As President and COO of Red Oak Technologies and Chair of the Board of Directors of TechServe Alliance, Joel Leege has a unique perspective on what’s coming down the pike for IT staffing. And with a 30-year career in senior leadership at companies including Randstad and Kforce, he’s witnessed both monumental changes in how staff augmentation is delivered and also the tried-and-true best practices that haven’t shifted at all. Indeed, the balance of strong fundamental principles and the ability to adapt to new trends is a tricky space to navigate, but Joel has done it better than pretty much anyone in the industry.
Vinda and Tommy sit down (virtually) with Joel to discuss the landscape for IT staffing as well as dig into a bit of a retrospective of Joel’s career and crucial lessons learned.
In our conversation, we discuss:
- The problem with sales in staffing, and why sellers have gotten accustomed to shortcuts versus genuine value creation and understanding
- What’s driving the shape of IT staffing demand in the past several years and what indicators we should be watching for as we anticipate a rebound
- How leaders can set their staffing agencies up for success by knowing when to lean in and when to stand back
- The trends, techniques, and technologies du jour that have the industry abuzz, and which ones Joel thinks will really make an impact versus acting as mere shiny objects
- Those best practices and people-centered priorities that have guided Joel throughout his career and will continue to bear fruit for the newest recruiters and staffing professionals
- Artificial intelligence in practice, and how it impacts the way a new generation of talent is trained, upskilled, and readied for the workforce
- M&A green flags and what to look for on the balance sheet as a strategic buyer considering an acquisitive growth strategy
At RefAssured, we go beneath the surface to examine trends from both a pragmatic and academic viewpoint. We’re excited to focus this episode on IT staffing and to feature a leader who is not only the foremost expert on this industry from multiple vantage points, but is also a mentor and friend to so many who call staffing home.
Please listen to the podcast here: