J Patrick + Associates Blog

What it Takes to be Successful in SaaS: Soft Skills

Posted by Dylan Rivera on Fri, Aug 26, 2016 @ 11:00 AM

 what it take to be successful in SaaS soft skills

 

“Hard skills will get you an interview but soft skills will get- and keep- the job.”

SaaS is a technologically driven field where success is driven by your hard skill sets, however, you also need to develop some very important soft skills if you want to enjoy long term success in this space.

Here are some common soft skills to help build your success in the SaaS industry:

 

Adaptability

Software as a Service continues to be a model for technology to drive and deliver innovation to businesses worldwide. If you plan on working in this industry, you’ll need to be able to adjust to your surroundings and make use of the resources at hand. It's important to be familiar with multiple web frames (Python. Ruby on Rails), or have experience with different user interfaces (JQuery or YUI). The ability to learn a new system, adjust to new features and controls, and utilize it to its fullest capabilities is an invaluable skill that has endless applications. In an ever-changing market, having knowledge of numerous server and client-side technologies positions you to be better prepared for whatever new systems come down the pike in the future.  

 

Organization

Nothing feels better than going through your files and grabbing a document in the exact folder where you left it. Computer files are similar to a teenagers bedroom, in the sense that things can get out of hand and quickly disorganized; it just happens and we don't realize until the damage is already done. Being able to track and locate all files and documents is vital within the SaaS space. To stay organized, try to limit the number of folders by consolidating documents and deleting unnecessary files. Though it's elementary, proper labeling and archiving goes a long way and will make you more efficient.

 

Situational Awareness

Constantly working around different computer systems requires you to be aware of your surroundings and all elements (hardware, software) contributing to the work process. In SaaS, you'll need to be able to break down a situation, understand the who’s, what’s, and why’s. Don't be afraid to get a little paranoid or OCD here. Checking, rechecking and checking again keeps the process running smoothly.

By analyzing an environment, you'll be able to point out weak areas that are in need of security or surveillance. By being attentive and focused, you can analyze your customer's needs and discover where they are in the buyer's journey and how to help move them along the process. Overall, being mindful towards your work or environment will lead to positive decision making.

 

Communication

As we continue to make the necessary adjustments to new systems and software, we need to remember to communicate with associates and customers on the recent changes. Instruct how to make the proper alterations in a clear and professional manner. Restate key statements while pausing to ask for any clarification. When you communicate via email, use clear and concise subject lines while being informative and straightforward.

Through communication, present and future complications may be resolved while new skills can be learned. Just keep in mind that everybody perceives information at a different rate. Be prepared to cater to your audience.

 

Relationship Building

Collaboration is key in SaaS. Growing and building your network enables you to learn new tricks and solutions around what can often be problematic tech. If you need feedback on a new system or want an experienced opinion in a program you created; your opportunities are endless with a large network pooled around the same sector. Also if you're working in sales, building relationships with customers are crucial; it helps grow trust for the product and company, while also increasing the potential for referral traffic. 

Though hard and technical skills are crucial for your career success, your soft skills will make you shine above your competition.

 

Related Blog:

'SAASENOMICS' 101: EVOLVING SAAS MARKET CHANGING PRO IT LANDSCAPE

 

New Call-to-action

J. Patrick and Associates serves Information Technology firms that are looking to improve or expand their teams in mission-critical functions, where the success of the firm is highly dependent on the quality of certain hires. Whether you’re a candidate looking to move to one of our top-end customers, or a vendor looking to build your sales team, contact us today. 

Tags: SaaS

What's Attracting Top SaaS Sales Talent? Part 1: Pre-Ipo Vs Public

Posted by Alysa Wishingrad on Tue, Jul 12, 2016 @ 11:15 AM

SaaS Talent

 

If there's one thing we know about what drives the top SaaS sales talent that we place, it's that they're always looking to get involved with the next great technological leap. Innovation, disruption, and a team of proven leaders are all prime motivators. So when they go looking for a new position at a new company, they are inevitably confronted with a choice between one of two ways to go: Public or Pre-IPO.

While one is popularly considered to be the safer, more reliable bet, there are very specific advantages to both. You do yourself a service to look at both sides of the coin when considering a move.

 

THE PRE-IPO APPEAL 

Even as the rate of IPO's have slowed this year, we still see well-funded start-ups that are proving to be enticing to our sales candidates right now. And while there are risks associated with moving to a new/unknown entity, the rewards, as you know, can be enormous. That is, if you’re moving to the right company.

Here are the defining characteristics that make a Pre-IPO appealing.

 

Disruptive Technologies with an Achievable Plan.

A disruptive technology is one that either displaces an existing technology or introduces a ground-breaking product that opens up a new industry. It’s exciting, it’s cutting-edge and it’s potentially important. You won’t find better salespeople than those who are looking to be engaged with the product they’re selling, who need to feel that they are helping to build something new, innovative and/or helpful. And truly, what salesperson worth their salt doesn’t want to be selling the world’s next great technological breakthrough?

But above and beyond the technology itself, savvy salespeople are considering the marketplace for this product. How addressable is the market? Are there too many players? Is the company engaged in a red ocean or a blue ocean strategy?

 

Confidence.

A top salesperson got where they are based on the value of their relationships, and the depth of their network. There’s no point in making a move where you can’t carry those relationships forward with you. It’s not enough to only believe in the product you’re selling, it’s vital to consider if it’s one you can sell to a marketplace/customer base you know well. How well will you be able to leverage your existing network? And, more importantly, does this new product solve a real problem for your current customers?

 

Top-Level Management.

When it comes to startups, who is just as important as what. Top management leaders who’ve scaled a company before, who have the knowledge, experience and following to build a successful company are nearly as important as the technology itself. Savvy salespeople look to the management team as a good barometer for potential success. They’re looking for managers they not only they feel they can work with, but who have a track record of success and can move the company toward profit and beyond.

It’s also important to remember that more people cite lack of faith in, or a conflict with, their manager as the number one reason for leaving a position. And while you can’t know how you’ll get on with a manager, doing due diligence on the people you’ll be reporting to is a key consideration to make.

 

High-Scaling.

Look, salespeople know a worthwhile lead when they see it, and they can also recognize a dead-end long before it comes into view. Yes, there has to be a belief in the technology and an investment in the worth it adds to business, or society at large, but more than that, there has to be the potential for a high return.

Always consider who is involved. Is this a purely VC backed venture, or PE? Where are they in their funding? While getting into a company while they are still in series A funding might promise higher returns later on, we are currently finding that the majority of our sales candidates are interested in series C or beyond. This may be attributable to the fact that the first quarter of 2016 has seen the lowest number of companies going public, or it may be that they are looking to move only to companies that are further along in their development. Either way, the real potential has to be there for a company to attract top sales talent.

Getting in on the ground floor of a disruptive technology insures that a salesperson is both challenged, engaged and invested in the company’s success. The only gamble of course, is whether the tech will catch on or not. If they’ve judged well and have gone where the smart money is sitting, they can expect to find themselves post-IPO in a very comfortable position, and their reputation as a sales leader greatly enhanced.

 

Saas_Talent_1_opt.jpg

 

THE PUBLIC APPEAL

On the other side of the coin, public companies, long considered a safe and reliable bet continue to be attractive. With a few caveats:

 

The Company That’s Gone Public, But Has Not Been Acquired.

There’s a big difference between a public company with an institutionalized culture, and the company that has managed to maintain its pre-IPO identity. What this means is that the original structure and charter remain in place, and that the company has not allowed its identity to change in order to fit that of its parent corp. Because of this attitude, they are able to attract and retain an 'A' level sales team that is more deeply dedicated to the company's brand, culture, and continued growth.

A good example of this is Zappos. Even after they were acquired by Amazon, Zappos has been able to buck convention in the interest of preserving their independent spirit. And this has served them quite well as they are widely regarded as one of the top companies who have gotten company culture right.

 

The Company That’s Already Been Acquired, But Is Siloed Under An Umbrella.

Rules were made to be broken, so we know that not all acquisitions mean the termination of a company’s identity. Depending on the terms of the merger or purchase, it’s entirely possible for an innovative company to hold on to their identity: as long as they are siloed under the umbrella of the larger corporation.

A good and timely example is the pending acquisition of LinkedIn by Microsoft. If early reports prove to be correct, LinkedIn will exist as an independent entity under Microsoft’s umbrella. Rather than being an integrated brand, they will remain singular, retaining their identity, feel and flavor while benefitting from the reach and technological edge that a parent company like Microsoft can provide.

What these types of companies offer sales people is the ability to have one's cake and eat it too. It provides the foundation and stability of a public company as well as all of the perks that come with greater financial reach— all the while being energized up by the innovation and forward culture of a startup. 

If there is one constant, clear thread we are seeing, it is that independence and innovation are of prime importance. Top SaaS salespeople are looking to be ignited by disruptive technologies, and excited by the opportunity to represent the next great products out in the world, and they are looking for the right company to support their growth.

 

J. Patrick and Associates serves Information Technology firms that are looking to improve or expand their teams in mission-critical functions, where the success of the firm is highly dependent on the quality of certain hires. Whether you’re a candidate looking to move to one of our top-end customers, or a vendor looking to build your sales team, contact us today. 

New Call-to-action

Tags: Job Search, SaaS, recruiting, sales

Network Security: Staffing for Load Balancing & DDoS Protection Solutions

Posted by Daniel Sullivan on Wed, Apr 01, 2015 @ 04:33 PM

Network Security: Staffing, Load Balancing Dealing with multiple recruiting agencies

doesn’t always result in more high-quality

candidates. In fact, sometimes it can be an

inefficient way to attempt to fill highly

specialized roles. A global leader of

application delivery and application security

solutions for virtual and cloud data centers

began working with several recruitment

agencies in order to find a qualified, multifaceted professional that met their strict

and highly technical hiring demands. When the company needed to expand its Sales

Engineering team, it had several specialized requirements that made the position

challenging to fill. It had been nine months and the position had not been filled, even

though they were working with a variety of agencies.

 

Since the position required the candidate to have deep technical experience across

all facets of application delivery and application security solutions, as well as

virtualization, Private / Hybrid Cloud and Software-defined Networking (SDN), as

well as their numerous applications in a variety of verticals, it would take some

digging to right qualified candidates.

 

The candidate also needed solution-selling experience and hands-on experience

with the provider’s intricate products and solutions portfolio.  They had to provide an

initial presentation with customers and sales teams and perform the installation. The

company interviewed dozens of candidates suggested by its recruiting firms but

were unable to find a candidate that met all of the provider’s requirements.  After

nine months, the organization decided to explore another recruitment agency option.

That’s when J. Patrick & Associates (JP&A) became involved and executed multiple

candidate searches in the Chicago area.  The company identified Sales Engineers at

the security solutions provider’s direct competitors.  Then it turned to trusted industry

referrals to further its search.

 

JP&A cold-called and thoroughly screened dozens of qualified professionals by

using its database of over half a million candidates and a global Information Security

referral network. JP&A’s recruiters disqualified approximately 30 candidates for

every one that moved on to the next phase, the technical screen.  JP&A successfully

identified two qualified Sales Engineer candidates that met all of the client’s job

requirements within a 30-day period.  

 

The security solutions provider hired one of the Sales Engineer candidates, now a

consistent top performer several years running. Since then, the company has

retained J. Patrick & Associates as its primary recruiting firm. In the last year, J.

Patrick & Associates has successfully placed more than 10 professionals in eight

other positions with the organization and is currently working with the provider to fill

12 new Sales and Engineering positions. One solid recruiting firm with the right

experience and resources can be easier and more efficient than working with

multiple recruiters.

Tags: SaaS, Information Security, HR and Hiring

Network Security: Recruiting High Quality Sales Engineering Staff, Quickly

Posted by Daniel Sullivan on Wed, Apr 01, 2015 @ 04:33 PM

Network Security: Recruiting High Quality Sales Engineering Staff

 

Sales Engineers are vital to your sales efforts, providing the technical glue that holds deals together. Quality Sales Engineers can be a challenge to find because competition is fierce for effective engineers. Many highly-qualified Sales Engineers are already busy being handsomely rewarded for their efforts and comfortable where they are. For that reason, it’s important to have a nimble recruitment process that’s focused on speed and quality, while being cost-effective.

 

After being acquired by a multinational technology and consulting corporation, a leading

endpoint security vendor needed additional Sales and Engineering staff to support the

release of its new suite of security software. This security software provides cybercrime

prevention against financial fraud and data breaches. Hundreds of millions of end-users

use this software to protect web applications, computers and mobile devices from cyber

threats and attacks. Finding the right salespeople and sales engineers, for a product

that serves such a huge market, required an equally huge commitment to rigorous, yet

efficient recruiting.

 

Initially, the Human Resources Department of its parent company worked with several

recruiting firms to fill several sales and Sales Engineering roles to satisfy its urgent

staffing needs. That worked to fill the Sales Division positions quickly, but due to the

complexity of its software, it was difficult to fill seven open Sales Engineering roles in

the one-month time they had set.

 

The right candidates needed to have a strong solution-selling ability and hands-on

installation experience with multiple facets of endpoint security technology. They

needed a conceptual understanding of how these technologies integrate with other

internal systems that their client’s may be using. In addition to their technical skills, they

would also have to possess strong presentation and sales skills, and interact

professionally with c-level executives and decision-makers. This mix of technical and

soft skills can be challenging to find. They needed a way to speed up the process and

still find solid candidates that met their criteria.

 

The endpoint security vendor enlisted the help of J. Patrick & Associates (JP&A) to help

recruit the additions to its Sales Engineering team. JP&A had the tools and resources to

help source qualified candidates in the company’s limited hiring timeframe. By using

data and number mining software and various social media platforms, JP&A used its

database of over 500,000 candidates and its Information Security referral network to

identify candidates for the initial job screening. It was highly specific as well as labor

and in regards to the time-intensive process. JP&A screened out between 100-200

applicants for every candidate that went on to the next phase of the interview process,

the technical aptitude assessment.

 

JP&A successfully managed the entire hiring process for the endpoint security vendor.

In filling four of its seven Sales Engineering positions in under three and a half months,

JP&A saved the endpoint security vendor significant time and investment in the

process.

 

By quickly finding high-quality candidates, JP&A earned the company’s trust and is the

company’s only outsourced recruiting firm, working with the parent company’s on

ongoing recruitment projects.

 

Related Blogs:

THE BOTTOM LINE: DIVERSITY IS GOOD FOR BUSINESS

DO VIDEO CONFERENCING INTERVIEWS SAVE OR COST YOUR COMPANY?

 

New call-to-action

Tags: Job Search, SaaS, Information Security, HR and Hiring

Optimizing the SaaS Sales Funnel

Posted by Daniel Sullivan on Tue, Sep 09, 2014 @ 09:00 AM

Optimizing the SaaS Sales Funnel: Strong Prospecting and Negotiation Skills Are Just Part of the Process

 

An increasing number of business leaders around the world are now choosing to invest in cloud-based applications and services.  In fact, the global Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) industry is thriving, with an expected 2016 Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 19.5 percent.

 

This strong avenue for revenue means that competition is heavy in the SaaS industry, so that even the best solutions will not sell themselves.  The sales process is shifting away from sales-based marketing to primarily education-based selling.  Advanced, multichannel, content-driven strategies, now used by 93 percent of global B2B marketers, are required to connect with business leaders and influence purchases.  Here are some ways that content is being used to drive sales:

 

Content educates customers: Customers today want to see more than just a spec sheet before making a purchase—especially when it comes to buying software.  They want to watch videos, read blog posts and listen to podcasts.  To further inform their decisions, they also desire to see case studies and white papers about how other companies benefitted from the same solution.

 

Content generates leads: A great piece of content will be shared across social media channels, and will be discoverable on Google.  This attracts new leads and helps drive unique visitors to websites.  And by analyzing click rates and downloads, salespeople can analyze great prospects worth following up with a call.

 

Today’s high demand for content is creating a youth movement in the SaaS industry. Companies are looking for young sales professionals—primarily 26 to 34-year-olds—who have grown up accessing content on the Internet and are, therefore, more expert at social media than some of their senior counterparts.  The current market demands that these salesmen hit the ground running and reach key targets easily and quickly.

 

Strong selling mechanics are just a small part of the SaaS sales process.  Today’s SaaS companies are investing in young talent with the intention of molding these professionals into high-end inside sales leaders who can generate business through referrals.  In order to be considered in today’s competitive, data-driven market however, candidates must also add a few new skills to the resume: creative and technical writer; strong prospector, lead nurturer and speaker, effective cross and up-seller; and expert marketer.

 

As an executive recruiting firm that focuses on Executive Management, Sales, Marketing and Technical roles within Information Technology markets, J. Patrick and Associates has a firm grasp of today’s evolving SaaS industry and professional candidate pool.

Looking to fortify your team with qualified SaaS salesmen?  We can help.

Are you a candidate seeking a position in the SaaS industry that satisfies the requirements mentioned above?  Contact us today!

Tags: Recruiter Tips, SaaS, HR and Hiring

Cloud Job Market: Preparing for the Zettabyte Era

Posted by Daniel Sullivan on Tue, Jul 08, 2014 @ 10:00 AM

Cloud Job MarketAccording to Cisco, two-thirds of all traffic moving forward will be delivered through the cloud. This makes it official: we are now in the zettabyte era of cloud technology. In fact, IDC predicts that the volume of digital content will soon increase by 48 percent to 2.7 ZB.

This practice is placing a great deal of strain on private networks. Take Netflix, for instance, which recently saw its video traffic jump 35 percent in just one year. Companies are scrambling to optimize data centers and avoid the expenses of network downtime, which can be devastating for business. As a result, more jobs are being created to accommodate growing IT infrastructure and virtualization needs, specifically in the following areas:

 

Cloud-based APIs: In order to accommodate rising network traffic, application programming interfaces (APIs) are being sought after in order to ensure that cloud architecture remains strong and efficient.

 

Software-Defined Technologies (SDN): Some of the biggest names in cloud infrastructure are now investing in virtualization—and as a result, SDN is in high demand. Cloud engineers with knowledge or expertise in this field will therefore be sought after as companies look to SDN to make some big moves in the coming months.

According to recent research, at least seven million jobs will be created over the next three years as a result of virtualization and data management needs. Data center and networking pros—as well as software engineers—will be heavily sought after as companies look to push content to the edge of the network and deliver it as quickly and effectively to end-users as possible.

 

With over 20 years of expertise in the Executive Management, Sales, Marketing and Technical fields, J. Patrick and Associates (JP+A) has all of the resources to help your organization find the right candidates as it prepares for the zettabyte era.  As an executive recruiting firm, we have been successfully placing IT professionals at industry-leading technology vendors, system integrators, telecom service providers and end-user organizations since 1991.  Reach out to a qualified JP+A recruiting professional today to see how we can help you assemble a talented, motivated and dedicated professional team.

 

Tags: SaaS, HR and Hiring

Data Center IaaS: The Next Frontier

Posted by Daniel Sullivan on Tue, Jul 01, 2014 @ 10:00 AM

Data Center IAAS The next frontier

Right now, there are two industries targeted for tremendous growth over the coming year: data centers and Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS) providers.  Why exactly are these two infrastructure solutions thriving?  The answer lies in the demand for insatiable access to information and big data.  More than ever before, large enterprises are now focusing on collecting, storing and transferring information.  This information needs to be transported and housed in data centers, on equipment that is scalable, optimized and efficient.  What started solely as ‘server farms’ or simple storage facilities has grown into a fixture of enterprise organizations across the globe – spurring companies to invest heavily in their physical infrastructure as well as the professionals that design, implement and manage these solutions now and in the years to come.

Take Amazon Web Services (AWS) for example, a global company serving hundreds of thousands of customers in over 190 countries.  AWS is currently “expanding its global infrastructure to help customers achieve lower latency and higher throughput.”  Additionally, Google and Oracle, two other global companies, are also experiencing rapid growth.  During the second quarter of 2013, for instance, Google invested a record $1.6 billion on its own data centers.  And Oracle has hired more than 200 employees over the past year as cloud computing continues to spread into the Middle East.

Due to the unprecedented amount of growth in data centers and IaaS, J. Patrick and Associates, a leader in telecom and IT executive recruiting, has seen a drastic rise in organizations looking for highly-skilled professionals with specialties in the physical infrastructure space such as data centers and IaaS.  Here is a look at the specific jobs that are now in demand:

 

Data Center Operational Managers:  As more and more data centers open up, Operational Managers are needed to oversee and manage servers and storage platforms.  Project Managers are also highly in demand for specific operations.

 

Cloud Experts:  Cloud migration is one of the top demands for IT executives in 2014. As more and more companies migrate to the cloud, experts are needed that can minimize backend costs and implement strong, secure cloud systems.

 

Experienced Open Stack Users: All signs indicate that Oracle is committed to OpenStack, as it became a sponsor of the OpenStack Foundation in December.  As more IaaS services are released, companies like Oracle will be looking for experienced users capable of managing OpenStack software and providing essential services for clients.

 

Network Engineers: This specifically pertains to the Network Operations Center (NOC), in charge of ensuring networks remain up and running at all times.  Network Engineers perform real-time maintenance tasks to ensure that data flows uninterrupted throughout the enterprise.

 

Data Analysts: Raw data is all but worthless to a company.  Analysts are therefore needed to transform raw data into quality metrics that can be interpreted to support profit-generating endeavors.

 

J. Patrick and Associates is committed to helping IT professionals with specialized skills find the positions they need.  For almost two decades, J. Patrick and Associates has been leveraging our unique insight and market intelligence to place candidates the right places.  

For more information about how J. Patrick and Associates can help get you where you need to be, please click here

Tags: Job Search, SaaS

Tech Leader Roles Changing Amidst Growing Cloud and Data Center Use

Posted by Daniel Sullivan on Tue, Jun 24, 2014 @ 10:00 AM

Tech Leader Roles ChangingThe proliferation of data center and cloud use across the business world is creating enormous opportunity for IT professionals.  In the banking industry, for example, 64 percent of activity currently takes place in the cloud, having doubled since last year. 

As a result of this dramatic growth, IT is evolving from a maintenance role into a strategic and revenue-generating aspect of daily business.  U.S. News, for instance, named the positions of Software Developer and Computer Systems Analyst first and second on its list of the Top 100 Jobs of 2014, respectively.   As more businesses move their operations into the cloud, which and in doing so rely heavily on data and colocation centers, businesses are recognizing the inherent importance of having access to IT leaders that can produce profits.

 

This means that the role of IT leaders in business is in a state of flux.  Positions once focused primarily on IT and digital savvy are transforming to include customer-facing responsibilities—like the Chief Information Officer (CIO).  While some industry experts are questioning the future of existence of the CIO, others suggest that the role is simply evolving.  In fact, recent research indicates that the workload and complexity for CIOs in fields such as healthcare is actually expanding—and will continue to do so in the future.

Moving forward, as the cloud takes center stage in the business world, it is imperative that businesses fill in-demand roles with experts that can oversee long-term technical projects while managing operations, people, budgets, consultants, outside vendors and unionized workforces at the same time. 

This creates added pressure on hiring professionals, who now have the additional challenge of identifying the innate business qualities and highly technical abilities that competent professionals possess to fit this new ‘back-office to boardroom’ niche.  This challenge is further compounded by the necessity to not only onboard, but also retain and nurture these individuals to make the most of a company’s initial investment.  The result of a bad hiring decision could cost a company an average of 30% of the professional’s first-year potential earning, according to the U.S. Department of Labor.  As the median salary for CIOs tops six figures, this can be quite a substantial loss for any employer.  That is why this level of strategic hiring requires a specialist. 

 

J. Patrick and Associates (JP+A) is unique from other executive recruiting firms in that it holds all of the tools necessary to link the best companies with the most qualified industry talent.  JP+A works directly with hiring managers and executives in industry-leading Colocation and Data Center infrastructure firms, Cloud or Software-as-a-Service (SaaS)-based product and service providers, and various other technology sector companies to identify the most in-demand skills and current professional requirements for Data Center Management, Security, Storage, and other Cloud/SaaS/Virtualization-related placement. 

 

For more information about J. Patrick and Associates, click here.

 

Tags: SaaS, HR and Hiring

Do You Have Job Search Burnout?

Posted by Daniel Sullivan on Tue, Apr 22, 2014 @ 10:00 AM

Job Search Burnout

Despite it being a new year, many job seekers have been looking for a job already…in some cases, conducting that job search for a while and are burnt out.

While some job seekers have new inspiration to start a search, I know some of you may be tired and burnt out on your search and need a renewed source of perspective. Well, you have come to the right place.

When you are burnt out on your job search, you may need a mental break. Rest to rejuvenate is crucial, but what I think can be equally as effective is to give a good, hard look at the job search activities that you have been doing.

Are you setting yourself up for disappointment and job search burnout? 

Here are 5 Questions to Ask yourself

1. Have you submitted to more than 10 – 20 online job postings per week?

If yes, then you may be spending too much time on job boards and not enough time engaging actual people. You should not be spending more than 10% of your job search time on job boards. Set up Google Alerts and job alerts within notable job boards to have applicable jobs emailed to you and stop wasting time mining for jobs on the boards. 

2. Are you Reaching Out Directly to Hiring managers?

Of the job applications you applied online, how many did you find someone at the company and reach out directly to connect about your application?

If the answer is less than 50%, you are depending on the computer/database gods to get you an interview, when you need to be talking to people. You need human discussion (phone and email) and contact (in person meetings) throughout this process to stay energized and get hired. “A computer hired me,” said no one ever.

3. How Many People are you Talking to?

I suggest keeping a log of how many conversations you are having with people. If it is less than 10-15 people per week, you need to step it up. Again, people hire people–so talk to people. Computers do not hire people, so do not spend time submitting to electronic job applications for most of your time. 

4. Do You Say "I'm Open to Anything"?

If this is exactly how you ask them, I ask you: Do they know what you do, really? Do they know specifically what you want? It is much better to say, “I am looking for an accounting manager position with a mid-sized company in manufacturing” or “I am seeking a customer service position with a technology firm” than say “Hey, let me know if you hear of any job openings” — Specific is so much better than general each and every time! Specific also breeds confidence. 

5. Are you speaking to the right people in your industry?

How many new contacts are you adding to your contacts list each week–or are you circling back to the same 50 – 200 people each month? Add new people by attending industry and profession-related networking events, alumni get-togethers, former co-worker get-togethers and events in your community. Be sure your business card markets you in a memorable way.

Generally speaking, if you are not speaking to people about your job search, not speaking in specifics to people about your job search and/or not speaking to the right people, you could be spinning your wheels a bit, which will contribute to your burn out. It is important to rest and have fun to recharge…but it is also important to do the right activities suggested above to help support your success and preserve your mindset. Good luck!!


Originally posted at: Chameleon Resumes on Job Search Burn Out - Lisa Rangle

 


Click me

Tags: Job Search, SaaS, Job Interviews, Resume Optimization, Career Strategies

Colocation: It's a $10B Market and a job machine!

Posted by Daniel Sullivan on Thu, Apr 10, 2014 @ 07:00 AM
Ilissa Miller

Organizations everywhere are choosing to bypass purchasing on-premises equipment in favor of renting hosted space and equipment.  Referred to as colocation, it provides rapid scalability, tremendous cost savings, secure connectivity and all of the stability and protection that is needed to gain a competitive edge in today’s market.

For this reason, colocation is a hot commodity as the market is currently undergoing a 15 percent growth rate that is expected to last through 2014.  And industry pundits are projecting that this growth is far from over, as it is anticipated that it will reach $10 billion by 2017.

As a result, job seekers stand to benefit significantly since manpower is needed to support this growing industry.  Colocation is fueled by data center infrastructure such as racks, servers, cables, switches and power.  Data centers are massive facilities that require both advisors and operators to function properly.

 

Here are some of the jobs that you can expect to find opening up in this space, and what each position entails:

 

Solutions Architect:  This position mandates having the highest level of pre-sales technical compliance on the data center team.  Solutions Architects typically involve managing multiple projects at once, and therefore require advanced knowledge in developing and guiding IT projects.  The Solutions Architect is responsible for developing technical project components and standardizing central processes.

 

Colocation Engineer:  Colocation Engineers are most often involved in providing developing technical designs for colocation, but also have a hand in providing technical support, presenting projects to clients and working closely with them to deliver need-based solutions.  This position mandates a thorough understanding of the technical components of network infrastructure.

 

Director of Product Management: Colocation services need to be created, priced and sent to market—and this falls under the responsibility of the Director of Product Management.  This position oversees not only data center space, but also power and cooling needs.  Essentially, Product Managers ensure that the colocation center is both marketable and profitable.

 

Cloud / Colocation Services Sales Executive: Once the services are created and sent to market, someone needs to make sure that the space will be rented out to businesses.  This is where Sales Executive come in.  Sales Executives are one of the main arms of the colocation enterprise as they are responsible for filling seats and making sure the operation brings in enough business to stay afloat.

 

Operations Manager:  Operations Managers take care of the technical components of a colocation center.  Colocation centers typically guarantee maximum uptime, and these are the people that make sure the promise does not go unfulfilled.  Operations Managers oversee the team that provides day-to-day technical maintenance and support in the colocation center.

 

Datacenter Technician:  Technicians are perhaps the ones who are most immersed in the daily ins-and-outs of colocation center operations, as they are the ones responding to service tickets and fixing equipment.  They work directly with hardware such as fiber optic cables and servers.

 

Facilities Engineer:  Colocation centers have a lot of other components outside of the network, such as water pumps and treatment systems, HVAC, generators, UPS, electrical distribution and network monitoring systems.  Facilities Engineers provide the equipment that keeps the network healthy.

 

Systems Administrator:  Systems Administrators typically install, configure and fix computer networks for end-users.  These administrators are responsible for service delivery and applications that are based off-site.  They typically take an active role in managing network processes for customers.

 

For more information about how J. Patrick and Associates, a firm specializing in data center and IT firm recruiting, can help you find quality and qualified colocation experts to fortify your team, click here.  If you are an experienced industry professional with a strong track record of success as well as technical depth and innate business savvy, contact us today.

Tags: SaaS, Information Security, HR and Hiring