Alexandra Levits Water Cooler Wisdom My Takeaways from the ATD Tech Skills Gap Panel

Alexandra Levit's Water Cooler Wisdom My Takeaways from the ATD Tech Skills Gap Panel The technology skills gap is a well-known issue in American employment circles. Yet, research tends to focus on only one aspect of the problem â€" the shortage of hard tech skills like programming and information security management. But there is another, perhaps even more critical dimension to thetechnology skills gap1: the lack of applied tech skills in the workplace. As we’ve talked about previously, when an individual hasapplied tech skills,2they can integrate people, processes, data, and devices to effectively inform business strategy and plan for and react to unanticipated shifts in direction. At the annualAssociation for Training and Development (ATD) conference3in San Diego, I moderated an applied technology skills gap panel with John Aquilino, Manager, Skills Gap Training and Services, DeVryWORKS; Jessica DiCicco, VP, Learning Development, Randstad; Jackie Linton, Deputy Chief Administrative Officer, City of Philadelphia; Kristen Switzer, Sr. People Development Manager, Taylor Morrison; and Andre Walker, VP of Training Development, Securitas Security Services. Applied Technology Skills: Why Now? I began by asking the panel why applied technology skills have become so critical in business. “Everyone in our company, whether they are in construction, purchasing, accounting, or customer service, touches a technology system. They need to understand these systems to do their jobs well,” said Switzer. “We are also offering training on a variety of technology platforms that require employees to come up to speed.” Next, I asked John to comment on how his cross-industry employer partners are equipping their workforces with applied technology skills. “Access to training and development is not the issue,” he responded. “It’s much more about how those skills are curated and aligned to arrive at actionable outcomes.” Panelists shared that their organizations are searching for and using solutions that help their employees develop “soft skills” related to technology adoption such as critical thinking, reasoning, and problem-solving. “Applying knowledge of Big Data, digital infrastructure, and integrated processes is essential to effective decision-making,” said Aquilino. “Companies are infusing learning experiences with technology, so employees can leverage the familiarity of working with machines in their daily roles.” For more panel insights, head over to the full piece at the DeVryWORKS website.

Does Paying for Your ATS Really Pay Off

Does Paying for Your ATS Really Pay Off Sponsored by Mighty Recruiter HR transformation is always an exciting undertaking for an HR team in a growing SMB, and recruiters are now joining in the action. In the previous decade, HR transformation focused on lining up the organizations people, processes, and technology so as to create a rich employee experience. Recent advances in cloud computing, applicant tracking solutions, and digital business models have broadened that focus to include the candidate experience. Yet all too often, HR transformation just means spending too much money on too much technology. Brilliantly conceived transformation plans end up only creating more bureaucracy, multiplying processes, and automating dysfunction. As a result, another big capital expenditure fails to bring about meaningful change, or create a candidate experience that funnels in the best talent effectively. None of this is to say that HR technology is a waste of money. Rather, SMBs might be better able to build the candidate experience they want using free applicant tracking solutions. A free solution might also succeed in freeing up resources that can be better applied to making your organization the one candidates choose to engage with. Conventional buying guidance leads to conventional results For most SMBs, deciding whether to implement a free or paid applicant tracking system is determined by the number of users, and the processes to be managed. A free ATS is typically sufficient when there are only a few users, none of whom is a full-time recruiting professional. Likewise, if just a few hires are needed at any one time, or if hiring is normally done in succession, one role at a time, then a free solution will do. The reporting capabilities of most free applicant tracking systems should also suffice for organizations doing lower volume hiring. The decision to purchase usually arises if several users across multiple business functions need regular access, or if multiple simultaneous hires are expected, or if in general, hiring is intended to be handled as a parallel process. Such organizations are also likely to need the reporting capabilities of a paid solution for compliance, measuring recruiting performance, and informing sourcing strategies. HR transformation and software implementations are a power couple But they dont have to be expensive dates. HR is often depicted as making big software purchases in order to justify its existence, and then getting asked to make big changes to the organization for free. Yet HR doesn’t help its own cause much. By adhering primarily to conventional buying guidance to determine what level of ATS service to acquire, HR establishes yet another system to measure itself, and not business impact. HR needs to break this cycle. One way it can do so is to get more strategic about its ATS configuration, such that it helps recruiters contribute to results throughout the entire organization. Below are four fundamental organization-level objectives that ATS software effects. Determining what portions HR can accomplish for free through its own resources, what ATS software can do for free, and what still needs to be acquired helps build a solid business case. More importantly, it sets the stage for authentic transformation, one that is enabled by technology, not defined by it. 1. Eliminate inefficiencies throughout the entire hiring funnel While it cannot fix organizational processes that are fundamentally broken, ATS software can catalyze much needed operational improvements. Common ones include standardizing workflows, eliminating unnecessary activities, creating clear ownership, and simplifying administrative tasks. As with any software implementation, there is a learning curve, and consequently, improvements may not be visible until a few hiring cycles later. It is also common for new ATS software to conflict with existing recruiting workflows. 2. Fill in gaps Gaps may be incompetencies, processes, software functionality, or hiring performance. Whatever the gap, the big question for the organization is whether new ATS software will integrate smoothly with the people, processes, and technology of the existing system. 3. Expand the system In this case, the organization must determine whether existing recruiting technology can scale in order to meet anticipated future needs, and what must happen to make it possible. This is not a trivial undertaking. Organizations often need to develop new competencies and manage conflicts with existing recruiting workflows. 4. Streamline the existing system Usually precipitated by a major organizational change, or existing software reaching the end of its lifecycle, organizations periodically need to consolidate their software stacks. Maintaining adequate performance and employer branding are the most frequent challenges in this case. About the author: MightyRecruiter is a free intuitive, comprehensive, and transformative recruiting solution.  Source passive candidates, track and manage applicants, post free jobs, and hire the most relevant candidates to your jobs, all at no cost.

Oil and Gas Jobs Advice By An Energy Industry Recruiter - VocationVillage

Oil and Gas Jobs Advice By An Energy Industry Recruiter - VocationVillage In Houston, a lot of people express the wish to break into the energy industry but without industry connections or experience, this is no easy feat. To get oil and gas jobs advice from someone who knows the energy industry very well, I interviewed Dan Clark. Dan is the Managing Partner at EnergyHeadhunter, a firm specializing in executive search for the energy industry. My questions to Dan are bolded. As a career coach, the most common question I get about the energy sector is, How do I break into the energy industry without any experience or connections? As a recruiter, what is your response to that?First of all, you don’t “break into” an industry. You acquire a position within a company and then you develop a personal brand and then you develop a position in the industry.The way you get your foot in the door is to have something to offer. Stop saying, “I’m interested in I dont mean to be harsh but people dont care about what you are interested inthey care about what you can do for them.Also, job seekers need to realize that no one pays recruiters to source for entry level positions. If you are entry-level, don’t waste your time with recruiters; there are much better strategies than trying to find a recruiter to help you.Good point, and I am glad you are making it because a lot of job seekers dont realize that recruiters work for organizations seeking talent rather th an individuals seeking jobs. Heres another question for you: Job seekers are often told to network but they dont know where to begin. Are there professional organizations that are good ways to meet energy sector professionals?Honestly, think about the perspective of a person already employed in the energy industry. You’ve worked 12 hours and you are tired. At the end of a long day, are you really interested in meeting someone new, who has nothing to offer you?It is better to meet people by contributing something. Be willing to accept any entry level job that builds your skills, and if you cant get an entry level or temp job, do volunteer work. The important thing is to build your skills every day and focus on how you can help people rather than on how they can help you.What job search advice would you give a friend or acquaintance who asked you about the oil and gas industry?When you send your resume to a recruiter, make sure you cut and paste your resume into the body of the emai l. If you want to attach it as well, that is fine, but if you want to be found also cut and paste.I wish people would stop saying they are an energy professional because it makes me roll my eyes. After all, no one admits to being an energy amateur.On your resume, get to the facts. Get rid of fluffy claims. Superior performers don’t have to call themselves superior- they demonstrate their superiority through their accomplishments. You have to get real skills. If you don’t have real skills, you need to be making coffee at Starbucks to earn money part time while you get some real skills.You may have to go back to school.Once you have skills, explore what companies are looking for people with your skills. You have to get your foot in the doorthere are no bad jobs.With most jobs, they already know who they want to hire, before they put the position on a jobs board. They list the position for legal and compliance reasons, but they already know and they usually want someone who is know n to them. So most of the time people spend on job boards is a total and complete waste of time.Job boards give recruiters a place to send people when they can’t help them.You are much more likely to make a real contact via your church, shared political interests, the schools your children attend, the places you hang out, and through friendships based on common interests.People who have an active social life with 2-3 groups rarely remain unemployed for long. My company does research about job seekers and we consistently find this to be true.I know a lot of people advocate connecting through social media but Im not so keen on that. People rarely respond to LinkedIn InMails because LinkedIn is focused too much on revenue producing goals and they flood users inboxes. Facebook is not popular with the youngest generation and Google+ is a ghost town. We are on all the sites. We may use a site for an introduction to someone we already know has the skills we are seeking, but we don’t lo ok at candidates because they approach us on social media. There is a big difference.(Note from VocationVillage.com: This advice seems industry-specific as recruiters from other industries express much more enthusiasm about social media as a recruitment tool.)Please say more about how to connect with people in the energy industry.You are more likely to help someone you know in person than someone you only vaguely know via social media. So let’s take an example.Let me tell you about someone I know well. Shes a Rice University grad who majored in anthropology (not exactly oil and gas material). She managed to land an incredibly boring job as a temp categorizing items in an inventory system for an energy company. She did the boring job with efficiency and enthusiasm. She exhibited skills in technology, writing, and analysis (assimilating information and knowing which slot in which to put information).She timed coffee breaks so she could talk to select people. She learned who people w ere by looking at company photos. A VP was walking through the office one day and most employees didnt even know who he was. A bunch of the employees were lounging around with their feet up on the desks. She knew who the VP was and she addressed him by name. She had a personal business card and she gave him one. A different day, the President of the company was visiting and couldnt find a meeting room. She walked him there and made sure he knew her name. She developed a good reputation and she was hired full-time, then promoted several times. Now she runs a departmentshe understands the value of face time.Nice. I know some readers will wonder how she even landed that initial boring entry level job.Well, in the energy industry, companies get a thousand resumes per week. There is no way humans can read that many, so computers do the work for us. Everything is keyword driven.Internships are unbelievably valuable because it gives you an opportunity to build some skills that map to those keywords.Every day, ask, How can I improve my skills?With a fast Internet connection, you can learn anything.OK, so far we have mainly focused on entry level career development. What if someone has a lot of professional experience in an industry different than oil and gas? What advice do you have for experienced professionals who want to transition into the energy sector?If you have lots of successful experience in another industry, then you will have to get someone at a company to believe your skills are both  significant and  desirable for their company;  then they may take a chance on you. Bringing people in from another industry is risky   attrition is high, and sometimes career changers bring bad habits tolerated in other settings. In any event, you will have to get an insider of serious standing in the company to believe in you.Let me share a story with you. My firm received an email from a man who was a farmer, and he shared in the email that he had a lot of supervisory expe rience because of the different farm animals that reported to him three goats, six cows, twelve chickens, and three dogs; he was ready for a new challenge. His material didnt include even one keyword we normally look for in a communication. The email was laced with sly humor and playful wording that I really enjoyed. At the very bottom of the email, he mentioned that he worked for the government for three years and that he had a Ph.D. in Math and a Masters in Chemistry from a top 100 school whose name begins with an H (name withheld to protect the guilty school) and finally, could we as headhunters help him? To make a very long story a little shorter, it turns out he was a Harvard guy with breathtaking intellect, who had worked for the CIA in cryptology, and who hated government work. We placed him with an independent oil and gas company and he set up a trading/financial engineering group for them. You  can  change industries, but you will need a champion in a company to believe in you and your skills, and it really helps if you are  exceptionally talented.Great story. Any other final words of wisdom?Get to know people socially. I cant stress that enough.There are no bad jobs! Your first job in the industry may be boring but do it well and show your value. Even as a temp, prove you are special.Finally, get a separate telephone number that you only use for the job search. That way, when it rings, you know it is job-related, and don’t answer the phone when you are drunk. It happens a lot more than you might think.People answer the phone when they are drunk?Yes, all the time. Heres another tip: When you take a business call, make sure you are somewhere that your cell phone gets decent reception. If you are in a place with poor reception, let the call go to voice mail and call back later.Dan, I know my readers will appreciate that busy as you are, you took the time to do this interview. Thank you!Dan Clark is an energy recruiter at EnergyHeadhunter. The firm sp ecializes in the power, natural gas, refined products, and crude oil business. He can be found on social media on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Google+.If you found this article to be helpful, please use the buttons below to share it.

Embrace Diversity or Face Adversity

Embrace Diversity or Face Adversity Forget naming, shaming and blaming; workplace diversity is everyone’s responsibility. When it comes to encouraging inclusive company cultures, it shouldn’t be about pointing the finger at the lack of diversity in an organisation and hoping the bosses will get what’s coming to them. Instead, it should be about going, “right, this is the situation, something has to be done, how can it be made better?” Regardless of whether or not you’ve been publicly outed over your organisation’s lack of diversity, everyone has to make the issue a serious priority. Take a look at the reputation repair work being done by Facebook, Intel and Google. Sure, it might have taken some really bad press to put the gears in motion, but the benefits these organisations will feel from addressing internal diversity problems will make it all extremely worthwhile in the long run. Growth empowerment The pros of diversifying your workforce are abundant, from increasing passion and productivity on an individual internal level, to establishing your company as progressive and people-focussed from an external perspective. Additionally, from a business point of view, embracing and encouraging difference and uniqueness among employees fosters innovation, creativity and daringness, which will ultimately open new opportunities lead to greater success. People who feel they’re a minority employee who doesn’t exactly ‘fit in’ at work are likely to feel less confident and empowered to lead from the front. What’s worse, these people might even feel compelled to conform; an idea coined in social psychology as Normative Social Influence. How disastrous? The key is truly nurturing and maximising various skillsets and backgrounds of employees to create an inclusive and positive environment. Time to act These days, there’s nowhere to hide. If your company is severely lacking in diversity and seen to be doing nothing about it, it’s only a matter of time before your stakeholders notice not only employees and candidates, but customers and potential customers too. While it shouldn’t be your main driver for officially addressing the issue, it should be enough to at least get you thinking about the topic! Your company might operate on the notion that when it comes to staffing, if it doesn’t appear to be broken, then don’t fix it. The danger here is that a lack of workplace diversity is often a silent business killer; sabotaging employee productivity, inhibiting growth, reducing retention rates and damaging reputations in the long run, with no flashing neon red warning signal. So, where to from here? Make it mainstream Diversity shouldn’t be a taboo subject. People need to talk about it, to make something happen. When it comes to talent attraction and recruitment, many companies and individuals are unknowingly biased, perhaps even unaware of how it’s affecting the organisation. Companies might not necessarily be actively trying to discriminate against people from certain demographics; it might just be occurring because of societal norms, long running trends and procedures which go many years back. The first step in tackling this issue is acknowledging there is likely room for improvement, and then committing to doing something about it. Get digging! Being proactive starts with analysis and understanding. Starting off is simple. Look around your company. How would you describe your internal workforce dedicated, daring, delightful… diverse? If the latter doesn’t ring true immediately, where are there gaps? We know women are underrepresented in technology and STEM careers in general. Is your company a culprit of continuing this trend? What other demographics are under or overrepresented in your business? What patterns do you see emerging? Conducting what could be called an employee audit, measuring race, gender, age and other metrics will give you a good starting point for putting some new methods into practice. The next step is to analyse your recruitment and hiring processes closely. Can you spot ways that bias and discrimination are being silently encouraged? Have a game plan To make positive changes towards becoming a more diverse workforce, you need a game plan and support from the whole business. They say good management always starts from the top; a CEO’s attitudes to work, staff and the company will likely infiltrate down through the tiers of management and be reflected across the remaining workforce. To really make diversity and inclusion a priority, we’d recommend putting into place an actual team of people whose job it is to embed a framework that supports improvement. It’s now or never Whatever you do, don’t ignore diversity and inclusion as a serious issue! It’s important, and tackling the issue NOW will be better for everyone in the long run.

How To Stay Productive When You Are Tired

How To Stay Productive When You Are Tired Forging ahead towards the achievement of your ambitions is not always a question of inner drive. Sometimes it comes down to pure stamina! Whether you’re working late on a big project that is sure to get you a promotion, or you’re trying to fit in a job application between tasks, doing your best isn’t easy once your energy is drained. What you need are some proven techniques to help you go that extra mile.You can start by slowing down. It may sound counter-intuitive, but taking regular breaks can make you more productive â€" especially if you use them well.Take five minutes off every 50 minutes If stretches are beyond you at this level of fatigue, you could at least try moving closer to a window. Daylight is a proven performance-enhancer, and if you can open the window to let in some fresh air â€" that’s all the better.This new infographic is packed with other ways you can recharge yourself when you need to go that extra mile to advance yourself at work. Learn it well, and you ’ll be able to power on during the most trying times of your career.Infographic Credit â€" microsofttraining.net

Today is the First Day of the Rest of Your Job Search - CareerAlley

Today is the First Day of the Rest of Your Job Search - CareerAlley We may receive compensation when you click on links to products from our partners. I spend a lot of time with vendors, service suppliers and consultants in my job. One consulting firm in particular screwed up a project big time. Cost overruns, unfinished work, stuff that didnt work at all, you get the picture. And then, to add insult to injury, they wanted more money to finish the work that they should have done for the original boatload of money we paid them. Anyway, I was talking with the sales guy from the consulting company and he went on and on we should have done this, we should have done that, we should have communicated early, wah wah wah. Shoulda, woulda, coulda. Who cares? Move on, you cant change the past. So whats the point? Whatever your reason for looking for a new job, you cant dwell on what got you here and you cant worry about what you should have done in your job search. Forget the past, look forward to what you can do and make today the first day of the rest of your job search. Restarting Your Job Search: Nothing like a fresh start. The next few links will help you get started. 20 Ways to Restart Your Job Search Great article posted from business news daily, covers (you guessed it) 2o ways to [easyazon_link asin=1285753461 locale=US new_window=default nofollow=default tag=caree07-20 add_to_cart=default cloaking=default localization=default popups=yes]restart your job search[/easyazon_link]. What you need to do before you get started (or restarted) lots of good bullets on this. Next is restarting your search (the usual suspects, but worth the read). Also take a look at the links within the article. How to Start a Job Search Okay, maybe you dont need to restart your job search, maybe you just need to start. The article, posted on jobdig.com, starts with the basic steps job search plan, job search tools, etc. Written by one the top experts on job search, Alison Doyle. The article provides all of the steps you will need to take to have a successful job search. Definitely worth a read if you want to kick start your search. Restarting Your Job Search When All Else Fails Vol 1 Written and posted by yours truly, CareerAllley, it covers the basics of what you need like rebuilding your resume, checklists for job search (also, see below) and of course there will be a Restarting Your Job Search When All Else Fails Vol 2! Job Leads Where to Start: At the beginning of course. Some great resources listed below. 10 Ways to Develop Job Leads Career site quintcareers.com posted this article which includes tips (10 to be exact) to[easyazon_link asin=0764551639 locale=US new_window=default nofollow=default tag=caree07-20 add_to_cart=default cloaking=default localization=default popups=yes]developing job leads[/easyazon_link] (such as Networking and Corporate Career Centers). There are related embedded links throughout the article as well as related links at the top left hand side of the page. Use the Internet to Find Job Leads Rileyguide.com, another leading Internet job search and career site, provides a great outline for leveraging the Internet to develop job leads. Tons of embedded links as well as great advice. Take a look. CareerAlley Job Search Find your job leveraging CareerAlleys job search site! We are always eager to hear from our readers. Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions or suggestions regarding CareerAlley content. Good luck in your search,Joey Google+ what where job title, keywords or company city, state or zip jobs by

Gift Giving at Work Dont Stress It!

Gift Giving at Work Dont Stress It! While the holiday season is supposed to be full of “good tidings and cheer”, we all know that this is not something that comes easily to many of us. Between long lines in stores, wallets that grow empty as the season goes on, and angst over what to get the person who isn’t happy with anything, the “cheer” part of the holiday season sometimes goes by the wayside, especially in the workplace.   However, there are things you can do to make the holiday season less stressful and more enjoyable, even during the workday. Know your staff and their holidays: If you are a department head, you should have an awareness of what customs/traditions your employees follow during the holidays. Saying “Merry Christmas” to the Account Manager who celebrates Hanukkah can be offensive, even if you don’t mean for it to be. If you take your staff to lunch as a holiday gift, try to organize the luncheon on a day when they are all present. Some staff may take days to celebrate holidays in their own cultures/religions, rather than the customary Christmas Eve and Christmas Day dates that most companies observe. Gifts for coworkers: Many of us already have too many people on our shopping list during the holiday season, and adding coworkers to that list sometimes puts us over the financial edge. Don’t sweat it and don’t spend money that you don’t have just because somebody asked you to. If you have a group of co-workers you feel you need to buy a little something for, suggest drawing names and doing a gift exchange. Set a strict price limit, and encourage the co-workers to give gift ideas (within the price range) to help the buyer find something appropriate for that person. If you decide to buy for someone outside of the gift exchange, make sure you set up a special time away from the workplace to exchange gifts. Or, forgo the gift-giving completely and instead do a cookie exchange or potluck with your coworkers to keep the mood festive. Both options cost less and still give you the holiday social time to enjoy with your coworkers. Doing a Secret Santa gift exchange? While this isn’t always a favorite and can be very awkward, consider suggesting a theme to keep gifts from getting weird. A “coffee” theme, or “Star Wars” theme or whatever your office is into keeps the mood light. Be clear on whether the gifts are supposed to be “nice” or “gag”. Set a dollar amount so everyone’s gift is the same value. If one person gets a whole full basket of goodies but another person gets a pair of Dollar Store socks, resentment may replace the tone of the festivities. Gifts for the boss: This is a tough one. If you are the person who has been assigned the task of organizing the gift for the boss, there are a few things to remember. First, salaries are not the same. Find a gift where everybody can chip in and not have their wallets cleaned out. Set a limit (maybe $10/person) and if people want to give more they can. Have a card at your desk ready to go so when your coworkers bring you their donation, they can sign the card before they leave. Be prepared for those who may not want to donate and don’t badger them. Finally, when you are ready to present the gift to your boss, gather everyone together and give the gift to your boss as a group. Gifts for Clients: Before you even think of giving a gift to a client, make sure you are very clear on the gift-giving/receiving policies for your company, as well as your client’s company. Many companies have established strict guidelines regarding what types of “gifts” can be exchanged between clients/customers and suppliers, buyers and sales associates, etc. While some companies have a zero-tolerance policy on receiving any type of gift, they are not opposed to business luncheons. If this is the case, take your client out for a nice lunch and express your gratitude in words instead of a gift that could get you, or them, fired. By following some of these simple guidelines, you will make your holiday celebrations in the workplace light on the stress and heavy on the cheer! Happy Holidays!