Beginning the Search Process

The simplest, most efficient way to benefit from Synergistech's expertise is to email us complete details of the position(s) you'd like filled. We can't exaggerate the importance of including key facts — such as the pay rate/salary and the rest of the information outlined here — because our candidates rely on them to discern which opportunities to take seriously. If you 'decline to specify,' you'll likely lose the interest of candidates who can afford to be picky. In other words, your initial effort to provide comprehensive information will yield lasting rewards.

We'll get in touch as soon as we receive your message. Also, if we don't already have a recruiting agreement in place with your company, we'll email you ours or review yours.

What to include in your Job Description

In your job description, please include as much as possible of the following information:

Staff or Contract?	If staff/perm/salaried, list unusual benefits (eg, stock options, more than two weeks' vacation, regular free meals, gym membership, paid tuition, sabbaticals). If contract, how long will the project last, is the term renewable, and would you prefer to work with (1099-based) independent contractors or W2-based (payrolled) temporary employees?
Title or Role	Eg, Senior Technical Writer, UX Specialist, Tech Comm Director, Editor, Technical Trainer, Information Architect, Courseware Developer, Illustrator, Localization Expert, etc. Will the person work solo or join a team with similar skills? If the candidate will not be the sole member of the department, how many people are already on the team?
Audience	Who will use the deliverables? Eg, software developers, system or network administrators, untechnical end users, salespeople, non-programmer subject matter experts such as lawyers or pharmaceutical researchers, C-level execs....
Sources	Will this person interact with subject matter experts (SMEs) to gather information? If so, are the SMEs local? Also, are SMEs formally motivated to cooperate with the resource we introduce? If no human information source is available, do you expect this person to set up and/or test your products in addition to documenting them?
Location	Where will the person work? Is telecommuting possible, and if so how many days/week? Hint: most senior and/or sought-after candidates prefer to work mostly or entirely offsite.
Relo / Visa	Will your company reimburse interviewing-related travel and lodging costs? How about full relocation? Also, will the company help the worker transfer or obtain a visa?
Tasks	What deliverable(s) will this person create? Eg, API references, programmer's how-to guides, system/network administration guides, online help (which format?), coursenotes, consumer manuals, etc. Will the material need to be researched, written, rewritten, updated, edited, formatted, converted for online distribution (to which formats?), and/or project-managed? How much original writing (as opposed to reworking existing content) will be required?
Required	How many years of relevant experience do you need this person to have? Which tools and subject matter is it vital that this person know? Must they be proficient or merely familiar with each? Also, what kinds of deliverables must this person have created? What other skills must this person have?
Desired	Which tools and subject matter would you prefer this person to know? What kinds of deliverables would it be helpful if they'd created? What skills would you like to see? Is there any company where you'd like the ideal candidate to have had a similar job?
Intangibles	Which unquantifiable qualities do you seek in the ideal candidate? Typical adjectives might include: resourceful, flexible, versatile, focused, tenacious, tireless, fearless, reliable, independent, innovative, thick-skinned, creative, collaborative, self-motivated, prolific, seasoned, and low-maintenance.
Compensation	For staff positions, please share a confidential top annual salary and approximate potential bonus (if applicable). For contracts, what is an acceptable hourly bill rate or total not-to-exceed/per-project rate? We would be happy to advise you here if you wish.
Fine Print	Will the successful candidate be required to work over 8 hours per day or 40 hours per week on a consistent basis? Does the company require a background investigation or drug screening? Does the company contract with the Department of Defense, Department of Homeland Security, or any domestic or foreign intelligence agency?
Contact	The name, email address, and phone number of the hiring manager and of anyone else who should be copied on Synergistech's resume submissions.

To save you time, we can typically glean all the details we need during a five-minute phone call, or we can email you a questionnaire customized for contract or staff opportunities. Feel free to contact us any time.

We look forward to introducing you to the best technical communicators available.