Challenging Requisitions

As a sourcer or recruiter what was the toughest requisition you were assigned? What made it difficult and how did you fill it? If you are still working on the assignment what techniques are you using?

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Permalink Reply by Jeff Weidner on December 3, 2008 at 5:48pm

Tribologist for Flexible Tape Media
MUST HAVES:
Min 9 years experience in the industry with 3 yrs in Tribology
Must have at least 1 patent and at least 1 published paper in flexible media
Must have MS in Chemistry or EE but prefer a PhD
Making less than $175K

REQUIREMENTS:
BS/MS/PhD in Tribology or related field. Needs good knowledge of digital magnetic recording in general, with greater emphasis on various head and media technologies, including thin-film inductive writers, SAL-based AMR readers, GMR (spin-value, spin tunneling, etc.) readers, MP and ME tape media, perpendicular recording media, etc. Experiences with various device characterization techniques, including static (impedance, insulation), quasi-static (transfer curve, VSM) parametric (TAA, PW50, asymmetry, overwrite, spectrum analysis), system-level (SNR, NLTS, BER) and reliability (thermal generation, signal processing (amplifiers, filters, equalizers, compensators, a/d & d/a converters, etc.) and data acquisition (digital scope, spectrum analyzer) are highly desired. Knowledge of data path within a typical storage device, such as pre-amp, PRML read channel, RLL coding, ECC/CRC codes, etc., is also helpful. Programming in C and Matlab is also a plus. Must be a self motivator with good communication skills.

Since this is an antiquated technology most companies have moved on to Hard Disk drives or have moved their flexible media engineering groups offshore the client estimated that there were only approximately 85-100 candidates in the entire USA that met these qualifications and they had already interviewed 10 of them, had no interest in another 12 candidates.

We identified 78 candidates, screened out 75 as either not interested, not willing to relo, not qualified or over qualified. 3 met the requirements and were interested in hearing about the oppty and the client hired one. From start to end it took 3 months and we charged the client $3000, $1000 per candidate. (we're a sourcing firm not a contingency or retained firm)

This should have easily been a $50,000 placement fee but the client promised to give us a lot more work so wanted to prove to them that we were in it for the long haul.

In short they made the hire and then the next month went on a hiring freeze.

And that was the toughest job we ever worked...

Jeff Weidner

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Permalink Reply by Norman L. Harris on December 3, 2008 at 6:23pm

Wow! How did you identify those 78 candidates?

Jeff Weidner said:

Tribologist for Flexible Tape Media
MUST HAVES:
Min 9 years experience in the industry with 3 yrs in Tribology
Must have at least 1 patent and at least 1 published paper in flexible media
Must have MS in Chemistry or EE but prefer a PhD
Making less than $175K

REQUIREMENTS:
BS/MS/PhD in Tribology or related field. Needs good knowledge of digital magnetic recording in general, with greater emphasis on various head and media technologies, including thin-film inductive writers, SAL-based AMR readers, GMR (spin-value, spin tunneling, etc.) readers, MP and ME tape media, perpendicular recording media, etc. Experiences with various device characterization techniques, including static (impedance, insulation), quasi-static (transfer curve, VSM) parametric (TAA, PW50, asymmetry, overwrite, spectrum analysis), system-level (SNR, NLTS, BER) and reliability (thermal generation, signal processing (amplifiers, filters, equalizers, compensators, a/d & d/a converters, etc.) and data acquisition (digital scope, spectrum analyzer) are highly desired. Knowledge of data path within a typical storage device, such as pre-amp, PRML read channel, RLL coding, ECC/CRC codes, etc., is also helpful. Programming in C and Matlab is also a plus. Must be a self motivator with good communication skills.

Since this is an antiquated technology most companies have moved on to Hard Disk drives or have moved their flexible media engineering groups offshore the client estimated that there were only approximately 85-100 candidates in the entire USA that met these qualifications and they had already interviewed 10 of them, had no interest in another 12 candidates.

We identified 78 candidates, screened out 75 as either not interested, not willing to relo, not qualified or over qualified. 3 met the requirements and were interested in hearing about the oppty and the client hired one. From start to end it took 3 months and we charged the client $3000, $1000 per candidate. (we're a sourcing firm not a contingency or retained firm)

This should have easily been a $50,000 placement fee but the client promised to give us a lot more work so wanted to prove to them that we were in it for the long haul.

In short they made the hire and then the next month went on a hiring freeze.

And that was the toughest job we ever worked...

Jeff Weidner

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Permalink Reply by Jeff Weidner on December 17, 2008 at 6:58pm

All names were phone name generated using a variety of phone techniques.

Jeff Weidner

Norman L. Harris said:

Wow! How did you identify those 78 candidates?

Jeff Weidner said:
Tribologist for Flexible Tape Media
MUST HAVES:
Min 9 years experience in the industry with 3 yrs in Tribology
Must have at least 1 patent and at least 1 published paper in flexible media
Must have MS in Chemistry or EE but prefer a PhD
Making less than $175K

REQUIREMENTS:
BS/MS/PhD in Tribology or related field. Needs good knowledge of digital magnetic recording in general, with greater emphasis on various head and media technologies, including thin-film inductive writers, SAL-based AMR readers, GMR (spin-value, spin tunneling, etc.) readers, MP and ME tape media, perpendicular recording media, etc. Experiences with various device characterization techniques, including static (impedance, insulation), quasi-static (transfer curve, VSM) parametric (TAA, PW50, asymmetry, overwrite, spectrum analysis), system-level (SNR, NLTS, BER) and reliability (thermal generation, signal processing (amplifiers, filters, equalizers, compensators, a/d & d/a converters, etc.) and data acquisition (digital scope, spectrum analyzer) are highly desired. Knowledge of data path within a typical storage device, such as pre-amp, PRML read channel, RLL coding, ECC/CRC codes, etc., is also helpful. Programming in C and Matlab is also a plus. Must be a self motivator with good communication skills.

Since this is an antiquated technology most companies have moved on to Hard Disk drives or have moved their flexible media engineering groups offshore the client estimated that there were only approximately 85-100 candidates in the entire USA that met these qualifications and they had already interviewed 10 of them, had no interest in another 12 candidates.

We identified 78 candidates, screened out 75 as either not interested, not willing to relo, not qualified or over qualified. 3 met the requirements and were interested in hearing about the oppty and the client hired one. From start to end it took 3 months and we charged the client $3000, $1000 per candidate. (we're a sourcing firm not a contingency or retained firm)

This should have easily been a $50,000 placement fee but the client promised to give us a lot more work so wanted to prove to them that we were in it for the long haul.

In short they made the hire and then the next month went on a hiring freeze.

And that was the toughest job we ever worked...

Jeff Weidner