TechServe® Alliance and Inavero Study Sheds New Light on the Opportunities and Challenges within the IT and Engineering Staffing Industry

ALEXANDRIA, Va., May 21, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- With demand for skilled IT and engineering professionals showing no sign of slowing, a new study from TechServe Alliance and global survey firm Inavero helps IT and engineering staffing firms, clients and consultants understand and address the myriad of opportunities and challenges faced by all stakeholders in the talent engagement process.

IT & Engineering Staffing Firms, Clients & Candidates: A 360-Degree Perspective is the first study of its kind to examine the flexible IT and engineering workforce from three distinct perspectives: clients, candidates and staffing firms. The findings, based on the responses of more than 700 survey participants, provide an in depth analysis of the state of the IT and engineering staffing industry.

"This study sheds new light on the motivations and key drivers of all stakeholders in the talent engagement process: the clients, candidates and staffing companies," said TechServe Alliance CEO Mark Roberts. "With fierce competition for top talent and intensified demand for specialized skill sets, it's vital that all the players understand each other's thinking and respond with collaborative, targeted initiatives that take into account the different perspectives."

"By collectively gathering and analyzing the very different issues that affect the three stakeholders, the TechServe/Inavero study delivers a new set of best practices to the IT and engineering staffing and solutions industry," said Inavero Founder and CEO Eric Gregg. "The goal of this study is to reveal knowledge that allows each party to better work with one another and reap greater benefits from the talent acquisition process."

Key takeaways of the study include:

CLIENTS WANT VALUE OVER COST SAVINGS. Clients primarily look to staffing providers to help them reduce risk, increase flexibility and supplement their core competencies with specialized skills.

KNOW THY CUSTOMER. While the right skill match is the number one factor in placement success, clients rank knowledge of their industry as second in importance to ensuring a successful placement. Staffing companies need to be experts at understanding a client's business.  

WORK TOGETHER TO IMPROVE VMO/VMS PROGRAMS. Staffing firms and their clients agree that VMO/VMS programs slow down the hiring process and restrict access to top talent. There is huge opportunity for staffing firms and clients to work collaboratively to improve VMO/VMS programs.

CLIENTS' #1 PAIN POINT: ONBOARDING. The number one pain point for companies working with IT and engineering consultants is the onboarding process — the time it takes to get new talent up to speed. Staffing firms need to continue working with the client and the candidate after the hiring decision is made to ensure an effective onboarding process.

ACT FAST. Staffing firms and clients must move quickly to hire top IT and engineering talent. Eighty-four percent of the IT and engineering professionals surveyed found their current job in less than three months, and nearly one-third (32 percent) found their most recent position in less than two weeks.

CANDIDATES VALUE THE OPPORTUNITIES PROJECT WORK AFFORDS THEM TO GROW PROFESSIONALLY. IT and engineering professionals value the opportunity to gain expertise across multiple platforms and industries through staffing firm engagements. Breadth of experience makes them more relevant and competitive in the marketplace.

Get a free copy of the executive summary, visit: http://www.techservealliance.org/research/360-degree-study.cfm###

For the full report, contact TechServe Alliance at staff@techservealliance.org. 

For a PDF version of this press release, visit: http://www.techservealliance.org/pressroom/documents/TechServeAllianceInaveroStudyNewsRelease_52113_cf.pdf###

ABOUT THE STUDY
IT & Engineering Staffing Firms, Clients & Candidates: A 360-Degree Perspective is the result of a study developed by TechServe Alliance and conducted by global survey firm Inavero. The survey was conducted online between June 11, 2012 and October 4, 2012, and includes more than 700 respondents from across the country broken down as follows: IT & Engineering Staffing Firm Leaders (96); Clients (274); Job Candidates/Consultants (377).

ABOUT TECHSERVE ALLIANCE
TechServe Alliance is a collaboration of IT & engineering staffing and solutions firms, clients, consultants and suppliers dedicated to advancing excellence and ethics within the IT & engineering staffing and solutions industry. Hundreds of IT & engineering staffing and solutions firms and tens of thousands of affiliated professionals count on TechServe Alliance to keep their leadership informed, engaged and connected. TechServe Alliance serves as the voice of the industry before the policymakers and the national and trade press. By providing access to the knowledge and best practices of an entire industry and tapping the "collective scale" of hundreds of companies, TechServe Alliance supports its members in the efficient delivery of best-in-class IT & engineering staffing and solutions for clients and exceptional professional opportunities for every consultant.

ABOUT INAVERO
Inavero administers more staffing agency client and talent satisfaction surveys than any other firm in the world. Inavero's team reports on satisfaction surveys from more than 500,000 staffing agency clients and talent each year.

Inavero's Best of Staffing™ is the nation's only award that recognizes staffing agencies that receive remarkable reviews from their clients and the people they help find jobs (employed talent). The Best of Staffing winner lists are a central place that businesses and talent go to find the best staffing agencies to call when they are in need.

SOURCE TechServe Alliance