Q: What about your background has led you to recruiting?
A: About midway through college, my desired career path took a left turn, and I wasn’t sure what I wanted to get into. A local headhunting firm was hiring so I got my first internship there. Once I finished my degree, I got my first recruiting job right out of school. That was almost singlehandedly based off the internship. I sort of fell into the industry.
Q: What do you enjoy most about your job?
A: Creative relationship building and adding value along the way with clients and candidates. When I started recruiting and was still learning the process, it was all about the result – making the placement. Over time, as my skillset and market knowledge have grown, and that has enabled me to go through the recruiting process in a high-quality manner, giving me more creative freedom and ability to build relationships with my candidates. Now, it’s the process that excites me. I love seeing a candidate profile and visualizing how this opportunity could advance their career and benefit their life. When a client says they need “X, Y, and Z”, I can be consultative, provide recommendations, and challenge misconceptions about the market. Seeing things in a more 360 degree manner has helped me to weave relationship and credibility-building together in more engaging and creative ways. You can’t beat a great placement, but loving the process is a game changer.
Q: What trends are you noticing in IT?
A: The pandemic made nearly every IT worker 100% remote. In the current market, many companies are doing returns to the office, which is much more challenging with IT because IT candidates tend to have strong leverage in the market. Work from home versus on-site is a battle that I am experiencing with clients and candidates. AI, especially Generative AI & Predictive Analytics, is another common trend and topic. It seems to have its place in the market and it’s not going anywhere. AI is certainly disruptive and can add incredible amounts of value, but it doesn’t appear to be a turnkey solution for most, and it feels that many companies that are chasing AI before considering practical applications/business cases (and risks).
Q: Why did you choose to specialize in IT?
A: IT was the first realm that I started recruiting in, out of college, and I’m so grateful for it. Tech is endlessly interesting and always changing, so keeping up with market trends never gets old and I am always learning.
Q: Do you have a favorite moment as a recruiter?
A: My first placement at Ferretti Search was an IT Manager. During the interview process, he mentioned several times that his family was his number one priority. I really respected that and even though he wasn’t a traditional fit for the role, I advocated for his skills and experience with the client. Ultimately, the client extended him an offer and he accepted the role. Unfortunately, his wife was laid off shortly after we placed him. She had previously been on-site five days a week with very little work-life balance. I placed her into a role with one of our clients which was a 100% remote job with full benefits and unlimited PTO. My family is my #1 priority, so I personally connected with their drives/motivators, and was extremely happy to help make this new reality possible for them.
Q: What motivates you as a person and professional?
A: Easily my family. I’ve been married for eight years, and my son is almost two. Nothing is more important to me than providing a great life for my family and being the husband and father that they deserve. They’re easily my number one motivator.
Q: If you could invent a work-related gadget, what would it do?
A: I would create a gadget that would generate my candidate submission write ups for me. A write up is essentially a written version of an elevator pitch that goes along with the candidate’s resume. It’s about a one minute read for the hiring manager and they’re able to succinctly understand the candidate’s background without having to rely on just their resume. It’s critically important for me to represent my candidates honestly and accurately, so I give this a high level of effort. The process of cross-referencing notes, LinkedIn profiles, resumes, and the client’s requirements to build a write-up that succinctly and accurately “sells” the candidate is important, but time-consuming.
Q: What’s your go-to karaoke song?
A: Don’t Stop Believin’ – Journey
Interested in connecting with Matt Roe?
If you’re looking for a new opportunity in the Information Technology field, with his expertise in relationship-building and understanding your unique skills, Matt can connect you with roles that align with your career goals.
Click Here to visit Matt Roe’s LinkedIn Profile!
Written by Lily Warlick
