Internet and Technology

Article by Kforce

The secret is out! After surveying dozens of Kforce recruiters in our Tampa based National Recruiting Center (NRC), we narrowed down the top tips technology professionals can use to get noticed. From entry level to seasoned professionals, we asked our technology recruiters questions on how they search for candidates and what they look for on resumes, online profiles and job applications.

When it comes to your resume or application, recruiters want to quickly find the most current information on your background and experience. Especially in the technology field, an online resume is a must.

An average of 46 percent of our recruiters surveyed say they use social media sites such as LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to source candidates and view profiles of potential candidates. By updating your experience and contact information on these sites you can provide a recruiter with a fast and easy way to find your most up-to-date information. “With a quick glance on social media sites like LinkedIn, we can usually see what the candidate has been doing for the last year,” says Andrew Moberg, NRC Manager of Online Sourcing.

Moberg suggests using combinations of verbs and nouns to describe what you do and what types of software you are using on social media sites and job applications. For example, don’t just mention you have experience with QA, instead specify that you have experience in testing web based applications or reporting platforms.Applying keywords and verbs help recruiters better identify and search for your skills. Moberg says the bottom line for candidates is to have enough information on your resume, online profile or job application to show a recruiter who you are, and most importantly what you are capable of accomplishing.

Entry Level Candidates

Entry level candidates are commonly defined as those professionals with four years of working experience or less. Our recruiters surveyed say the best candidates in this category should have a bachelor’s degree and ideally technical certifications relevant to their specific field, such as A+, MSCE, CCNA/CCNP, or Oracle Professional. However, if you don’t have a degree, Moberg says you should be prepared to explain what experience you have to compensate, whether it’s an internship or skills learned from a previous position.

If you are looking for your first job in the technology field, just over 90 percent of recruiters said the majority of jobs available at the entry level can include work in desktop support, help desk, or administration. These positions may provide the necessary experience you will need throughout your technology career and may also help you land your next job opportunity.

“Our clients will always need desktop and administrative people,” says Moberg. “If you are getting into a large enterprise organization this is a great way to get your foot in the door.”

Mid-Level Candidates

Once you are ready to take the next step in your career, recruiters will expect you to have between five and seven years experience. An overwhelming 83 percent of our recruiters surveyed also say experience with enterprise level clients is important at the mid-career level, no matter what size company you want to work for in the future.

“Enterprise level companies want proof that you are able to work with a larger infrastructure and complex organization,” says Moberg. Candidates with enterprise level experience are also a hot commodity for smaller companies who want to grow their business.

While it is important to have experience with a large organization or infrastructure, recruiters typically look for that experience without gaps of unemployment. Before the recession, recruiters would likely overlook candidates who went without a job for months at a time. In 2011 though, recruiters now say they are more forgiving.

“We take unemployment gaps into consideration, but people still need to be able to show a constant career course,” says Moberg. “At this point you are likely an expert at something, so you have to be able to take 60 seconds to brag about yourself and tell the recruiter why they should consider you, over others in the running for the same job.”

If you have been without a job for three months or more, Moberg says it’s important to get back into the game. Be flexible on your commute or willing to take a salary cut, but also let your recruiter know your career goals for getting back on the path to success.

Senior Level Candidates

With seven or more years of experience, most recruiters would classify you as a senior level candidate. Recruiters surveyed not only expect senior level candidates to be an expert in their certifications, but these candidates should also have extensive experience in the software development life-cycle.

“They should have been a part of the design, analysis, development, and testing at this point,” says Moberg. “They should be able to talk to the business owners and the tech guys who speak in code.”

Additionally, senior level candidates should be comfortable with social media platforms more than any other career level. Fifty-five percent of Kforce recruiters said they actively look for information on experience, past employment, and referrals on social media sites. At this level, recruiters use LinkedIn as a way to qualify which candidates are the best fit for a job, but Moberg says candidates can also use social media to their own advantage.

“For example, they can go on the Java webpage on LinkedIn, Facebook, or Twitter and get the latest news on different technologies and keep their skills up-to-date,” adds Moberg. While a senior level candidate may not have experience with a particular version of software, this can show a recruiter or employer that the candidate is knowledgeable on the latest updates, even if they have been out of work for an extended period of time.

Moving Forward

No matter what stage you are at in your technology career, 67 percent of Kforce recruiters agree that keeping in touch with your recruiter is essential. Whether you check in once a week or just drop a line to inform them that you completed your latest certification, staying in touch is the key to maintaining a good relationship with your recruiter.

Additionally, when your recruiter reaches out to you with new job opportunities that you could be a good fit for, inform them of your availability. Know exact details when your current contract end date is, and whether the contract has the potential to be extended so that you can plan for alternatives. If you are willing to start work right away, make sure you truly are available. Remember to take family vacations or paid-time off into mind before telling your recruiter your optimal start date.

In the end, our technology recruiters agree that all clients want the same thing from potential candidates at every level — someone who can walk in the door and have the skills necessary to perform the job on the first day. By updating your online resume, using keywords to describe your experience, and staying in touch with your recruiter you can easily become more informed on what opportunities you may qualify for. With the secrets behind what Kforce technology recruiters look for, we hope you will be able to stand out in the crowd and help your recruiter zero in on the right job for you.

Did you know that 99% of the population in the United Kingdom already has access to a high-speed broadband network? This is the reason why UK is considered to be one of the best European markets for broadband Internet. Now, whether you are a new broadband Internet subscriber or you are planning to switch from one provider to another, there are certain factors that you need to take into consideration. Before delving deeper into the things that you should look for in a broadband Internet service provider, there are a few reasons why subscribers benefit from the stiff competition in the industry. As more and more broadband service providers are entering the market to get their share of subscribers, the more that their direct competitors lower their rates or offer better deals. As a result, when you make a comparison of the features, quality and costs of the broadband services offered by each provider – you will find out that you may actually get more value for your money. So the key to getting the best broadband Internet service provider in the market is to make a comparison of the rates and features that they offer. Broadband Comparison 101: How to Look for the Best Home Broadband Services ProviderTo help you out, here are the key features that you need to compare when looking for the best deal when it comes to the home broadband services offered by different providers:1. The cost of the home broadband service. Not all broadband services providers are created equal.  When you are offered a lower rate during the first month of your subscription, this is definitely a good thing because the savings that you will get will roughly equate to a month or so’s cost of service. Next, are there any one-off fees that you need to pay?  Some broadband service providers may charge you a one-time fee for the modem, wireless router or even the installation.  However, some companies offer this for free. All in all – when comparing the costs – consider the savings that you will get, depending on the offer provided by the company. 2.  The speed and the monthly download usage limitations. For this, you need to measure whether your Internet usage is on the light or the heavy side.  If you like downloading a lot of music or video files, you would need a bigger download limit. You may also want to consider an unlimited usage policy if you are a heavy Internet user. Additionally, the speed is something that you need to take into consideration. You do not need to pay an arm and a leg for a greater speed if you will end up not using it anyway. 3. The length of the contract. This is one final cost consideration that you need to make when creating a broadband comparison.  There are home broadband Internet service providers who will tie you in with a 12 or 18 month contract. However, there may be companies out there who will not require you to such a long-term contract. Do your research to find out which one is most suitable for you.  By taking these broadband comparison factors into consideration – you can rest assured that you are getting the best value for your money when subscribing to home broadband Internet.

You know, normally you can find a definition of a word or phrase by typing “define: your phrase here” into google and come up with a lot of results. Currently there are millions of blogs and there are hundreds of people who call themselves “Blog or Blogging Consultants”, yet when you type “define: Blogging Consultant or Blogging Consultant” into google you get no definition.
That is probably a good thing for most blogging consultants because without a definition, there is no standard to hold them to. I’m not claiming to be the blogging guru of all time or anything of the sort. So before you “blogging consultants” out there start getting defensive about this, think before you write. If you get too nasty about the post I may ask you to define “blogging consultant” and without google many of you couldn’t do it.
Now that is out of the way, lets talk business. Every business should have a blog. There are so many reasons for your business to have a blog it would be hard to write them all in one blog post, so lets assume you know your company needs a blog.
So do you hire a blogging consultant? What qualifications do you look for in a blogging consultant? What does a blogging consultant look like? How much should I pay a blogging consultant?
Lets start with “Should you hire a blogging consultant?”
The quick answer is yes, but lets go into why first. There are a lot of things that go into making a blog popular. Technorati tags, submissions and pings to bloglists and blogsearch websites, learning how to get on the right blogrolls, etc.
If you are new to blogging it takes awhile to catch on to most of these things and most blogging consultants say that all of the above is necessary if you are going to have a successful blog.
There are more things to add to the list but this article isn’t about how to run a successful blog, it’s about blogging consultants. Hiring a blogging consultant can save you from making a lot of early mistakes and get your blog found a lot quicker than trying to do it on your own.
Now all the blogging consultants are liking me again. I can tell. But will it last?
What qualifications do you look for in a blogging consultant?
Here is where things get ugly between me and the blogging consultants. Most blogging consultants are . . . well . . . bloggers. Many of them have what they think is a successful blog although many bloggers have different ideas for what success is.
Some think it’s defined as how much they made on google adnonsense last month. Others count success by number of visitors to their website or the number of comments that appear on their blog. Still others measure their success by what the other bloggers think about them.
What do all of those bloggers who are blogging consultants have in common? They all think that having a successful blog automatically makes you a qualified blogging consultant. I told you it was going to get nasty. After this article if I measured my success by what the other bloggers think of me then I’m doomed!
Fortunately I don’t measure my success in terms of what the other bloggers and blogging consultants think. Lets get back to those qualifications for a blogging consultant.
First of all a blog is a website. It is a website that is updated often in most cases, but it is still a website. Each blogpost becomes a page of that website. So with a blog you are creating more webpages to your website as often as you post to your blog.
Now I have a question for you. Would you first look to hire a blogger to do search engine optimization for your website? Would you first look to hire a blogger to handle your AdWords campaign? Would you first look for a blogger to build your website for you?
The answer to all of the above is probably no, unless the blogger also has experience in those fields and not just for their blog. Actual websites they have built, optimized, and marketed for themselves and for clients.
A blogging consultant should not just be a blogger. They should also have all of the skills necessary to run a website. Now the blogging consultants are all mad at me again. But think about it. Many bloggers know how to write. They know how to get into the right circle of blogger friends who will link to them. They know about blogging.
So if all you need to know is how to write a blog, then hiring a blogger who knows how to write is the answer, but if you need someone who is going to manage your blog for you including posting to the blog, search engine optimization, link popularity, (and not just from blogrolls), and marketing, then you need to hire a webmaster who also blogs.
Okay, How much should I pay a blogging consultant?
How much do you have? Just kidding. A lot depends on the type of blog you want or have. A corporation blog has to pay more, not because they have more, but because there are all kinds of legal and policy matters that have to be considered with every single blog post and every single link to or from another blog or website. A small business blog doesn’t have many of the same issues as the corporate blog, but still has certain standards that need to be met.
If you have ever hired a webmaster, not a web designer, a webmaster, (Thats another article), or a Search Engine Optimization Company, or a Search Engine Marketer, or even just a Marketing Consultant, (The just was in there just so I could make consultants mad again.), then you have an idea of what a blogging consultant should cost.
Now keep in mind, if you are hiring a blogging consultant to strictly teach you how to blog, then it’s not worth as much money as when you hire a blogging consultant who is also going to perform all of the services a Webmaster and Internet Marketer would provide plus search engine optimization.
Ha ha! I still didn’t say how much it costs. It’s coming. Read on.
What does a Blogging Consultant look like?
He or she looks like someone who has more than just a blog or blogs. Someone who also owns and manages several websites for themselves and for clients. As I said before a blog is still a website.