With Memorial Day comes the unofficial beginning of summer;  time to break out the BBQ, beach towels and white pants and to slow down. Well, that’s all fine and well for the weekends or vacation, but it's not great for keeping your team up and running. Even if your business slows some in the summer months, it can be a challenge to keep employees running at speed. 

While you can’t ignore the fact that the season has an effect on productivity, here are some ideas to keep thing running well.  

Prepare for the Inevitable. 45% of Americans take their vacations in the summer. With that many people cycling in and out, employers need to plan ahead. Encourage managers and directors to set the vacation calendar for their teams long before the days start getting longer, that way they can be certain to account for any overlaps, or potential interference with critical deadlines.

It's also important to be certain to create an environment that encourages employees to take those vacation days. All too often employees are too stressed, or too worried about what they might find waiting for them at the office when they return, and so we wind up with only 25% of Americans actually taking the days they are entitled to.

If you want employees who are engaged and focused, foster an atmosphere that supports well-deserved time away.

Work On Your Flexibility.  If you haven’t already, consider how to make work hours more accommodating during the summer. While not every company is in the position to offer a four day work week every other week from June through August, perhaps a 10/4 solution would be a better fit: employees work 10 hours a day for 4 days a week. However you manage it, providing some flexibility during the warm days will help cut down on “sick days” (don’t they always seem to happen on a Friday or a Monday?) and slowed productivity. Another way to approach it is to offer remote hours. Let Fridays be an optional telecommuting day -- just make certain you have the right technology in place to both ensure employees can be productive, and that all their work remains secure.

Consider Climate Control. The only thing worse than being stuck in a sweltering hot office on a long summer’s day, is being stuck in one that’s chilled to sub-arctic temperatures. And while the HVAC system for many buildings is centrally controlled, provide what fixes you can for your employees. If the central air is too cold and maintenance won’t heed your calls to turn it down some, give out sweatshirts with the company logo. Too hot? Bring in some auxiliary cooling units. Then too is the problem that what’s too cold for some is just right for others. You may not be able to create the perfect climate for everyone. But at the very least, polling your employees on their comfort level, shows that you care, and that goes a long way to mitigating their woes.

Take It Outside. If your location allows, arrange for lunch to be eaten outside. Schedule a weekly visit to the park, put out a picnic table under the tree, get some tables with umbrellas for the courtyard.

If your weekly staff meeting doesn’t demand the use of too much tech, find a spot outside where everyone can gather and do your weekly there. While getting work done is key, allowing some fresh air into a weekly meeting can help loosen up some new ideas.

Finding ways to encourage employees to get outside in the middle of the day not only helps to keep them focused and productive when they are in the office, it can also serve to increase the flow of ideas. Fresh air feeds both your employees and the company.

Call In The Caterers. Large companies cater lunch on a fairly regular basis for the simple reason that it keeps their workforce focused and productive. And while that may be beyond the means for smaller businesses, you can certainly do this on a smaller scale. Buy the team lunch one Friday a month, stock the break-room with cool drinks, keep the freezer stocked with ice cream or ice-pops. Arrange a Food Truck Friday either with a number of local food trucks, or a rotating calendar or favorites. Set up a sno-cone machine and keep a steady supply of ice. Consider what would appeal to your employees and treat them -- they’ll show their appreciation through the quality of their work.

Bring the Outdoors In. This is the perfect time of year to make some alterations to the physical plan. If you are overdue to rearrange the work space lay out, get it done now. New paint, new art, more plants and or flowers all go a long way to breathing new life into the office. Think of the office as you do your home, and lighten things up a bit.

Create New Challenges. Even if your business is one that slows in the summer, create new sales challenges or productivity contests. Just as you provide training and professional development throughout the year, take this time to encourage friendly competition. You can even throw in a physical challenge: The team member who can make the most calls AND log in the most miles on their bike wins! (Just make sure the quality of the prize reflects the level of engagement you’re looking for).

Rally the Team. There are countless ways to build team cohesion, but why not take advantage of the warm weather?  Everything from creating a softball team to compete in a local league, to sponsoring a company wide volunteer opportunity serves to not only break up the day, but help define who you are as a company. Host a company picnic, provide transportation to a local beach, amusement park or river rafting trip. Take advantage of all your area has to offer, in so doing, give your employees a shared experience that builds both trust and cohesion.

Summer may challenge your employees focus and enthusiasm, but by making some easy changes to routine and the physical plant, you can help them keep their eye on the ball.

Related Blog:

5 REASONS YOU SHOULD INVEST IN EMPLOYEE DEVELOPMENT

It’s an exciting and dynamic time in the cyber-security job market. Demand for security talent is outstripping demand at all levels from CISOs to first-level security support roles. This is a field offering salaries that are typically 9% higher than other tech roles, and more than that, it offers outstanding job security.

As long as there are bad actors out there who are looking to disrupt systems and steal information, there will be work for a large field of good guys determined to protect corporate and consumer data.

The Definition of a Growth Industry.

According to an article in Forbes, the security market, currently valued at around $75 Billion is expected to grow to $170 Billion by 2020. This translates to job growth a rate of 18%, (much faster than the average). When labor markets get this tight, employers of all types have to scramble, improvise and adapt.  This means that companies, institutions, government agencies, vendors and service providers have to invest in recruiting and retaining skilled security professionals, as well as dedicate more resources to training both current employees, and new hires from related fields.  

For candidates, this means more opportunity to work on technology and projects they have not previously been exposed to, increased security-focused responsibilities and larger budgets for vendor training, industry certifications and degree programs. It also means being afforded the time to attend these trainings.  

This environment of scarcity of skilled talent and increased resources means that entry into a security-focused role from another adjacent technology domain is easier than ever. Current employees will “get their shot” at responsibilities or positions they may not be 100% ready for (that word “qualified” is loaded, isn’t it!?).  And external candidates may also get hired despite having steeper learning curves in a particular industry or field.

The Burning Glass Report from 2015 identified that four years of experience is required for two-thirds of cybersecurity job postings. In their survey,  83% of survey respondents had four or more years of experience, as illustrated below in Figure 6.

“It is also interesting to note, however, that the majority (60%) of our respondents has 10 years or less of experience, an indication that new talent continues to be attracted to the field. Both government and private industries are contributing to building the future workforce with awareness campaigns on the careers available and skills needed, as well as scholarships and opportunities to test for aptitude.”

If you’re already in tech, but not at a company that’s willing to invest in your transition to security, begin working on certifications on your own. Then, when you’re ready to look for a new position, you’ll be all the more appealing to potential employers. But remember, the smart companies are the ones who are looking for candidates with adjacent qualifications, they know the market is too tight to go shopping for perfection.

If you think you’re ready to make the transition into cyber-security, contact our recruiters to discuss your potential move into this secure, exciting and well-paying field.

AV Integration, the seamless control of leading-edge technologies through a single interface, is helping to reinvent workplace communications. And it’s one of the fastest-growing industries within the IT space.

According to InfoComm's 2014 Market Definition and Strategy Guide, the AV industry is projected to be a $119 billion global industry by the end of 2016. Established industry leaders are growing at a brisk pace even as more companies are expanding on their traditional offerings of telephone, cabling, alarm systems, and security to enter the sector.  Job opportunities are plentiful, salaries are competitive and firms are willing to compromise on requirements.

So, given all these positives, why is the industry experiencing a recruitment issue?

Well, it could be because AV is not traditionally thought of as “cool” or cutting edge as traditional IT spaces. It might even evoke thoughts of that guy in High School - the one with the oversized key chain hanging from his belt loop who was always pushing the AV cart through the hallways, the weight of his responsibilities nearly as heavy as his key fob.

It could also be because not enough people know that AV has matured into a bonafide IT sector.

Let’s run through a list of reasons why you should be looking into AV Integration:

Chance For Growth

Industry leaders in the integration field are eager to hire people early in their careers for a number of reasons, even as they know their ideal employees are not coming out of school pre-built for the industry. Companies understand that they have to invest in and be dedicated to training and development. What this means for you is the on-going expansion of your skill set, certifications and knowledge base. And while this makes for a satisfying experience at work, what it also does is make you a more valuable candidate further down the road.

It’s Really Cool

While traditional IT spaces, such as development and cybersecurity get more heat and are thought of as more ‘sexy”, what they don’t offer is the opportunity to build large integrated systems. Unifying video, media, communications, data, cloud, and security present exciting challenges, and as the capacity of these related fields grows, so too do the opportunities for expansion. Think of AV as the marriage between media and communications, the possibilities are endless.

Custom Work

While the rest of the IT sector is mainly focused on scalable, repeatable solutions, AV Integration takes a more custom approach. The collaboration solutions and services created for clients are unique and specialized. Like a fine craftsman, projects afford you the opportunity to learn with every build, keeping the work ever-changing and challenging.

Old Dogs, New Tricks

Due to the fact that AV Integration is currently being taught in only a handful of 4-year and 2-year college programs, companies have been relying heavily on re-training. We are seeing several of our clients in this space hiring programmers and then training them up in AV. What this means for the company is they get the benefit of an experienced worker, while the employees are benefiting from quality training and new challenges. And because of the current recruiting challenges, there is ample opportunity to move between companies.

New Initiatives, Internship Opportunities, and Certifications on the Rise

This is an industry dedicated to growth. Some, companies, such as Advanced Technologies are partnering with Universities in their area to create internship opportunities and training programs. And these are not limited to engineering and technical positions only, sales, design and finance internships are available as well.

And then there are initiatives such as The Ignite Program by NSCA, a program dedicated to making students aware of both the field of AV and the opportunities available to them in the industry.

The next several years will see an increase in certification programs from both 2-year schools, such as the Electronic Systems Technician (EST) certification from NSC, A and an increasing number of certs from InfoComm. Additionally, if the industry has its way, we’ll begin to see more 4-year schools offering coursework geared toward professions in the AV space.

While some may view AV Integration as something of a vo-tech industry, the well- trained young employee has the opportunity to get right into a high paying job, build their skills for a long and diverse career, and make enough money early enough in their career to pay off those loans.

The Pros and Cons of Accepting a Counter Offer

You’ve just gotten an offer for a new job. Congratulations!

Now comes the hard part; telling your present boss you’re resigning. There’s every possibility you might receive a hearty handshake and their very best wishes for your future. But there’s every other possibility that they meet your news with a counter-offer; a pay raise, a promotion, added vacation time or any other incentive they can offer. After all, nothing adds value like a little competition.

And the question you now have to face is whether you should take the counter-offer or stick to plan and leave for the new position. Well, if you ask most career experts they’ll tell you to turn it down on the spot and get on to the next position.

If this sounds counter-intuitive let’s break it down into PRO’s vs CON’s to understand why this is the prevailing wisdom.

The Pros of Accepting the Counteroffer

1. There’s nothing like feeling wanted. 

Let’s be honest, who doesn’t want to be the one to break-up and have the other party at least make a pitch for staying? At least in the short term, you’ll feel very wanted.

2. The in-house promotion offers you a better title.

A larger leap ahead puts you in line for C-level that much sooner.

3. You can stay where you are with some of the benefits you would have gotten from the new position. 

You don’t have to worry about the new commute, new relationships or figuring out the workings of a new office.

The Cons of Accepting the Counteroffer

1. It took your employer too much time to recognize the value you bring.

While no position is perfect, an employee who feels valued, who is a good match with the culture and who is energized by the company they represent is less likely to explore other opportunities in the first place. Chances are, you wouldn’t have taken an interview if you were satisfied with your present position. Would a raise in pay or a new title really address your issues?

2. What you have to remember is this is a tactic to keep you on-board. 

Your present employer has invested time and money in you already; they want to get the maximum gain for that investment, and keeping you on is in the best interest of their bottom-line. A counter-offer might even simply be a knee-jerk reaction or an attempt to simply buy time until they can find an acceptable replacement. What it might not be is a symbol of the company’s long-term commitment to you. You’ve already identified yourself as a flight-risk, and while they may want to/need to keep you on in the short term, they’ll be looking at you with a different set of eyes going forward.

3. You have to remember why you took the interview in the first place. 

Think back on how you answered the question: “What could be working better for you in your current position?” Job satisfaction isn’t just about vacation days and perks; it’s about making a good match with a company whose products or services excite you, whose culture is supportive of your work and life styles and about a challenge that stimulates you. The very same things that used to bother you about your present position will not disappear under a new job title or behind a slightly larger paycheck.

The Bottom Line

Everyone wants to feel wanted, but rarely is that reason enough to stay in any relationship. the counter-offer may be attractive, but you need to remember that a career is built on steps and chances and challenges. Taking the counter-offer may sully you in the eyes of both the new company, who will now consider you off-limits, as well as your old company who, despite the favors they are showering you with now, may be already looking for your replacement.

Today's job market is candidate-driven. Demand is high and employers have to compete with each other to attract top talent. There may be no apparent end in sight, but most historical down-turns were not broadcast until they hit. I have no crystal ball and I certainly hope there’s no downturn anywhere on the horizon, but the wise person is always prepared.

And while there’s no such thing as a truly fire-proof career, there are some key things you can do to build a buffer and ensure that no matter the economic environment, that you are a highly sought after candidate.

Here are 5 Ways to Protect Your Career

1. Assess Yourself

A valuable employee is a self-aware employee. Understanding what it is that sets you apart from colleagues and competitors and what you can bring that no one else can is vital information to know. It may very well make you uncomfortable to think of yourself in this way, but if you expect employers to see you as invaluable, you’d better know this first. In order to withstand unexpected twists and turns in the economy or your industry, you must remain relevant. The first step is knowing your strengths and your weaknesses. And then, choosing to build upon them both.

2. Always Be Adaptive

Even if you’ve been at your current job for 10+ years, and are well-established in your position and industry, you need to remain flexible. Times, like tastes, change, and how good you are at what you do is only one part of building a fire-proof career. Once you venture outside the safety of your current position - either by choice or due to changes in your company - you need to be up on the latest trends across your industry or discipline. Just because your present company is content with the status quo does not mean others are. Business changes at the speed of light- keep your running shoes on at all times.

3. Always Continue Learning

Staying current with certifications might very well be part of your job responsibilities, but that doesn’t mean that that’s where you should stop. Seeking out training from vendors you work with helps to add value to your knowledge base, even if it’s not germane to your current position. There are free webinars, vendor trainings,  and a constant stream of information out there to be explored. Making education a constant part of your work ethos is vital to staying current and marketable.

4. Build a Solid Referral Network

While mastering a high level of expertise, building a successful track record and establishing yourself as a highly regarded professional will always make you an interesting candidate, no one will know about it if you don’t have a solid network of peers and higher-ups to recommend you. The level and degree of recommendations you’ve gained on LinkedIn is one of the first things recruiters and hiring managers alike look for. Even if you don’t see yourself leaving your current position in the conceivable future, adding new recommendations to your profile will only serve to keep you current and in-demand. 

5. Build a Network of Mentors

Even the best C-level executives have mentors. Advisors who have been where you are, have seen what you’re seeing, and know from experience how to navigate choppy waters. But a good mentor doesn’t have to be C-level or even a VP. What makes a good mentor is wisdom and insight, and a willingness to share their expertise and experience. And just as a mentor is someone you might turn to when handling a tricky deal or situation in your current position, a mentor is also someone you want to go to when it’s time to move on. Because of the unique relationship one has with a mentor, they can often be more candid and insightful. Seek them out. Listen to their advice and then weigh it against what your gut is telling you. Just as Luke had Yoda, seek out teachers, even in the most unexpected places.

So, yes, the title of this blog post is misleading. There is no such thing as a fire-proof career. There’s no sure-fire way to insulate yourself from the ups and downs of your industry or the economy. However, since there isn’t, what you can do is make sure you to hit the above points in order to make yourself a whole lot more fire-resistant.

2019 was a very good year for job growth in IT, and 2020 looks to be just as robust. Businesses both looking to expand and to keep current continue to invest heavily in technology, a trend which translates to ample opportunities for IT professionals.

In a field with a current unemployment rate as low as 3.3%  as well as competitive salaries, here are 7 of the hottest positions.

1. Project Managers

Average Salary: $113,595

Project managers are in high demand especially for businesses taking on ever larger IT projects. Fluent in both industry-specific issues, tech savvy PMs act as the bridge between business and technology. They have experience leading teams and can oversee and manage the flow of work. What has commonly been an outsourced position is more often these days becoming a high demand staff position in many industries.   

2.  Software Engineers and Developers

Average Salary: $96,329

Ranked the #1 IT position by Computerworld for 2015, Software Engineers and Developers are in high demand. They are the heart and soul of any computer based c ompany and as a result are well compensated. Candidates with the ability to develop software and programs for complex, large scale projects are even more in demand, as many industries are coming to rely heavily on these professionals.

3. Business and Systems Analyst

Average Salary: $115,725

The ability to wrangle Big Data to ensure that IT projects are meeting business needs and goals is what makes this a highly valuable IT position. A great Analyst is able to blend strong business acumen with technology in their capacity charge of uniting business strategies with future projections.  Business and Systems Analysts are also in charge of following the market and keeping up with the fast pace of technological advances.

4. Security/Compliance, Governance and Analysis

Average Salary: $88,590

With new cyber threats developing every day, both C-Levels and Boards are willing to budget the money it takes to prevent and stall breaches. This is a wide and varied field that offers opportunities in incident management as well as threat and vulnerability assessment. Security solutions architects, vulnerability testers, engineers and those who understand the threats are being sought across a wide variety of industries . Another sector with high demand/low supply, it’s an attractive field that offers job security and competitive salaries.

5. Web Developers

Average Salary: $68,606

Developers build websites from the ground up, and are responsible for creating the functionality, navigation as well as often the design. While this used to often be a freelance position, many sectors have moved web development in-house in order to ensure they are always current and up to date. Employers are also investing their developers ongoing certifications and enrichment. With a healthy gap between supply of good developers and the high demand, there is very low unemployment in this sector.

6. Network Administration/Engineering

Average Salary: $ 74,000

Network Administrators and Engineers ensure that digital businesses grow and thrive. Working on the backend, they make certain that the pipelines are clear and sites can operate at their optimal speeds and efficiency. People with knowledge of IP routing, switching, firewalls, network management, integration and packet tracing/debugging are high on the list of hires for this year.

7. Sales

Average Base Salary: $80,000 with total compensation averaging to $150,000 and up.

While not strictly a technical job, IT Sales is as much a part of this growing sector as engineers and developers. Between start-ups selling exciting new technologies, to long established businesses moving into new products, there are ample opportunities in Sales. Salesmen working in the IT sector need to be facile with technology and easily able to understand the complexities of the products they are selling. This is a fast-growth field with many opportunities for advancement for high-performers.

NOTE: Average salary statistics sourced from http://www.payscale.com/ and/or J.Patrick & Associates direct knowledge of current median incomes. 

For years now, LinkedIn has been the undisputed leader in social networking for business. There are a number of reasons for this, but a powerful explanation of its success has been the fact that everyone on LinkedIn is there for the sole purpose of growing their careers. Recruiters know this, and so do hiring managers.  

A thought experiment: You are a recruiter who has to select candidates based on their online presence alone. You are only allowed to look at one website. Which do you choose? You choose the site that gives you the most information about a candidate’s professional qualifications and has the lowest barrier to entry; you choose LinkedIn.  

The above experiment is only slightly hypothetical. Remember, everyone is in a hurry. Recruiters are just as interested in disqualifying candidates as they are in qualifying them, and qualification is always a comparative endeavor. If your presence on the only explicitly professional social media platform is relatively lackluster, you step up to the plate with a strike already to your name. The good news is that you don’t have to worry about that. You have strategies for maximizing the effectiveness of your LinkedIn profile--11 of them, actually...

1. Your Name

It sounds silly, but recruiters and potential employers frequently google a prospect’s name before scheduling an interview. This invariably brings them to your Linkedin profile. Stand out and let your LinkedIn profile be the first thing he or she sees after googling you. Have certifications or licenses? Go ahead and add them to your name.

2. Create a Custom URL

When updating your LinkedIn profile, add a custom URL. This will allow you to use LinkedIn as a customized branding/lead-generating tool. Having a custom URL also helps you be found by search engines such as Google and Bing.

3. Your profile picture

Select a friendly, clear, and appropriate picture to introduce yourself.  What makes a picture appropriate? A little common sense goes a long way, and erring on the side of formality is seldom a bad move. That being said, many industries have relaxed their attire policies in recent years, so be sure to check out the profiles of other professionals in your industry. See what they are wearing and follow suit.

Make sure you are the only person in your picture so the recruiter or potential employer is left guessing who you are! Your profile picture should fall within the range of 400 x 400 pixels.  

Recognize this dude?  Dan Sullivan- CEO and Founder of  JPatrick and Associates.

4. Write a Killer headline

Let me guess, you allowed LinkedIn to automatically default to your current company and position? I know I did, at first. You have 120 characters to play with, so take the opportunity to be creative.  

Use this space to show your value. Did you exceed goals by having $100,000+ in sales last year?  Tell me this here.

Keywords are not to be forgotten. Look at job descriptions and find what words are commonly used. Using keywords will help in your search results

5. Your LinkedIn Summary...not your life story.

Chances are recruiters will not care about your dog's name, or the hour of the day your firstborn came into the world.  But they will wanna know about the following:

• Tell us why you love what you do, what drives you to get out of bed in the morning and go to work….aside from your paycheck.
  
  
• Tell us about your current position, what you do, and the problems you solve.
  
  
• Your biggest work achievements, what you did, who did it help, and how well you did it.
  
  
• Tell us about any unique certifications or training you have.
  
  
• Metrics? Recruiters want to hear about them.  Did you exceed the company's sales goals by 25 percent last year?  If so. Tell me.

Making a good first impression is great...but you know what's better?  A lasting impression.  Capitalize on being creative.  Enjoy skydiving on the weekends to blow off some steam...this can be the spot to tell me.

6. Volunteer experience

Did you lead a team to success, volunteer at a local event or for a good cause?  Tell me about it.   You can find this on the left side of your profile under the additional profile features section.  This tells recruiters about you and your personality. …helping you stand out in a crowd.

7. List a Job...even when unemployed

You may be thinking why would I want to show a job...when I don't have one.

The answer is easy. Recruiters often use the current title box when searching for candidates.  Create a “dummy job”  that includes the job title. 

8. Don't be shy….get involved and make connections

Yeah, you, over there with 1,000 Facebook friends….keep your connections on LinkedIn growing.  Aim to add a handful of relevant industry connections a month. Sounds like a daunting task….have no fear its not.   

Aim for 50- 100 connections to start. Having less than 50 shows recruiters three bad...very bad things. 1) technology and social media scare you 2) you are afraid to connect with people you don't know on Social Media and 3) You know...no one. All of these things are red flags to recruiters. 

9. Go ahead...ask for Recommendations

Did you help a client in great ways or exceed goals?  Go ahead ask for a referral. Share this on your profile.  

If you have several skill sets, ask different people for different referrals.  Are you a great team player?  Ask a teammate from a project that had great success to write a review about what a great team player you are, then get one from a client where you exceeded their goal by 25 percent. 

You have Updated your Profile...now what

​You have joined groups, made connections, engaged with pots and content….now make sure you are visible, it would suck to do all that work and not ever be seen.  Just as you may update your Facebook profile every couple of days, do the same with your LinkedIn profile. 

The more engaged you are = The More likely you are to be seen

Leave your email in the contact section so people can reach you. If you Have a blog, website, or a Twitter handle….leave that as well.

while your job searching don't forget about all of the great career advice LinkedIn offers. Keep learning, keep learning and keep connecting!