1. Bounce Back in IT: Selling Your Skills As A Service May 11th, 2010
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6. Ken Totten General Manager Object Computing, Inc. and Advantage Consulting, Inc.
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11. Should you move into consulting and what should you consider? Do you have the skills and experience to be a consultant? Hard Skills, Soft Skills, Personality, Education, Certifications Interpersonal Skills – getting along with difficult personalities Assertiveness towards work and getting the job done Ability to pick up things quickly , to adapt, integrate and deliver results What stage are you at in your career? If you are in the last quarter of your work life and have the financial means or have a working spouse, then 1099 independent consulting may be ideal if you have a strong professional network.
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13. Where to start? Do your research first. There are many consulting companies in the St. Louis market. Learn of their reputation, what they do best, who their clients are, and what their “value proposition” is for employees. In the St. Louis IT consulting market there is a lot of competition for the same opportunities. Be careful and don’t allow multiple companies to represent you at the same time. Pick one or two companies that you would like to work for – approach them and measure their response. Consider the firms ability to remarket you after the first project. For example, ask the recruiter how much PM work they do for clients and what companies they support. If your expertise represents a small percentage of their overall staff demographic, then they may not be the best company to represent you.
14. Where to start? St. Louis Business Journal Book of Lists Indeed.com – identify openings and potential employers Linkedin.com – cross reference your indeed.com results with your professional network on linkedin and examine as far as your 2 nd and 3 rd level contacts to see who works at the companies/opportunities you’ve identified. Mentors – consider who you know that has made the transition you are contemplating. Lastly, be true to and with yourself. Know where your joy comes from and think about what comes naturally for you, then align your efforts accordingly. As a recruiter/employer, our job is to learn your strengths and to “make good associations” between candidates and opportunities/positions. Do your part to represent yourself well through your resume and during the interview process.
WELCOME First Time Attendees Missouri Career Source, Frank Alaniz Ken Totten, OCI Ben Binder, Relay Technologies Sharon Reus, Sharon Reus Coaching Julia Koelsch, Daughtery Systems David Strom Frank Danzo
1. Job stability can remain very high for contractors 2. Exposure to a wider array of technologies and business processes 3. Contract experience is viewed favorably by prospective employers—contract experience is one of the first things often mentioned in client meetings 4. Often a much faster interview process compared to permanent employment 5. Earn income while you continue to seek employment options 6. Has anybody here ever worked overtime in a permanent role??? You are paid hourly as a contractor and thus will get paid for all of the hours you work
1. Be sure to include itemized projects in resume 2. Conduct your own market research on rate 3. Consult a tax professional to better understand the nuances of w2 vs. 1099 arrangements 4. Understand benefits scenarios: explore new laws on COBRA and make sure you are taking advantage of your rights, go to EHealthinsurance.com and apply for multiple plans if needed.
1. Work with multiple staffing firms as each recruiting agency may have additional opportunities 2. Establish ground rules-don’t allow your resume to be submitted without your permission. This can result in double submission to a client company and overexposure in the marketplace. 3. Recruiting agencies are typically paid by their clients; think twice before paying anybody a fee to market your credentials 4. Ask qualifying questions for right-to-higher opportunities, e.g. what is the timeframe for conversion to permanent, what will be the permanent salary, how many people in the xyz department were hired through RTH 5. Don’t forget to invest in training—it pays for itself in terms of future rate
Ben Binder Relay Technology 314.259.1840 direct 314.630.2011 mobile 866.460.4251 toll free 314.256.2912 fax [email_address] www.relaytechnology.com
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