October 2016 – Resolution Technologies

Smart Interview Tips to Land That Perfect IT Job

October 26, 2016/in Career Guide/by Resolution Technologies

Every professional knows that submitting a quality resume is only the beginning. Once you are contacted for an interview, you are presented with an opportunity to allow more than your skills and experience do the talking. If you want to give yourself the best chance of landing your perfect IT job, consider the following tips to make your interview memorable for all of the right reasons.

Dress Appropriately, but with a Hint of Personality

While everyone knows that dressing properly for an interview is critical, many professionals assume this means that you must adhere to generic standards in every choice. Instead of blending in with the interviewing masses, express your personality in a subtle, tasteful way. Consider a unique lapel pin, an interesting (but appropriate) tie, or a subtle earring that pays homage to something close to your heart.

Not only can this provide a natural conversation starter, it can help you be seen as a whole person and not just an automaton there to perform.

Tell the Story of How You Ended Up in the Interview Seat

When faced with the inevitable, “Tell me about yourself,” at the beginning of the interview, consider it an opportunity to do more than recite your resume. Include a brief explanation of what piqued your interest in the field, if there was a particular event or person who helped you decide to take this path, and what led you to believe this job is ideal for you.

While you don’t need to cover every detail of your childhood, explaining the origin of your interest in the field can indicate your level of passion for the work. It also provides an indication as to what continues to drive you to move forward in your career.

Your Greatest Weakness Should Include an Action Plan

When asked about your greatest weakness, many candidates end the conversation after identifying the issue. Instead of leaving your weakness hanging awkwardly hanging in the air, immediately follow it up with an action plan.

In this context, the action plan should be a brief overview of any steps you have taken, or plan to take, to turn this weakness into a strength or, at least, a non-issue. For example, if you are not comfortable speaking in front of large groups, you may include information about how you are intending to take a public speaking course from a local college or university, or have decided to join an organization that helps professionals learn to speak more comfortably in front of groups. While the answer to the question is covered, you have also demonstrated that this is not a weakness you intend to keep.

If You Don’t Have an Answer, Explain How You Would Find It

It is not uncommon for technical interviews to ask you about your understanding of specific terms or procedures. If you are faced with a question that you do not know the answer to, do not be afraid to admit that you don’t know.

Often, it can be more beneficial to admit a lack of knowledge in a specific area than try to fake your way through an answer (and possibly be completely off base).

With that, stating your lack of understanding should not be the end. Instead, explain what steps you would take to find the answer should the specified issue arise during the flow of a normal workday. Not only can this show your humility, it also demonstrates how you tackle issues for which you do not already have an answer.

Are you looking for you next job?

If you are looking for more tips to help you excel in your next IT interview, or are interested in finding a new position, the professionals at Resolution Technologies can help get your career in gear. Contact Resolution Technologies today to see their experience can work for you.

You Need Top Performers: 3 Things to Look For in Your Next Hire

October 19, 2016/in Career Guide/by Resolution Technologies

While the goal of every hiring is to find the best candidate for the position, it can be challenging to determine which characteristics are most valuable. While an ability to perform the tasks associated with the position will always be a key, additional traits can take an employee from mediocre to excellent within a workplace. Before you send an official offer out to your next hire, consider these three signs of a top performer in the making.

Emphasis on Their Craft

While all technical employees are expected to understand their area of expertise, top performers push to excel at the technical aspects of their job. Often, they keep up-to-date with industry trends for their own benefit, and may even pursue outside training to keep pace with the evolving industry. While they may also possess generalist skills in other technical areas, they demonstrate a true passion for their specific area, and will likely bring an increased level of energy to the position.

This level of focus often accompanies a tendency to take the initiative in regards to their work, as well as the development of their skills. These workers generally seek out new assignments when the opportunities arise, and are open to exploring new and different ways to handle tasks as they are assigned. They tend to believe that challenges within their work provide them an opportunity to grow when others may see it in a less positive light.

Respect for Organizational Priorities

Regardless of the personal preference, top performers understand that respecting a business’s bottom line is essential to overall business success. With that in mind, they are willing to contribute to whichever tasks best support the business, and will always make critical tasks a priority. Additionally, they treat business priorities as their own, making the success of these tasks a personal priority worthy of extreme care and attention.

While adequate employees may hem and haw about taking on responsibilities outside of their core focus, top performers will accept responsibilities that are within their capacity in times of need. This often makes them a go-to employee in moments of crisis, and ideal candidates for future development, as their flexibility can make them easy to work with during times of change.

Relationship-Oriented

Top performers know how to network. They are comfortable working with personnel from within all of the levels of an organization, and handles external contacts with ease. Additionally, they are often willing to jump in and lend a hand to coworkers who may be struggling or overwhelmed by current tasks

Relationship-oriented employees often have large support networks outside of their current organization, allowing them access to additional sources of knowledge in cases where assistance is needed quickly.

Often, top performers are also seen as emotionally stable, and brings a level of consistency to their work and their environment. They are willing to compromise, and have an open mind when it comes to hearing the concerns of others with a stake in a project or issue.

Are you looking for top performers?

By focusing on candidates who bring these traits to the table, you increase your odds of finding the kind of employee who will be a top performer for your business. If you would like assistance in locating your next superstar employee, contact Resolution Technologies today and let their experience guide you along the way.

A Reflection On Rio

October 12, 2016/in Career Guide/by Resolution Technologies

Resolution Technology’s own Nataly Arias had the opportunity to participate in the 2016 Olympic Summer Games held in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil as a member of the Colombian Women’s Soccer team. Here, she shares some of her experience with our readers during an interview.

What were your overall impressions of the Rio Games?

Obviously, it’s hard not to sound cliché, but it was an incredible experience. The beautiful climate and environment were wonderful. The people were welcoming and were great hosts. Excellent security. We were really well taken care of, but also got the cultural aspect. It was a beautiful experience.

Did you have any especially fun moments in Rio?

Our last group match when we tied the U.S. The game had a lot of fans for Colombia. It was an incredible environment with lots of energy and support. We really felt the crowd pushing us through. We tied the world champions, and were beating them at one point. I really felt good about that performance.

Were you able to spend time at any other sporting events?

Unfortunately, we were never actually in Rio. The soccer teams traveled around the country. In Belo Horizonte we played France, and New Zealand at the Estádio Governador Magalhães Pinto known as Mineirão. We played the United States in Manaus at the Arena da Amazônia. Manaus is very famous, very tropical. We were not in the [Olympic] Village to experience the other sports.

What is your biggest takeaway from the games?

The understanding that these Olympic Games was an exciting time for the Women’s sports in general. Female professional athletes are seeing more true support. Not just from fans, but also from big companies, big agencies, trying to represent women from other countries and pushing the sport forward. Global organizations, such as FIFA, are trying to create programs where women are receiving financial support and most importantly the opportunity to play for their country on the world stage to push women’s soccer forward.

Due to our success, Colombia will be launching a professional league for women. This platform gave a lot of girls, from all over the world, a chance to see us as role models, and to see that maybe they can grow and develop in sport. Global awareness was most rewarding, especially for women.

Is there a moment where you were especially proud of yourself, your team, your nation?

[I was] proud of our nation. This was the most successful time in our history. We won numerous medals, and most of the gold medalists were women. This was very fitting in the sense that we don’t normally get the same notoriety and support. The disparity is much larger in Colombia than here in the United States.

For the women that took it upon themselves to do so well, having women at the top of their sport, trying to create cultural change within Colombia, they are not only helping the sport, but also helping women have a better place in society.

Is there anything else you would like people to know about your experience?

I am very grateful to Resolution Technologies. They gave me the opportunity to compete.

Throughout this process, it looks incredible from the outside, but it is a lot of sacrifice, even though it is a sacrifice you are happy to make. I’ve been doing this since I was four years old. As an adult, still being able to pay your bills and be independent of your parents, still having to train and knowing that it’s not free, the struggle was more than worth it. I am grateful.

People need to know it was a struggle. I had faith in myself and a great support system. A huge part of that was the company I work for, and them allowing me to come back, especially Joe Bell, the president of [Resolution Technologies]. I want people to know that, although it was fun, it was still difficult. It wouldn’t have been possible without the support of my company.

Hate Public Speaking? Upgrade the Way You Present

October 5, 2016/in Career Guide/by Resolution Technologies

The fear of public speaking is one of the most cited phobias amongst working adults. This can lead to notable challenges for those who must speak in front of groups on a regular basis. Luckily, there are a variety of techniques available to help you work through discomfort, allowing you to not just cover the material, but present it in a new, “upgraded” way.

Gain Confidence in the Subject

Most people who are asked to speak to a large group are being asked to share their area of expertise. Having confidence in your understanding of the subject matter, as well as the content of the presentation, can help boost your confidence overall.

Instead of focusing your energy on the idea of speaking, focus on the material instead. You may find yourself comforted by the fact that you are familiar with the information, which may make the entire process less intimidating.

Practice, Practice, Practice

Public speaking is a skill. As with any skill, practice makes (reasonably) perfect. After you have developed your material, rehearse your speech out loud, and then do it again and again. By going through your presentation completely, including verbalizing your points, you will become more comfortable with how you intend to present the material. Additionally, it will allow you to smooth out any transition statements to help your speech feel more natural and flowing.

Memorize Your Slides

Knowing the order in which your slides will appear can also help relieve a level of anxiety regarding the presentation. Not only will you look for professional, as you will not have to refer to the slide visually at every transition, you may also be more comfortable since you are confident in what to expect as you move forward.

Prepare for Tough Questions

If your presentation includes a question and answer session, prepare answers for any difficult questions or challenging aspects of the material. This can be especially helpful for items that require specific statistics or other concrete data to support your answer. If appropriate, prepare additional slides that cover the information, just in case the question arises. Not only will that provide you with a reference point for your response, it may also make the answer easier for audience members to understand.

Presentations are Not Performances

Regardless of how many people are in the room, presentations are not performances. Instead, they are structured conversations. Your primary goal is to inform, not to entertain. By keeping that thought in the forefront of your mind, you may find the situation less stressful.

Do Not Focus on Audience Expressions

When under stress, we tend to misinterpret the true nature of facial expressions. This issue can be compounded by the fact that audience members are less inclined to produce positive visual clues even when they are enjoying the content. Many audience members will appear to have a blank expression due to the fact that audience members listen in a different way than those engaged in a social interaction. The shift in the paradigm causes them to focus more on the content of your speech and less on providing you with cues regarding their receptiveness to the content.

Visualize Success

Visualization is a powerful tool that anyone can develop, and can also be as effective as actual practice. The key is too actually imagine yourself giving the presentation, from beginning to end, in detail. This can include every step of the walk towards the podium, looking out over the audience, and reciting each line of your presentation.

Don’t Fear Silence

When you are presenting, even a small pause can feel like an eternity of silence, even though it isn’t. Fight the urge to rush through material by allowing yourself to pause regularly. You can use the time to regain your composure or even squeeze in some deep breathing. By keeping the pace methodical, you may feel less frantic than if you try to rush through the material as quickly as possible.

Are you looking for a new job in the IT field?