Direct-Hire Recruiting for I.T. Roles
No fee unless you hire. You work directly with me, an experienced recruiter who spent 10+ years in corporate talent acquisition and contingent search and who knows what your team needs from an agency.
I'll reply within one business day with whether I can fill it, a realistic pay range, and where I'd find candidates. No obligation.
Why companies work with me
I know your side of the table. I spent six years recruiting in-house for a global manufacturer. I know how much noise agencies create for internal teams, so I send fewer, better-qualified candidates and keep your hiring managers informed without chasing them.
You pay nothing unless you hire. There are no retainers or upfront fees for contingent searches. If I don't find the right person, it costs you nothing.
You get my personal assessment, not a forwarded resume. Every candidate comes with a written summary: their experience, why they're interested, their pay expectations, and any concerns I have.
I actually understand I.T. Most recruiters just look for keywords on a resumé. I know that the words mean and what different functional roles actually do. Years of intensive I.T. recruiting have taught me how to separate the candidates who wrote their resumes with A.I. from the ones with the actual experience to do what you need.
IT Searches that I regularly support
IT Leadership:
VP / Director, IT Infrastructure Operations
Director, Information Security
Director, ERP Systems
Director, Business Intelligence
Director, Decision Sciences
Director, Enterprise Architecture
Director, Digital Transformation
Director, Cloud Infrastructure
and more…
IT Infrastructure:
IT Operations Manager
Manager, Enterprise Networking
Network Architect
Network Engineer
Workplace Technology Manager
End-User Computing Engineer
Systems Engineer
Systems Administrator
and more…
Cybersecurity:
Security Architect
Cybersecurity Engineer
Network Security Engineer
Manager, Identity Access Management
Manager, Governance, Risk & Compliance
IT Risk & Compliance Analyst
Information Security Analyst
and more…
Software Development:
Software Development Manager
Software Engineering Manager
Solutions Architect
Software Architect
Technical Lead / Lead Software Engineer
Front-End Developer
Back-End Developer
API Integration Developer
and more…
ERP Systems & Applications:
Enterprise Applications Manager
ERP Implementation Manager
ERP Solutions Architect
ERP Technical Consultant / Analyst
ERP Functional Consultant / Analyst
Application Integration Engineer
and more…
Data Analytics and Business Intelligence:
Data Engineering Manager
Data Sciences Manager
Data Architect
Data Engineer
Business Intelligence (BI) Developer
Data Analyst
Data Scientist
AI / ML Solutions Architect
and more…
Direct-hire only. I don't place contractors or temps.
What you receive
Candidate Pool Overviews
Detailed candidate summaries for every qualified applicant I present — covering each candidate’s years of experience, current role and employer, geographic location, and the specific skills that make them a strong match for your open position.
These summaries give everyone involved in the hiring process a organized overview of the candidate pool without requiring a deep read of every resume. The goal is simple: to make sure the right people are in the right conversations from the very first touchpoint.
In-Depth Evaluations
Detailed, comprehensive evaluations of every candidate I interview. I speak with each candidate personally for 45 minutes to an hour. I review their background, assess their communication style, professionalism, and overall demeanor, and use the priorities you’ve shared with me to draw out specific examples that demonstrate their relevant experience and technical fit for your role.
Everything I learn is captured in an evaluation document that includes concrete anecdotes you can explore further in your own interviews, and full transparency on compensation expectations — so your conversations are focused, productive, and free of surprises.
How it works
Step 1:
Job Description Review
Send me the job description. I'll tell you within one business day whether it's a role I’m confident I can support, the current labor market, up-to-date benchmarking for competitive salaries, and my best estimate of how quickly I can present qualified talent.
Step 2:
We Connect
We talk for 20 minutes. I answer any questions you may have and learn about the benefits, compensation strategy, workplace culture, and any other important factors that help me sell your organization to prospective candidates.
Step 3:
Hiring Manager Input
The Hiring Manager and I discuss what they consider to be the “X factors” that separate mediocre candidates from exceptional ones. We also identify examples of the specific experience which shows a candidate is ready to contribute from Day One.
Step 4:
Sourcing & Screening
I source and screen candidates. I provide you with weekly updates on the status of the search as well as detailed evaluations of candidates across multiple aspects of their overall fit for your company and role.
Step 5:
You Interview
Your team speaks with the candidates. I coordinate interviews, gather feedback and help to surface and resolve any lingering questions about the candidate, their experience and whether the position is a good overall fit.
Step 6:
You Hire!
You choose from a strong slate of qualified candidates. I provide feedback to candidates, and facilitate a smooth handoff to your internal HR team for pre-employment screenings and onboarding. You don’t pay until you select a candidate I refer to you.
About me…
I’m Edwin Johnson, founder of Johnson Staffing Group.
I spent four years as an agency recruiter running contingent, direct-hire searches for attorneys, paralegals, and IT and corporate professionals. I then spent six years in-house as a Senior Talent Acquisition Specialist for a global manufacturer, recruiting for IT, finance, HR, marketing, decision sciences, legal, and executive roles. In 2020, I founded Johnson Staffing Group. Having worked on both sides of the desk, I know what hiring teams need from a search firm and what wastes their time.
My approach is to learn each role the way the hiring manager knows it. Before I talk to candidates, I want to understand the actual work, what good performance looks like, and why the last person did or didn’t succeed. My candidate interviews are thorough, sometimes to a fault. The best compliments I get are a candidate thinking I’m the hiring manager or a hiring manager telling me my read on a candidate was spot on.
I’m also a perpetual student. I’m currently earning an MBA and an MS in Human Resources, and working toward my PMP and SHRM-CP certifications. Some people collect stamps. That broad background helps me see how one hire fits into a team and a company’s strategy, so I look past the skills match to working style, team fit, and whether someone will move your goals forward.
Have a search that is taking too long?
Send me your job description and I’ll give you my honest assessment of the market, your open role, and what I can do to get the position filled.
Need something else? Schedule a free consultation and let’s discuss how I can help.