How GDH accelerates cleared tech hiring with Dice

GDH is a Tulsa-based workforce solutions firm that supports both commercial and federal clients, with a heavy focus on filling cleared and highly technical roles. On the federal side, technical recruiter Conner Cotting is responsible for proactively sourcing and filling 15–20 positions at a time across multiple government contracts—often under tight timelines and with specialized requirements.  

Cotting’s challenge was twofold: he needed to find niche technical talent quickly, and he needed to connect with them directly—often for remote roles tied to specific time zones or requiring government clearance. Existing tools weren’t cutting it.

Since gaining access to Dice, Cotting has made it his go-to platform for candidate discovery and outreach. “I opt for Dice first before anything else,” he shared. “It’s the best reservoir of technical candidates—with contact info.” Unlike other platforms that require multiple steps to connect, Dice enables Cotting to reach out directly via phone or email, streamlining communication and reducing time-to-contact. “It’s a huge difference from LinkedIn, where it can take two to three days just to set up a conversation.” 

One of the features he relies on most is Dice’s Time Zone Search, which is especially helpful when hiring remote candidates for roles tied to a specific region. “The time zone feature is a huge help,” Cotting noted. “Other boards don’t have anything like it—it saves so much time.” Cotting also highlighted the Resume Freshness and Last Active filters as major differentiators. “I want to source accurate info fast—and Dice most routinely gives me that,” he said. These filters help him identify candidates who are actively looking, cutting down on wasted outreach and boosting placement efficiency. 

Cotting estimates that around half of his hires now come directly from Dice. “Fifty percent of the placements I make come from Dice,” he said. Even candidates who aren’t an immediate fit are added to GDH’s internal system for future opportunities, extending the platform’s value beyond just active roles. 

In addition to the volume of placements, Cotting emphasized the long-term value of connecting with qualified talent efficiently. “It’s more than just the capacity for placements—it’s the capacity for connection and more straightforward communication,” he said. “I can move faster and keep the momentum going when I know I have accurate contact info and resumes I can trust.”