What’s in your “tool box” when you arrive at your next contract location?  I’ve asked that question many times of Contract Recruiters who are looking for a new employment gig and feel they have all the tools needed to land the opportunity.  Surprisingly, once they interview with the corporation or agency, they realize they may be a little behind the times in their tool box.  Their knowledge of technology (hardware and software), ATS systems, resume parsing software, interviewing techniques, and other recruiter tools may be outdated.

I think it would be interesting to get all of you Contract Recruiters to help us build a list of the necessary “tool box” contents.  Some tools will be obvious, but I would venture to say that others may be totally new to our thinking.  Here are some categories and specific tool box contents that I could think of:

• Basic Software – Word processing (Word), Spreadsheet (Excel), Email (Outlook)
• ATS Familiarity – Many larger companies have their own system or have modified off the shelf software – are you familiar with the basics?
• Resume Parsing Software – There are several good packages out there to improve the efficiency of capturing resumes.  Some companies integrate in to their ATS systems.
• Interviewing Technique – Various styles are used like behavioral interviewing, scoring systems, and even online testing systems.
• Efficiency and organization – What tools do you use to move quickly, keep a calendar, and do your job effectively?
• Your Recruiting Network – Are you tuned in to ERE, Yahoo Groups, Local recruiter Groups, and other networks which will provide good contacts for your assignments?
• Industry Groups for sourcing – Have you kept a list of industry groups (accounting groups, quality engineers, and any other industry specific associations) in the specific area you recruit in to provide solid sourcing pools? 
• Virtual Tools – VOIP phones, database for candidates, good computer hardware and software systems, etc.

I hope I can encourage you to add your comments to this list and help identify additional Contract Recruiter “Tool Box” items.  What’s in your tool box that helps you be successful in your Contract Recruiting gigs?