Top Tips for Successful Tech Recruiters

Recruiting is not an easy field of work. Neither is any sales-related profession, but the potential benefits are exceptional for the people who have what it takes to succeed. Entry-level recruiters are all too familiar with the struggle, and experienced recruiters had to find a way to get through the worst to get to the other side.

“I always knew I wanted to make a lot of money,” Nicholas Jacob says of how he got into recruiting.

Nicholas Jacob, Associate Team Manager at Computer Futures, has definitely proved that he has the resilience and grit to make it in the tech staffing world. In this first article of our new Recruiting in Tech series, we offer the experience and advice from one of the fastest rising stars in the company.

• Keep connecting with top talent in your network
• Get referrals from your contractors
• Ask good qualifying questions and be thorough when talking with candidates
• Make the most of Boolean searches
• Watch your interview-to-placement ratio
• Manage your time carefully
• Find your personal style and be consistent
• Find a mentor and listen to them
• Always remember your why, your motivation for success
• Don’t be afraid to pick up the phone and make the calls

The most driven people in recruiting are the ones who make all their professional and financial dreams a reality. has led him to be one of the top members of the team: winning contests, lunch clubs, and knocking goals out of the atmosphere.

Where did this drive come from? Some people are just born with a natural motivation to succeed. Nick’s ambition comes from a determination to become a person that made a lot of money. Growing up, he always wanted a life of financial freedom. To him, this meant creature comforts, vacations, a great house, and the ability to provide for a family. Throughout every hardship he has faced, he never gave up on his dream.

Nick studied business and managerial economics in college because he always knew he wanted to go into sales. Tech and STEM recruiting was particularly interesting; the acceleration of technology separating the innovative from the mundane was making massive waves in the world. This was clearly the next great industry for success, with marketable proof that IT was always going to be in demand. The opportunities are exponential for a high achiever who wants a high ceiling on their earning potential.

Nick joined Computer Futures in 2019 as an entry-level recruitment consultant, after completing a few internships and discovering where he really wanted to be. During his own recruitment process, Director Patrick Morrison conveyed the long-term vision of the company and the people he wanted on his team. Along with a no-cap commission structure, and a culture of support and resources, Nick had found the place he wanted to be.

Nick’s determination was tested not long after joining Computer Futures. In 2019 he was diagnosed with Stage 4 Classical Hodgkin lymphoma, a type of cancer of the blood that arises when white blood cells called lymphocytes grow out of control. Just when he was getting into the groove as a new recruiter, getting through the pain points that all entering the industry face, there was a question of whether Nick’s career would be stalled due to factors beyond his control.

Nick did not agree with there being a question and was adamant that not even cancer would slow him down.

Thanks to modern medicine, a supportive team, and the care of his family and friends, Nick came out on the other side ready to take on the world. He has been in remission for 6 months and looks forward to being able to call himself cancer free in five years.

The biggest challenge for Nick was bouncing back his book of business. While working through treatment, the team at Computer Futures stepped up to offer support and take over some of his workload. When the Covid-19 pandemic hit, the staffing industry was impacted just like every other, with many contractors and candidates changing priorities and several deals falling through.

During his medical absence, Director Patrick Morrison made sure to watch over his business and lend support as a director and mentor in the company. Nick refers to Patrick as a huge reason why he stayed on an upward trajectory. “He taught me well and I learned. Being coachable and working harder every day will make anyone successful in this job.”

Still, keeping focused through all the ups and downs of the recruiting industry can be volatile. There were times when doubt crept in that all this hard work would pay off. Sales is a high risk, high reward business and sometimes the end of the most difficult stage seems far off in the future. By keeping focused on the goal and doing his due diligence, Nick proved over and over that he has what it takes to succeed.

In the three years he’s been with the company, Nick has risen to Senior Consultant and then Associate Team Manager of Recruiting. He is the picture of a rising star in the tech recruiting world and has these pieces of advice to share with newcomers:

• Be a sponge – this is not a job where you need to reinvent the wheel. Being coachable and having the right attitude will go a long way.
• Go for volume - if you pick up the phone and reach out to more people than a recruiter at the competing agency, you are going to have a better chance at filling that position.
• Show your work ethic – there is nothing more important than a strong work ethic and a positive attitude.
• Don’t be afraid of networking – it is super important to have a network you can tap into right when jobs go live. It is much easier to place someone with whom you have a relationship already. Connect with at least 1 new “Gold Candidate” that you can work with down the line every day.
• Learn to manage your time – don’t let remote working distract you from your daily goals. Find a way to work that allows you to focus during core business hours. If you are not 100% focused, your competition will be.