CONTRACTING IN THE AGE OF VMS

Vendor Management System (VMS) programs are rapidly gaining momentum where I.T. contract services are concerned. About 60% of Fortune 1000 companies have VMS in place and it is growing.

Challenges:

Costs of VMS Participation

Recruiting costs increase while effectiveness decrease. In a "VMS-free" zone you might see a fill ratio in the range of 3:1 and 5:1 (or when 3 to 5 resumes/candidates are presented, one placement is made). With VMS programs fill ratios have dramatically changed to between 12:1 and 20:1 or more. Clearly it cost more to recruit, and the results are severely impacted.

Limited Contact with Hiring Managers

Typically the VMS representative own the relationship with the hiring managers, and therefore direct contact with the hiring managers is virtually non-existent. is virtually non-existent. This impacts effective clarification of job requirements, forecasting future needs, determining manager's interest in candidate submittals, retrieving interview feedback, management of contractors once hired, feedback on performance, updates on contract extensions, and almost all aspects of the hiring process.

Mounds of Work for the VMS Representative

Usually one VMS representative handles numerous job requirements and managers. As a result they literally do the job of many recruiters and the bottle neck that occurs is in direct proportion to the lack of arms and legs required to provide a quality service to the hiring managers. The VMS representative screens hundreds of resumes searching for the right candidate, without the benefit of having spoken with the candidate. It is the VMS representative’s job to shortlist candidates. The shortlist is then provided to the hiring managers. Those qualified candidates who may have fallen through the cracks are a casualty of the VMS model.

What this means for Candidates:

The process has changed and as a result the candidates need to react to that change. Unfortunately in the current economy, the number of jobs have decreased , so to showcase your talents candidates need to address both of their audiences, the VMS representative as well as the hiring manager.

How Can Candidates Effectively Represent Their Talents

Write clear resumes that include the following:

1. A summary that reflects all of your skills as they match up to the specific job you are applying to. Quantify those skills with number of years.

2. Include the college you obtained your degree from and your major

3. Include month and year along with each job you worked.

4. Under each employer include the technology you personally used

5. Include your title

6. Include your job responsibilities

7. Keep your resume down to 2 or 3 pages where possible and use the space wisely

Conclusion:

Those candidates that we see getting the job have been cooperative and forthright with illuminating their skills. The chosen candidates are those that understand the competitive nature of the job market. If you want to land that contract job today you have to package your skills for a new audience.

Donna Preston
Vice President