Two weeks ago I wrote about LinkedIn and how it can help you if you are interested in exploring new IT opportunities and perhaps making the next move in your career. This week focuses on what your company should be doing on LinkedIn and how it can help you attract and find the IT talent you need to grow and prosper.
LinkedIn is a two way street, you can search for people who might meet your requirements, and job seekers can search for you. The first use seems pretty obvious and if you, your HR department or your staffing agency are not using LinkedIn to post open positions and locate candidates then you are really missing out and perhaps even dangerously behind the times. LinkedIn’s search capabilities can find IT personnel with the skills and experience that you need and the functionality of the site makes it easy to reach out and connect if you like. Adding LinkedIn to your recruiting toolbox just makes sense. It’s solely business focus makes it especially relevant and helpful.
But you may not have thought a lot about the other side, the fact that people are searching for your company on LinkedIn. What are they finding? Here are two things you can do to help ensure your company is representing itself in the best possible way on LinkedIn when potential employees, or even customers, find you.
1. Make sure your company profile is accurate and up to date – you’ll get the most out of LinkedIn if you provide accurate and complete information. You won’t show up in the right search results if you haven’t indicated your industry and business capabilities correctly. Survey after survey tells us that a significant percentage of workers are thinking about a job change in the next 6-12 months and you want the most talented IT candidates to find you when they start looking. Keywords can help you here as well. Think of your profile as a sort of extension of your website, and think about the message and brand presence you want to present. Your company’s profile page is also another opportunity to connect people to your website, Blog, Twitter, Facebook and other social media pages. Create a complete and up to date profile so that you present a positive, professional image when experience IT candidates find you.
2. Recognize that your employee’s individual pages are important as well – Encourage your employees to create good profiles that are complete and accurate and represent the company appropriately. Laws governing what companies can and can’t do in terms of regulating social media are evolving as social media itself evolves and, certainly, I don’t advise running afoul of any of these. But I’m not talking about a heavy handed approach or ban. I’m simply pointing out that people who are interested in your firm will search for the president and other key executives; job seekers will look for your HR personnel or recruiters and the connections between your employees and others is an exponential ongoing networking session whose power you will want to tap into. Encourage LinkedIn usage as is appropriate for your company and its culture but don’t waste this valuable opportunity. The competition for top IT talent is only going to get tougher, so every advantage you can get is important!
LinkedIn can be a great addition to your recruiting process but recruiting still takes time and experience and the more competitive the hiring landscape, the more time it will take and the more experience you have will help. If your company needs assistance finding the right IT contractors or other highly skilled employees, give us a call. We’ve got the experience you need, with LinkedIn and much, much more!
Jerry Brenholz
President and CEO
Download: Hire the Best IT Employees Now
The thought of going to a networking event can cause anxiety for even the most extroverted individuals. Networking events aren't just your typical social events. There are expectations. Expectations to make connections and build relationships. So how do you make the most out of a networking event? Here are some tips.
Know your goalsWhat do you want to accomplish by going to the event? Write down three things you want to achieve and plan out a strategy on how to accomplish them. Do you want to meet someone specific from a certain company or are you just interested in meeting new people in general? Do you want to meet people who can help you find a new position or people who might become customers? Planning ahead and executing are the keys to success for anything in life.
Do your researchFirst and foremost, know the event you will be attending. Is it an industry group or a job fair? Whether you are attending by choice and already know something about it or you are required to attend, do your research. Learn as much as possible about the event and the attendees. The more prepared you are the more success you will have.
Search the newsDo research on the companies that will be represented. Use Google News to search for current headlines, especially if there are a few companies that are of particular interest to you. You will not only impress the other attendees but you will get much more out of the event and conversation will flow more easily if you have something relevant and timely to discuss.
Show up earlyShowing up early to a social event may sound counterintuitive; no one wants to be the first one to arrive. But when you are talking about networking, it’s really the best approach. The later you show up, the more likely it is that people will have already formed groups and the more difficult it will be for you to meet others. Show up early and strike up conversations with others who have yet to start socializing.
SmilePeople are naturally attracted to others who smile. This is the first step in starting up any conversation.
Ask don’t tellIt has been said that a person’s favorite thing to talk about is themselves. Take advantage of this and ask questions. Stay away from the potential minefields of politics and religion, and be careful to not ask personal questions such as “are you married” or “do you have children.” Open-ended questions like “tell me about yourself” or “what do you do at XYZ Company” are more effective and won’t result in embarrassing silences.
Remember that you only learn when others are speaking. By putting the other person at ease and encouraging them to talk about their career and interests, you are more likely to learn something that will help you find a commonality and a way to meaningfully connect with them. Focus on asking lots of questions and less on telling others about yourself.
No sales pitchYou are not there to sell yourself, at least not directly. Take an interest in others and they will eventually take an interest in you. This is when you can start to sell yourself. If you start the sales pitch right away you will end up standing in the corner by yourself within a very short time.
Understand what you have to offerKnow what it is that you have to offer the group. If it’s unique, even better. Make sure you can talk about it in a way that benefits others, especially those in the networking group. Be brief and concise. If others want to know more they will ask.
ConnectThis is where you can take advantage of technology. When you meet someone you want to develop a longer term relationship with, ask if you can connect on Linkedin right there. Pull out your smart phone and send the invitation to connect from the Linkedin app that you will make sure is installed on your phone before the event! It’s an easy way to demonstrate that you are prepared.
Follow upAlways follow up. Use email or Linkedin to thank people for their time and to let them know what a pleasure it was meeting them. The networking event was just the beginning. You now need to make sure you turn those connections into lasting relationships.
Looking for work?
This week I am pleased to present ATR’s newest eGuide “Hire the Best IT Employees Now: Easy Techniques You Can Start Using Today.” We’ve been placing skilled contractors in IT, and other technical and engineering positions, for nearly 25 years, and this eGuide is our latest effort to share our knowledge and best practices with you.
Hiring decisions are among the most important decisions a manager makes; a good decision can be the difference between success and failure, for your department or even company. It is always a challenge to find and retain the best people, and the price of failure is ever more painful and costly. In his book, Hiring for Attitude, Mark Murphy writes that “46% of new hires fail in the first 18 months,” which among other things points to the difficulty of accurately evaluating candidates before hiring them. How can you make sure that your next new hire isn’t one of those statistics?
Our eGuide provides advice on how to make the personal interviews you conduct with candidates more productive and revealing. Find advice on the following topics:
- The difference between sourcing and recruiting
- How to use behavioral interview questions
- What unique, puzzle, and problem solving questions reveal
- The importance of screening for attitude
- Why cultural fit is critical
- How we can help you make IT hires nearly mistake-free by bringing people on board as contract-to-direct employees
We hope that you find our advice helpful and I’d like to also point out that while we have focused specifically on IT, many of these techniques are valuable and adaptable to any industry and any hiring decisions that you need to make. The key lesson is that it takes more than just traditional interview and evaluation techniques to accurately determine whether someone is going to be a good fit on all levels. In my experience, and I’m sure most of yours, the so-called “intangibles” are the key difference between a successful hire and a failure; between a good employee and a great one. My years of experience have also taught me that these are not actually intangible, it just takes a more precise and careful effort to elicit the information you really need. Download our eGuide to add to your ability to effectively evaluate and hire the best employees!
Download: Hire the Best IT Employees Now
Jerry Brenholz
President and CEO
As someone who works for a company that helps people find jobs, I’ve had the privilege of working with, and meeting, a wide range of people that do a wide range of things for a living. But no matter what the profession, I have learned that professional and personal success comes to individuals that understand certain things.
1. No matter what your title, you can be part of the solution
One of the most common issues I see in the workplace is that employees who are lower on the totem pole often think their opinions and ideas aren’t as important as those above them. This simply is not true. In fact, the employees that are on the front lines often see problems much sooner than managers and executive level officers.
Much of what we do at work is trying to figure out ways to fix problems. This goes for everyone in the company. If you see an ongoing issue, come up with the best solution you can think of and take it to your manager, no matter what your title.
2. Always have someone proof your work
As someone who does a lot of writing and some designing, I can tell you firsthand that it’s impossible to proof your own work. It doesn't matter how often you look at it or read it. It doesn't matter how much time you give it. There will always be errors that you miss. Find someone in your company that is obsessed with details and have them proof your work each and every time.
3. Attitude greatly undermines, or enhances, your skills
One of the most important things I have learned over the years is that an employee with the right attitude is much more important to a company then an employee with the right skill set. Skills can only take you so far. But an employee that is driven to learn, takes constructive criticism, handles failure well, and collaborates with colleagues is invaluable to the company culture and pulls others along with them towards success. This may sound cliché, but it’s true.
4. A good boss wants to be challenged
A good boss loves when their ideas are challenged by those that report to him/her. The reason is that a good boss understands the importance of arriving at the best answer, not imposing their answers on others. Challenge your boss but obviously be respectful and make sure you have research to back up what you say.
5. Be honest, but be respectful
It’s not always easy to be honest at work. You don’t want to say the wrong thing, or maybe you don’t understand so you stay quiet. But as a member of the team, it is your responsibility to speak up and voice your opinion. This doesn't mean you need to tell someone you hate their work, but it does mean you should point out where you feel improvements can be made. This is the only way a company can improve. Be honest in your communications, but do it in a way that is respectful to others.
6. Keep the drama at a minimum
Drama in the workplace is a major productivity destroyer. Certainly, issues come up and personalities clash at times. But individuals at a company who are constantly bringing drama and personal issues to work quickly gain an unfavorable reputation. Don’t be that person and don’t engage in this sort of behavior. It can only be detrimental to the company and to your career.
7. Know your strengths and weaknesses
As much as we’d like to think we’re great at everything, we’re not. Know what you’re good at, and more importantly, know what you’re not good at. This allows you to focus on the areas where you can really advance your career and benefit the company.
8. Always complement good work
It doesn’t matter who did it, a colleague, a boss, someone you don’t like, or someone you don’t know, complimenting good work drives productivity and improves morale. It will also foster good relationships with your coworkers.
9. It’s not “if” you can accomplish something, it’s “are you willing to invest the time” to accomplish it
The saying goes something like this, “you can accomplish anything you set your mind to.” But if you take this to the next logical step it would say, “you can accomplish anything when you are willing to invest the time and effort.” From my experience, success is really about this simple phrase. Not whether you “can” accomplish something, but whether you are willing to invest the time and effort to do so. It’s an important distinction. Do you want to learn to ice skate? Or maybe be an expert in Photoshop? or write a New York Times Best Seller? The question is not “if” you can do it, the question is whether you are willing to do what it takes to accomplish it. Those that are willing to invest the time and effort are often the ones that succeed at work and in life.
10. Do the right thing, especially when others aren’t looking
It’s easy to do the right thing when others are watching. But doing the right thing when others aren’t is one of the keys to being successful. It’s about integrity and making the right choices even if it’s not always the easy choice. I have found that people who do this on a regular basis have an inner strength that drives their success.
Jeff Monaghan
Director of Marketing
ATR International, Inc.
Every day brings a new story about the “severe IT personnel shortage” and the “war for IT talent.” Those of us on the front lines can attest that, while a little hyperbole is at work in the headlines, the stories are mostly quite true. It is no longer a buyer’s market in the IT industry. Finding the right IT consultants is getting more difficult by the day and some niche skills are at nearly 0% unemployment. These shortage stories are matched in frequency by the reports of how many employees are unhappy in their current positions and plan to look for a new job in the coming year, estimates range from 50% to as high as 85%. How can businesses find the IT personnel they need to grow and prosper? What can an employee considering a career change do to instantly start the process and increase the odds of a successful move? One answer to all of these questions is LinkedIn. In this week’s post I’ll focus on the employee side and next week, I’ll cover the hiring side of things.
Much has been written about social media and how it is changing everything about business, including the job search; from advertising or finding open positions, to networking and recruiting, social media applications are influencing each stage of the hiring process. LinkedIn has emerged as one of the most popular business networking sites and with good reason. Its functionality, solely business focus, and the generally high caliber of professional members make it very useful. The ability to search profiles and job openings, post positions, and network with others, whether you are hiring or looking, all combine to create a powerful tool for connecting employers and employees.
If you are one of those people considering a move, start with LinkedIn. Once you’ve created your profile and indicated that you are interested in hearing about career opportunities you may be on your way to a new opportunity. Savvy recruiters are using LinkedIn to find the IT professionals with the specific skills and experience they are looking for and if you’ve got them, they will find you. Of course a successful job search will probably require more than just this, but it’s a pivotal first step in the process and, with the competition for IT professionals as fierce as it is, it may return results surprisingly quickly.
Keep these tips in mind to get the most from using LinkedIn:
- Complete your profile – make sure to complete each section, including getting and giving recommendations. Pay attention to using the right keywords and be specific about your IT skills and experience. An incomplete profile looks like just that to potential employers, and you will also show up more frequently and more accurately in searches if you take the time to create a thoughtful, well written and complete profile.
- Post a business-like photo – No vacation pictures or shots with your pet! This is a business site, not Facebook. Preferably you should have a head shot done but a nice, simple photo in a neutral setting or background will do fine – and remember to smile!
- Use the site for business only – Treat the site seriously and post only business and career related information and opinions. LinkedIn is where you want to recommend a book related to your industry or specialty, not the latest selection from your book club. Post links to your business blog or other industry or IT related sites you want to share, not to your Facebook page or favorite band’s web site. Use LinkedIn to create your “career brand” and highlight your IT specialties, not your personality.
As I said, no one tool is guaranteed to instantly produce results, but in this hypercompetitive environment, IT consultants should avail themselves of this powerful opportunity to market themselves to potentially hundreds of IT recruiters. Whether you are already actively searching for your next career move or just wondering what might be out there and who might be interested in you, LinkedIn should be a key part of your job search repertoire. And when you’re done creating or improving your profile, be sure and link in with me or one of ATR’s IT technical recruiters - we’re always looking for exceptional IT talent!
Jerry Brenholz
President and CEO
This past Wednesday, April 25th my colleague Andrea and I had the pleasure of attending the 12th Annual National Business Conference held by DiversityBusiness.com at Foxwoods Resorts in Mashantucket, CT.
Other than the initial uncertainty of whether we would arrive at the casino during our hour-long cab ride from the airport, the conference was completely seamless from start to finish. To keep this entry brief I will use a “diary” style chronological format.
Wednesday, April 25th: The Kick Off!
3:00pm: Registration @Grand Pequot Lobby in which I managed to run over the foot of the lovely Ms. Diane Dempsey from BAE Systems with my rolling suitcase (apologies again and congratulations on your award!)
6:00pm-9:00pm- Opening Night Reception and Jazz Concert in the Grand Ballroom. I was impressed by both the quantity and quality of the 200+ attendees who came to network on opening night; from mid-sized MBE’s to diversity representatives from BAE Systems, Apple, Verizon, United Technologies, UPS, MillersCoors, Eaton, Horizon Blue Shield of New Jersey, just to name a few. The layout of the reception was conducive to hours of personal and uninterrupted face time that on its own was truly was worth the ticket price of the event in and of itself.
9:00pm-12:00am- Impromptu networking and drinks at the Shrine Bar at MGM Grand. Man do these Diversity Professionals know how to network!
Thursday, April 26th: The Full Program/Awards Presentations
8:30am-9:30am- Welcome addresses from President & CEO of DiversityBusiness.com, Kenton Clark and CEO and Founder of Full Circle NY, Karen Nethersole.
9:30am-10:30am- A thought-provoking presentation on Social Media and it’s function in growing the “Human Network,” by Karen Walker, VP of Segment & Services Marketing of Cisco.
10:30am-11:10am- Champion of Diversity Awards Presentation.
11:10am-12:30pm- A truly inspiring presentation on building a culture of innovation and leadership and the importance of building one’s own brand. Says Joan Lunden: 1) Find out what you like to do. 2) Become an expert in that field. 3) Buy a web domain of your own name and use it!
1:15pm-2:30pm- Award Celebration of Top Businesses and Top Organizations for Multicultural Business Opportunities. ATR took home an award for being a Top 50 Privately Held Business!
2:40pm-4:00pm- Chief Diversity Officers Panel featuring the esteemed Senior VP and Chief Diversity Officer of the American Red Cross and my personal mentor, Floyd W. Pitts.
6:00pm-8:00pm- Networking Reception @The High Rollers Lounge where Andrea and I had the pleasure of connecting and becoming friends diversity and procurement representatives of Horizon Blue Shield.
8:00pm-12:00am- More impromptu networking with new friends Andrea and I made during the conference- these people really know how to network!
In summary, the 12th Annual National Conference pleasantly surprised me in that each and every attendee of the event was enthusiastic about networking, hospitable to Andrea and me as first-timers, and truly warm and generous with their mentoring advice. If you are looking for an opportunity to have quality one-on-one time with some of the leading Champions of Diversity, look no further.
Lauren Grace
Diversity Business Development Mgr.
ATR International
There is nothing more frustrating than interviewing for a job that you really want and then sitting and waiting for a phone call. The interview seemed to go really well. You were prepared, dressed appropriately, and you arrived on time. All of the stars were aligned. So why aren’t they calling you back? Here are a variety of possible reasons, and how you should respond to each.
A better candidate
As much as you know you could do a great job in the position, the hiring company sometimes finds someone they like better. There’s really nothing you can do in this situation. The other candidate may have known someone on the inside, they may have had more relevant experience, or maybe the interviewer just liked them more than they liked you. Sometimes hiring decisions are made for reasons that are never fully revealed.
What you should do
All is not lost in this scenario. Write a follow up letter or email thanking the hiring manager and anyone else you interviewed with. Express your interest in working for the company should a role matching your experience open up. Monitor the company’s careers page and contact them if you see anything of interest.
They like you, but have other priorities
Hiring new employees is just one of many responsibilities for a manager. Every manager typically has a staff to manage as well as other timelines and projects to oversee. It is not uncommon that a company’s hiring timeframe is much longer than yours.
What you should do
Stay in contact. Emailing or calling once per week is sufficient. Any more than this may be seen as desperate or viewed as stalking. If you are a leading candidate for the job they won’t forget about you.
They are waiting to see how you follow up
For certain positions, such as sales, the company may be waiting to see how you follow up and how persistent you are. Quite often, the follow-up is just as important as the interview. Follow-up should be timely, professional, and targeted.
What you should do
No matter what the position, always follow-up with everyone that took the time to interview you. Email is fine. Just make it personalized and professional.
Things got put on hold
The urgent need to hire a Marketing Specialist last week may not be as urgent this week. Other things come up, priorities shift, companies change direction. The position may still be open, but the hiring may have been put on hold for now due to shifting priorities.
What you should do
Follow-up and stay in touch. This may actual weed out some of the other candidates as others may lose patience or find other positions.
Waiting to interview other candidates
The company may have a handful (or more) of candidates they want to interview before a decision is made. And it's not always easy to schedule multiple interviews in a short period of time. Not only does the company have to fit the interviews within the candidates’ schedules, but everyone within the company who is interviewing the candidates must find time in their schedules to conduct the interviews. This process can take time.
What you should do
Follow-up and stay in touch. Use this time to demonstrate your professionalism and ability to follow-up. You can also use this time to present some solutions you came up with to any issues/projects that were brought up during your interview. This is a great way to demonstrate your work habits.
You’re just not a fit
Despite what you may think, the hiring company just doesn’t view you as a fit.
What you should do
Follow-up, as you always should, with “thank you’s” to all of the individuals that interviewed you. Express your interest in working for the company should a role matching your experience open up.
TechServe Alliance released its IT Employment Index figures for March 2012 this week, showing that IT employment has reached an all-time high and that the demand for IT talent, which has been growing steadily for some time, remains strong. Recently, the SIA reported on a Teksystems’ survey that reported 37% of IT Leaders expect to increase temporary hiring. An annual Harris Interactive/CareerBuilder survey found 54% of employers indicated plans to hire college graduates this year with 25% of them saying they have Information Technology jobs to fill. Finally, there seems to be a new skill or IT job each week that is experiencing talent shortages and this article from WANTED Analytics about cyber security concerns and computer security specialists is a good example.
It seems that the economic recovery will be on a slow, but hopefully steady path to improvement. While the overall employment numbers experience periodic slumps, it is clear that the technology industry as a whole is recovering ahead of the pack and looking for people, with vigor. This matches what we’re seeing at ATR, where our clients are busier than ever and looking for talented IT contractors. Of course not all skills are as in demand as others; employers are looking for specific abilities and experience. I thought a quick review of information on some of the hottest jobs in IT would be appropriate and helpful to both IT hiring managers and contractors. These are the areas where those hiring can expect to pay more going forward and where IT contractors should consider focusing their efforts to take advantage of the high demand. I’ve gathered several articles that provide various ideas on what’s hot, what’s trending, and what’s to come for IT in 2012:
9 hot IT skills for 2012 from Computerworld
6 Hot IT Jobs That Will Pay Well in 2012 from CIO online
2012 Technology Jobs Outlook from Monster
The 6 Hottest Tech Careers of 2012 (with advice on how to get one of them!)
Best Paying IT Security Jobs In 2012 from Information Week
EMC IT predictions for 2012
Hot Tech Projects: Windows 7 Upgrades, Legacy Data Migration, and More
What’s important about all of this information isn’t whether software developers, programmers or mobile app developers are ranked #1 or whether everyone agrees on how hot IT security is (they don’t). What’s important is that together, it all paints a pretty accurate picture of what employers are and will be looking for in IT employees. It also shows IT contractors a possible path to maximize their careers and earning potential by moving into the disciplines that employers really value. If you already have these skills, you may be in an enviable position; don’t be discouraged by generalized news reports or political commentary on the economy or unemployment. Pay attention to what’s going on in IT because it’s a very different story. Now may be the perfect time for you to explore a change. If you are wondering what direction to go in and how to take the next step in your career this information can give you some great ideas and guide any training or educational decisions you might make.
Whether you know exactly what you want or aren’t sure exactly how your skills and experience fit into the current IT landscape, give one of our recruiters a call. We’re specially trained to assess your skills and have years of experience in matching highly skilled IT professionals to the right opportunity. We’re happy to provide the advice and assistance you need to help you find the right opportunity!
Jerry Brenholz
President and CEO
Download: 6 Things You Can Do to Dramatically Increase IT Contractor Retention
You may know Margaret as the mild-mannered, yoga-loving Human Resources Manager that makes sure all of ATR's contract employees have their HR needs met. This, however, is only one side of Margaret. What most people don't know is that Margaret has another side to her, a side that is obsessed with the latest and greatest FIAT, the FIAT Abarth.
Margaret's obsession reached an all new high this week as she was selected to participate in the FIAT Drive for the Fans event in Las Vegas. Margaret will be driving her dream car for Team Velocity and competing with other fans to become the ultimate fan. Everyone here at ATR is wishing her the best of luck.
In support of ATR's diversity initiatives, our very own Andrea Brenholz and Lauren Grace are attending the 12th Annual Multicultural Business Conference in Mashantucket, CT. This event has become a major multicultural business conference and aligns with ATR's goals of building our economy, educational system, and society through inclusion.
