Individual and team achievements can be rewarded with certificates and awards.

Buy Them Lunch

Who doesn’t love good food? If a company gathering for lunch or dinner isn’t possible, consider gift cards for a restaurant or for a popular food delivery service such as Grubhub. You can gift lunch, dinner, or an allowance for coffee in the new year.

Wellness Package

The 2020 pandemic taught us that health should always be a top priority. Employee wellness has become a major focus for most companies as we become more wellness conscious. A wellness package is a wonderful way to show your remote employees your appreciation and let them know their health matters to you. You could offer virtual employees a variety of wellness bonuses and perks, such as healthy meal subscriptions, fitness app subscriptions, spa or massage gift certificates, or gift cards for healthy snack baskets.

Paid Time Off

How about a vacation? Times are stressful, and many remote employees would benefit from some extra time off. Adequate rest minimizes burnout and allows employees to work at their best. Consider gifting remote employees a week off or a time allowance for vacation.

Career Development

Just because employees are working from home doesn’t mean professional development should be on hold. Encourage your employees to grow professionally by offering online learning opportunities. There are many online schools and websites that provide a variety of courses to expand skillsets and stimulate career growth.

Conclusion

Working from home can be lonely, and the distance from coworkers and managers makes it difficult to see and feel validation and appreciation in your job. Making the effort to recognize and reward your remote employees will encourage and support them. It will also foster company loyalty and pride in their role and their work. With some simple gestures of gratitude and affordable gifts, you can help your employees feel appreciated and focused on their personal growth and company growth.

If you’re searching for more people to add to your remote team, let our team at ABBTECH lend you a hand!

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If your company doesn’t have a veteran recruiting program or if you’re unsure how the skills of a military veteran might fit into your technology company, read on to learn why you should choose a job candidate with past military experience.

Skills & Experience

Choose a Candidate with Past Military Experience in: Training

Military culture stresses the importance of training, growing, and developing as an individual and part of the team. Veterans received training and education throughout their time in the military, including multiple years of leadership and management, along with technical work. They have also had to adapt to change and think critically during deployments and take on a teaching role throughout their career when needed.

Choose a Candidate with Past Military Experience in: Leadership

Typically, an officer managed more than 100 people during their time in the military, while a junior enlisted supervisor may have had as many as 25 people working for them. Real leadership experience is an essential part of military experience, and few new college graduates have taken on a leadership role in that way.

Choose a Candidate with Past Military Experience in: Communication

Effective communication is one of the most critical skills that military veterans bring to a civilian job. The ability to communicate during stressful times and to handle situations that are changing, sometimes drastically, is not something you can learn in a classroom. Military veterans have hands-on experience in managing projects with minimal resources under varying levels of stress, communicating effectively and efficiently throughout the process.

Team-Oriented

Military veterans know a lot about teamwork, and focusing on shared goals when completing a project. As more companies move to hybrid and remote work, it can be difficult to maintain that team dynamic. Vets bring their unique teamwork perspective to the equation, understanding how to keep the team united and working cohesively even when apart.

Conclusion

Recruiting military veterans for your business ensures that you get high-quality job candidates with great skills and experience. These not only prepare them for the position but ensure that they will adapt throughout their employment with you. It is a great idea to choose a candidate with past military experience. With comprehensive training, learned skills, and a proactive, positive work ethic, military veterans are invaluable assets to any company.

Ready to hire a Vet?  Get in touch with our team today!

The post Why you Should Choose a Candidate with Past Military Experience appeared first on ABBTECH.

Veterans make incredibly valuable additions to your company’s culture. They bring extensive training and education to the civilian job world. Also, along with essential “soft skills” and real-world experience veterans have valuable skills that you can’t learn in a classroom.

There are big differences between the military and civilian worlds, and making the transition successful in the short and long term may seem daunting. Read on to learn some of the many ways you can create a veteran friendly workplace.

Foster Empathy Through Education

The best way to empathize with veterans, or anyone of different backgrounds and experiences, is through education. Educating yourself and others about the struggles of veterans helps you to understand better, accept, and connect with them. The Veterans’ Administration (VA) has tools, training sessions, and information that can help you build a welcoming culture attractive to veterans.

Create Opportunities for Building Community

Many veterans have difficulty adjusting to the lack of community in the average workplace. In the military, there is a structure of personnel and families who help new members adjust. In the civilian world, that structure is rarely in place.

Facilitating mentorship at work and encouraging positive professional friendships through social activities and family-friendly events can be helpful for veterans struggling with building professional relationships at work.

Implement Veteran-Friendly Onboarding and Orientation Procedures

Coming from a world where the chain of command plays a central role, it can be difficult for veterans to adjust to the less structured civilian working world. Consider adding detailed walk-throughs to the onboarding and orientation programming and ensure all resources are readily accessible for new veteran hires to refer to later.

Also, ensure that the expectations for the job are clearly outlined. It is also important to specify any urgent or priority information for projects and roles are been well-defined. This is a good guideline for all applicants, veteran and non-veteran alike.

Encourage and Promote Career Development & Advancement

For veterans, the path to promotion in the civilian world can be confusing. Setting up a clear career map and review process, as well as offering professional coaching and development opportunities, enables veterans to see the path to advancement within your company and encourages them to grow and progress forward.

Ready to expand your workforce, create a veteran friendly workplace and attract skilled veterans to your company? Contact ABBTECH today!

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Here are five signs that an employee is ready to leave, along with tips to help you boost your worker retention levels.

1. Your Employee’s Performance Continues to Decline.

A worker’s performance can deteriorate as he or she becomes increasingly unhappy with your company. In severe cases, an employee may give up on trying to complete work tasks on time altogether. It helps to meet with a worker to review their performance regularly. If the worker has performance lapses, discuss them with the employee. From here, you and your employee can work in lockstep to address any performance issues.

2. Your Employee Appears Disinterested in Their Job.

If an employee looks distracted at work, it may be a sign that this individual is ready to move on. At this point, you should share your concerns with your employee. You can let the worker know you’ve noticed their lack of interest in their job. Next, the employee can explain why he or she may appear distracted. You and your employee can then seek out ways to help the worker feel engaged and motivated at their job once again.

3. Your Employee Remains Silent During Meetings. 

An employee might stop engaging in meetings if he or she is looking for work elsewhere. In this instance, the worker may struggle to provide fresh ideas and contribute to your company’s success. If a worker is silent in a meeting, you can ask the employee to share their opinions and views on topics during the session. This shows an employee that you value their input and want to hear what he or she has to say.

4. Your Employee Has Updated Their Social Media Profiles.

If an employee has posted on LinkedIn or other social profiles that he or she is interested in new career opportunities, this individual likely has one foot out the door. In this scenario, you can set up a time to discuss career opportunities with the worker. You can also offer upskill opportunities to help the worker grow their career with your company.

5. Your Employee Is Using Their PTO.

There can be times when employees use PTO to avoid losing it before they leave a job. Or, workers may use PTO so they have time to interview for a new job. If you notice an employee frequently using their PTO, speak to him or her about it. Then, you can learn from your employee and find out if there’s anything you can do to enhance their work experience.

Find Top Talent for Your IT Team

If you are concerned that there are signs your IT employee already has one foot out the door are ready to leave your company, ABBTECH can help. We can put you in contact with quality IT professionals who can help your company thrive long into the future. For more information, contact us today.

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We have plenty to celebrate on our anniversary. Here are some of the reasons we’ve been successful since our inception.

1. Commitment to Excellence

We are a professional IT staffing agency that goes the extra mile. To do so, we learn about the needs of businesses. From here, we provide businesses with personalized support.

When you work with our professional recruiters, we’ll ensure you achieve excellent results. First, we learn about your IT staffing requirements. We find out why you want to work with an IT staffing firm and plan accordingly. Our team develops a custom plan to help you land top IT talent. Finally, we put our plan into action and work with you to accomplish the optimal results.

2. Top-Notch Services

We offer talent recruitment services for government and commercial organizations. Our services give these organizations quick and easy access to IT talent. We always ensure our services meet our clients’ expectations, too.

If you need help with IT staffing, let us know. Our team can recommend services based on your business’ needs. If you have any concerns or questions about our services, we’re ready to respond to them. That way, you can make an informed decision on what services are right for your business.

3. Community Engagement

We do our part to stay connected to our community. Our team goes above and beyond the call of duty to fulfill business’ talent recruitment requests. We help businesses across the United States connect with IT talent any time they choose.

Let’s not forget about our Veterans 2 Jobs Network (V2JN), either. V2JN helps veterans find new jobs. To date, V2JN has helped over 200 veterans land roles. It also makes it easy for your business to recruit veterans who can support your operations long into the future.

The Future Looks Bright for ABBTECH

We remain dedicated to connecting businesses and job seekers. Going forward, we will continue to seek out ways to help companies and job candidates engage with one another. Furthermore, we’re exploring opportunities to raise the bar for IT talent recruitment nationwide.

If there is anything we can do to help your company with IT talent recruitment, we’re happy to listen. We want to do whatever it takes to support businesses as they seek out quality IT job candidates. If you partner with us, we can handle all of your IT talent recruitment needs.

Don’t Wait to Get Started with ABBTECH

Our professional recruiters are available to learn about your business and help you achieve your IT talent recruitment goals. Once you start working with us, you can add superb IT professionals to your team, and these professionals can help your company grow and thrive. For more information about our IT talent recruitment services or to get started with us, please contact us today.

The post Celebrating the 30th Anniversary of ABBTECH! appeared first on ABBTECH.

When it comes to COVID-19 vaccine mandates, follow U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines. That way, your business can maintain a safe and productive work environment.

Meanwhile, as you seek out talent, you must consider vaccine mandates as well. Here are tips to help you navigate hiring with vaccine mandates.

1. Be Upfront and Honest

Tell job candidates about your company’s vaccine mandates. Candidates will then know what to expect if they pursue a job at your business.

Remember, not all candidates will agree with your business’ vaccine mandates. However, if you are upfront and honest with candidates from the get-go, you can ensure they can make an informed decision about whether to pursue a job at your company.

2. Do Not Ask a Job Candidate About Their Vaccination Status

Explain your company’s vaccine mandates to a job candidate. Conversely, do not ask a candidate to share their vaccination status.

Businesses are subject to federal and state penalties if they discriminate against job candidates based on medical conditions. Thus, if you request a candidate’s vaccination status and ultimately do not hire him or her, you may face a discrimination lawsuit and other legal ramifications.

3. Update Your Vaccine Mandates As Needed 

Monitor the pandemic closely. To date, Omicron and other coronavirus variants have developed during the pandemic. And these variants have forced many businesses to reconsider their vaccine mandates. 

If you need to revise your vaccine mandates, do so immediately. Ensure your workers are updated on new vaccine mandates you implement. Moreover, provide job candidates with the most up-to-date mandates.

4. Make Vaccination a Condition of Employment

When in doubt, make vaccination a requirement for all workers. This eliminates potential “gray area” that can crop up due to inconsistent vaccine requirements across your business.

Comparatively, if you forgo making vaccination a condition of employment, be ready to explain your rationale to employees and job seekers. People may have questions and concerns about your company’s decision to not require its workers to be vaccinated. As such, you should plan ahead on how to respond to these concerns and questions.

Keep Your Hiring Process Simple

Businesses appear likely to continue to use vaccine mandates in the foreseeable future. With a proactive approach to vaccine mandates, your business can minimize their impact on your hiring process.

Of course, if you need help with hiring, ABBTECH can assist. We are a professional staffing agency that takes the guesswork out of the hiring process.

Our team can put you in touch with top IT talent. In addition, we make it simple to attract and recruit quality IT job candidates any time you choose. To learn more about our IT recruitment services, please contact us today.

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If you manage a partially or fully remote team, it’s important to be mindful of why some people struggle with this work model and what you can do to help.

Challenges of Working from Home

Every worker is different. While some may work well with (or even prefer) a remote model, others may experience a drop in productivity or job satisfaction.

Although the majority of people surveyed said they were equally or more productive when working from home, 42.9% of respondents reported feeling less productive than when working in the office.

Staying aware of the unique challenges of working from home and looking for signs of WFH fatigue among your team members will help you address any problems before they get out of hand.

Set Realistic Standards 

Working from home can blur the line between professional life and personal life. In order to stave off WFH fatigue, you may need to remind your employees to take breaks and refrain from checking emails or Slack messages when they’re off the clock.

It’s also critical to note that WFH life will not exactly parallel a day in the company office. For example, WFH often calls for more time spent on communication with employers and coworkers.

By setting realistic standards, you can help your team members keep their confidence up and keep them from burning out.

Remote Team-Building Opportunities

Working from home may leave some team members feeling isolated from their coworkers and managers. One way to help your WFH staff feel supported is by ensuring that social and team-building events are remote-friendly.

While office parties and team lunch outings can be fun, WFH employees may feel excluded if they’re the only social opportunities. Hosting remote events on platforms like Zoom or Discord will allow the whole team to participate.

Grow Your Team with ABBTECH

Building a remote or hybrid team can be challenging, especially in today’s market.

Over the past 30 years, ABBTECH’s staffing augmentation services have helped companies like yours achieve their hiring goals. Connect with ABBTECH today to build a team of qualified tech professionals to fill your company’s needs.

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A security clearance can help whether you’re looking for a temporary contract position or long-term employment. Acquiring a security clearance can broaden your job opportunities, raise your earning potential, and allow you to gain access to high-profile positions.

What is a Security Clearance?

A security clearance is a status granted to select individuals by the federal government that permits them to access classified information or locations.

In general, security clearances measure whether an individual is a loyal U.S. citizen who is honest, trustworthy, mentally sound, and not involved in criminal activity or foreign intelligence efforts.

Individuals cannot start the security clearance application process on their own. A government agency must sponsor an individual to begin the process.

When Do You Need a Security Clearance?

Federal and state employees, military personnel, and government contractors are some of the kinds of workers who typically receive a clearance to do their jobs.

An active clearance may be required to be considered at all for certain jobs. Many positions require you to obtain one as soon as you have a conditional offer in hand.

What Are the Types of Security Clearances?

There are three tiers of security clearances: confidential, secret, and top secret.

• Confidential security clearances permit access to information that, if disclosed, may cause damage to national security.
• Secret security clearances allow access to information that could cause serious damage.
• Top secret security clearances are the highest level: they permit access to information that could cause exceptionally grave damage to U.S. security.

How Do You Get a Security Clearance?

You will be invited to fill out an application to seek a clearance, once you are sponsored by a government agency.

If the application is accepted, it triggers the investigation stage. Government agents will conduct a background check. This check includes a close examination of current and past relatives, employers, neighbors, friends, and other contacts.

Agents will evaluate the findings for approval and next steps.

Get Cleared for Your Next Job with ABBTECH

Working with ABBTECH can be an easy step in the right direction. ABBTECH can help you gain the clearance you need and access the best employment opportunities possible.

ABBTECH is a staffing agency in the Washington, D.C. area that connects IT personnel to jobs in government and other industries. We are prepared to help you get cleared for your next position.

The post Security Clearance Overview for Job Seekers appeared first on ABBTECH.

Staffing Flexibility

With the flexibility of short-term contracts, you can make staffing part of your business strategy. Contract workers allow you to be more flexible when planning for your company’s busy and off-peak seasons.

When you hire an employee, you commit to giving them paid hours year-round. Hiring a freelancer allows you to commit to a shorter amount of time and renew the agreement as needed.

Contract Workers require Less Supervision

If your managers already have their hands full, hiring a freelance contractor instead of an employee can help lighten their workload. This is because contract workers require less supervision than regular employees.

Unlike employees, contract workers can track and manage their own hours. They also don’t require the same amount of professional development as employees.

Easier Onboarding

Onboarding and training a new employee can take up to a few months. Since contractors pay their own employment taxes, it is simpler and takes less paperwork to onboard them.

While businesses may give contract workers some basic instruction in office processes or proprietary software, they are generally brought on with the expectation that they have the technical knowledge to complete the job at hand without much training.

Save Money

There are some circumstances when hiring contractors can be less expensive than bringing on employees.

While a contractor may cost more per hour than an employee, you can choose to only hire them for the duration of a project rather than retaining them for the long term.

Hiring a contractor instead of an employee also means the employer is not required to pay for benefits, health insurance, PTO, and employment tax.

Find Your Perfect Fit

When bringing on a contract worker, you can hire for a set of specific skills instead of looking for someone to take on a more generalized role.

For example, ABBTECH matches businesses with skilled IT personnel ranging from Java developers and cybersecurity experts to proposal writers and clerical staff. These temporary workers have the experience to jump right into a role with a company.

Choosing a contractor for an open position gives you the chance to find the perfect fit who checks all the boxes you have in mind.

Hire Contract Workers with ABBTECH

Finding and onboarding qualified contractors is easy when you work with ABBTECH.

ABBTECH is a tech staffing and recruitment agency that recruits talented IT contractors for your workplace. Contact ABBTECH today to match with contract workers to meet your IT needs.

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