Manage the IT Skills Shortage by Utilizing an IT Recruitment Firm

by | General IT

The IT skills shortage is not a new phenomenon; it is merely an exacerbated one. Hiring quality and talented coders and their ilk is complex because of three dynamics. Constant technology changes demand professionals armed with the latest IT knowledge in a world where education is expensive and sometimes inadequate. Sub-par assessment tools and recruitment processes fail to discern the best from the average, and there is increasing industry competition for the best employees. Rich Hein, CIO and contributor to IT News, offers a solution – IT skills and people architecture – which boils down to a recruitment strategy for IT skills. Here is the framework behind the strategy that recognizes a good team can successfully realize a company vision. Future planning is key to hiring sufficient talent. Analyze current and future needs and align them with growth plans. Determine areas where you may be lacking, such as network engineers or analysts who understand big data. Develop transparent and consistent HR policies. These should include revised job titles, separating management roles that demand people skills from IT specialized roles that require tech-specific skills. Ensure that compensation for each job type is competitive with industry standards for that skill. Design ways to engage, retain, and attract talent. Define IT roles not job titles and design career paths around them. For example, an IT architect path for system builders, project manager paths for those who oversee projects, an analyst path for those who have knowledge and assets that can be applied to specific cases, and an engineers and specialist path for those who team with the architects and find approaches and...

How Is the Internet of Things beginning to Drive CRM Investments?

by | General IT

The Internet of Things (IoT) refers to objects that support Internet structures. For example, radio-frequency identification and tagging, such as the use of bar codes, allows computers to collect big data. This technology is advancing so rapidly that effectively managing big data is a challenge. The potential for mining and applying such intelligence with respect to CRM is a focus for innovative IT companies. IT News contributor, J.D. Sartain, emphasizes that customer relationship management (CRM) technology is embracing mobile technology, social media, and analysis tools such as web analytics. Companies are eager to invest in multichannel technology products that will enhance customer engagement and facilitate customer loyalty to brands and products. CRM encompasses cloud technology, big data technology and, more recently IoT. IoT is poised to alter industries such as hospitality, construction, and healthcare as sensors and identifiers will facilitate superior performance from customer service centers and marketing groups. Already, CRM processes monitor social network platforms such as Facebook and LinkedIn to provide data and customer information for innovation. New mobile gadgets, the tablet is the most recent example, are challenging the IT community as it struggles to keep up with customer demand for service and support. Smartphone Internet connections are predicted to exceed PC connections by the end of 2014. Big data is being collected and is available for marketing purposes, but there is a lack of skills and resources to analyze and apply the plethora of intelligence that is available. The race is on among IT companies to develop the appropriate tools and expertise to exploit this intelligence. Cloud, social, mobile and big data technology are demanding...

Tips on Professionally Leaving Your Job | Quitting in a Positive Way

by | General IT, News & Events

Moving ahead with your career is cause for celebration. But those left in your wake may feel less jubilant. The latest report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics states that, on average, a worker will change jobs every four or so years. The contacts and relationships that you have established may prove valuable later in terms of networking, references, or as a source of knowledge for your new role. Protect and nurture your relationships and quit sensibly. The main concern for you and your employer is to find a suitable replacement. Provide plenty of notice and offer to help with the search and recruitment. Doing so will ease employer concerns. Consider if there is an internal candidate who is deserving and who might be quicker and easier to train. Michael Peggs, contributor to Careerealism, offers advice to make your departure a positive one. Prepare a job description and consider the most important aspects of your job and the skills required. Search for suitable candidates, screen them, offer to join the interview panel, and train the incumbent. Much of your knowledge is proprietary to the company and should not leave with you.  Don’t leave unfinished work. If there are any projects that you cannot complete, provide extensive instructions including a handover note. Consider writing “how to” instructions for any habitual tasks that might make an incumbent’s job easier.  Offer to provide constructive feedback to the company if you think it will be useful. However, provide it only if they ask for it. Providing unsolicited feedback could be risky and compromising good will is not advisable. Additionally, secure any references before...

Hiring Tips to Consider When Looking for a Top Developer

by | General IT

The hiring manager seeking an expert developer in today’s Google and Facebook-obsessed world faces a challenge. He must compete with established tech companies offering resources designed to exploit the coding talents of the finest programmers, and with compensation packages guaranteed to sign them up. But that might be their weakness. Software developers can expect salaries that only the leading companies can afford, and, currently there are almost five vacant jobs for every developer. But developers are motivated by challenge and the opportunity to collaborate with other tech experts. So, how can a small IT start-up, or even a large conglomerate, attract talented IT programmers? Dan Tynan, contributor for IT News, has some tips: Sell your company. You might not be Google; however, smaller companies offer a bureaucracy-free, dynamic environment. Host a coding competition on your company website; the talented find it hard to resist a challenge. Post articles on social media, blog, and become active in IT networks and chat rooms frequented by developers. Post video profiles of other IT programmers on your website and add a friendly face to your brand. Network. Use social media to develop a reputation as an industry leader. Become active in chat rooms and LinkedIn networks. Initiate Twitter feeds to ask for recommendations for expert programmers. Ask your existing staff for referrals; this is the best source for top developers because experts want to work with experts. Don’t hire quickly, hire quality. To attract quality programmers, a company must offer what top developers want. According to Shane Snow of Fast Company, talented co-workers and challenging work are key. Develop a reputation for only...

Case Study: General IT

by | Case Studies, General IT

In 2013 the New Hampshire Division of A&A Search was approached by one of its major clients to staff up a large IT project for them. The client was a major hospital that has worked with A&A for several years.  This particular project involved a major Windows upgrade for the whole campus. We were able to quickly source out top talent for this project, which involved a large number of vacancies that we needed to fill.  Our team was able to provide to the client more than enough qualified candidates that were available and able to begin immediately.  Our staff sourced, and carefully prescreened each candidate to make sure that they were a spot-on match for the project.  The client was extremely pleased with the results, and continues to use A&A Search with a high level of success.  The New Hampshire Division of A&A Search is able to take on almost any project and complete it with a high level of...