Picture this: You are working with a recruiter. You narrow down what you want and what the job market has to offer. You discuss terms, sign an agreement, start your contract IT job, and…poof. Your recruiter vanishes. You have questions, you need support, and in your hour of need, the staffing firm has just moved on.
Does this situation sound familiar?
Unfortunately, some IT staffing firms act as if a partnership ends when a contractor is placed. We feel this is the wrong approach. That is why we have been trying to break that cycle through my role as Engagement Manager and our Engagement Management Program.
Engagement Manager is my third role at IDR. At first, I was hesitant about transitioning into this position. The idea of an Engagement Management program was not only new to me but to the company and to the industry. There were a lot of unknowns. After being in the role for over two years now, I am confident I am where I am supposed to be and surprised there aren’t more IT staffing agencies adopting a program like this. I don’t know how we ever did without it.
As an Engagement Manager, I am hired specifically for our consultants and to ensure their expectations are met. From the day they accept their new role, they have a go-to person to make their lives easier and someone who genuinely cares about their job satisfaction and needs. My job is to know all the ins-and-outs of their contracts. I’m here to ensure their expectations are met and a positive experience is had from onboarding to exiting.
This means I have the opportunity to learn a lot about each consultant we place: what are their goals and what they enjoy doing in their lives. I get to spoil them with lunches, treats, and events. They work extremely hard, not only for themselves but for IDR. We absolutely could not do what we do without them and it’s my job to show them how much we appreciate them.
No day for me ever looks the same and I love it. When our IT consultants have a problem, they come to me and I get to help create solutions. When we receive feedback on our consultants, I get to pass that along. When it’s constructive feedback, I get to help them improve. When it’s positive feedback, I get to praise them for their incredible work.
I have to give credit to our recruiting and sales team. We have some very wonderful consultants that I have the opportunity to work with daily. They find the best talent for each client’s needs and I am the blessed one who gets to work with these awesome individuals. We could not be as successful as we are without them doing what they do on a daily basis. They represent our brand name well and are a big part of why I love working at IDR.
Internally, our staff is like a family. It is our goal as Engagement Managers to make our contractors feel that sense of family as well. This thinking and behavior is very rare in the staffing industry which is something that makes IDR extremely unique. Our vision is to create an experience that cannot be obtained anywhere else and I truly believe we are accomplishing that.
I whole-heartedly believe IDR is a great place to work and to partner with. A big part of this is because of our consultants. They are brought in to do a certain job and they do it. Not every day is going to be rainbows and butterflies but our consultants definitely keep me smiling, loving life, and feeling grateful to be a part of such a wonderful organization. Together, we are making a positive difference in so many lives.
To experience what it’s like working with an Engagement Manager, check out our jobs page to see if your next contract IT job is waiting for you.