INSIDE THE 
NEWS + ADVICE
Interview with a Recruiter, April Rose, NMR Consulting
April, tell us about yourself and NMR
I started with NMR Consulting in April of 2009. I came on board to source candidates to build our internal database and to work on finding new ways to recruit candidates at little or no cost. I was new to the DoD world and to recruiting in general so it took a while to “learn the lingo” and all of the acronyms!! In my past work experience I had already used and knew the value of social media so I started the company down that road, setting up Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn Pages for the company. I remember our HR Director’s surprise when we received a resume within ten minutes of posting a job on Facebook! It wasn’t a GOOD resume, but it was a great example of the power of social media.
Why do I want to work for NMR Consulting
NMR Consulting is made up of incredible people who love to work hard and enjoy working hard together. We have a very open and collaborative environment. Our leadership and many of our employees are former military and I would say that we have a very family/unit feel to our teams. No one ever has every answer and this is the type of environment where you can ask a co-worker to explain or help with an issue and you will find support and assistance that goes above and beyond. We enjoy each other’s company both inside and outside of work and that is hard to find!
At what point in their transition should a service member start looking for a job with your company
I think that 9-12 months is a good time to start reaching out to NMR when you are planning your transition. We will sometimes have an idea of possible positions on future contracts that have not yet been awarded and we can proactively speak with you about your background, skills, location and salary.
What’s the best way for someone transitioning from the military to get a job with your company
Attend one of our M2C Military to Civilian Transition workshops!! We hold quarterly workshops to assist with the transition and offer help with social media (Thanks Rob and ClearedJobs.net!!), resume reviews, interview techniques and a Veteran’s Q&A Panel. Another great way would be to connect via LinkedIn with our HR Team. You may also submit your resume via our career page.
What’s it like for transitioning military to work for your company
I think that we try to make NMR a great place to work and offer support to all of our new employees. We have a lot of retired military folks working for us so I would hope that would make the transition a smooth one, but I am always interested in hearing how we might improve.
Tell us about the hiring process with your company
We typically do initial phone screens within the HR department, a technical phone interview with the Hiring Manager and the final step is generally an in-person interview.
What types of cleared positions do you fill
A-Z! Most of our positions are in the IT field and may require anywhere from no clearance to a Full Scope Polygraph. Right now we are looking for the following positions: Senior Systems Engineer, Java Developer, .NET Developer, Project Control Specialist, Business Analyst, VTC Technician II and a SharePoint Site Manager.
View NMR job openings.
What type of certifications or training can you recommend for someone looking to get a job with NMR
A Security+ Certification is a must to adhere to DoD requirements. If you are in the IT field there are many, but some of the most common ones that we see are Network+ and A+. SharePoint skills are always in high demand so any SharePoint certifications you can add to your resume will be a big plus. ITILv3 and PMP Certifications are also very good certifications to add to your resume.
What are the toughest security cleared positions for you to fill and why
IT Professionals that are both cleared and hold required certifications are the hardest positions to fill. Software Developers ( SharePoint, .NET and Java) are always a challenge.
What do you see security cleared job seekers doing wrong that you want to tell them to stop doing
Holding on to unrealistic salary requirements in an environment that has changed drastically over the past two years.
What’s the craziest thing a job seeker has ever said to you
After responding to an applicant that he would not be considered due to his not being a US Citizen I received the following email response: “Please do not believe one second that you are talking to a wanderer. Now if you want to help me and your country, there is a way. Always for the ones who really want to. Did you see on my resume that I spent 2 years in Southbury, CT? Relatives there. I am more American than French.”
What do job seekers need to know about your job as a recruiter
That I cannot respond to generic emails of resumes with the request “Is there anything at your company that I might qualify for”. You need to do your homework and review job descriptions. Recruiters do not have time to do that for you.
What’s the most inappropriate thing you’ve seen on a resume
I will give you a list!
- Not a resume, but a LinkedIn profile I pulled recently had a candidate photo with glowing green eyes!
- A resume submitted in Spanish
- A resume submitted with the words “ I don’t have one” and nothing else
- A resume that is a link to a video resume with a paper copy linked after you watch the video
- A resume that mentions that as a security guard he was fired for discharging his weapon on more than two occasions. But he was cleared by the police.
- A resume that mentions he is available to relocate “anywhere on Earth and beyond”.
- A resume that states “ I intend to be consulting until I die at my desk unless I find my ideal position in which case I’ll do that until I drop dead at my desk”.
