The Resource Collaborative

Talent Acquisition and Hiring - a New Approach

Add Value with Customer-Focused IT Teams

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sectorswitchers

A career-long challenge for any CIO is how to communicate the value of IT!  We have tried so many paths to this end…user newsletters, strategic initiative planning with “the business”, webinars, meetings with “the business” and countless other calisthenics, and most CIOs still walk through this struggle every day.

Here are a few newer ideas that, if applied appropriately, could make this conundrum come to a successful end:

Change the Terminology – IT staff should stop referring to internal clients as “the business”, if IT wants to be recognized for adding value to the success of the enterprise then it needs to BE part of “the business”!

Create IT Ambassadors – Traditionally, the CIO is the main communicator across the enterprise. OR, perhaps the responsibility rests with Business Analysts who focus on bridging the gap between IT and the internal clients.

With the advent of Agile processes across most companies today, the role of the Business Analyst is changing and more technical staff should be front and center with the clients. Each member of the IT Team should be capable of interacting with internal clients – spread this responsibility! BE part of “the business”!

Invest in Your IT Team – It is no longer enough for the IT Team to read a Business Requirement Document or review a system schematic or software program to gain enough knowledge about the business process across the enterprise to create real value.

Change your onboarding process to include an internship-like program rotating new staff members across the organization to observe and learn the complete process of the business. Hold lunch and learn sessions and invite business leaders to come to speak about their areas of responsibility.

After all, most companies today are spending untold hours and loads of money to learn the behavior of their external customers…why would you do less with your own staff?  They need to understand the behaviors of their internal customers. Allow them to BE part of “The business!”

Change Your Hiring Guidelines – Gone are the days of hiring IT staff simply for their technical prowess – how has this worked for you thus far? Begin changing your interview process to be able to discover innovative thinking, analytical talent, relationship building skills, and humility.

  • Look for people who have demonstrated an ability to solve problems and who enjoy doing this.
  • Do they participate in online technical forums where they can share and receive information to solve a problem?
  • Give them a business problem and allow them to whiteboard how they would apply technology to solve it.
  • Can they easily and succinctly explain the business purpose and business outcome of a technology project in which they have participated?
  • Do they have excellent eye contact?
  • Do they answer the question asked?
  • Do they convey calm?
  • If they were not a Technologist, would another area in the company hire them? BE part of “The business!”

For more information reach out to Ellen Shepard: Ellen.Shepard@trcollaborative.com or connect with her on LinkedIn! https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-resource-collaborative-inc-

5 Questions to Ask a Perspective Employer

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individual-interview-full 

In every interview comes that dreaded moment when the interviewer asks, “do you have any questions for me”? While silence is not a faux pas in an interview, you should come prepared to answer this question, since it is inevitable, and since the interview is a 2-way conversation!

Here are 5 questions that will demonstrate you are thought-full, prepared, and leading the pack:

1. I noticed last week that (a. – this is where you fill-in with a news item you read about the firm), how do you think this will effect (b. – again, fill-in with possibilities)?

a. The CEO has tendered her resignation                  b. the senior leadership team

a. The firm is moving to a new location                      b. the morale of staff

a. The announcement of a digital program                b. next quarters sales projections

2. I read that you have been with the company for X years and that you came from a smaller environment similar to mine. Can you tell me about your transition and what the bumps in the road were for you?

3. The mission statement on your website is what really made me interested in the firm. Can you explain to me how you think this practically plays into your job on a daily basis?

4. Culturally, I have come from environments where all employees worked collaboratively – even including those who worked remotely. Since this opportunity is a remote opportunity, how do you all create inclusiveness among the teams?

5. Can you tell me the characteristics of a person who has served in this function and done so with success?

These questions are among many you could choose and craft for a specific opportunity. The key is to make sure they cannot answer them with a simple “yes” or “no”, or you will not learn anything. Make certain you are asking a question the interviewer can answer – your purpose is to express sincere interest, not to embarrass the interviewer. Always remember – an interview is a discovery tour – for the interviewer AND for the candidate!

Contact us for unique assistance with your hiring needs.

ellen.shepard@trcollaborative.com

Digital Transformation of the Workplace – Impact on Hiring and Retention

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digitization - photo text

Much has been written and discussed about digitization and how it could/would/should impact our lives and our job. As stewards of healthy workplaces, it is critically important that our thinking stretch to understand the impact this will have on the ability of corporations to hire and retain the best employees.

In its research report titled “Predicts 2015: The Digital Workplace Underscores the Benefits of a Consumerized Work Environment”, one of their key findings is that “Digital literacy is not about tool proficiency, but about how well people apply that knowledge to making decisions, cultivating relationships, building reputation, and mobilizing colleagues, teams, communities, or networks to rally around a common cause. Digital literacy focuses on the application of digital insights obtained by mastery of technology, and how those skills become ingrained in people’s behaviors, attitudes and culture”. A key take-away from this is that technology teams need to be encouraged to include employees across the organization in the productive use of their technology and not continue to hold the corporate technology as sacred.

There was a time when this was unthinkable – employees had to deal with many devices in an effort to keep corporate technology separate from their personal technology. The world has become a smaller place and it is just impractical to continue along this path. After all, if you are hiring the appropriate staff and have thoughtful technology guidelines in place, and the staff is productive and the results are present, why should using a personal iPad, a laptop issued by the company or Facebook for research be in question?

In fact, and here is the important kernel of wisdom here… if you do not allow some autonomy in gaining digital literacy across the workplace you will appear arcane and it will be increasingly more difficult to attract top talent and retain them! Here for your detailed pleasure is the Gartner “Predicts 2015: The Digital Workplace Underscores the Benefits of a Consumerized Work Environment”.

http://resources.cio.com/ccd/assets/78349/detail

Technology

For excellent Human Capital and Talent Acquisition Services, contact The Resource Collaborative at:  info@trcollaborative.com or call us directly (908) 376-2012