James Reich admits his background did not prepare him for his career as recruiter who specializes in IT technical and management positions. His education is in graphic design, not technology.
“I have a major in graphic design. For a while, I wanted to go into graphic design … but it’s a long way to get to the top of the heap,” said Reich, 29, who has joined the VLink Staffing Solutions group in Hartford as a senior executive recruiter with responsibility for providing permanent placement support to companies hiring IT technical and management professionals. Reich will play a central role in all client engagements.
Reich graduated from Salem State College with a graduate degree in communications. His job hunting was answered by Oxford International for a recruiting position. “It seemed interesting and very challenging,” said Reich, who describes himself as a very social person who enjoys marketing and networking.
With those skills, Reich admits the rest of his professional education in recruiting came from on-the-job training. “It’s an ongoing, always learning challenge. There’s probably not a skill set I haven’t recruited,” he said.
Being a technical recruiter does not require technical expertise on par with the positions he seeks to fill.
“You don’t need to be an expert, but you do need to be knowledgeable about the skills needed to fill a position,” Reich said. “You have to have the ability to define a client’s needs.”
His recruitment, in addition to the IT positions from junior- to senior-level management, also involves robotics. The latter could become a larger part of his practice, which is 75 percent IT with robotics making up about 20 percent.
“Robotics in general is just growing. There is a strong uptick in the Northeast,” Reich said, adding new robotics companies are popping up.
“I think it’s the future and it makes sense to be onboard with the skill set,” he said.
When not recruiting, Reich is an avid sports fan of New England professional teams with a passion for college football, particularly for the Boston College Eagles.
“I will live and die with them,” Reich said.g
