Ashley Jones  00:54

Welcome to the show everyone. This is Ashley, your podcast producer. This week I'm filling in for Kathleen and I'm happy to see Rachel, of course, and to be here with everyone today.

Rachel Bozeman  01:04

Well, we are super excited you're here, Ashley. It's always so much fun getting to talk to you. And hello to everyone out there in the listening world.

Ashley Jones  01:14

And a very special hello to our guest today, Eric Voelkel. He is Systems Engineer and Staffing Manager for ITIC Corporation. Welcome, Eric.

Eric Voelkel  01:23

Hi, how are you all doing?

Rachel Bozeman  01:24

Livin the dream. And we want to talk a little bit about your dream and a little bit about your career journey. So if you don't mind just kind of sharing with us all the twists and turns and how in the heck did you get to where you are today?

Eric Voelkel  01:38

Do you have a few years to talk about that?

Rachel Bozeman  01:41

I got all the time in the world. Ashley might feel different, but let's do it my friend.

Eric Voelkel  01:45

I'd say it started back in college. I was at James Madison and got my communication degree and started working with folks with disabilities and job coaching. And I thought my calling was to go to grad school. So I went to University of Tennessee and got my degree in vocational rehabilitation. And I spent the next five, six years doing that in different facets, everything from coaching to employment placement, interviewing. You name it, it was there. I learned a ton. I loved working with clients. But unfortunately, a lot of the red tape got the best of me. But fortunately, I was able to start helping our clients with using the computer. They didn't know how to use it, make a resume, start interviewing, things of that nature. So I kind of got the bug with the computer and went into Microsoft NT and was able to win my first job at Northrop Grumman. Then from there, I worked with my father-in-law at ISA and now I'm here with ITIC and it's been seven years.

Rachel Bozeman  02:48

So those are fun twists and turns. And you kind of have a dual role there. So you're not only the staffing manager, but you're also a systems engineer. How in the heck do you juggle that?

Eric Voelkel  03:00

Well, right now I'm learning how not to juggle it. I'm off contract, looking to get back on contract soon. But I've learned a lot during this time just about what it takes to find the right folks, placement, business development, all the key factors that go into it. But when I was on contract as a systems engineer, I utilize those skills and people that I had to kind of inject that into my interview process, because I learned about software development, I learned about architecture, PMs, integrators, you name it, forensic analysts. So when I go to interview folks, I already had that learning curve. So I'd be able to create some kind of matrix for that particular position, and just already have a wealth of knowledge. But it was the ability to also just have my back with our employees, because they'd be on site also and could say, "We're looking for someone with this kind of skill set, because somebody left in this area." And I'd say, "okay." So whether you were looking for a specific position or not, it just made me have to research that much more and find out and dig. Also, just from the standpoint of ClearedJobs.Net, we've been able to hire a few folks. And when we were learning to utilize your all's website and everything, we always had the support and continue to, which is awesome. We've hired two people, I'd say three if you include the referral from somebody who we hired from CJN.

Ashley Jones  04:40

I love to hear that.

Eric Voelkel  04:41

It's been impressive.

Ashley Jones  04:42

Thank you for that impromptu testimony. Well, since you mentioned filling some positions with our job board, what type of work does ITIC do in the cleared community?

Eric Voelkel  04:51

Kinda you name it, we do it. We've been with different projects. Some have included being a network engineer. Some people have come with Help Desk customer support. Other people have come with engineering. I was an SA, systems admin, but that has evolved into engineering because you end up having to collaborate. So I'd say architectural engineering overall, being able to take someone's mission needs and develop something based on what they have, what they don't, and being able to deliver with that. Right now, I'd say the big thing is cloud, hybrid cloud, some on prem, some people wanting to go to the cloud with the data that they have. So with that being said, we've been looking at utilizing the resources we have and seeing where they need to get up to speed on certain cloud technology. So that's where we are.

Rachel Bozeman  05:49

Awesome. So now we're going to tap into that staffing manager side of you, Eric. Talk a little bit about the type of cleared positions or skill sets that you're really hunting for right now.

Eric Voelkel  06:05

From the staffing manager side, I would say systems administrators, I mean, they're always helpful, whether it's Linux or Windows, especially nowadays in the cloud, you may not just be delivering a cloud solution and architecture, you need to be able to access that OS, if someone's having problems with it, and be able to troubleshoot whatever software that they have on it. Along those lines, we've done digital forensic analysis, so people who can take an image or data and be able to carve it up and see what's inside. That could be one of the positions that is there, in terms of not just now, but in the future. Then there's also, like I said, hybrid cloud infrastructure, which encapsulates everything, could be software engineers, front end, full stack. It may be really different tiered approaches to the cloud, because you don't have one size fits all. So with that, you have programmatics, integrators. But I'd say my immediate needs would be SAs, SEs, systems engineers, and also software developers.

Rachel Bozeman  07:16

That sounds like an awful lot of fun, carving things and seeing what's inside. I like it. Like carving a pumpkin, but for a career. So we talked about those different roles that you're looking for. Are these full scope poly? Are they in Northern Virginia? Or what are you looking for and where are they located exactly?

Eric Voelkel  07:35

In terms of clearances, they would be a full scope, specifically in Virginia at this point.

Rachel Bozeman  07:41

Perfect. Thank you for that clarification.

Ashley Jones  07:44

And I understand that ITIC is a smaller subcontractor. So educate us a little bit. What do cleared professionals need to know about the difference between being a prime versus a sub on a contract? How does that impact their job search, maybe even particularly when they're interviewing with you?

Eric Voelkel  08:01

Prime is usually the one who has been awarded the contract. The sub is the one that they would go out and partner with to help provide resources if they can't provide them all. And the thing no matter where people look, they got to realize that relationship is critical for the mission, no matter what. The primes, obviously, they have first choice for positions. And just like subs, they can win and lose a contract. That kind of goes hand-in-hand for the subs. I've had the ability to work for both. My first job was with Northrop Grumman. So I worked there for two and a half years just on contract, providing engineering support as an SA. I didn't know any better. I just knew that's the position. When I went to work for my father-in-law, it changed, because it was a smaller company, you weren't compartmentalized into groups. It was more of here you are and here's the people you work with. ITIC currently has 11 employees, nine or 10 billable right now. And so when it comes to being able to interview somebody, integrity stands for me. I tell people upfront, here's what we can offer. Here's what we can't. If they ask comparisons, I'm not a car salesman, but I will tell them to shop around. I'm not here just to sell you on me. You need to be educated. I know with interviewing, it's not just salary. What's the full package? The benefits that we have, I'd say they're very good.

Rachel Bozeman  09:32

And I'm not gonna lie, when I was looking at some of the benefits for ITIC, I had a little eye twitch, because I saw that one of the benefits is that there is six weeks of vacation when you start. Now you told us previously that these positions were in Virginia, but I feel like that might be a little European over here with six weeks of vacation to start. What in the world, tell us more about that benefit and some of the other incredible benefits that are available at ITIC.

Eric Voelkel  10:04

Yeah, within the past year, we've been looking at retention and gain. You want to be able to build on the people that are there, and you want them to know there's growth. There's always going to be competition, someone's always going to have something different benefit wise. But when I talked with Paul our president and said, is there any way PTO, (which includes, you use it whatever way you want, it can be sick, it can be vacation, whatever, it's accrued) we decided, instead of having people wait five years to get the five weeks, starting at four and then at 10 years you get the six, if we can do it and be fiscally responsible at the same time, can we afford six weeks? And he said, yes. And so we said, okay! Tech refresh, we've just implemented every two years up to $1,000. Whatever kind of home tech you need, could be a phone upgrade, could be a laptop, whatever it is, you get reimbursed up to $1,000. Other benefits, when we can get at least 50% of our referrals from employees, that's a bonus, whether they come in stay with us or not. When they can hand us somebody who is a quality person that they've worked with, that they know, it makes it that much more valuable. So with that in mind, we have referral bonuses starting at $5,000 three months after that person is on contract. And the price can go up. So it's a win-win.

Ashley Jones  11:28

That's great. Sounds like you're really taking the opportunity to do right by your employees. So those sound like great benefits for sure. Now, I know in our pre-call, you might have talked a little bit about the importance of talking to candidates and getting that information that isn't necessarily always listed on their resume. Can you share some examples with our listeners so that they can better understand what you mean?

Eric Voelkel  11:49

I'm not here to just tell you about a position and do checkboxes. I want to be able to have somebody elaborate on what they do day-to-day, but also the intangibles of someone being able to not be afraid to tell me what they've accomplished. I'm not just going to base it on the resume. I want to be able to see that they can marry what they're saying and their experience to what's on the resume, because that's what's going to happen when they go to a position. There are expectations. You're not coming in knowing everything. And this is something that I think is extremely valuable in an interview. I just don't want to be able to hear all the things that you've accomplished. I want to hear someone speak about the areas that they need to actually work on. If someone can come to the table with that, I know there's a level of self-awareness and confidence, because confidence is knowing what you can do, what you can't, and where you want to go. Having that in their pocket, that I can't see on a resume, that's what's going to pique my interest that much more, because competition is tight. When we have people come and talk to us, I want them to know they're not just being interviewed for one position. That isn't our sole reason for interviewing somebody. Having someone who can come with a vision of their future, what they're interested in doing, where they want to go, what they've done to start making a path there, it could be, I started looking into a certification, I started doing this or this. That goes a lot farther than just what's on the resume. I can't read minds. That's why we interview and do our best to hit the major areas that they have skills in. But I also want to hear from them about, this is my niche, this is what I love about software engineering, I love coding, everything else maybe not, but I love coding. I like to find out what makes people tick. And when I have somebody who can come and hand me their thoughts on their future, it's kind of like a handshake. We meet halfway. You tell me what your dreams and desires are, realistically, and we will do our best to get you there, knowing that it's going to take effort not just inside the office, but outside also. Kind of like they come to a table, right? It's like a potluck, everybody brings a meal. But in this case, each person, I just don't want your skills, your education, your experience. I want that extra that you bring to share, but also be able to learn from everybody else at the table.

Rachel Bozeman  14:28

I love it. And now you've got me really hungry because I'm thinking about a potluck. So appreciate that. But something that some candidates do bring to the table are different certifications. And those are super important, especially when we think about those really technical positions. So it's not only important to have the certification, but gosh darn it, to keep it current. Tell us a little bit about what you're seeing when it comes to candidates not only having the certifications but making sure they're relevant and current.

Eric Voelkel  15:00

I'll just tell you straight up with me.

Rachel Bozeman  15:02

Do it, do it. Just tell us straight up.

Eric Voelkel  15:05

I just got certified with my Nutanix Certified Professional. But then I have a Microsoft Certified Professional from 2000. What does that mean? That means nothing to the customer at this point. If you keep those up to date, that's what's key. I can get a resume with program manager that has a Six Sigma PMP, all these different certifications, but if they're not up to date, the customer may, or the prime really, may just go, until they're up to date, this position may not be relevant for them.

Rachel Bozeman  15:40

It's almost like if you have an outdated certification, it's like bringing expired food to the potluck. And nobody wants to be that person. Right? Like, just don't do it. I love it. That was great, Eric, thank you.

Eric Voelkel  15:54

No problem.

Ashley Jones  15:56

Oh, that's great. Thank you for making that connection there, Rachel. So tell us about a recent, or it doesn't have to be so recent, but just tell us a really cool hiring experience that you've had. I'd love to hear a story like that.

Eric Voelkel  16:10

One of our cool hiring experiences happened through ClearedJobs.Net. I had somebody who was looking to relocate. And I didn't think anything of it. I talked to him. And lo and behold, a position comes open in one of the places he wanted to move. Having to relocate somebody vocational, I learned a lot. I learned a lot about asking tons of specific questions, because a person's going into a new area. But it has worked out since and bonus, he referred somebody else to us who just started a week ago. So he's happy as can be in his new area, which I'm glad about, enjoying the job. I keep in contact with them regularly. I'd say that's probably one of the coolest ones.

Ashley Jones  17:03

Well, I certainly appreciate that one because it involves ClearedJobs.Net. That's incredible. Thank you.

Rachel Bozeman  17:09

Well, you've shared so much great advice. I know people are still reeling from the six weeks of PTO, the tech allowance, all of the goodness, and getting the opportunity to just interview with you. So with that in mind, how in the heck can the listeners get a hold of you?

Eric Voelkel  17:26

I'd say email resumes@iticcorp.com. It's not a one stop shop with me, but it will go to multiple people.

Ashley Jones  17:39

Well, that's about it for today. Thank you, Eric, for joining us. I'm so glad that you could share information about ITIC and a little bit of your expertise.

Eric Voelkel  17:48

Thank you all for your time.

Ashley Jones  17:52

Well, I appreciated our conversation with Eric. He especially buttered me up because he kept mentioning how he's found candidates on ClearedJobs.Net. So it does work even for a company that, you know, he said they only had like 10 or 11 people - to say that two or three came from ClearedJobs.Net, that's a pretty good percentage. So go make sure that you've logged in recently. Make sure you have an updated resume on there. But more about Eric, he did mention one thing that really stood out to me. He said that he's not just interviewing you for one position. Positions can change. They can evolve. Maybe there's a new contract. You're doing one thing today, but your role can evolve into something else the next day. So I think that's why he really wanted to know about the person beyond just the things that are boiled down to the resume that you provide a company. What about you, Rachel, what did you think?

Rachel Bozeman  18:43

Yeah, I thought there was some really great stuff that he shared. I mean, obviously, the six weeks of PTO day one is pretty stinkin awesome and pretty incredible. But even outside of that, something I think that really is great for our listeners to really take stock in is the fact that Eric comes from the hiring manager side, not just that recruiter side that's looking for those cultural fits, but he speaks the language and he speaks it so well. And it's so great to hear from someone like that, because they provide those additional insights that sometimes we miss when you think about the certifications. Yeah, it's great to have them, but if they're from 1974 and haven't been updated since then, are they relevant today? So it's just really important to take those considerations. Take it from the horse's mouth. He knows what he's doing. He's been around the block, and six weeks of PTO. Let's just go back there, pretty stinking awesome. But we're so incredibly happy that you joined us this week. Make sure you get out there and follow our show. And we'll see you real soon. Bye.