Ambition Technology Blog

Working with a professional Recruitment Agency presents you with a number of advantages over someone trying to find their next job on their own, however there are some steps you should take to ensure you receive the very best service.

1. The emphasis is on the word professional

With few barriers to entry there are a multitude of one-man bands in the recruitment industry, some who offer exceptional service and some who offer very poor service.

Don’t assume that bigger is always better but just as you would with the purchase of a new car for example, shop around and do your research.  Ask colleagues and friends who they have received good service from in the past; ask them what it was they liked about that agent; check out their web site and the clients they say they work with, then when you’re ready give them a call yourself.

2. Treat looking for a new job as a part-time job in itself

You need to commit a certain amount of time and energy to this important project if you want to do it right and have the best chance of securing a job you want. Set yourself objectives and tasks you will need to do to achieve them, then start working. Recruiters have access to a wide variety of potential jobs but you need to let them know what company’s, industries or job titles you are interested in.

3. Look over your resume and decide whether a re-fresh is necessary

Ensure that you included all of the relevant information for the job you are applying for and remember that you have an audience who need to be clearly pointed to the facts which support why they should interview you. Be sure to articulate your achievements and your skills and most importantly spell out how your next potential employer will benefit from those things.

4. Be honest and straightforward in your interaction with Recruiters

But remember that often they are sales people at heart and you may from time to time need to bring things back to your initial goals or objectives. By the same token, a recruiter with whom you engage and build a relationship, will be a key influencer in the process of finding you your next role so be nice and treat them as you want them to treat you.

5. Keep positive and commit to the four steps above

It can be disappointing when you receive a rejection but it is essential that you ask for specific feedback and use that to prepare for the next interview you may have.  Don’t be afraid of asking a recruiter to spend some time with you to talk about how they think you can improve your chances of securing a job/your next job.

A final word of advice

If anyone finds themselves not receiving the service we are outlining above then give me a call; with over 10years in the recruitment industry, I’ll guarantee you talk to a professional recruiter.

As the economy returns to a more positive state we are seeing a return to good fortune for most Senior IT Managers in relation to their IT budget for 2010. It is still surprising however to see how much scrutiny exists on infrastructure spend compared to other areas of IT.

Despite many years of significant cost savings driven by the IT Infrastructure teams, still the cry is for more with less. An after effect of the GFC perhaps, but the continued search for ways to reduce operating costs whilst often significantly under-staffed , creates a real challenge to ensure systems uptime and meet Service Level Agreements

More visible and consequently more favoured areas of the business still see the bulk of IT investment because quite simply Senior Management (non-IT) perceive them to be the areas where most value can be added. This has lead to many IT Infrastructure Managers having to “make do” with what they have.

How do you compete for a slice of the IT investment pie and how do you overcome the age old perception of, ‘out-of sight, out-of mind?’

Take a look at any Service Desk vacancy and there it is, the ubiquitous phrase “must have outstanding customer service skills”.
So what does this really mean? As a recruiter specialising in this area, I strongly believe that the Service Desk is the face of IT to the rest of the business. The way it presents itself has a huge impact on the way the technology team is viewed within the business and can set the tone for the amount or lack of trust that exists.

Remember that the business needs technology to work for it in a seamless way which is neither clunky nor obtrusive to their day to day tasks. When a customer requires assistance, the most important issue to address first is the one which prevents them from doing their job. Tackle this first and foremost with clear acknowledgment that you understand the significance of the problem; then explain clearly in non-technical terms what you intend to do and the time frame for likely resolution. To take your service to the next level, think about what the best and worst case scenarios are and if possible plan contingency solutions for your customer.

Outstanding customer service is about good customer experiences – smile, be responsive and productive and remember that you are pivotal in driving the success of the business.

We start the year with fresh optimism, that 2009 is a distant memory and the year ahead is the opportunity to rewrite
the profit sheets of our respective businesses. So that leaves the question, What does 2010 hold for the technology Industry?

In this instalment of our quarterly market trends reports we report on what is happening within the technology recruitment industry, catch up on technology news in our latest podcast with an expert, .and break down what is happening within each sector with the industry.

Or view the embedded version after the jump

Read more…

Rob Kliman

Rob is responsible for J.P. Morgan’s Worldwide Securities Services Technology and platforms in Australia and New Zealand.
Rob has worked within J.P. Morgan Chase for over seven years and is now based in Sydney providing technology solutions to the Worldwide Securities Services business.

For three years, Rob was based in J.P. Morgan Chase’s London office, where he managed the relationship between Technology and the Structured Finance businesses for Europe.
Prior to working with J.P. Morgan, Rob gained a diverse IT experience with Abbey National Treasury Services, Credit Suisse First Boston, Deutsche Bank, Nomura Bank, Morgan Stanley and EDS in London, Frankfurt and Zurich.

All together Rob has provided the Financial Services Industry with over 20 years of service.

Introduction
 

How does an IT professional get noticed?
 

Acceptable Risk Taking
 

Staying ahead as an IT professional
 

What to expect from 2010
 

The media would have you believe that when January 2nd 2010 rolled around, employers had better be prepared to lock the doors or chain their staff to their desks. The consequences if they failed to perform these defensive measures – mass staff defection!

Employers took such drastic measures last year that they will now pay the price for their strategies of cost cutting and business downsizing.

Well maybe the defectors are still on the beach enjoying the summer; digging out their resumes or practicing their best interview smiles. So far the recruitment market whilst showing positive signs of activity is not straining at the onslaught of candidates desperate to leave their current roles.

Maybe things will change as the year progresses, after all we continue to operate in a skill short market with many ongoing issues affecting our ability as an Industry to develop and retain the very best skilled individuals.

I pose a question for anyone thinking they were hard done by in 2008 – If you ran your own business and were forced to defend its viability, how far would you go? And if you did feel the pain last year, perhaps an alternative course of action is to proactively take your boss for a coffee and remind them of the positive contributions you made to help them achieve their 2008 goals. Either way, good luck!

This quarter we see business confidence continuing to grow across the Technology Industry.

In this edition of the Ambition Market Trends report, we look at some of the recent trends and news across the IT Recruitment Industry. We speak to an IT industry expert about the adoption of Windows 7 within the enterprise and also discuss iProfile, the latest resume submission tool which brings a list of benefits to hiring managers and potential candidates.

Or view the embedded version after the jump

Read more…

Sadiq Iqbal

Sadiq Iqbal is a Systems Architect for Ensyst and was the only person in Australia to be invited to the first Windows 7 course run by the product developers in Singapore. In the last few months he has been working with Microsoft on their Early Technology Adoption Programme deploying Windows 7 to production desktop SOE’s for a number of handpicked organisations nationwide. Prior to this Sadiq has worked with a multitude of established IT Integrators and also ran his own IT consultancy in London. During this time he has designed and implemented a multitude of sizable infrastructure solutions for organisations around the globe and also has provided thought leadership and strategic direction to corporate enterprises.

Ensyst is an award-winning IT solutions and services provider helping organisations, small and large, in leveraging IT to achieve their business goals. Ensyst has clients having between tens and thousands of employees in size, across all major industries and in all states of Australia and is the current Microsoft Worldwide Partner of the Year. More detail can be found at the Ensyt Website.

We asked Sadiq five key questions and his answers can be heard by playing below. (This podcast took place on Friday 23rd October 2009 between Vinay Patankar of Ambition Technology and Sadiq Iqbal of Ensyst, at Ambition’s head office in Sydney, Australia.)

1) What are some of the new features involved in Windows 7?

2) Are there any flaws or concerns with in Windows 7?

3) How does Windows 7 compare with Vista and XP?

4) What has been the general feedback from clients who have already gone live with Windows 7?

5) Are you going to install Windows 7 at home, and why?

Paul Lyons

BTalk Australias’ Phil Dobbie, talks with Paul Lyons, group managing director of Ambition Group.

Paul talks about how to get your career back on track after redundancy in these harsh times. The bad news is that it might take some time. The good news is that these days employers attach less stigma to candidates who are unemployed.

Listen to the Podcast:
 

Ambition Technology is pleased to announce a new series of podcasts to highlight the depth of skill which exists across our candidate network.  Each month we’ll be looking for new people to voice their comments or views of the world, click on the link and take a look or email us to suggest any topics you might like covered in the future.

In this podcast; Syben Osinga, Oracle HCM thought leader from HCM 3 Group is a pioneer in the field of Oracle Human Capital Management (HCM) and has extensive experience in the Oracle applications software planning, phase estimation, scoping, analysis, transformation, design, build and costing of the Oracle HCM and Financials application solutions.

With over 15 years experience, Syben has implemented the Oracle HCM & ERP suite of products and solutions for clients in different industry sectors across Australasia and the Asia/Pacific, the UK, Europe, Middle East and Africa.

We asked Syben five key questions and his answers can be heard by playing below. (This podcast took place on Thursday 27 August 2009 between Prinz Mandap of Ambition Technology and Syben Osinga of HCM 3 Group, at Ambition’s head office in Sydney, Australia.)

1) What have been the most exciting developments in Oracle HCM of late?

2) How has the Oracle HCM space responded to the Global Financial Crisis?

3) What is currently hot in Oracle HCM?

4) What do you see in the future for Oracle HCM and the impact of Oracle Fusion?

5) With a relatively undersized presence in the Australian market, what can you suggest to someone wanting a career as an Oracle HCM specialist

Presentation Download

To compliment this “Podcast with an Oracle HCM Expert” session, please find the HCM 3 Group & Ambition Technology – Talent Management and Oracle HCM Sept 2009 Presentation

Download the presentation on Talent Management & Oracle HCM