Advanced Technology Development Director Candidate Profile

Mechanical Engineer with 16 years of global product and solutions development program leadership experience:

• Well versed in spearheading overseas cross-functional teams, specifically in the Asian corridor
• Specializes in capturing emerging market opportunities as well in identifying partner and acquisition opportunities
• Recipient of multiple patents for original design concepts
• M.S. degree in mechanical engineering

Want to know more?

For the full resume or in an introduction to the client highlighted here, contact Stephen at Stephen@ittechexec.com directly.

CIO.com IT Resume Makeover: How to Write to Your Audience

REBLOG from CIO.com, February 24, 2014: Thank you to Sharon Florentine of CIO.com for publishing my resume makeover.

I enjoyed working with Amram Hakohen, a senior technical writer, on tightening his resume and building his brand messaging. It was great to get a chance to talk about the fundamental aspect of writing a good resume (or any writing, really): audience. The better you know your audience, the more you can appeal to them. For a full view of the CIO.com article and makeover, check out How to Write to Your Audience.

Is Google+ Really a Plus for Job Seekers?

Many IT/tech candidates ask us at ITtechExec about the effectiveness of Google+ in their social media job search. They've obsessed over their LinkedIn profiles. They've cleaned up and fixed up their Facebook accounts. They've begrudgingly joined "the Twitter" (because they read that they should). And now they hear Google+ is a must as well.

But the idea of managing yet another social media account exhausts them. So they want to know, "Is Google+ really such a plus?"

My answer, "yes....and no."

I know. It's an annoying response because it isn't the definitive answer we all are looking for.  

Welcome to the wonderful world of social media. Very little of it is definitive.

Here's the "yes" part of the answer. Google+ can be a plus for job seekers for a couple of reasons:

1. Google+ is growing...and growing. And the atmosphere is different than it is elsewhere. You can post and share content differently, Google keeps adding new features, and you can present your professional background while tying in all of your social media profiles together.
2. The communities on Google+ are active, and that bodes well for job seekers. The communities are sensitive to spam, and they often are happy to promote job openings as well as job seekers.

Now here's the "no" part of the answer:

1. Like social media in general, you can waste time on the wrong things on Google+. You can share, share, share until the cows come home, and engage, engage, engage until you are blue in the face. And not really get anywhere. So it's wise to have a presence and use it somewhat, but don't go overboard.
2. The site is overly sensitive to spam. Although we all despise the dreaded spam, in many cases, the communities on Google+ take it too far. Self-promotion and spam are not the same things necessarily, and social media is meant to give people an outlet to brand and promote their expertise. Google takes the higher ground and says that others should promote you, while you promote others. I am actually in one community that will kick you out if you even dare to share one of your own blog articles. It's a nice thought, but it's a little silly to ban me from sharing informative articles that are meant to assist people in my communities (like this one; I won't be able to share this one with my circle friends in that community for fear of eternal banishment from the group).

So, in the quest to decide which social media sites to use during your job search, Google+ is certainly one option. But you do need to learn how best to use it, develop a strategy for your search, and build connections quickly (unless you have enough foresight to build them BEFORE you start your search, which is the best social media approach of all).

I came across this infographic from PlusYourBusiness.com that I thought had some good tips for how to get started with Google+. Enjoy.

Mobile Security Solutions Architect (NYC) Candidate Profile

Vice President/Principal Architect with 15 years of application design, development, and delivery success:

• Lead development teams to create core business solutions for a global technology sales division using Agile, Scrum, TDD, RUP, UML, and SDLC methodologies and MVC and SOA architecture
• Define and institute technology standards and best practices for mobile governance
• Direct hiring, recruitment, and coaching of technical talent in the U.S. and globally
• Holder of 1 U.S. patent with another patent pending
• MS degree in computer science from Columbia University

Want to know more?

For the full resume or in an introduction to the client highlighted here, contact Stephen at Stephen@ittechexec.com directly.

The Road to Promotion: Think Strategy Over Timing

Here is a typical conversation I have with professionals, both technical and nontechnical: "Within the next year, I'm looking to take the next step in my career, whether that is a promotion with my current company or taking on a larger role with another company."

Me: "OK, so what are you doing now to prepare for that?"

Professional: Silence...."Well, I don't want to do anything before I'm ready."

Me: "What does that mean exactly?"

Professional: Silence...."I guess it means I don't want a job offer before I'm ready for the job offer."

Now, I have written about timing before when it comes to our careers. And in my opinion, when people are talking about timing, they usually mean "control." They don't want to feel out of control, and things happening when they aren't ready for them makes them feel out of control. (Because let's face it, in today's job market, career advancement is anything but quick, so worrying about things happening too fast is not in line with the market.)  

But the bottom line is that opportunities rarely come at the right time.

So if control really is at the heart of our concern, what we should really be focused on instead is "strategy." In other words, if you want to feel less out of control in your effort to get that promotion or make that career advancement to the next step it's strategy that should be your main priority (along with some flexibility).

Now, I understand. You have reasons for why you don't want something to happen until next year or 6 months from now. Fine. Then that becomes part of your strategy. But the last thing you want to do is do nothing.  

Build your strategy around your timing, but have a strategy!

And make it more than "well, 3 months before I want the new job, I'll get my resume together."

 One of the great things about today's job market is that there are so many tools for professionals to use, especially when they are in "passive" mode. And the more you do in this mode, the easier it will be when you transition to "active" mode. In our "Road to Promotion" series, as well as in several other posts, we have written pretty extensively on things you can be doing now. Here are some articles to check out:

• "The Road to Promotion: Building an Innovation Page"
• "LinkedIn Is a Numbers Game, After All"
• "The Road to Promotion: Culture, Culture, Culture"

Whether it's internal promotion time or career advancement through an external search, understand that in today's market, the best control you can give yourself is a strategy backed by action steps. We are not in a market that is just waiting for you...like it or not, we have to be thinking ahead and taking steps to move in that direction most likely sooner than we may want to.

Building Your LinkedIn Networking Empire

A few weeks ago, I published a post called "LinkedIn Is a Numbers Game, After All." In that article, I talked about how the LinkedIn system really works (the whole 6 degrees of Kevin Bacon thing) and how you may find yourself playing the numbers game, especially when you enter into job search mode. I also acknowledged that this can be a time-consuming task.

Well, after that post published, I came across this infographic by WhoIsHostingThis? that provides some good suggestions on things you can do in just 5 minutes each day to grow your network.

Tired of Recruiter Mismatch on LinkedIn?

Meet Bill. Bill is a Systems Engineer who is in full-speed job search mode. He put together his LinkedIn profile a few months ago, and ever since then, he has had nonstop calls from recruiters.

Sounds pretty good, right? Well, it might be if the calls were relevant to Bill and his job search goals. But they're not. He is flagging several calls a week from recruiters about jobs he is not a fit for (over- or under-qualified) or interested in pursuing.  

Bill is suffering from "recruiter mismatch."

Yet, Bill still thinks his LinkedIn profile is "working" because he is getting calls. But he is still unemployed, and the calls are getting him anywhere.

Bill doesn't understand niche marketing. Why should he? Bill is an expert in systems engineering, not necessarily in marketing.

Now meet Ava. Ava is a Business Analyst. Ava is happy with her current position, but she would like to make the jump to Project Manager and wouldn't mind getting calls from recruiters about possible opportunities in that area. She cut-and-pasted her old resume into her LinkedIn profile about a year ago. She's heard from two recruiters during that time, but once it was for another BA opportunity and the other time it was for contract work. Ava doesn't want that.  

Ava is suffering from both recruiter mismatch and lack of response.

Yet, Ava thinks she should just wait it out a little more. After all, she likes her current job. She just knows eventually she needs to move on. She just hopes at some point the right recruiter will come along with the right opportunity.

Ava doesn't understand social recruiting. Why should she? Ava is a busy professional who also happens to be a mom of 3 kids. She doesn't have much time to learn the ins and outs of "LinkedIn optimization."

Perhaps these two scenarios sound a bit familiar. They certainly do to me. I spend a lot of time talking with my LinkedIn contacts, and many of them are Bills and Avas or someone in between. And whether they are the active Bill or the passive Ava, they are both frustrated with recruiter mismatch. They've heard that LinkedIn is the "place" to meet recruiters and get noticed by them, but they aren't getting the kind of notice they were hoping for.  

First and foremost, recruiter mismatch is not new to social recruiting.

Many recruiters or head hunters have been notorious for this even before social media and the Internet changed the recruiting world. Why? Well, there are two main reasons:

1. "Some" recruiters don't read effectively. In fact, I have had several of them brag about their lack of reading to me as if this makes them look good in some way. They do keyword searches, and when they get a hit, they "skim" over your info for more hot spot words (like certain credentials, etc.) and then start contacting you if they see most of what they are looking for. In their defense, the ones who do this the most are the ones who are being pushed to find candidates and to find them fast. So, really, who has time for reading? (It would seem to me to take more time to waste their time and yours than to stop and read over the profile in more depth, but I digress...)

2. "Most" candidates don't write effectively. Putting together your LinkedIn profile, much like putting together your resume, is about understanding audience. Therefore, the profile needs to be optimized to that audience and to how they are searching for you. Now, yes, as I said, some of them don't read very well, but some of them do. And those are the ones you really want to attract. If you are only hearing from the other kind, who didn't really read your profile and who don't sound like they even understand the type of work you do, then yes they are frustrating, but there is also something wrong with your profile.  

Because the good recruiters are out there, and they are not contacting you.

Now, this is hard to grasp because what's the big mystery, right? You write down your background, publish your employment history, and showcase your credentials. How hard is that? Harder than you think, apparently. Here is what I see:

• LI profiles with old or inaccurate information. I meet professionals all the time who tell me certain things on their profiles are outdated or "not quite right."
• LI profiles that are incomplete.
• LI profiles that are poorly written. Unlike resumes, LI profiles can be written in a more narrative form. And truthfully, most people are not that great at this. They spend their time these days writing quick-hit emails and texts with abbreviations. Let's be honest. English and grammar skills are poor, really poor. That isn't to say that recruiters are writing gurus, but you're asking a lot when you're asking people to muddle through your poor writing.
• LI profiles with the wrong focus. Much like with resumes, many of us see our LinkedIn profiles as a list of achievements. It's a "here's everything I have ever done in my career; now you figure it out" kind of thing. In actuality, that is not at all what resumes or LI profiles are about. They are meant to match you up as a candidate with the needs of the potential employer. So, the more you understand what the employer is looking for, the more you focus your materials on that. (It's great that you went to Harvard, but if the employer doesn't care about that, then you are barking up the wrong tree. So you need to know your audience.)

Listen. Even the good quality recruiters are still using search algorithms and rankings to find you, and chances are you aren't coming up in their searches...even though you should. A lot of that has to do with how you are presenting yourself on LinkedIn and on a lack of understanding about how LinkedIn works. I wrote a post a few weeks ago called "LinkedIn Is a Numbers Game, After All" addressing this very topic.

Bottom line: If you want to avoid recruiter mismatch as well as lack of response on LI, then it pays either to get help or to get educated from someone who does have the time to keep up with the latest in social recruiting trends. Like it or not, social recruiting is on the rise, and LinkedIn is the primary avenue.

Big Oil & The IT Industry: When Two Giants Shake Hands

 

Throughout the day-to-day running of ITtechExec, I come across many fascinating individuals who are out there considering the topics of today’s industry and looking at innovative ways of addressing them. Dr. Byron K. Wallace is one of those people.

Having worked in the oil industry for more than 22 years, Dr. Wallace has used his vast experience to examine the impact of IT on big oil, which has resulted in the release of his book, Big Oil & the IT Industry: When Two Giants Shake Hands.

Because I know IT innovation is near and dear to my clients, I asked Dr. Wallace to submit a summary of his book.  

The following text is what he submitted to me:  

Big Oil & the IT Industry: When Two Giants Shake Hands is mostly based upon the outcome of my research which embarked on a journey to determine if the amount of oil production is synonymously related to the number of information technology (IT) projects oil and gas companies implement. The book revolves around historical facts and current world events, showcasing the relevance and indifference when the “Old meets the New” world, explaining the content in a more exciting, informative way while at the same time emphasizing my main idea: exploring the good and the bad this New World of technological advancement has brought us and how the oil industry copes with the demands.  

This book is meant to be practical and yet useful to many, especially to those who work for the petroleum corporations and within the IT industry along with students.

After reading this book, my hope is that readers will have a passing know-how of almost all of the important ideas in the world of IT and the oil industry, and how the game of monopoly is played out in a real, live business setting and a glimpse of the people running the show.

Unlike other published non-fiction books out there with much data structure, illustrations and boring explanations, which give readers a desire to want to skip through the data to reach the “fun parts,” Big Oil & the IT Industry is not like that. Instead I introduce my facts and arguments in a more, let’s say, fun way, without taking away from the meat of the matter, and spinning in tens of circles leaving readers bored and uninterested.

The language is simple and not hard to grasp. By throwing my own experiences into the midst and bringing out more sparks by comparing the past to the present and allowing our readers to see the picture without having to look at a visual aid to know what the author is trying to convey, it is also a great way to see bits and pieces of who Dr. Byron K. Wallace really is, my work. Although the topic seems to be different having to mix IT funding and IT projects implementation as a subject of discussion, the outcome is fascinatingly intriguing and factual and will certainly raise questions and debate.  

Big Oil and the IT Industry evaluates the intriguing adoption of information technology budgets and its investment practices.

The book also covers increased organizational productivity and how it does not influence IT innovation project investments. The petroleum industry covers a wide range of possibilities; it is also very unstable and unpredictable, and yet, it is undoubtedly one of the most powerful industries. The oil and gas rollercoaster throughout history has made scholars and Academia spin their heads trying to figure out what will happen next over the coming years.  

Meanwhile both policy and decision makers in global organizations cite the need for changes within the business environment that influence the need for IT in their respective arenas.

Although it is true that the production of oil continues to be rendered equally, it should stabilize a country, keeping the wolves at bay and peace among mega-mogul business corporations. In contrast, information technology doesn’t have the same fragileness and the fact that it’s in demand and now serves as the backbone that helps strengthen our economy, IT has become the new fad taking over almost every inch of our lives. The subtitle of the book “When two Giants Shake Hands” will clearly emphasize how information technology works and why businesses are keeping a close eye on IT and what drives the changes.  

Author bio  

Dr. Byron K. Wallace has an undergraduate degree in Electronics Engineering Technology from Grambling University, and a Masters degree in Information Systems Management from the University of Phoenix. In 2012 he obtained his doctorate degree of Management in Organizational Leadership with a specialization in Information Systems Technology also from the University of Phoenix. He has worked for 21 years as an IT Infrastructure Specialist for Chevron North American Exploration & Production. He also has had the privilege to work in Angola Africa for Chevron International Exploration & Production where he mentored and supervised National Employees on all aspects of the Process Control network, Device security, Password Protection, and database development process. He is a certified Microsoft System Engineer, Cisco Certified Network Associate, Certified Comp TiA Security, and VMware vSphere 4.

He also teaches online for Liberty University, Indiana Wesleyan University, and Everest College as an Adjunct Professor specializing in the Information Technology arena.

Dr. Byron K. Wallace is an enthusiastic public speaker, intelligent, good mentor, friend, devoted husband, and a loving father to his two boys. He is a man with a happy heart that cares and always the kind who strives to attain his big dreams no matter how hard it may seem; yet his main goal is to bring honor and pride to his family.

For more information, you may contact him via his website www.Bigoil-it-industry.com or via e-mail at bykw231@gmail.com.

Software/Systems Engineering Manager (in IL) Candidate Profile

20 Years of Application Engineering & Solution Design Experience:

 

• Drives quality and expedites release at lower cost for solution development & delivery
• Hands-on Technical Team Leader
• International & Multi-Cultural Resource Management Background (U.S., Europe, Asia)
• Expertise in Project Management and Development Practices: MDE, Agile, RUP
• Specializing in Coding Practices: Expert in UML and Automated Code Generation
• MS Degree in Computer Science

 

Want to know more?

For the full resume or in an introduction to the client highlighted here, contact Stephen at Stephen@ittechexec.com directly.

Career Advancement Is Becoming a Team Effort

There's a lot of pressure on working professionals these days to be better at career management and advancement. The concept of the "company guy" (or gal) is a fading memory, perhaps for good or bad, so professionals need to have a career "plan" or "strategy" to stay ahead of the curve. With a job change every 3-4 years expected, somebody sure needs to manage it.

Not to mention that the job market, despite the plethora of content out there about it, is still a big unknown. Everyone has an opinion about it, but we are all left chasing it while it flies around us in no discernible direction (kind of like letting air out of a balloon, letting go of it, and then trying to catch it).  

It's tough to have a strategy in a world that lacks one itself...if you ask me.

Resumes should be at the ready, LinkedIn profiles should be optimized (not mere repetitions of the resume), social networks should be built to be engaging and active, face-to-face networking should be ongoing, and personal branding should matter at all times.

Therefore, what we end up with is an environment where working professionals are pretty much always in some state of "job search" even when they are happy in their current roles. (Or at least they "should" be even when they don't want to be.)  

So no longer is it really "active" and "passive" job seekers anymore. If you work, you're on the lookout....even when you're, well, not.

I'll be honest, for me, an entrepreneur, this sounds like normal. Why? Because that is pretty much what entrepreneurialism is...constant management and oversight of your business in an uncertain world where you must be on top of everything, from the delivery of the product to the setting of the strategic vision to the art of messaging. And it never lets up...your entire career.

But even if you are like me (and find all this oddly appealing), all successful entrepreneurs quickly learn one important lesson: You need to know when to outsource the things you either aren't that good at or don't have time for. It's hard to do it all, and it's even harder to do it all well. Just think about it. It's tough to be an expert on everything job search and career advancement related when, well, you're busy trying to be an expert at your actual job, right? (Oh and being a spouse, parent, child, friend, community member, etc.)  

You need to build a team.

One of the toughest lessons I have had to learn throughout my career, and especially since I became an entrepreneur, is that I need a team. It's a painful lesson because we don't want it to cost us much, if anything, and it isn't easy to know who we can trust. Also, sometimes it is just hard to admit that we really don't have much of a strategy or plan, that we really are just winging it. Other times we are stuck in the past when we just tossed our resume out there and someone took us. Or we waited around until the company promoted us or bonuses were handed out. It was so much easier back then.

It's true. Career advancement has changed.

Mobile recruiting, HR policies and ATS systems, LinkedIn/social media, niche job boards, global competition, and demand for specialized skill sets have all impacted the world of work immensely. And many professionals still think because it was easy before for them that it will always be easy.

Well, it can be, but most likely in a different way than it was before.

That's where having a team comes in.

Did you know that you don't have to be the one to manage/optimize your social media? Did you know that you could have good, solid opportunities identified for you (by real people, not automated systems)?

Sure, you can. All of this is out there for working professionals who want their career management made more simple and pain free.  

Really, it all comes down to one simple thing: understanding the value of collaboration and harnessing it for your career growth.

So as you think about career management, start to think about your role in terms of team lead or champion and less as flying solo.

Software Engineers, Is Growth Hacking in Your Future?

Perhaps when you began your software engineering career, you didn't imagine that someday you might take on a role at a startup with one primary objective: growth...using your design and development skills to lead engineering teams to create innovative ways to market on the Internet.  

From A/B tests to landing pages to viral factors to email and open graph, software engineers are now using their toolboxes to transform marketing.

Nevertheless, there has been a lot of confusion about what growth hacking is and is not. Quicksprout's detailed guide to growth hacking does a good job of outlining the past, present, and future of growth hacking and of de-mystifying some of the myths that surround it.

Also, to research some of the job postings out there for growth hackers, check out the latest positions posted on a niche job board set up just for growth hackers.

Will Gen-Xers Please Speak Up?

Not too long ago, I wrote a blog post called "Baby Booming to a Millennial Beat in the Workplace." In that article, I touched on some of the generational issues facing Baby Boomers as they finish out their careers in an evolving workplace that is catering to a much different cultural mindset than the one they started their careers with. I also remarked that Gen-Xers were stuck in the middle of these two generations, and frankly, it would seem we are confused, not to mention caught in a no-win scenario.

Either we become like the "traditional" establishment that is so out of fashion these days or we hang on like crazy to a cool, hip vibe that we really don't feel anymore because, let's face it, we've been waiting around for a long time for a promotion train that has been real slow in coming. And we've been around just long enough to see trends come and trends go.  

It's true. Gen-Xers are the proverbial middle child and now we're middle-aged too.

We too lost money in the stock market recessions of late because we trusted in those 401ks everyone told us were so wonderful for us to have, we've had inflation hitting us in the face at every turn, and we had to find jobs in the 80s and 90s recessions that were pretty bad in comparison with the one that hit in 2008. Then we were told to sit and wait longer...and longer...for those corporate promotions because Boomers couldn't afford to retire, while we have watched our companies bend over backward for the Millennial generation who doesn't believe it should have to wait for anything. We've seen pay freezes and diminished bonuses, skyrocketing health care, bursting housing bubbles, and layoffs, layoffs, layoffs.

But what do we do? Apparently, say nothing.

At a recent networking event I attended, I brought some of this up to other fellow Gen-Xers, thinking we could all whine a bit together, and the best response I received was a shrug.

Really? A shrug? Best I can tell most of us still have a good 25+ years of work ahead of us and it is us, not the Millennials, who will be (or should be) leading companies next...right? So shouldn't workplace culture be more concerned about what we are looking for?

Perhaps in theory, but I am starting to worry that at this point, we will just take whatever we're given.

In an online article from back in 2012, some researcher was quoted as saying that nobody was studying Gen-X in the workplace because, frankly, there just isn't "much interest" in them. Honestly, I can see why. The silence is deafening.

Over the past few months, we have been posting on the era of promotions that is about to begin, and we have been running a series called "The Road to Promotion." These are good, really good, indicators for Gen-Xers who have been waiting in the wings, but the competition for these openings will be strong and many Gen-Xers are going to be stuck thinking they will get the job because they "deserve" it and have been waiting for it. The awakening will be rude.

Listen. There is no single file line up the corporate ladder anymore (if there ever really was one), and innovation is perceived to be young and fresh. (And as my HR friends tell me, "perception is ALWAYS reality.")

So it is past time that Gen-Xers remind companies that there are more than just two generations vying for attention in the workplace. And that our idea of culture might be a little different. If we don't, that promotion train just might pass us by.

There's Value in that Security Clearance

Clearancejobs.com published the following infographic highlighting the worth of having a security clearance. They surveyed 11,436 of the 4+million professionals who have security clearance. The survey ended in 2012, so the numbers have not been updated since then, but it does show that professionals with graduate degrees and security clearance rank the highest in regard to pay and that engineering and IT professionals with clearance receive the highest compensation.

So if you are in a position that gives an opportunity to obtain a clearance, it just might pay to do so.

Tech Salaries Continue to Rise

According to an article published by Dice.com at the end of January, technical professionals saw a 3% growth in salary in 2013, with an average of $87,811 across the US (Silicon Valley boasted the highest paying area with an average of $108,603...of course, have you checked out the cost of living in Silicon Valley lately?). Now, the article does not exactly define just who or what makes up a "tech salary," but Dice arrived at these numbers thanks to its 2014-2013 Salary Survey of 17,236 "technology professionals."

According to the survey, tech pros are increasingly dissatisfied with their pay and increased compensation has been the #1 motivator for these professionals since at least 2009. (Hmmm, somebody better tell my HR/career folks who say it is all about culture....maybe, but that culture better pay.)

Other markets above the national average other than Silicon Valley also included LA, NY, Denver, Philly, Atlanta, Austin, and Charlotte. Not surprisingly, Big Data skills ranked highest, with R knowledge being in greatest demand (average of $115,531).

Dice posts a nice interactive U.S. Tech Salaries map that provides an overview of salaries broken down by state, going back to 2005.  

So what does this mean for you?

Interestingly, the bulk of the average salary increase came from merit increases and bonuses over the last year, which signals that companies are looking to retain and promote their current talent. It also reflects the lower unemployment rate across the tech sectors. But this isn't all going to come to tech pros because they "deserve" it. If companies are going to give more, then they are going to want to ensure that the talent they have really is as good as it can be.

Therefore, now more than ever, techies should be learning how to position themselves for promotion and to attract the social recruiting market. Here are some recent posts we've published that all help with branding and positioning:

• A Career in IT: 'It's All Ball Bearings Nowadays'"
• "IT: Your Friendly Neighborhood Strategic Business Partner"
• "The Road to Promotion: Culture, Culture, Culture"

One Interview Tip You Haven't Heard

In the laundry list of interview tips (most of them good) that are floating around out there, there is one you probably haven't heard before...  

Because it is a fundamental "law," if you will, in the art of persuasion, which is really what a job interview is after all.

Now, it doesn't require any special training, and it doesn't solve all the mysteries of the universe,

BUT

It does give you a baseline to monitor yourself against, and it should be the starting off point for any conversation you have with a prospective employer or recruiter.  

Here's the tip: Don't try to interest them in things they aren't interested in.

Sounds simple, right? Well, it should be. But if it were, job searches would be a lot more successful as would every multi-million-dollar marketing campaign.

It's just not that simple.

Here's why:

We think it's about impressing them with what we have to say, with our background and our skills and whatever else it is that we think is the most impressive about us. We want to tell them what we have to offer because, well, that's what it seems like an interview is about. We might even spend a good portion of the interview weaving the discussion back to whatever it is we want to focus on,

BUT

The truth is that the most important part of the interview is listening to how the interviewer is directing the conversation and understanding what it is that matters to him or her.

It isn't so that you can lie or simply agree with everything the interviewer is saying, but it is so that you can adjust your approach to address that issue or issues. It is what makes for effective communication of any type, written or verbal, really. And generally we are so bad at it. Too often we think that we need to tell people things, convince them of our position,

BUT

Really, we need to let them know we understand what matters to them and we are going to use our expertise to help support that.

In other words, stop selling them on your MBA, for example, if they are really more interested in your soft skills.

(So if the interviewer has weaved in several questions now on teamwork and workplace culture, that should be a big clue that this issue is going to be a main driving force in the decision on whom to hire. Find a way to discuss it from then on. Don't try to convince them that they should really pick you because of something else, like awards or something. They won't. They are signaling that culture is what matters most.)

Missing the boat on this is all too often why you can have a "good" interview experience where you thought you had a nice conversation with the interviewer and did your best to present your background in the most interesting way but still did not get the job.

Now, this isn't to say that if you do have an MBA or have won some industry award, that you can't or shouldn't mention it,

BUT

You want to do so in the context of the clues you are getting from the interviewer about what matters to him or her. And you will get those clues based off the type of questions asked and the comments made about your background.  

The art of connection isn't so much about commonality of experience or charisma as it is about meeting needs.

When you talk about the things that matter to the interviewer, you are signaling to him or her that you are willing to meet the interviewer's needs. And that is what makes for a successful interview (along with all that other stuff about wearing a suit, brushing your teeth, etc.)

Hottest 10 Project Management Trends

ITBusinessEdge recently posted its top 10 list for project management trends in 2014. In summary, here they are:

1. Expansion of Agile into Singapore, Japan, and Hong Kong
2. Introduction of enterprise project management credential from PMI called the Portfolio Management Professional (PfMP)SM credential
3. Rise of virtual learning
4. Increase in project management consulting to engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) companies
5. Implementation of Agile-based project portfolio management (PPM) tool
6. Rise of servant leadership
7. Growth in benchmarking and best practices
8. Radical change in approach to project management by poor-performing organizations
9. Continued lack of qualified project management talent to fill open positions
10. Change of title to "leaders," not "managers" ("servant" leaders, of course)

These top 10 trends represent an effort to find solutions to project management's biggest challenges, such as geographically dispersed team members, using the wrong tools, and overextended resources.

No Longer Want to Be a CIO When You Grow Up?

At one point in time, the CIO spot took the coveted role as the top rung on the corporate IT career ladder. According to a Computerworld survey from August/September 2013, 55% of IT professionals said they aspired to the CIO role (the sample was pretty small, however...only 489 respondents).  

Politics doesn't pay

The reasons stated for the shift away from CIO aspirations included the following:

• Corporate politics
• Low pay
• Lack of prestige
• Lack of hands-on technical role

It's not the same old IT anymore

Another reason for the move away from CIO is that IT pros are venturing into other arenas, such as marketing, finance, and logistics, with a dotted line back to "IT". Therefore, they might climb the corporate ladder from a different rung.  

But is perception blurring reality?

According to some aspiring CIOs, however, the CIO role of today is more than just meetings and politics. It is about being a head innovator for the company, stretching business to try new things.

Nevertheless, in an effort to rebrand the role, some CIOs are now taking on a second title, such as senior vice president, as a way to highlight that IT is no longer a separate entity within the organization but integrated. Also, it can be a good step in later transitioning from a purely IT role into a business leader one, like CEO.  

So should you go CIO?

Here at ITtechExec, we've worked with many CIOs and CIO wannabes. We repeatedly hear that the evolution of the role has made it more attractive, not less. But like most things, you have to judge them within their context and environment. The title "CIO" is anything but cookie-cutter and can mean different things in different shops. Also, you need to have a good understanding of what you want your future in "IT" to look like. If business leader and visionary are part of that, then don't count out CIO just yet.

The Softer Side of Tech

So, for a little bit now, I've been discussing the importance of "soft skills" in the 2014 IT job market. The following posts all touch on how the market is favoring those IT professionals who are, well, softer:

• "A Career in IT: 'It's All Ball Bearings Nowadays'"
• "IT: Your Friendly Neighborhood Strategic Business Partner"
• "The Road to Promotion: Culture, Culture, Culture"

Today, I'd like to highlight perhaps the top 10 soft skills in demand, things that you need to show, not tell, in your next career move.  

1. Strong Work Ethic

When I first started writing resumes, it was considered bad form to put "hard worker" or "hard working" on a resume because it was one of those... no duh....things. Who doesn't think they are a hard worker and have a strong work ethic? But increasingly, in today's market, employers are demanding professionals to demonstrate a strong work ethic. One way to do that would be to prepare a Problems-Solutions-Results (PSR) page as an addendum to your resume. It can showcase problems you have faced and how you have worked to resolve them.

2. Positive Attitude

Here's one that can be tough for some personality types. Let's be real. It isn't that you are negative necessarily (although others might perceive it that way); it's more likely you are direct, to the point, and in your mind a realist. Unfortunately, though, these traits aren't always well received in today's corporate market (neither is a healthy dose of sarcasm) even if sometimes they are what's needed. So finding a way to be direct while being sure to end on a positive note will go far.  

3. Good Communication Skills

Many times people only focus on the verbal and listening part of communication skills, but in today's world, writing skills are at a premium. So showcasing your background in this area is important too.  

4. Time Management Abilities  

5. Problem-Solving Skills

Again, here is where the PSR mentioned earlier would come into play.

6. Acting as a Team Player

The PSR could also provide you with an opportunity to showcase the work you've done in a team environment. A Testimonials page could do the same thing by letting your colleagues "refer" you through their kudos of you.  

7. Self-Confidence

8. Ability to Accept and Learn From Criticism

Inevitably, you will be asked a question during interviews about a time when you had to take criticism and what you did with it. So be prepared to provide an example.  

9. Flexibility/Adaptability

Here is where an Innovation page could come in handy. Outlining ideas for changes in business operations or procedures that you see that could enhance business activities and show adaptability is highly sought after.

10. Working Well Under Pressure

Once again, the PSR page is a great place to demonstrate a scenario where you handled pressure and came out strong.