J Patrick + Associates Blog

6 Ways To Refocus your Team and Get back to Making Deals

Posted by Alysa Wishingrad on Thu, Jan 02, 2020 @ 10:34 AM

6 Ways

It happens to the best managers - your team was cruising along, making deals and running like the well-oiled machine you built it to be.

But then something happens. The latest flu makes the rounds in the office picking your employees off one by one, or people are having a hard time refocusing after vacation. Whatever the reasons, it's time for you to refocus your team and get things ramped back up.

5 Ideas to refocus your sales team

Wipe The Slate

A stockpile of work can be overwhelming, but there’s nothing worse than having fluff making the pile even higher. Take the time to go through projects and clear out irrelevant and outdated tasks. What seemed like an important project back in early July may no longer be applicable. Clear the decks so you can get the team working toward clear and achievable goals.

Make A Plan

Even if you had the whole year mapped out, now is the time to realign and reprioritize. The best way to get your team back into fighting shape is to present them with a game plan. Clear priorities and a newly energized effort help set the tone. We are back and ready to start cranking out the deals!

Resurrect Boundaries

Dress code and Friday closing times aren’t the only things to get loosened up in the summertime. Boundaries and conventions have a habit of slipping as well. Take these days in the early part of September to re-establish the conventions that help make you the most productive. Close the door to your office or put your phone on Do Not Disturb for a few hours in the morning in order to give yourself the time you need to refocus. Do what you need to do to send the signal to your team that its nose to the grindstone time.

Authorize and Engage

Sometimes the best way to get the blood going, and to show your team they're valued, is to change things up. You've hired a crackerjack team, now it's time to push them. Give an individual a new responsibility, enhance a particular group’s reach. This isn’t about playing favorites, but it is about creating new avenues for development, both individually and for the team as a whole.

A Little Competition Goes A Long Way

There’s nothing like a little friendly competition to get people back into fighting form. Creating a sales competition is a great way to get the blood going again.

If a sales competition is not pertinent to your business, then try a fundraising challenge or even plan a sporting event. The idea is to get the team reinvigorated and re-engaged both together, and individually.

Take the time to reinvigorate and re-engage your employees, and the benefits will be seen long past the close of the quarter.


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Tags: Recruiter Tips, Career Strategies, Career Advice

7 interview tips to blow it out of the water

Posted by Glenda Gregorio on Mon, Nov 11, 2019 @ 09:00 AM

Are you prepared for your job interview?

Preparing for the interview takes more than a simple Google search of common interview questions. To make a great first impression you should use every tool in your toolbox to make you a remarkable applicant. Preparing for the interview will help to ease your nerves and ensure that you are ready to speak about your skills and accomplishments like the expert that you are! 

Here are 7 tips for interview success.

1. Start with your Resume

You will have to speak about everything in your resume in great detail. Make sure to have key points to talk about your resume. Review your resume to make sure that you have not stretched the truth in certain areas. Also, be sure to bring extra copies of your resume to pass out.

 2. Question Preparation

Spend some time preparing for the actual interview questions, think about ones that may come up and develop answers that will address what the employer is looking for. Also, formulate questions that you'd like to ask the interviewer, such as "what was the most challenging project you have worked on while your time in the company?" or "what is the next step in moving forward?" Rehearse your potential answers, but on the day of the interview make it sound natural and not rehearsed. The job description is also a good place to look for ideas for questions

 3. Company Research

Do in-depth research on the company. Learn about the company's mission, history, news events, conferences, and future development. Don't forget to check out the company's social media accounts to discover what the company is doing on a day-to-day basis and its interaction within their industry. You'd be surprised by how much information you can find on companies' social media accounts! Nicole, a Hiring Expert at ManpowerGroup says, "By thoroughly researching the employer you increase your chances of making a positive and memorable first impression. I would recommend digging deeper than just general knowledge about an employer.

  • What are the services/products that the company offers?
  • How large is the company? Other locations? How many employees?
  • What is their philosophy or mission statement?
  • What is the company culture like?
  • Do they have other locations?
  • Have they won any awards or received recognition?
  • Do they give back to the community?
  • Who are their competitors?
  • Research the executives and the person you are interviewing with.

The more information you have about a company, the more confident you will feel during the interview, and the better impression you will make.

 4. Leverage Your Network

Make sure to use all of your resources to learn about the internal aspects of the company, especially your LinkedIn connections. Do you know someone who works in the company? Have you attended events of conferences that the company has also attended? Mentioning current employees and events or conferences attended by the company can show how much you know about the company and how quickly you can assimilate to their company. This is also a great way to show off your communication skills!

 5. Talk to Your Recruiter

Make sure to talk to your recruiter! Your recruiter is one of your most valuable resources and should be used to prep and coach you for the interview. Your recruiter will have valuable information on the company that can boost your interview such as specific questions to prepare for, the personality of the hiring manager or the qualities searched for in candidates. Your recruiter can be your potential lifeline and make a difference in the outcome of the interview.

 6. Arrive on Time

Make sure to arrive at least 15 minutes before the interview, to allow for time to fill out additional paperwork. It will also make a great first impression on the interviewer.

 7. Interview Outfit (Attire)

Make sure to look as professional as possible! While some companies have a more business casual atmosphere, others prefer the traditional button-down and pressed suit image. Make sure that your attire matches the company dress code. For either type of company, make sure your clothes are clean, ironed, and your shoes shined. As the old saying goes "the first impression is the most lasting."


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Tags: Recruiter Tips, Job Interviews, Career Advice

Weighing the Importance of AV certifications

Posted by Daniel Lehman on Wed, Jul 10, 2019 @ 04:39 PM

 

Avixa CTS or Crestron: Weighing the Importance of AV Certifications

Looking to further your career in the audio visual industry? 

There are many different types of AV training to keep in mind...

The tsunami wave of new AV technology and the many segments of the AV industry may leave candidates feeling dizzy. Live events, which account for a considerable chunk of AV, may sing to your inner audiophile. On the other hand, tech-savvy av professionals have made their entire careers servicing videoconferencing technologies (Cisco Webex, Zoom).

Then there is AV Integration, which is more like the construction business.  AV integration requires designing and installing, troubleshooting, and maintaining AV systems. The demand for qualified technicians in this field is especially high. 

Every business is seeing the value in a new conference room; Complete with videoconferencing, sound and lighting, and large format displays. Software video conferencing companies like Webex has also upped the ante on smart rooms. Systems can now be remotely integrated, controlled and supported through network integration.

AV Professional Looking for a Job? - Click Here to Connect with a Recruiter

Projections for the AV Industry

As our world becomes smaller the goal of staying connected remains a global imperative. AV integration has experienced the most dynamic growth. 

AVIXA, the board which handles licensure for the Audiovisual Industry, has marked this trend. AVIXA Board of Director Jeff Day, cited that by 2023 AV Integration (ProAV) will be a “230 Billion Dollar Market”. This outpaces our country’s projected GDP rate considerably. 

So it stands to reason that getting a job in the AV Integration space should be relatively easy... right?

Here’s the kicker…

There seems to be some confusion as to what technical experience hiring managers are looking for in AV candidates. AVIXA’s Sean Wargo, Director of Market Intelligence, elaborates:

“The market for AV solutions is consistently strong; the industry must continually grow to meet the demand...the challenge is often finding the qualified labor to staff the influx of AV design and integration projects.”

Sean Wargo, AVIXA

Simply put, there are not enough qualified technicians and designers to step into these roles opening up at the AV Integrators. Many hiring managers elect to pass on candidates coming from other roles in the AV field.

Which qualifications are in demand for hiring managers?

An AV technician needs to know the ins and outs of basic installation. This includes pulling and terminating cat5 and cat6 cable, soldering, installing LEDs, projectors, and microphones. 

cat5 cable

But is it enough to advance past an entry-level technician job?

Margins are shrinking when it comes to building and selling hardware systems, and trending more towards software-based solutions. Now more than ever, it is in the best interest of savvy AV technicians to invest in the right vendor certifications. The issue is, there are almost as many industry certifications as there are racks of gear being pumped by these integrators. 

You have the AVIXA CTS or CTS D or CTS I variants. There is the slew of Crestron certifications. Let’s not forget Extron, Biamp, Tesira, and still, the list goes on.

Not to mention industry certifications tend to be on the pricey side. For example, the CTS prep course (highly recommended) is around $1000. The CTS exam itself is $175. Getting all the AV certifications can be an expensive and time-consuming undertaking.

Which AV Training Courses are Most Important

There are no simple answers. This author’s job involves talking to experienced candidates and hiring managers in the audiovisual industry. 

I started asking the question: in your experience, what is the best experience? 

Over several conversations between candidates and managers alike certain patterns began to emerge. 

One key takeaway is the AVIXA CTS certification has value and is globally recognized. 

However, it’s value to hiring managers is that it covers broad industry knowledge. In this way, it is more of a ticket to play as opposed to any indication of specific knowledge or experience. 

More credence might be given to the CTS -I (for AV Installation) and CTS-D (for Design). These tests are regarded as more difficult and deal with specific job functions in AV. Still, the CTS certifications serve the valuable purpose of helping you gain visibility amongst hiring managers and recruiters. In one manager’s words, a CTS is never required but shows the individual is “self-motivated and passionate about AV.”

Hiring Manager Looking for a Candidate? - Click Here to Connect with a Recruiter

Vendor-Specific Training

The general consensus seems to be that vendor-specific training is much more applicable in the field. While every integrator’s process is a little different, there is considerable overlap in the technology being utilized. Certain vendor certifications appear to be worth their weight in gold when it comes to getting recognized by hiring managers. As stated earlier, many of these certifications line up with the trend of AV moving from hardware to software business. 

Crestron Certifications

Crestron, which is the Windows software used to program audiovisual components in smart rooms, is ubiquitous in commercial settings. 

Installers that possess certifications from Crestron, such as the DCM-E-4k, consistently have an edge up in the marketplace. 

Candidates applying for Field Engineer need to know how to use Crestron Toolbox, and should also know its basic functions. 

Many techs hear the word “programming” and want to run for the hills. However, the training is not as scary as one might think. According to one candidate with 30 years in ProAV:“Crestron’s certification program is fabulously well run and gives plenty of time for test preparation.”

DSP Vendor Certifications

DSP vendor certs such as Biamp, Dante and Tesira also score high points on the application. 

Again, integrators will vary in their choices, but Biamp’s offerings in particular thoroughly cover the “audio” in audiovisual. Acoustic Echo Cancellation (AEC) is one specific area that is covered, to achieve maximum speech quality in audio. 

Many integrators will have at least one key contact on staff that is Biamp certified and also serves as a Biamp channel partner. So you can bet, Biamp certified engineers that can write DSPs are highly sought after by many AV integrators.

Are AV Certifications Worth It?

With all this said it may come as no surprise that to hiring managers, experience trumps most anything. If you’re not yet working on ideal AV projects, you should consider continued education in the form of AV certifications. 

It is true that many firms will pay for training. But, what if you are not currently employed or climbing the ranks at an integrator? 

If coming out of pocket is not an option, many vendors have free online training to get you started. Targeting AV integration projects that are using these technologies and seeking an entry-level spot is also a strategy worth considering.


Sound like you? J.Patrick & Associates has multiple AV Industry Jobs which we encourage you to check out!

Looking for a project engineering, audio engineering, project manager, sound engineer, design engineer, sound technician, or any technician position? Click Here to search all our jobs!


Related Blogs:

Do you have what it takes to be an AV Technician?

How to Become a Crestron Programmer in the AV Industry


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Tags: AV/VTC/UC, Career Path, Video Interview, Career Advice

Why you should talk to a Recruiter

Posted by Nicholas Stearns on Thu, May 02, 2019 @ 11:10 AM

Why talk to a Recruiter blog

 

When you’re happy in your job, talking to a recruiter may seem counter-intuitive. 

But did you know,  it’s actually one of the best times to speak with a recruiter?  Recruiters can provide you with a wealth of information about your career, industry news, and much more.

 

Remember talking to a recruiter initially is not a commitment and it certainly does not mean you have to quit the job you have currently. We thought of some of the top reasons why talking to a recruiter can be of benefit to you even when you may not be looking for a job.

 

 You will learn about new opportunities

Your time is valuable, so if you’re happy in your current job,  it’s understandable if you don’t want to hear about another opportunity. However, It’s worth a few minutes to learn about possible open positions in your field and to make a connection with a respected recruiter.

A good recruiter will know your industry like the back of their hand.  When talking to a recruiter, l You may find that your current compensation is not equal to the market, or you may find out how good you have it, and quell any thoughts about moving jobs. 

 

 You will learn about current skills within your Industry

Recruiters will be able to tell you about current industry trends, trends, and courses or certifications that will keep you current in the industry in which you work.   

  • Audio Visual Certifications: AV certifications will jump-start your career in the AV industry and make you stand out in a crowd when applying for your next job. Being AV certified will also keep you current with AV standards.

 

  • Cyber Security Certifications: Cyber Security professionals are in High Demand. With Businesses looking to safeguard their IT systems from attacks, becoming certified in Cyber Security, will boost your resume and expand your knowledge.

 

  • Crestron Certifications for AV Pros: Crestron has become, without a doubt the worlds leading manufacturer of advanced control and automated systems.  For this reason alone, all AV professionals should consider Crestron Training as a sound career investment.

Relationships with recruiters are not entirely about getting you a job

Remember, talking to a recruiter today does not mean you have to leave your current job. If you are happy in your current situation, save the recruiter’s number, and ask them to keep you in mind for future openings, and keep doing what you love.

Just because they don’t have the perfect opening for you right now, doesn’t mean that in six months or three years that your dream position won’t be open. Or that your situation will be the same.

 

 Companies Change 

Like most things in life,  work situations have a habit of changing. Companies go through restructuring, and positions get overhauled. Managers and coworkers get promoted or go to another company. 

The company you love today may not be the same in five years. Maintaining your relationship with a recruiter is a great way to keep your options open without having to make any commitments.

 

Like companies, you too will change

What you enjoy and find challenging will also evolve over time. 

In order to find the roles that can help you meet those challenges, you need to move organizations. After all, the average employee in America can expect to have anywhere from 10 to 15 different jobs in their career. And this is where having a relationship with a recruiter helps; When you’re ready to shift career paths they are ready to help you. 

 

Help a Friend get a job

Just because the job isn’t something you’re interested in, you may very well know someone who is.  Many recruiting firms offer a referral program. 10 minutes on the phone might not get you a job, but it could advance a friend’s career, and earn you a bonus.

A call from a recruiter, especially when you’re in a great spot, can look like a bother. But when you know about the added value, you realize it’s an opportunity to learn more about your industry and the space you work in. 

Recruiters are beneficial to both active and passive job seekers alike. After all… your dream job might be out there and only your recruiter can find it.

 

Ready to start the Conversation?

Tags: Career Advice