The Not So Ugly Sisters of Tech

The Not So Ugly Sisters of Tech Whereas millennials are described as tech-savvy, Gen Z, those born between 1995-2010, are the first generation that are true digital natives. So it shouldn’t come as a surprise that nowadays jobs in tech are all the rage. No longer boring or nerdy, but an industry full of innovation and discovery â€" there’s practically a new gadget or app on the market every other week. A 2016 global study found that, instead of pursuing lucrative careers in finance, today’s young people are headed for the tech industry. And this trend is still growing at pace â€" 1.56 million people in the UK are now working in the tech sector. Add to that the glorification of working within the M4 corridor, as well as the hype around start-up culture, Gen Z wants a piece of the tech-pie. But here is the thing â€" tech isn’t all office slides, free pizza Friday and app development. There are areas in the industry that are still deemed to be mostly ‘unsexy’ and therefore often don’t even get a mention. MultiValue (MV) for example is not something most budding techies have on their radar. But according to Elkie Holland, Managing Director and Recruitment Consultant at Prospectus IT Recruitment, MV can make for a very lucrative career. Elkie says “Youngsters who train up in MultiValue technology (a type of  NoSQL  and  multidimensional database), can enjoy a meteoric rise through the pay scales”. This might not have been a major draw for more idealistic millennials, but Gen Z is very much finance-conscious. So this gives candidates a real opportunity. But where can recruiters like Elkie find the talent to fill MV positions. And do we perhaps have to change our attitudes towards hiring in the more niche areas of tech? Lack of awareness AI, blockchain, IoT, big data, cloud, and automation. There’s no mention here of MV. Young people who are entering the industry are simply not aware of all their opportunities. This can create a real problem for companies. On average, next-gen developers are skilled in Python and Java, but not BASIC, a language that was marked for death five years ago and is crucial for MV developers. But just like the regularly declared ‘dead’ mainframe, BASIC had somewhat of a renaissance with Basic.NET and is sticking around.   But the people who can work with the language belong to a generation that is looking forward to their well-deserved retirement. And young people with MV experience are called unicorns for a reason. Part of the work for companies to do is to help students discover the MV platform by, for example, regularly engaging with colleges and universities to raise awareness. Or even going one step further, like Elkie, who has been working on enticing companies to provide MV apprenticeship schemes for the past two years. In the spirit of the mountain and the prophet, the onus is on companies to create the talent they need. The skills gap is what you make it Just because a company ideally wants someone fresh out of uni with an impressive MV skill-set, does not mean such a person exists. One can dream, but to stay within the realm of reality and possibility, companies will have to adjust their requirements. Especially in niche jobs, there needs to be a willingness to be flexible and hire from the existing talent pool, not the one you wish for. Working with the available talent might mean that the ‘fresh blood’ is not 20 anymore but instead in their 30’s and 40’s. According to Stanford psychologist Laura Carstensen, the perfect age to start a career is, somewhat surprisingly, 40. While this has more to do with benefits to the individual, there is something to be said for ‘older’ employees. The Milken Institute’s Center for the Future of Aging and the Stanford Center on Longevity found that older employees take fewer sick days, are more adept at resolving conflicts, have a strong work ethic and are loyal. Because, let’s not forget, staff retention;   having had time to gain experience and figure out where their interests lie, seasoned employees are less likely to run off when the next ‘cool tech’ thing happens elsewhere. Explore all avenues Hiring for niche positions requires flexibility and an open mind. Companies need to be willing to provide employees with the skills needed for the job if education has failed to deliver. But instead of predominantly setting their sights on graduates, companies should also be casting a wider net and consider opening apprenticeships and training schemes to the mature demographic of the workforce who might already be 10-20 years into their careers. Hiring a mixed-age workforce not only makes it easier to fill positions but also results in a happier workforce, which could amount to 20% more productivity. Everyone’s a winner. About the author: Iain Ramage, is VP Channel, Rocket Software.

Two Hair Trends Rocking Fall 2015

Two Hair Trends Rocking Fall 2015 Caution: The following message is not for people who adore their natural hair color or who shy away from adopting the trend of the season. These two hair color styles are meant to get attention, so if you want to try one out, be prepared to turn heads. Hair color is a great place to display your personal style, so if you are game, read on to learn about these two looks. Pumpkin Spice Yes, you read that right. Our national fall obsession with pumpkin spice everything has now come to hair color. How does a food flavoring translate into the world of hair salons? We’re glad you asked. Pumpkin Spice hair color one that has undertones of copper and highlights of a lighter strawberry blonde. The look is all about cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger, all flavors that also translate into the realm of color. There are a couple of ways to incorporate this range of hues in your hair. Some people chose and full-head darker color but highlight with lighter colors woven in over the whole crown. Other women choose an ombre approach, with a darker color at the root that gradually transitions to lighter colors as you approach the ends. So there you have it. Pumpkin Spice for your hair, not your latte. Galaxy Hair This trend is all about the visuals. Women are looking toward the heavens for hair color inspiration, and what they find is blue, purple, chartreuse, and more. They take a photograph of their favorite celestial body in all of its colorful glory and ask their stylists to replicate the color combination in their tresses. The process may include weaving two to five colors into various cash advance online sections of hair. When the makeover is complete, women post photos of their hair on the Internet next to a photo of the inspiration galaxy. The final result can be quite stunning, if not for everyone. Stylists warn that the galaxy look requires quite a bit of upkeep to maintain the brightness of the colors, particularly if the wearer has naturally dark hair. So, if you are feeling bold, you might want to try Pumpkin Spice or Galaxy Hair this fall. Ask your stylist if he or she can accomplish one of these head-turning hairdos. Or, if you like the idea but want to try it out with less commitment and more natural looking, you can quickly add va-va-voom to your locks using Hair2Wear extensions. They allow you to go back to natural at the end of the day if you desire.

Funding Your Small Business Smart Tips for Mompreneurs

Funding Your Small Business â€" Smart Tips for Mompreneurs A woman who can manage a house full of toddlers and/or teenagers can manage any business with triumph. That is why ‘mompreneurship’ is such a hot concept right now. Stay-at-home moms starting a small business right from their homes have the potential to build a successful business, make good money and become their own boss. Aside from a good idea, plenty of determination and a positive approach, the one thing vital to starting a small business is funding. If your business idea is fairly small right now, you can quite easily raise enough funding on your own to get the business off the ground. Reinforcements can be brought in later once you begin making some profit, but during the early stages, some clever budgeting, small personal loans and help from friends and family can give you adequate funding to dive into the mompreneurship splash-pool. Here are five tips that will help you raise enough capital to fund your own small business and get your dream project off the ground: Bootstrap Build Up Adequate Savings to Fund Yourself First things first, you need to save up some money to give yourself a strong foothold. This does not have to be a dreary penny-pinching process of saving quarters in a tin can. If you just begin with some moderate lifestyle adjustments and cut out expenses that you’ve been making without much though, you will save up enough over a period of time. Here are a few things you can do to save money without turning into a hermit: Cook That’s right, it’s that simple. Eating out is one of the biggest expenses in the American household. Those who eat out regularly, up to three or four times a week stand to give away nearly half of their monthly earnings to restaurants that are usually far overpriced. If you instead begin to cook a square meal right at home, not only can you save a lot of money but also get so much healthier. Do feel free to indulge in restaurant food every once in a while though. Plan Your Grocery Shopping Around Sales Most grocers have a weekly sale day, sometime in the middle of the week. You can save up to 40% on your grocery bill if you just control impulse shopping and plan your trip to the grocery store in sync with sales. Also begin to make good use of the coupons lying around the house. It’s also a good idea to make a list of groceries you need before you leave home, and stick to it. Buying on a whim while in the store can add up super fast. This is your hard-earned money and there is nothing de-glam about trying to save every penny of it. There are plenty of other ways to save money. Once you have a decent sum in the bank, you are ready to take things to the next level. Find an Investor While there is an abundance of funding sources like angel investors, corporate companies and venture capital funding today, if you wish to start small, you can always reach out to family and friends willing to pitch in. You’ll be pleasantly surprised by how excited folks can get at the idea of starting a business or helping start one. You must however be sure to present a good overview of your business plan and monetary projections to the investor to ensure complete transparency. Keep Expenses Low at First When you are starting out with a small business, you don’t have to go all out with office supplies, high-end furniture or even an office space. Depending on the nature of business, you can start in a room within your house and source other supplies from what you have or what you can buy from family, friends and neighbors. Prioritize your expenses and meet the important ones first. You will need a professional website, essential materials, training, certification, and legal expenses that will need to be taken care of first. Depending on the nature of your business, you can lease other equipment, buy used items or hunt for bargains. Compare prices online to buy the best deals and save money. In short, you need to prioritize your spending and make do with the best you can find at the lowest prices. Get a Small Loan At first it doesn’t have to be a large undertaking with EMI’s spanning several years. You can secure a small loan just enough to get the engines fired up. Check with the Small Business Administration (SBA) about the loans you are eligible for. While there are plenty of loans available, there are fewer grants that are only for specific cause-driven businesses such as those related to agriculture, solar power, health care, childcare and others. If you are eligible for any of these, do be sure to seek a grant. Start a Crowdfunding Campaign Thanks to the world wide web, you can now look outside your closed group of family and friends, and seek funds from willing lenders all across the world. There are a number of web-based Crowdfunding platforms where people from all over can invest in your business. Investments can be in the form of a loan, equity or profit-sharing and reward based. If you choose to go this route though, be sure to do plenty of research and choose the best Crowdfunding platform as there are just so many. In Conclusion If you have decided to be a mompreneur, congratulations to you. You have already taken the first step to financial freedom and being your own boss. Thanks to the widespread use of internet and its vast possibilities, launching a business today is easier than ever. While nothing can replace your resolve, grit and hard work, raising capital to start a business is no longer an impossible quest involving scamming bank loans or bossy investors. With the aforementioned tips, you can raise enough money to start a small business without having to mortgage your home. What other ideas do you have? Do share with us. (Featured Image Source: Pexels) Crowdfunding Image.

How Can We Attract More Women to Become Recruiters

How Can We Attract More Women to Become Recruiters By no means is the recruitment industry lacking women. It is an industry that is made up of a fine balance of both men and women. What we want our experts to discuss in this panel is more about the tangible and intangible benefits of taking up a career as a recruiter, and why women have all the characteristics to  succeed as recruiters. Libby Herrmann To attract more women to the recruitment industry, we need to publicly share and celebrate the achievements of our female peers! It is a fundamental way to contribute to the success and core business support we provide every day. Further, it allows for tremendous career and earning potential to provide for our families. Aside from the tangibles, there is the intrinsic satisfaction of helping others and nurturing their career advancement aspirations. Both traits are often practiced and desired by our female colleagues in the workplace, providing a sense of professional fulfillment. Libby Herrmann,  Client Relationship Manager at WilsonHCG. Amanda Bell Most of the people I’ve managed throughout my career in recruiting have been women. I haven’t noticed a dearth of women recruiters yet, but I think to continue to attract women to this profession, we need to keep focusing on equality in both compensation and career opportunities. Women often leave the workforce temporarily to either start families or to be caretakerswith the intention of returning to the workforce. But often, the barrier of re-entry is too high. Instead, we should create space and programs for women to tackle other areas of their lives while still continuing to grow and develop in their careers. It doesn’t have to be one or the other, as it can often seem. Amanda Bell, Director of Recruiting at Lever. Angela Bortolussi The really cool thing about the recruitment industry there are tons of amazing women who are paving the way and doing extraordinary things in this space. So, maybe we (recruiters, hiring managers, leaders) focus our recruitment initiatives on empowering women to apply for roles and even take on leadership and/or executive roles. One easy thing we can do is share job opportunities with other females within your social network (including the in’s out’s of the role). But there are tons of other social platforms where we can share our jobs, other resources support (you can check out meetsup.com or Eventbrite for events happening in your area) and if you love to encourage younger women to get into the profession check out mentorship programs in your area (there are more and more “online-mentorship programs” developing for women who are on the go but like to provide advice to young women). Angela Bortolussi, Partner at Recruiting Social. Lysha Holmes How can we attract ANYONE to become recruiters, that is my task daily as a R2R! Specifically, recruitment companies need to engage with both sexes and appeal to what motivates each to become successful and loyal. However to answer the question, avoid boys clubs sales environments first and foremost. Lysha Holmes, Owner and Recruiter of Qui Recruitment R2R. Caroline Stokes I see recruiting as an equal gender playing field. Incoming recruiters need to be literate in human connected skills and data analysis abilities, and this will be important regardless of gender. Caroline Stokes, Founder of FORWARD and The Emotionally Intelligent Recruiter. Ruth Penfold By telling our stories, by sharing the wonder of recruitment with the world and keeping on evolving the mindset of the profession. Businesses are now seeing recruitment as an essential ingredient to their business, as a strategic business partner. It’s therefore the responsibility of those of us within it to keep inspiring others to consider it as a profession. Ruth Penfold, Director of Talent Acquisition, Shazam. Rebecca Fraser As with any job, making the work environment conducive to the needs of family, open to looking at ways of working different and removing the perception of the “boys club” by using gender neutral language is a great way to start. Rebecca Fraser, National Executive Committee, Career Development Association of Australia. Liz Sebag-Montefiore I’ve already pointed out that the business case for diverse hiring practices. Ensuring the employee  value proposition (EVP) that is communicated honestly reflects the reality of female employees is a  good starting point. Build a culture that accommodates a diverse workforce and showcase female role  models in the business, working with them to tell their stories and promote recruitment as a great  choice for women. Liz Sebag-Montefiore,  Director and Co-Founder 10Eighty. Poonam Mawani Change the culture from  above in each agency. Only then will you promote a culture that supports and  motivates all employees irrespective of gender. Poonam Mawani, Director at Azuki Accounts.

Job Hunting By the Numbers

Job Hunting By the Numbers This is a syndicated post,originally published herePhoto Credit â€" Virginiafrancoresumes.comAs countless can attest, today’s job market is not what it used to be 10 and certainly not 20 years ago. Gone are the days of sending a resume via the mail or responding to an ad in the paper.That being said, many of the skills critical to getting a job back in the day still apply provided you’re not afraid to embrace what technology can offer. Can’t figure out how best to spend your job hunting hours?Here’s a breakdown by the numbers:evalTargeting Companies â€" 30%evalI recommend one-third of your total weekly or daily job hunt hours be devoted to carefully researching the names of companies where you might be thrilled to work.Although the Internet and all its offerings can be overwhelming, those who can recall the hours involved in going to the library to research corporations should be pleased that today this information is readily accessible online.Local business journals, LinkedI n and various other directories and websites offer listings of companies sorted by just about every category under the sun. Lists of Best Companies to Work For, Most Innovative Companies, Best Companies for Women, etc., are great for identifying the kinds of companies that appeal to you.Targeting Individuals- 30%Once you know who you want to work for, or the type of role you’d like to target, it’s time to start connecting with those who can help. This process can be time consuming which is why another one-third of your total job hunting hours should be devoted to the task.As an example, if you are looking to work in IT, consider connecting with an IT Director or VP of some companies of interest. LinkedIn and local business journals are great for getting names.LinkedIn in particular is well suited to this endeavor because it offers an easy forum by which to reach out and begin a conversation. LinkedIn’s groups are wonderful for sharing ideas and soliciting assistance.Getting Yo ur Documents Ready To Go â€" 30%It’s critical to put your best foot forward when reaching out to companies and individuals. Hands down the best way to accomplish this is with a well-written resume and LinkedIn profile that allows readers to grasp quickly and thoroughly how you could be a great asset.evalYou can pay a professional to write these for you or try a DIY approach. Of course, my biased preference is to go with a professional â€" but that is the stuff of a separate blog post.Job Boards â€" 10%Job boards are great and fulfill a true need. However, they have the potential to be a huge time-suck and numbers vary as to how many postings are false or already filled once posted. Again, the topic of a separate blog conversation.The bottom line? Job board submissions yield just a 5% return on investment when the resume has optimal keywords. Given that targeting individuals and companies yields a 30% return on investment, it makes sense to devote only a minimal amount of time to r eviewing them and using them to apply for roles.evalI recommend spending just 10% of your total job hunting time on boards and use them to get a sense for who is hiring and in what capacities. Your best bet for a true shot is to apply within 72 hours if not sooner to a posting.The New NormalevalToday’s job seeker must blend internet savvy with good old fashioned networking and communications skills. Those that do will see results…I’ve seen it happen!