With every aspect of the federal government becoming digital, there’s a huge need for developers to solve the complex problem of making information available to large numbers of people on multiple platforms. That’s where a contracting firm like Aquilent comes into play.
Aquilent is the leading provider of cloud services, digital services, and DevOps to the federal government. And they’re growing! The company, based in Laurel, MD, was founded in 2002. Currently, the company employs about 370 people, with over a hundred of them being hired in 2015 alone.
So what does it take to work for the contracting firm helping to build out the digital arm of the federal government? We asked Aquilent Chief Human Resources Officer Pam Butziger for the details.
What do you look for in a new hire?
We look to hire people who enjoy learning about, and solving, broader business challenges and those who can then leverage the tools and skill-sets highlighted on their resume to overcome those challenges. Prospective employees who are excited about engaging with customers, and those who want to make a difference in the lives of U.S. citizens, are our best candidates.
What makes someone's application stand out?
While each applicant is unique, and each has his or her own unique skill-set, we look most strongly at those with three features:
- Consistent tenures of two-or-more years at previous positions.
- A track record of upward mobility and/or increasing responsibilities throughout their employment history.
- Strong adaptability and versatility of experience.
Do most engineering jobs require a specific degree?
Aquilent values and supports education, certifications, and training. While we may require a degree for some technical projects, more often we consider the totality of a candidate’s education and professional experience to determine if that candidate will find success with an Aquilent career.
Do potential engineers and app developers need specific skill sets?
Absolutely. Aquilent is a leading provider of cloud services, digital services, and DevOps to the federal government. Being a market leader means our teams must have a baseline of technical capabilities. That said, for some candidates, even more attractive than technical skills is a passion for learning about new technologies. If you are a developer or engineer that thrives within different technical user communities and networking channels—and is excited about learning what each has to offer—you may be destined for greatness at Aquilent. We look for those candidates in particular, and nurture that excitement through training, sandbox environments, and other internal learning communities.
What's the most memorable thing anyone's done in an interview that made you want to hire them?
We’ve had many, many successful interviews. That said, one candidate stands out. That candidate, during the interview process mapped out—by hour, day, and program—how Aquilent would benefit from that candidate becoming an Aquilent employee. It was a terrific illustration of the type of passion we look for during an interview.
What are some of the most in-demand skills for working at a tech company today?
Candidates with the ability to marry Agile skills with Continuous Integration/Continuous Deployment (CI/CD) and DevOps skills are currently in high demand. Candidates with skill sets in this area and a passion to dive even more deeply into this technology will find a great home at Aquilent.
In addition, candidates with experience in architecting solutions—versus products—and developing technology roadmaps from the ground up are in high demand for us today.
How difficult is it to hire top tech talent in this market?
It is very difficult to hire top tech talent; the field is highly competitive. It is critical for our technical teams to be technologically versatile and have strong business acumen in order to communicate with one another, with our customers, and with senior management. Therefore, those candidates in particular can be hard to find.
How do you sell people on the company’s culture and vision?
Many of our projects impact citizens across the country … That broad impact is only one aspect of our culture. Aquilent provides a culture of employee growth, innovation, work-life balance, and collaboration. Candidates will quickly discover that more than 90% of those conducting the interviews have moved up in the company and hold different positions than when they started—a substantive indication of the kind of growth experience a new employee will have.
