- Consulting firms are looking for not only tech-savvy people, but for candidates that have top-notch educational credentials, a record of achievement, and excellent communication skills.
- Proven leadership experience is a plus along with superb writing skills and the ability to handle presentations.
- A great business sense that you are able to blend with your IT skills.
Friday, August 29, 2008
How to Get Into IT Consulting
Consulting is a hot field to get into, though it’s not as easy to break into as most would think. Monster has a great article on the subject that is definitely worth checking out. Here are a few of the main points of the article:
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
How to Handle a Pay Cut
I know that I’m starting to sound like a broken record, but in name of keeping our readers up to speed on relevant topics in the job world, I’ll touch on the topic again – the economy.
Whether you’ve experienced this yourself or the idea is such a real possibility that you find yourself having night terrors because of it, a pay cut can be a major bummer to say the least.
So what do you do when your boss approaches you and lets you know that you have a pay cut coming? This article gives you some practical advice, and I’ll lay out the basics here for you.
1. Don’t accept anything right away.
2. Take the time to get the facts – talk to your boss, your boss’s boss, etc...
3. Negotiate
4. And if none of this works for you, consider looking for a new job.
Whether you’ve experienced this yourself or the idea is such a real possibility that you find yourself having night terrors because of it, a pay cut can be a major bummer to say the least.
So what do you do when your boss approaches you and lets you know that you have a pay cut coming? This article gives you some practical advice, and I’ll lay out the basics here for you.
1. Don’t accept anything right away.
2. Take the time to get the facts – talk to your boss, your boss’s boss, etc...
3. Negotiate
4. And if none of this works for you, consider looking for a new job.
Monday, August 25, 2008
Five Things to Consider When Looking for a New Job
In my never-ending quest to bring the best IT job advice to the MetaTech blog, I sometimes stumble across a great gem like this article. It’s easy to get wrapped up in the allure of landing a new job (especially if you dislike your current one), which may lead you overlook some aspects that seem like common sense.
I’ve reprinted the majority of the article here, some of the advice might be old news but some might just help you out when considering a new job.
Relationships
* With Manager: How employees and their managers get along is one of the strongest employee retention drivers. Ask your prospective manager during the interview process how she makes decisions and how she evaluates talent or superior performance. Can you work with the answers she gives?
* With Peers: Ask who you will be working with and how the people within the department interact. How have the relationships been in the past? Is there much interdependence? What will your colleagues expect of someone in your position?
* With Subordinates: Ask about the strengths and weaknesses of employees who might be working for you. Then decide if you have the skills to effectively manage them or if they have the skills to help the team achieve success.
Work/Life Balance
* Location/Commute: Be honest with yourself in deciding how far and how much time you are willing to devote to your daily commute. Will it impede your ability to do things that are important to you, your significant other or children? Consider people important to you in making your decision, because home stress can make you less effective at work.
* Travel: Will having a job that requires frequent overnight travel be an issue? Where will you draw the line? Are you willing to travel 20, 30 or 50 percent of the time? Ask how much travel is required and if it?s spread out evenly or concentrated during certain seasons or business cycles.
* Amount of Work: Try to determine if the culture is one where there is frequent overtime. It?s reasonable to assume that many professional jobs will require you to do the work necessary to complete the job, but excessive overtime could mean insufficient resources or poor planning.
The Kind of Work
* Autonomy: Do you like to work with little supervision or do you prefer detailed assignments? How might you handle being micromanaged?
* Type of Work: Ask questions that will help you gauge what portion of your new job involves project work, building client relationships, developing strategy, implementing tactics or doing creative work? Decide before taking on a new job what you like to actually do.
* Contribution: Will the work you do make a notable difference in your department? The company? Society? Does it matter to you?
* Growth Opportunities: What is the internal environment like relative to promotional opportunities? Ask if internal candidates have been considered for this job. If not, ask why and what that will mean to you in the future.
The Company
* Values: People who feel disconnected with the values of the company often want to leave. Ask what the values are and how they are manifested in the day-to-day environment. Do employees just recite the company mantra or are they able to describe how these are applied in the workplace.
* Leadership: Are the leaders of the company people who you and others respect, admire and want to work for? Find out how long top management has been in place, what their backgrounds are and where they came from.
* Industry: Does the company/industry provide products or services with which you would want to be associated? Research news articles to determine if the industry is healthy and growing or if it companies within the industry are going through mergers, acquisitions or frequent restructurings.
Financial Considerations
* Base Pay: Are you being offered a salary commensurate with your worth in the marketplace? Make sure it is enough to warrant leaving your current job/company.
* Incentive Pay: If you perform at a superior level, is there an upside opportunity or incentive pay? Consider how the total compensation compares to your past earnings and current expectations.
I’ve reprinted the majority of the article here, some of the advice might be old news but some might just help you out when considering a new job.
Relationships
* With Manager: How employees and their managers get along is one of the strongest employee retention drivers. Ask your prospective manager during the interview process how she makes decisions and how she evaluates talent or superior performance. Can you work with the answers she gives?
* With Peers: Ask who you will be working with and how the people within the department interact. How have the relationships been in the past? Is there much interdependence? What will your colleagues expect of someone in your position?
* With Subordinates: Ask about the strengths and weaknesses of employees who might be working for you. Then decide if you have the skills to effectively manage them or if they have the skills to help the team achieve success.
Work/Life Balance
* Location/Commute: Be honest with yourself in deciding how far and how much time you are willing to devote to your daily commute. Will it impede your ability to do things that are important to you, your significant other or children? Consider people important to you in making your decision, because home stress can make you less effective at work.
* Travel: Will having a job that requires frequent overnight travel be an issue? Where will you draw the line? Are you willing to travel 20, 30 or 50 percent of the time? Ask how much travel is required and if it?s spread out evenly or concentrated during certain seasons or business cycles.
* Amount of Work: Try to determine if the culture is one where there is frequent overtime. It?s reasonable to assume that many professional jobs will require you to do the work necessary to complete the job, but excessive overtime could mean insufficient resources or poor planning.
The Kind of Work
* Autonomy: Do you like to work with little supervision or do you prefer detailed assignments? How might you handle being micromanaged?
* Type of Work: Ask questions that will help you gauge what portion of your new job involves project work, building client relationships, developing strategy, implementing tactics or doing creative work? Decide before taking on a new job what you like to actually do.
* Contribution: Will the work you do make a notable difference in your department? The company? Society? Does it matter to you?
* Growth Opportunities: What is the internal environment like relative to promotional opportunities? Ask if internal candidates have been considered for this job. If not, ask why and what that will mean to you in the future.
The Company
* Values: People who feel disconnected with the values of the company often want to leave. Ask what the values are and how they are manifested in the day-to-day environment. Do employees just recite the company mantra or are they able to describe how these are applied in the workplace.
* Leadership: Are the leaders of the company people who you and others respect, admire and want to work for? Find out how long top management has been in place, what their backgrounds are and where they came from.
* Industry: Does the company/industry provide products or services with which you would want to be associated? Research news articles to determine if the industry is healthy and growing or if it companies within the industry are going through mergers, acquisitions or frequent restructurings.
Financial Considerations
* Base Pay: Are you being offered a salary commensurate with your worth in the marketplace? Make sure it is enough to warrant leaving your current job/company.
* Incentive Pay: If you perform at a superior level, is there an upside opportunity or incentive pay? Consider how the total compensation compares to your past earnings and current expectations.
Friday, August 22, 2008
Seven Tips for Job Hunting in an Unsteady Economy
Whether we’ve hit a recession or not, the fact remains that it’s getting harder to land a job. While we here at MetaTech are here to help you, there are seven tips to consider when looking for a job in today’s shaky economy.
1. Tailor your presentations; don't be generic.
2. Create a target list of companies. Send the list to 25 people, asking them if they can put you in touch with an employee at one of the listed companies.
3. Make yourself and your skills more visible. Post and refresh your resume in more places, such as online job boards, and going to job fairs.
4. Create an advisory board of smart and empathetic people and confer with them regularly about your job search.
5. Hone and utilize your 'elevator pitch' – a 30-second summary of your professional assets.
6. Keep your spirits high. Don't let the process overwhelm you or weigh you down.
1. Tailor your presentations; don't be generic.
2. Create a target list of companies. Send the list to 25 people, asking them if they can put you in touch with an employee at one of the listed companies.
3. Make yourself and your skills more visible. Post and refresh your resume in more places, such as online job boards, and going to job fairs.
4. Create an advisory board of smart and empathetic people and confer with them regularly about your job search.
5. Hone and utilize your 'elevator pitch' – a 30-second summary of your professional assets.
6. Keep your spirits high. Don't let the process overwhelm you or weigh you down.
Monday, August 18, 2008
Understanding the Inner Workings of the Office Introvert
I found this article very interesting because it hit on a lot of issues that I haven’t heard discussed before. You see, I would consider myself an introvert, and have often faced the problems laid out here.
Introverts are often perceived as antisocial, shy, slow, and unenthusiastic. However, this couldn’t be any more untrue. Pamela Braun, a Champlin, Minnesota-based career counselor states that “the introvert, processing internally, often has as much going on inside as the extrovert is demonstrating on the outside."
So how do you relate to an office introvert? Here are some suggestions:
Think Before We Talk: "Colleagues and bosses need to realize that introverts often don't know what they think immediately, and that they need time to think things through before coming to a conclusion," says Joe McHugh, vice president of executive services for the Edina, Minnesota, office of Right Management Consultants. So, McHugh stresses, it's critical to "circle back to introverts after they've had some time to consider things."
Recharge (Alone): "Don't assume that an introvert lunching alone is lonely," says New York City-based business communications consultant Nancy Ancowitz, who coaches introverts on self-promotion strategies. What seems like loneliness might be an introvert's private recharging time.
Play to Our Strong Suits: Introverts are often great researchers, writers and strategizers, and they're also "inclined to be good listeners," says Ancowitz. So when you need someone patient, persistent, focused and methodical to oversee a project, chances are you'll find a great candidate in your workplace introvert.
Introverts are often perceived as antisocial, shy, slow, and unenthusiastic. However, this couldn’t be any more untrue. Pamela Braun, a Champlin, Minnesota-based career counselor states that “the introvert, processing internally, often has as much going on inside as the extrovert is demonstrating on the outside."
So how do you relate to an office introvert? Here are some suggestions:
Think Before We Talk: "Colleagues and bosses need to realize that introverts often don't know what they think immediately, and that they need time to think things through before coming to a conclusion," says Joe McHugh, vice president of executive services for the Edina, Minnesota, office of Right Management Consultants. So, McHugh stresses, it's critical to "circle back to introverts after they've had some time to consider things."
Recharge (Alone): "Don't assume that an introvert lunching alone is lonely," says New York City-based business communications consultant Nancy Ancowitz, who coaches introverts on self-promotion strategies. What seems like loneliness might be an introvert's private recharging time.
Play to Our Strong Suits: Introverts are often great researchers, writers and strategizers, and they're also "inclined to be good listeners," says Ancowitz. So when you need someone patient, persistent, focused and methodical to oversee a project, chances are you'll find a great candidate in your workplace introvert.
Friday, August 15, 2008
An 'Objective' Debate
There is an interesting article by Erin Hovanec on the pros and cons of listing an ‘objective’ on your resume. Proponents state that it’s the quickest, simplest way to get your target job across. Opponents disagree by saying that it wastes valuable resume space and limits you to only one position when you might be qualified for more.
I’ll let you head to the article if you’re interested, but I’m curious, do you think that listing an ‘objective’ on a resume is necessary? Also, what other standard resume items might be overrated?
I’ll let you head to the article if you’re interested, but I’m curious, do you think that listing an ‘objective’ on a resume is necessary? Also, what other standard resume items might be overrated?
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
How to Follow-Up on a Resume
After you’ve spotted your dream job, crafted your resume, and submitted it to a recruiter, what do you do now? Do you sit around and wait to be contacted?
According to a HotJobs survey, a majority of recruiters suggest that you take a proactive approach. 53% said that you should wait a week before making contact, while 21% suggested that a week may be too long.
But how do you make contact? A short e-mail is the preferred method, but a succinct phone call is equally acceptable. However, one no-no, is just blindly resending your resume. The recruiter’s job is already tough enough without having to sift through duplicates.
According to a HotJobs survey, a majority of recruiters suggest that you take a proactive approach. 53% said that you should wait a week before making contact, while 21% suggested that a week may be too long.
But how do you make contact? A short e-mail is the preferred method, but a succinct phone call is equally acceptable. However, one no-no, is just blindly resending your resume. The recruiter’s job is already tough enough without having to sift through duplicates.
Monday, August 11, 2008
Is Luck a Career Factor?
Superstitious? I’ve been guilty a few times of avoiding walking under a ladder or not opening an umbrella inside. But does luck really play any role in your career? Over at Monster, they have some interesting responses from people on the subject. What do you think?
Friday, August 8, 2008
Handling Illegal Interview Questions
Though you will never encounter this with MetaTech, you may at sometime in your professional life find yourself in an already stressful interview – and all of the sudden be approached with an illegal question. While the interviewer probably doesn’t realize that their question is illegal, writer Todd Anten has offered a few suggestions on how to diffuse this situation.
From Anten’s list I’ve taken a few situations that are illegal. Out of curiosity sake, has anyone ever encountered anything like this?
An Age-Old Question
Recent reports say that workers are planning to hold jobs well into their senior years. Many even plan to hold off retirement until their 70s or 80s in order to continue bringing in paychecks.
Unfortunately, this has resulted in an increase in complaints from older workers of age discrimination in the workplace, according to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).
The good news is that interviewers are not allowed to ask you your age during an interview. With some rare exceptions, the only age- related question they can ask is if you're over the age of 18.
One thing to keep in mind: The EEOC's Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 only protects workers who are 40 years old and older from age discrimination and in workplaces with 20 or more employees. However, some local governments have laws that also enforce age discrimination rules for younger applicants and smaller workplaces.
Married ... With Children?
Women make up nearly half of the U.S. workforce, according to the Department of Labor. And as their numbers grow, so do the potential pitfalls they may face during an interview, especially when asked about marriage, children and pregnancy.
While illegal interview questions surrounding relationships, marriage and children are generally more problematic for female job candidates, protection from discrimination applies equally to male candidates.
Basically, you should be suspicious if you are asked any questions about your marital status, your family status, your future plans for children or your child care accommodations.
So what can employers ask? Questions that deal directly with the job requirements (e.g., "Are you willing to relocate?").
Yes, many proud parents enjoy telling stories about their children, and there may be a temptation to trade toddler stories with a friendly interviewer who has a family picture on his or her desk. But to avoid potential problems, err on the side of silence.
A Race for a Job
A recruiter friend of mine told me a story of how she accidentally asked someone an illegal interview question.
"Oh, you have such an interesting name! What does it mean?" she asked a candidate with a beautiful name that was obviously of non-English origin.
Fortunately, my colleague caught herself and told the candidate that she didn't have to answer the question. But it does show how subtly the issues of race, ethnicity and religion might sneak into an interview.
For instance, according to Nolo.com, interviewers are not allowed to ask if you are a U.S. citizen or ask where you were born. However, they can ask if you are legally authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis.
So if you are asked about your race, color, religion or national origin, be aware -- Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits employers from making employment decisions based on such factors.
From Anten’s list I’ve taken a few situations that are illegal. Out of curiosity sake, has anyone ever encountered anything like this?
An Age-Old Question
Recent reports say that workers are planning to hold jobs well into their senior years. Many even plan to hold off retirement until their 70s or 80s in order to continue bringing in paychecks.
Unfortunately, this has resulted in an increase in complaints from older workers of age discrimination in the workplace, according to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).
The good news is that interviewers are not allowed to ask you your age during an interview. With some rare exceptions, the only age- related question they can ask is if you're over the age of 18.
One thing to keep in mind: The EEOC's Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 only protects workers who are 40 years old and older from age discrimination and in workplaces with 20 or more employees. However, some local governments have laws that also enforce age discrimination rules for younger applicants and smaller workplaces.
Married ... With Children?
Women make up nearly half of the U.S. workforce, according to the Department of Labor. And as their numbers grow, so do the potential pitfalls they may face during an interview, especially when asked about marriage, children and pregnancy.
While illegal interview questions surrounding relationships, marriage and children are generally more problematic for female job candidates, protection from discrimination applies equally to male candidates.
Basically, you should be suspicious if you are asked any questions about your marital status, your family status, your future plans for children or your child care accommodations.
So what can employers ask? Questions that deal directly with the job requirements (e.g., "Are you willing to relocate?").
Yes, many proud parents enjoy telling stories about their children, and there may be a temptation to trade toddler stories with a friendly interviewer who has a family picture on his or her desk. But to avoid potential problems, err on the side of silence.
A Race for a Job
A recruiter friend of mine told me a story of how she accidentally asked someone an illegal interview question.
"Oh, you have such an interesting name! What does it mean?" she asked a candidate with a beautiful name that was obviously of non-English origin.
Fortunately, my colleague caught herself and told the candidate that she didn't have to answer the question. But it does show how subtly the issues of race, ethnicity and religion might sneak into an interview.
For instance, according to Nolo.com, interviewers are not allowed to ask if you are a U.S. citizen or ask where you were born. However, they can ask if you are legally authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis.
So if you are asked about your race, color, religion or national origin, be aware -- Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits employers from making employment decisions based on such factors.
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
MetaTech CEO Launches Blog
Jan McCollum, fearless leader of MetaTech, has launched her own personal blog that will surely take the internet by storm. Jan the CEO Mom documents life as both a single mom and the CEO of a quickly-growing technical services firm.The MetaTech blog will share a lot of content with Jan’s blog – but be sure to check in over there frequently as well!
Monday, August 4, 2008
Funny Reference Stories
We all know that references are extremely important when it comes to landing a job. However, just having references isn’t enough. As the following people demonstrate from real-life situations, it pays to be diligent when lining up your references.
Keeping It in the Family
One reference turned out to be the candidate's mother-in-law. When asked about his employability, she said, "I wouldn't hire him to do anything!" The candidate obviously thought he could pawn off a relative as a work-related reference who would say good things about him -- whoops.
The Reference Bribe
After completing an interview with a former supervisor, the following comment was volunteered: "I would recommend him for any position he applies for, and the fact that he's paying me to say that doesn't have anything to do with it."
Don't Quit Your Day Job
Not long ago, an associate interviewed a candidate's former supervisor, who described the candidate as a good worker and very capable, except on Mondays when he frequently came to work very tired. When asked why, the former supervisor said the candidate wrestled bears on the weekends, and it wore him out.
Keeping It in the Family
One reference turned out to be the candidate's mother-in-law. When asked about his employability, she said, "I wouldn't hire him to do anything!" The candidate obviously thought he could pawn off a relative as a work-related reference who would say good things about him -- whoops.
The Reference Bribe
After completing an interview with a former supervisor, the following comment was volunteered: "I would recommend him for any position he applies for, and the fact that he's paying me to say that doesn't have anything to do with it."
Don't Quit Your Day Job
Not long ago, an associate interviewed a candidate's former supervisor, who described the candidate as a good worker and very capable, except on Mondays when he frequently came to work very tired. When asked why, the former supervisor said the candidate wrestled bears on the weekends, and it wore him out.
Friday, August 1, 2008
Career Lessons from the Material Girl
What can Madonna, Oprah, and Martha Stewart teach you about your career? Well, according to Joanne Meehi, president of Meehi & Balzotti Career Services, a whole lot.Lets take a look:
Madonna: "She is a model for us to refresh ourselves," says Meehl, who tells clients to seek new knowledge and experiences in order to stay current and sell themselves to employers. "So many people wait to be anointed with knowledge."
Martha: Going to prison should have been career kryptonite for Stewart. But without apology or fanfare, she chose to serve her recent jail time like something to be checked off a to-do list. Stewart commented during sentencing that she wanted to be released in time to tend her spring garden. How does the average woman stay steady in the face of such career-rocking moments? "Keep the big picture in mind," Meehl advises. Stewart "knew the garden and the business were going to be there for her when she got out."
Oprah: Winfrey rewrites the blueprint for business success daily by replacing the model of the cutthroat businessperson with that of the nurturing helper. This is a woman who has increased her market share with tactics like encouraging people to read more. Winfrey shows women there's a place for all talents.
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