Working with Computer Futures

“IT recruitment is our thing, it’s all we do and we do it well.”

Computer Futures is one of Europe’s most dynamic and highly regarded IT recruitment consultancies, a reputation that has been developed over 25 years.

IT recruitment is our thing, it’s all we do and we do it well. We have the technical expertise, in-depth market knowledge and international footprint to enable our clients to manage change and help our candidates to take their careers to the next level.

Vertical market specialist consultantsRather than offering a generalist approach to IT recruitment each of our 400+ expert consultants focuses purely on one specific technology, in one tightly defined geographical area and on either a contract or permanent basis. As a result, our business is renowned for offering specialist expertise across several key disciplines, including:• support, network, systems &

infrastructure• applications design, development &

testing• business consulting & management

services• business intelligence, RDBMS and IT

finance systems.• SAP/ERP & IT Sales

National & global reachWe take a localised approach to recruitment but have a network of 16 offices based across Europe and a global candidate database of 900,000+ IT professionals. As a business we have a wealth of experience in placing candidates from one country to another - if the skills are not available in your country then we will take full advantage of our international resources to locate them.

Our clients Our business model allows us to remain flexible enough to deal with client organisations of all sizes from the smallest start-up companies to the largest multinationals. Our consultants are equally comfortable developing relationships with line managers as they are with HR departments and repeat business has driven our success as a company to date.

Whether you are an IT professional looking for your next position or an employer looking to add to your team on a permanent or contract basis, our IT recruitment experts can provide unique insight and unparalleled access to the best roles and the best people. That’s why we place an IT professional every 38 minutes.

Company overview

Our approach

IT

Local

Client/Candidate

Technology

Aftercare Needs analysis

Hiring process Screening & shortlisting

Onboarding Search & source

The Computer Futures recruitment process is most effective when our clients set aside time to define each role in detail and outline exactly how they like to work.

You’ll be assigned a specialist consultant who focuses on your specific area of IT recruitment and who will design a bespoke recruitment ‘Blueprint’ to match your unique requirements. Twenty five years of IT recruitment have shown that clients who work with us to define a mutually agreeable process repeatedly secure the best people.

Vacancy briefingThe essential first step lies in the consultant’s ability to understand your organisation and the roles you are recruiting for. Whenever physically possible this relationship starts with an on-site visit from one of our IT specialists during which they will investigate the workings of your business and the type of people you look for.

Once your consultant has a solid understanding of your company and the positions you’re recruiting for a comprehensive job specification is taken. This will determine all of the details of your current vacancies in terms of:

• skills, technical abilities and the competencies required

• team dynamics and working environment

• responsibilities of the position• desired educational background• desired personality traits.

Your consultant will then outline the key deliverables in a Job Specification Form. This will provide you with the confidence that we have a clear understanding of the role and can be assured that a targeted recruitment process will follow.

Bespoke recruitment blueprintFollowing the vacancy briefing we draft a tailored recruitment plan which covers everything from the number of shortlist CVs you’d like to receive through to the timescales you can commit to. We never take a “one size fits all” approach.

Service level agreementWe will formulate a service level agreement which outlines the responsibilities of both parties and specifies in measurable terms the service level we will provide. This is an extremely effective tool for monitoring quality assurance during post-placement meetings and performance reviews with your consultant(s) and Client Services Manager.

“We never take a ‘one size fits all’ approach to recruitment.”

Needs analysis

Computer Futures’ consultants use a potent combination of the latest search tools and methodologies to generate interest from both active and passive jobseekers.

The recruitment industry is constantly changing; we have always positioned ourselves at the forefront of innovation and have been doing this since 1986. By constantly adapting our approach and utilising only the most effective resources we have gained the competitive edge when it comes to sourcing exceptional talent.

Custom built candidate databaseWe have invested more than £4million in our custom built candidate database which contains the details of more than 900,000 global candidates.

This highly intuitive system is used by our consultants to search for, qualify and track conversations with candidates and filter the most appropriate applications for specific jobs. It also allows us to create bespoke candidate pools for our clients based on current and potential future requirements.

We proactively market to this database and partner with online job boards to ensure that the software is as up-to-date and efficient as possible.

When you engage Computer Futures you have a true reflection of what’s available in the current market place.

Varied routes to marketWe maintain that our database is the strongest in the industry, but we do not just rely on this invaluable source of high-quality candidates. We adopt a “no-stone-unturned” approach to recruitment and the intelligent sourcing methods that our IT specialist consultants use includes:

• extensive job board advertising• social and professional networking

sites• proactive candidate acquisition

through referrals • IT networking events.

In addition, many of the industry’s leading IT professionals work with us on a retained, exclusive basis and are therefore unavailable through any other agency. As our client this will ensure that you avoid the bidding wars over salary & fees that inevitably occur when multiple agencies are seeking to secure a particularly proficient candidate for their roles.

If the candidate is out there, looking and relevant then it’s highly likely you will receive their CV on your desk!

“We have gained the competitive edge when it comes to sourcing exceptional talent.”

Search & source

Computer Futures’ consultants work with the brightest IT talent and are renowned for their ability to deliver shortlists of exceptional professionals whose skills and experience perfectly match each client’s requirements.

The painstaking screening processes that all of our IT specialists follow have been honed over 25 years, ensuring that the candidates we supply deliver significant value from day one.

Extensive candidate interviewing process Experts in competency based interviewing, our consultants use the agreed job specification as the key tool in determining which applicants have the technical skills and experience to succeed in your role(s).

Relevant prospects are interviewed face-to-face whenever geographically possible or over the phone on at least two occasions. During these conversations we explore salary or rate expectations and personal motivations before establishing whether they are culturally aligned to your organisation.

Technical testingComputer Futures’ consultants use their own IT expertise to evaluate a candidate’s skills while further validation is sought through a combination of ‘Kenexa Prove It’ technical assessments. These

comprehensive tests return objective and accurate measurements of skills and knowledge of all IT areas including; systems & infrastructure, databases, ERP, design & development, consulting & management and intelligence & finance.

ReferencingOur own testing methods ensure that we only put forward skilled and competent candidates for each role but don’t just take our word for it. We provide a minimum of two verbal references from current and former employers for extra security and can incorporate any pertinent questions that you wish to suggest. These investigations are designed to explore attitudes to work such as the ability to manage long-term projects or perform under pressure.

Shortlisting & presentation of CVsWe will deliver a shortlist of qualified and culturally aligned personnel; not just a set of CVs. This manageable shortlist includes a frontsheet of personal details, a screening summary per candidate and an addendum from each explaining their suitability in their own words. This streamlines the process while helping you to make an informed judgement on which candidates you wish to invite for interview.

“Relevant prospects are interviewed face-to-face whenever geographically possible or over the phone on at least two occasions.”

Screening & shortlisting

Computer Futures’ consultants provide a complete end-to-end recruitment solution, managing the labour intensive aspects of the process and freeing your time to focus purely on the business critical staffing decisions.

Whether marketing your employer offering to their networks of active and passive jobseekers, managing interviews, handling the final offer or following up with attentive aftercare services, our consultants will keep you fully informed at each and every stage.

Detailed progress reportsWe will update you with regular up-to-the-minute progress reports during the candidate generation process, providing a comprehensive overview of the recruitment activity carried out on your behalf and including:

• number of adverts placed and where• number of candidates who responded• number of candidates interviewed/

screened• a description of any difficulties we

have encountered.

Regular progress reports will help you to monitor our service against the service level agreement. They also provide scope for us to recommend flexibility in any area of the job specification for improved search results if a skill set is particularly niche.

Interview stageFollowing the delivery of a fully screened candidate shortlist we will respond rapidly to your interview requests and manage the next stage. We appreciate that you don’t want to see prospects who have been obviously prepped for your questions. It’s our responsibility to ensure that each candidate fully understands the job specification, your organisation and the interview process.

We also brief our clients on the candidate expectations and provide any relevant off-CV information. Where beneficial we will also advise you on the key selling points of your employer proposition from a candidate perspective so that you have the best chance of securing the brightest talent.

Offer management and post-placement Computer Futures’ consultants are experts in negotiating placements and managing candidates between interview stages, the offer and the start of the new role. Once a placement is made we follow up with structured post-placement services to ensure that the candidate is adding value and to tackle any early issues should they arise.

“Following the delivery of a fully screened candidate shortlist we will respond rapidly to your interview requests and manage the next stage.”

Hiring process

Employ a candidate or accept a position through Computer Futures and you will enjoy a smooth, consistent onboarding service with no unexpected surprises.

We place an IT professional every 38 minutes and during our 25 years of IT recruitment services we have encountered and devised solutions for every imaginable obstacle, continually adapting our approach so we can manage all eventualities successfully.

Our consultants are experts in negotiating placements and managing candidates between interview stages, the offer and the start of the new role. Once an offer has been made our consultants comply with the following eight steps as a minimum service level:

1. We will ensure that the candidate receives written and verbal confirmation of the offer from Computer Futures.

2. We will run through the package on offer in great detail with the candidate to ensure that they’re fully aware of any additional benefits they may be receiving as well as any probationary period they may have to serve.

3. We will ensure the candidate withdraws from any outstanding

applications and removes their CV from any job boards.

4. We will liaise with both parties with regards to paperwork and ensure both have the correct details and understand their responsibilities.

5. We will advise the candidate on the start date and confirm this with the client to ensure we arrive at a date which is convenient for both parties.

6. We will provide assistance to the candidate in handing in their notice and discuss potential counter offers to minimise the risk of non-starters.

7. We will collect references and documentation needed for security checking if required.

8. We will maintain weekly communication with both parties to ensure transparent communication at all times during the onboarding process.

Our experience has shown that these onboarding commitments are key to the final stages of a successful placement but can be amended to suit your individual requirements as part of the bespoke service that we provide.

“Our consultants are experts in negotiating placements and managing candidates between interview stages, the offer and the start of the new role.”

Onboarding

Computer Futures’ success to date can be attributed to our unrivalled IT expertise and the strength of the lasting relationships that we develop with both clients and candidates.

The end-to-end service we provide certainly does not finish once a placement is made. We offer meticulous aftercare services to monitor a candidate’s performance, measure satisfaction levels and highlight ways to improve the partnership moving forward.

Post-placement meetingWe will dedicate a Client Services Manager to your account and organise on-site meetings with all parties following placement. Typically this takes place a fortnight after the candidate has started in the role, incorporating a short survey with key questions that explore the hiring process and early impressions.

The significant time invested in understanding our customers’ unique requirements ensures that the vast majority of candidates we place are extremely satisfied in their roles and add value to client organisations from day one. If unexpected issues arise the after-placement meeting provides an opportunity for us to offer mitigation advice before they reach a point of uncontrollability.

The Client Services Manager acts as a key point of contact, liaising across all internal divisions, regions and teams to ensure that all of our people understand your requirements so that you enjoy consistency of service.

Contractor monitoring callsCandidate relationships are vital to our business success. It is important that our contractors feel fully supported throughout the job seeking process and the duration of their contracts.

Calls take place every two weeks and our consultants also visit their contractors on site to gain a better understanding of the working environment. This ultimately gives peace of mind to our clients as they know we are staying in touch, gaining regular feedback and dealing with any issues so that they are likely to look positively on extension opportunities if they arise.

A true partnershipOur key clients come to see us as an extension of their hiring teams and we still work with many organisations where we initially placed candidates more than 25 years ago.

“Computer Futures’ success to date can be attributed to our unrivalled IT expertise and the strength of the lasting relationships that we develop with both clients and candidates.”

Aftercare