Frequently Asked Questions for Employers

Do you specialize?
Yes.  Whitaker specializes in providing both technical and functional consultants in the ERP applications of Oracle, SAP and Peoplesoft for either packaged or custom developed solutions.

In addition, because we apply a proven search methodology to our contract requirements, we have a remarkable capacity to find and screen unique and hard-to-find professionals in a variety of skill sets.

What are the advantages of working with a Certified Recruiter?
Certified Recruiters have taken the extra step to provide their candidates and clients with "leading edge" expertise, making their services even more valuable in an ever-changing market. The Certified Personnel Consultant (CPC) and a Certified Temporary Staffing Specialist (CTS) designation that follows an individuals name is the industry's badge of professionalism and seal of excellence. It is recognized as the staffing industry's highest standard, and it is the public's assurance of quality service. Certification assures the following:

Knowledge of current employment laws and procedures, as well as business operations and ethics Experience of at least two years in the staffing or employment profession Service of the highest quality to meet the needs of both candidate and company Ethics, by adhering, to NAPS Standards of Ethical Practices Commitment, credibility and dedication to the staffing industry.

What areas of the country do you serve?
We have a staffing practice serving clients all over the US. Since the markets in which we specialize are in such high-demand, where experienced consultants are in such in low supply, our clients recognize that the best resources are seldom found locally. At the same time, our consultants understand the need to be "road warriors" to be able to work as consultants in their markets.

Does your firm provide permanent placement services?
Yes, we do. Whitaker IT is a division of The Whitaker Companies, the roots of which are in the executive search business. We have successfully differentiated ourselves from IT contract services firms by applying our depth of knowledge in search to the contract market. Although permanent placement is not our core business in the Consulting division, we can provide top-quality permanent candidates to our clients who request those services.

What if we want to hire a consultant full-time?
Our direct hire fee is 30% of the hired candidate's first year gross compensation.  We provide the following tiered discount that is dependent on length of time consultant has provided services: 

After 3 months of service, client pays 75% of direct hire fee
After 6 months of service, client pays 50% of direct hire fee
At 9 months of services and beyond, client pays 25% of direct hire fee 

How do you screen candidates?
The process of screening at Whitaker begins with the way we train our recruiters. All our recruiters select an area of technical focus and immerse themselves in that market to learn all that they can about the technical concepts in that area. They belong to the same technical associations to which our consultants belong, and attend meetings where they are able to see the technologies first-hand and learn more about them.

Although our recruiters are not "techies", they are given the tools they need to understand the technical concepts and the markets. Armed with this knowledge, our recruiting staff is capable of remarkably accurate screening. In addition, if there is any doubt of the qualifications of a candidate, we employ the services of one of our similarly skilled staff consultants for additional screening.