INSIDE THE

Interview with a Recruiter, Linda Orlosky, Freedom Consulting Group

I was a generalist as a Manager of Human Resources for 10 years before specializing in Recruiting. Recruiting was always my favorite discipline of HR and my strength was matching talent to the right position. I love interacting with people and the great feeling of matching a person to their dream job has always been very satisfying! I have worked in Recruiting for the Intelligence Community for 10 years, specializing in IT. I have been with Freedom for 2 years, where we provide IT support to the Intelligence Community, primarily in MD, DC, and VA.

Why Freedom Consulting Group

I love our company culture! We truly are what we preach. If you want to work for a company free from encumbrances, a company in which employees have the FREEDOM to be creative and innovative. It is that FREEDOM, our love of technology, and the integrity of our employees that enable us to deliver exceptional solutions to our clients. We are celebrating our 15^th birthday this fall and plan to continue growing and serving the Intelligence Community. Working for Freedom has been a true joy, which I plan to continue to support for many more years to come.

What’s your hiring process like

If I see a resume that I like on ClearedJobs.net, I typically send them an email, then follow-up with a phone call, assuming a number is provided. Or if I see a profile of a person I like on LinkedIn, or if I get a resume from a referral, I always try to gear the potential candidate to apply directly online to our position. All of our positions are listed on our careers page. After a candidate applies online, they are typically screened within a day or two to determine if they meet the requirements of the position. If not, they will be notified. If more information is needed, we will reach out to the candidate.

Interviews are scheduled with qualified candidates and a security pre-screen is completed. Often times, interviews are conducted by the Recruiting Manger, Technical Manager, and sometimes the Program Manager/Hiring Manager. If there’s mutual interest, an offer is made and once accepted, the applicant works with our Staffing Coordinator to find the ideal position on our contracts. The Staffing Coordinator assists in completing all needed resume templates or documents needed to apply to certain positions.

What makes a great resume

I love seeing resumes that are clearly structured with job titles, dates, work experience, technical skills etc. – and organized as such. A strongly written previous work experience to include skills, capabilities, technology used, accomplishments, and projects are an integral part of the resume. Don’t leave out details. I want to see that a person has direct experience when matching them up for a particular job. All of this information helps when searching for particular skills.

It is never effective to have a non-structured resume. Organization is key. If I can’t follow a resume and easily see work experience and acquired skills, it is difficult to find a suitable position.

What skills do you look for

We look for skills in mostly Software Engineering and Web Development, Cloud Computing and DevOps, GIS, Business Intelligence and Data Analytics/Engineering. Most of our positions require an active TS/SCI with Polygraph clearance.

View Freedom Consulting Group cleared positions on ClearedJobs.Net

What’s your biggest hiring challenge

It is tough to find candidates that actively hold our required level of clearance (TS/SCI with Poly) and have software development skills. Because we support the IC, our security requirements are non-negotiable. I have met many developers that have strong skills but need a clearance. I have also spoken to many that have a clearance, but don’t have a technical background.

Freedom has a GREAT company culture, provides a career path with growth opportunities and offers superior benefits and compensation. If an offer is extended to a candidate for a position, we have a high success rate in bringing that individual on board. I appreciate the relationship we have developed with Clearedjobs.net and am thrilled that this resource is out there to help me find the great talent I have been able to find for our company.