IT Hire Wire

Below is an excerpt from Bob Weinstein’s ‘Going Solo‘ article featuring Hudson IT recruiter Todd Harootyan published on Gantthead.com.

If you’re new to the independent contracting game and have visions of forming your own IT project management firm, a good way to sample the marketplace is by aligning yourself with an IT recruiting/staffing firm like Hudson IT in Chicago. “It’s a win-win situation for everyone,” says Todd Harootyan, a senior IT recruiter at Hudson. “The end client gets a substantially lower price tag on the resource, the contractor gets a well paying short-term project, and the recruiter makes his margin.”

Harootyan couldn’t be specific about the recruiter’s share of the contractor’s hourly project rate, but he did say the industry standard ranges between 10 percent and 20 percent (so do the math!). IT project managers’ hourly price tags can vary dramatically depending upon experience level, expertise and certifications.

New contractors can reap undeniable benefits by using an IT recruiter to land gigs. The biggest advantage is sitting back and waiting for projects to come to them. The toughest part of landing projects for contractors is selling themselves to companies. Whether it’s a big or midsize firm, the first hurdle is getting in the door and finding out who to pitch to. “This is what we do best,” says Harootyan. “We identify the opportunities and sell the services. Once they’re in the company, it’s up to them to provide value by doing a first-rate job.”

The IT recruiting firm also does the billing, collection and payment–another headache that is taken off the contractor’s shoulders. So take the hint: Hooking up with a well-entrenched and respected IT recruiting/staffing firm amounts to a good move in the beginning. Once finances are buoyed, contacts made and knowledge of the marketplace gained, then it’s time to consider flying solo. By then, the future can be planned with some assurance of success.

Tags: IT Contract Consulting, IT job recruiter, Project Management

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