Wednesday, December 2, 2009

[WNO] Digest Number 388

Messages In This Digest (9 Messages)

Messages

1.

GENERAL:  Some Thoughts On Getting Hired

Posted by: "john sampson" jcsspike@yahoo.com   jcsspike

Tue Dec 1, 2009 4:38 am (PST)



Terry Welsh
Managing

Insider Secrets to Getting Hired

This article is part of a series related to being Financially Fit
While searching for work alongside 16 million people who are angling for the same openings, getting a hiring manager to tell you why you didn't get hired is about as easy as actually getting the job. But one of the best things you can do is examine your job search with a critical eye: Is your resume really a good advertisement for your skills? Does your nail-gnawing habit turn off prospective employers? Do you tend to make your interviewers a little nervous?
Some of the most important elements of a successful job search are details. Here are nine tips to follow and details to consider, offered by the experts: hiring managers, executives, human resources managers, and career coaches:
Fine-tune your cover letter: Suppose you're a manager, and you're making your way through a thick stack of plain-vanilla resumes. You barely have a moment to scan a cover letter, and when you do, it appears to have been written by someone who knows your company's name but doesn't seem to have spent much time getting to know the business. You toss it. Employers want to know that you're interested in them specifically. You should fine-tune your resume and cover letter to suit the position. "Spend two hours going through the company's website, executive LinkedIn profiles, blogs, and industry articles -- before you even touch your resume or cover letter," says G. L. Hoffman, chairman of Jobdig.com and blogger at Whatwoulddadsay. com. "Only then can you do a decent job with both."
Watch your body language at a job interview: Employers are looking for the candidate with the best knowledge and experience, but rarely do they hire for work skills at the expense of social skills. If you lack self-awareness, it shows. And it doesn't look good. Even in the critical small talk before the interview, make eye contact when you're speaking, smile when it's appropriate, and look alert, says Karen Burns, author of the The Amazing Adventures of Working Girl: Real-Life Career Advice You Can Actually Use. "Most of all, don't jiggle your knee, kick the desk, twirl your hair, check your cellphone, play with your pen, stare off into space, or bite your nails," says Burns.
Fill in a long resume blank with volunteer work: Nearly 6 million Americans had been out of work for six months or more in October. President Obama recently signed a bill providing another extension of unemployment benefits, giving as much as two years of benefits to eligible workers. Many Americans w ill have gaping recessionary holes in their resumes through no fault of their own -- they wanted work but just couldn't find it. One solution: volunteering part time. "Volunteering tells potential employers that you are an energetic, compassionate person who, even when faced with problems of your own, found the wherewithal to help others," says Burns, who blogs at karenburnsworkinggi rl.com. Volunteering also says that you didn't let your skills go to waste.
Don't be careless -- watch the small stuff: You forgot to fix the date on your resume. You whiffed on the hiring manager's name when you showed up for the interview. The small stuff is not always a deal-breaker in other areas of life, but it often is when it comes to hiring, says Alison Green, a hiring manager for a Washington-area nonprofit. "When you're on a job search, a small blunder can take on far greater importance than it would in most contexts," Green says. "Here's what can happen in a hiring manager's head when a job candidate makes a noticeable mistake: 'She told me she was going to send me this writing sample Monday, but then she sent it on Tuesday without acknowledging the delay. This might be out of character for her; everyone screws up occasionally. But if I ignore this possible red flag and hire her, and then she turns out to be scattered and bad with deadlines, I'm going to be kicking myself for not having paid attention to this sign
now.'"
Your resume must answer this question: Green, who blogs at askamanager. blogspot. com, spends a lot of time looking through resumes, and most of them "read like a series of job descriptions, " just listing tasks and skills required in positions held by the applicant -- and anyone else who held the same job. But that's not the information hiring managers need to make their decisions. Indeed, resumes that capture their attention offer more than that. "For each position, they answer the question: What did you accomplish in this job that someone else wouldn't have?" Green says. "Did you just go through the motions and turn in an acceptable, but not particularly star-quality, performance? Or did you do an unusually good job, one that impressed your boss and coworkers and made them devastated to lose you?"
Make sure you match the job description: If you were a 6-foot-5, 250-pound Frenchman with burly arms and a bushy beard, would you apply for the part of Little Orphan Annie on Broadway? However ridiculous that image is, every day in corporate America, thousands of managers shuffle through resumes that are totally unmatched to the position advertised. "If you don't have an accurate understanding of what the job is all about, your opinion of how well-matched you are will be based on an erroneous foundation," Green says.
Put your interviewer at ease: This is pretty counterintuitive. Most job seekers are prepared to follow the tone set by their interviewer. But that may not be your best plan. "A great many interviewers hate interviewing, " says Michael Wade, a management consultant, who blogs at execupundit. com. "They know they're not good at it, and they are dealing with strangers and asking questions to fill a job with which they are unfamiliar." A job seeker can gain an edge by staying friendly, listening carefully, using body language to indicate amiability, and stressing that he or she gets along with colleagues, Wade says.
Plan before you pursue: Researchers at the University of Missouri recently studied the efforts of 327 job seekers, ages 20 to 40, and found that developing and following a plan at the beginning of a job search has a significant impact on its success. Similarly, Curt Rosengren, a career coach and blogger at curtrosengren. mapmaker. com, recommends setting "process goals" to keep you on track toward your larger career goals. "Process goals aren't big-picture objectives. They're 'roll up your sleeves and make it happen' objectives," Rosengren says. "Maybe you set a goal of making 10 phone calls a day or writing for two hours each day."
Take the less desirable job: The recession has shrunk opportunities in many fields, while maintaining or increasing the opportunities in others (think auto manufacturing versus nursing). That dichotomy has left many of the unemployed wondering how to break into a new industry. That's a tough goal anytime -- and especially tough when the unemployment rate is 10.2 percent. Human resources expert Suzanne Lucas suggests that job seekers look for a job that no one else wants when trying to enter a new field. "If a position is hard to fill, they may be willing to hire you if you are willing to learn how to do the work, rather than requiring you to already be an expert," Lucas says.
 
 
Terry Welsh
Managing Director-North America
Concepts in Staffing
TERRY@CISNY. COM
 212/725-0300 x. 432
212/293-4432 
 

Dec 1st - Dinner Mtg - Gerry Crispin - CrossXroads - Gaming The System
Dec 8th Next Reg mtg - Tues - 6 pm - Carnevale Center 10 Lenox Ave Pompton Lakes 07442 Rm 009 - bring 20 copies of resume
Dec 22nd & 29th No Mtg - Holidays
Jan 12th - Recruiter Night Out - Dinner Mtg - Abby Kohut Moderator
Feb 9th Combined Dinner Mtg AWC - Rod Colon - Empowering Today's Professionals (ETP) Network
2.

LEAD:  Sr Validation Cnsltnts - NYMetro?

Posted by: "john sampson" jcsspike@yahoo.com   jcsspike

Tue Dec 1, 2009 5:51 am (PST)



In order to support the resource requirements of our clients, CGS is currently seeking Senior Computer System Validation consultants for several of our Life Sciences clients in New Jersey.

Required experience includes:
Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal.
Attention to detail required.
Ability to work with both business and technical teams.

o Follow SOPs and industry best practices
o Facilitate the Computer system Validation Risk Assessment to identify governing regulations and validation deliverables during the development of the computer system
o Review validation deliverables for projects which are contracted to third party suppliers
o Maintain close communication with stakeholders and team members to keep apprised of computerized system needs, impacts on computer validation, project validation status, and other relevant issues
o Assist in planning, implementing, and documenting user acceptance testing
o Prepare computerized systems documentation such as
o Validation Plan
o CSV Risk Assessment
o Test Plans
o Test Summary Reports
o Test Scripts
o Traceability Matrix
o Validation Summary Reports
o Review testing; may execute test scripts
o Provide guidance on quality issues that affect the integrity of the data or the system
o Obtain and draft responses to QA review
o Assess compliance practices and draft recommendations for corrective action
o Maintain a working knowledge and awareness of regulatory requirements
o Organize validation documentation and prepare for archival.

If you are interested in finding out more about these positions, or would like to refer someone for this position, please send qualified resumes to my attention and I will have someone from our Resource Management organization contact you.

Michael J. Szot
Sr. Vice President
CGS Technology Associates
Email: mszot@cgsonline. com
LinkedIn: www.linkedin. com/in/mszot
Twitter: http://twitter. com/mszot

Dec 1st - Dinner Mtg - Gerry Crispin - CrossXroads - Gaming The System
Dec 8th Next Reg mtg - Tues - 6 pm - Carnevale Center 10 Lenox Ave Pompton Lakes 07442 Rm 009 - bring 20 copies of resume
Dec 22nd & 29th No Mtg - Holidays
Jan 12th - Recruiter Night Out - Dinner Mtg - Abby Kohut Moderator
Feb 9th Combined Dinner Mtg AWC - Rod Colon - Empowering Today's Professionals (ETP) Network
3.

Observations from the November WNO Meeting

Posted by: "robertjzanfardino" zanfardino4@earthlink.net   robertjzanfardino

Tue Dec 1, 2009 6:43 am (PST)



Folks,

I want to thank all who attended our last meeting. It appears the church location in Chappaqua will to be able to accommodate our needs very nicely. I also want to thank those of you who volunteered their time and have asked to help out on future events going forward. The strength of the WNO has and will continue to be its membership.

For those of you who have just joined us, one of our core belief is that we will always need an organization like this to fall back on during the "Down Times". Several of the members who have been able to get contract work this past year will already have a place to go back to when they start their job search over again. Studies have indicated that this temporary/contract work may be with us for a while. So it is imperative that you keep your networks alive and active over the years.

With that said, I think that we just need to cover the basics of networking in order to maximize your opportunities. When you plan on coming to the WNO or any networking event please remember the following:

•Arrive on time

•Seek out one of the WNO Committee Members or Ambassadors, we are here to help with your quesstions

•Have a positive attitude. Use this time to leave a lasting impression of yourself to others

•Come in with a plan. Review the attendance sheet beforehand (Make sure that you complete your section of the sign in sheet with as much detail as possible.

•Have your elevator pitch well rehearsed

•Bring plenty of business cards

•Have a target to meet 5-10 new contacts. Avoid playing it safe by talking to the same contacts as last time

•Have your Marketing Plan ready (I prefer when folks email theirs to me. Not losing business cards is enough to worry about and trying to handle an 8x11 sheet of paper becomes distracting for many)

•Be sure to follow up with the folks you have just met. Studies show that it may take several meetings to develop a relationship with someone. It does always happen on that first meeting

•Do not be in a rush to "Linked In" with someone. For many it may appear that all you interested in is getting their contacts. You have to develop relationships first

•We have been very fortunate to have some great speakers take this opportunity to ask them questions

•For those of you who have too much time on your hands please feel free to jump in and help. We have plenty of things to do and not always enough hands

•Do not hesitate to send us your suggestions. The committee will review any idea that will help the WNO members


On behalf of the WNO Steering Committee

Regards,

Rob

Rob Zanfardino,CC
Program Director
Chairman for Work Local First Program
845.226.6074
zanfardino4@earthlink.net
http://www.linkedin.com/in/zanfardino
9 Margaret Drive
Hopewell Jct., NY 12533

Please join Rob every Tuesday at 2:00 pm with "Thoughts from the Cubicle" on All Things Employment go to: www.chataboutit .com

4.

LEAD:  Sr C devel - NJ - to 110k

Posted by: "john sampson" jcsspike@yahoo.com   jcsspike

Tue Dec 1, 2009 7:16 am (PST)



 
Senior C# Developer - (US-NJ-Hopewell)

Compensation: $100K - $110K / Year
Minimum Education: Bachelors
Job Type: Full Time
Jobcode: MNRJA2

Will be involved in developing software solutions by creating new and modifying existing order management applications. Must be a self-starter who is well organized, detail-oriented and motivated to take the initiative to resolve problems or propose alternative solutions. This is a fast-paced, dynamic, production environment. Responsibilities include (but not limited to):

Translate business and functional requirements into detailed technical design
Design and development of new features, enhancements and redesigning existing applications
Provide operation/production monitoring and problem resolution
Coordinate with team member in Onshore and Offshore

Job Requirements:
In-depth knowledge of the Microsoft .Net platform
Middle Tier component development using C#, .NET Framework 2.0/3.0/3.5, XML
SQL Server 2000/2005
Experience in all phases of SDLC
Strong analytical skills
Knowledge of financial products like equities, options, etc. is a plus

Email resume in Word to TheBigGameHunter@cisny.com. Please include the job code for the position with your resume.

NO RELOCATION. NO VISA TRANSFERS. NO OVERSEAS RESUMES. NO 3RD PARTIES.

Dec 1st - Dinner Mtg - Gerry Crispin - CrossXroads - Gaming The System
Dec 8th Next Reg mtg - Tues - 6 pm - Carnevale Center 10 Lenox Ave Pompton Lakes 07442 Rm 009 - bring 20 copies of resume
Dec 22nd & 29th No Mtg - Holidays
Jan 12th - Recruiter Night Out - Dinner Mtg - Abby Kohut Moderator
Feb 9th Combined Dinner Mtg AWC - Rod Colon - Empowering Today's Professionals (ETP) Network
5.

[Fwd: ACM CareerNews Alert for Tuesday, December 1, 2009]

Posted by: "Gerard Robinson" gerardr@gresadi.com   gerardr1

Tue Dec 1, 2009 9:36 am (PST)



There's enough interesting articles in here to warrant full
forwarding, I think ... Gerard


CareerNews <http://www.acm.org/careernews>

Volume 5, Issue 23: Tuesday, December 1, 2009

Read CareerNews Online at: http://www.acm.org/careernews/
<http://www.acm.org/careernews/>
Visit the ACM Job Board at: http://campus.acm.org/careercenter
<http://campus.acm.org/careercenter/>
Current Issue: http://www.acm.org/careernews/current
<http://www.acm.org/careernews/current>
Dear ACM CareerNews Subscriber:

Welcome to the December 1, 2009 edition of ACM CareerNews,
providing biweekly summaries of articles on career-related topics
of interest to students and professionals in the computing field.
For instructions on how to unsubscribe from this service, please
see below. <#unsubscribe>

ACM CareerNews is intended as an objective career news digest for
busy IT professionals. Views expressed are not necessarily those
of ACM. To send comments, please write to
careernews-request@acm.org <careernews-request@acm.org>

HEADLINES AT A GLANCE:
* The Best Industries for IT Compensation <#1>

* Ten Reasons You're Not Closing the Deal in Your Job Search
<#2>

* Tech H1-B Staffing vs. Employ America Act <#3>

* Keeping Top Talent in a Down Economy <#4>

* Social Recruiting <#5>

* In Downturn's Wake, Women Hold Half of U.S. Jobs <#6>

* Strategies for Entering and Re-Entering the Job Market <#7>

* Researchers Urge Colleges and Federal Agencies to Coordinate
Efforts for Women in Science <#8>

* Computer Science in the Conceptual Age <#9>

* It is a Pivotal Time for K-12 Computer Science <#10>


 
The Best Industries for IT Compensation
Computerworld, November 16

While Computerworld's 2009 Salary Survey reported a slight pay
increase for some IT professionals, the salary gains were not
evenly distributed across all industries and geographies.
According to this year's survey results, there are a handful of
sectors where compensation improved from last year, including
government IT (1.6%) and energy/utilities (1.3%). Meanwhile, some
industries where compensation for IT professionals has
historically lagged are experiencing a recovery in compensation.
The article takes a closer look at the industries where IT
compensation is on the upswing, with an emphasis on some of the
factors behind the changing balance of supply and demand.

The public sector, health care industry, and energy/utilities
sector are all promising areas for IT jobs. Within the public
sector, job security, solid pension plans and attractive benefits
are a few of the reasons why IT professionals are pursuing
government IT opportunities. In addition, federal stimulus money
is leading to more IT projects and higher demand for IT
professionals at the federal level. The health care industry,
which is less affected by economic cycles, is also an appealing
destination for IT professionals. Moreover, the Obama
Administration recently set aside $1.2 billion in federal
stimulus money for deployments of electronic medical records
systems and other health care IT initiatives. Within the
energy/utilities sector, job seekers enjoy job security and a
casual work environment.

Other leading industries for IT compensation include
defense/aerospace and education. One of the unique
characteristics of the defense/aerospace industry is that it
boasts a highly educated workforce made up of engineers who
specialize in a variety of disciplines. Within the education
sector, the workload is often less intense than in the private
sector. Moreover, since universities tend to hire a lot of big
thinkers, there are always fresh ideas about new systems to
build. But unlike IT organizations at publicly held companies,
the deadlines tend to be more flexible.

Click Here to View Full Article
<http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/343950/Industries_on_the_\
Upswing?source=CTWNLE_nlt_careers_2009-11-17
>
to the top <#top_of_page>
Ten Reasons You're Not Closing the Deal in Your Job Search
Tech Republic Blogs, November 25

Even if you have the credentials, the education and experience,
you still may have problems closing the deal after landing a job
interview. To help job candidates convert promising leads into
real job offers on a consistent basis, Deb Shinder suggests 10
ways to tweak their approach to the job search. As Shinder
explains, problems in landing that final offer may stem from
taking good, standardized advice about how to conduct a job
search and implementing it in the wrong way.

For example, it is important and appropriate to tell the
interviewer about your accomplishments in a way that paints you
in a positive light. What some job candidates don't
understand is that when you come off as arrogant, when you sound
as if you think you're better than everyone else, when you go
overboard in singing your own praises, interviewers don't see
that as positive. It's always better if you can let others
deliver the accolades, even if second-hand. Secondly, don't
expect your network to do all the work for you. In today's
very connected world, the value of personal networking in finding
a job has been heavily emphasized. When faced with two candidates
with equal qualifications, most hiring authorities will lean
toward the one who was referred by a mutual friend or
acquaintance. However, before you tap into the network, it's
a good idea to do some upfront due diligence.

Be sure to follow up, but don't overdo it. Some people take
the advice to follow up on interviews as license to harass the
interviewers, secretaries, HR personnel, and anyone else who
might be involved in the hiring process. Daily phone calls or
emails so they "won't forget you" are probably not a
good idea. At the same time, work on developing references who
can vouch for you in a timely and relevant manner. During the
interview, don't come on too strong and judgmental with your
opinions, no matter how right you believe you are. Be flexible;
if an interviewer calls and asks you to reschedule, be gracious
and try to accommodate their schedule. Other final parting
advice: make sure your online reputation is stellar, upgrade your
technical skills, and remain upbeat even when a job search may go
on longer than is hoped for.

Click Here to View Full Article
<http://blogs.techrepublic.com.com/10things/?p=1186>
to the top <#top_of_page>
Tech H1-B Staffing vs. Employ America Act
Datamation (via InternetNews.com), November 23

Two U.S. senators, Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Charles Grassley
of Iowa, have introduced legislation intended to prohibit major
firms that lay off large numbers of American workers from
replacing them with cheap foreign labor through temporary guest
worker programs. The legislation, known as the Employ America
Act, would affect large companies that both rely heavily on
non-immigrant visas and have announced layoffs of 50 or more
American workers over the past year. This legislation is likely
to encounter resistance from proponents of H1-B hiring,
especially since companies did not fill the 85,000 available H-1B
openings in 2009.

Since August 2008, companies in the high-tech industry, a major
employer of H-1B guest workers, have laid off more than 345,000
workers. The proponents of the Employ America legislation argue
that, with the unemployment rate still climbing and millions of
people looking for work, the U.S. has a responsibility to ensure
that companies do not use the temporary guest-worker program to
replace American workers with cheaper labor from overseas.
Foreign guest worker programs should help to fill employment
needs where there is a shortage of American workers, they say,
instead of becoming a pretext for hiring cheap labor.

The economic stimulus package, passed earlier this year, included
a similar provision authored by the two U.S. senators to prevent
companies receiving a taxpayer bailout from the Troubled Asset
Relief Program from replacing laid-off American workers with
guest workers from overseas. However, not all legislators agree
on the need for capping H1-B workers. Earlier this year, a U.S.
Representative from Arizona proposed legislation that would
increase the H-1B cap and would exempt foreign graduates of U.S.
Ph.D. programs from counting toward a cap on H-1B visas. In 2009,
employers filled about 72,800 of the 85,000 available American
H1-B visa applications.

Click Here to View Full Article
<http://itmanagement.earthweb.com/features/article.php/3849576/Te\
ch-H1-B-Staffing-vs-Employ-America-Act
>
to the top <#top_of_page>
Keeping Top Talent in a Down Economy
Management Issues, November 19

Now that the economy appears to be in recovery, organizations
should be considering ways to retain their top talent and
encourage their highest-potential employees to perform at
consistently high levels. Sylvia Ann Hewlett has been exploring
the wide range of tools and techniques available to employers
struggling with both how to motivate and keep the loyalty of
workers and managers. In 2009, she partnered with Booz & Company
on helping organizations leverage top talent across the divides
of culture, gender and generation. Hewlett discusses what it
takes to keep top talent happy today and why so many workers are
feeling disengaged. Whether it's offering time away from the
office or offering new forms of recognition, it's clear that
organizations will be experimenting with a wide range of new
motivational tools in 2010.

As Hewlett explains, the current economic environment has created
a situation where top performers do not always feel valued. Even
with the unemployment rate at 10% or higher, organizations can
not expect their best people to deliver 110% effort day in day
out. Doing so creates a lot of alienation, a lot of
disengagement. By some estimates, 50% of the workforce is
spending more than half of its time looking for their next job.
This flight risk, as well as the productivity losses, happens
because bosses are out of touch with how their workers think and
feel. The loyalty rate among star performers has now plunged from
over 90% to about 53%. At the same time, only about 10-20% of
people in any organization are fully engaged.

Some organizations are taking serious steps forward to retain
their top talent during a time when bonuses are rare and pay
raises are infrequent. Hewlett found that there are some very
important top-management interventions that are ratcheting up
engagement, re-igniting effort and making sure that people can
really perform at their highest levels. Hewlett discusses the
importance of an open corporate culture for employee morale;
reasons for establishing clear lines of communication within
organizations; and steps that organizations can take to get the
most out of their top talent (e.g. turning time into a currency
that can be used for sabbaticals or periods of personal time
off). Organizations need to retain their top talent for when the
economy does improve and develop ways to manage high-performing
employees in a multicultural workplace.

Click Here to View Full Article
<http://management-issues.com/2009/11/19/mentors/keeping-top-tale\
nt-in-a-down-economy.asp
>
to the top <#top_of_page>
Social Recruiting
The Industry Standard, November 13

In a review of how social media and social networking are
impacting the recruiting of IT professionals in the startup
world, prominent New York venture capitalist Fred Wilson
describes some of the tools and practices that his firm has used
in recruiting. Wilson considers whether or not to use a retained
search firm for portfolio companies; highlights the role of
social networks in changing the face of recruiting; and offers
some examples of when a robust social media presence has led to
hires of senior as well as junior talent. Wilson suggests that
social media is about showing up, hanging out, and earning trust.
If you want to use social media to find new talent, you have to
really participate in these systems.
As Wilson points out, there are some sites and communities that
are emerging as the most effective for finding new talent. Based
on his experiences hiring for Union Square Ventures as well as
its portfolio companies, Wilson considers LinkedIn as one of the
most important places to find talent and, by extension, to check
out references. To check someone out, all that's required is
inviting them to connect to you on LinkedIn. You can find out who
you know in common, creating a basic reference list. Another
important place to find talent and figure out who they know is
Tracked.com, which aggregates information about people,
industries and companies all in one place.
Click Here to View Full Article
<http://www.thestandard.com/news/2009/11/13/social-recruiting>
to the top <#top_of_page>
In Downturn's Wake, Women Hold Half of U.S. Jobs
Career Journal, November 12

Thanks to steep layoffs and soaring unemployment among men during
the current economic downturn, more women are returning to the
workforce. In many cases, women in dual wage-earning families had
not intended on returning to the workforce so soon. For the first
time ever, women are about to comprise the majority of U.S.
workers. Unemployment for men age 16 and over now stands at
11.4%, the highest in 25 years. On the other hand, joblessness
among women is lower, at 8.8%, as employment in female-heavy
sectors like education and health care has remained steadier. As
of September 2009, women held 49.9% of the nation's jobs, an
increase of 1.2% from December 2007.

There is evidence that women's growing representation in the
labor force stems not only from men losing their jobs, but also
from women who previously didn't work seeking new employment.
Since the economic recession began, the number of women age 16
and over in the labor force has expanded by 300,000 to 71.7
million. Meanwhile, the number of men working or seeking work has
dropped by 123,000 to 82.28 million, according to the U.S.
Department of Labor. This disparity in employment by gender has
created an inflection point for re-thinking the workplace and the
work-life balance.

Click Here to View Full Article
<http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125797318108844061.html>
to the top <#top_of_page>
Strategies for Entering and Re-Entering the Job Market
CIO.com, November 11

The current job market can be difficult one to negotiate for IT
workers, leading some to turn to non-traditional tactics for
landing a new job. Traditional tactics like picking a safe
profession, working for a big company or moving to where the jobs
are, none of those standard practices of the last 50 years seem
to be as effective as they once were. As a result, a better
approach might be to go where you want to live and do work that
you find to be interesting rather than chasing companies or
industries. This is especially true since many of the hot jobs
today didn't even exist five years ago; people in those jobs
came to them via an unplanned route.

Given the changing dimensions of the job market, you might as
well do something you are genuinely interested in doing rather
than something that you do not truly enjoy. Whatever you choose,
you'll have to spend a lot of time doing it and constantly
improve your performance and learn new skills if you want to keep
up with the pace of change and get ahead. This can be a
particularly attractive option, given that career tracks that
lead to large, established companies or popular geographic
locales do not always work out as planned. Large companies may
have unwieldy corporate bureaucracies that spend more energy
trying to maintain the status quo than paying attention to
evolving customer desires. The best cities or the best regions to
get a job often change from year to year.

Consider doing something bold if the conventional no longer
works. This could mean taking your experience into a radically
new field. Take whatever skills and education you already have
and blend them with what you learn by working in this new field
and you will create a rich foundation on which to build a career.
Another bold move would be moving to a developing nation.
Consider going to a country where your skills are in need and
where they'll be impressed with your schooling. You'll be
paid at the local wage level but that level is still far above
what most people make in those countries so you can live well and
save some money too. Your new international experience will make
you stand out when you do decide to move back home. Finally,
consider volunteering your time as an intern in exchange for
getting to participate in something you find genuinely
interesting and getting to know and be known by people in that
industry.

Click Here to View Full Article
<http://advice.cio.com/michael_hugos/strategies_for_entering_and_\
reentering_the_job_market?source=CIONLE_nlt_careers_2009-11-17
>
to the top <#top_of_page>
Researchers Urge Colleges and Federal Agencies to Coordinate
Efforts for Women in Science
The Chronicle of Higher Education, November 10

Women with Ph.D.'s in the sciences will keep "leaking out" of the
tenure pipeline if colleges and the federal agencies that award
grant money to researchers do not work together to stop the flow,
according to a new report from researchers at the University of
California at Berkeley. The report, which links American economic
competitiveness to the ability of educational institutions to
keep women in the talent pipeline, was prepared with the help of
the Center for American Progress. The report lists a number of
recommendations and examples for major research universities and
federal granting agencies on how to attract and retain women.

As a way to retain women, the report recommends that universities
adopt family benefits, such as paid maternity and parental leave,
for graduate students and postdoctoral scholars, not just faculty
members. Deadlines and time caps related to careers in
academia—such as requiring that a Ph.D. student begin a
postdoctoral appointment a certain number of years after
receiving a doctoral degree—should be removed. Another
recommendation is that extra money should be provided to
principal investigators when their researchers who are paid with
grant money take time off for family-related absences. Currently,
principal investigators must use money from their research awards
to support such absences.

In the last few years, federal agencies have been more attentive
to issues surrounding gender equity, making the current research
findings particularly timely. Both universities and agencies have
been moving in the general direction of the report's
recommendations, but their efforts have not been coordinated as
part of a broader strategy. Much of the report focuses on the
reasons why women have turned away from careers as academic
scientists. For example, research universities don't have a
reputation for being family-friendly and paid maternity leave is
hard to come by for graduate students and postdoctoral scholars.
The report is based on data from four surveys, including the
federal Survey of Doctorate Recipients.

Click Here to View Full Article
<http://chronicle.com/article/CollegesFederal-Agencies/49101/?sid\
=at&utm_source=at&utm_medium=en
>
to the top <#top_of_page>
Computer Science in the Conceptual Age
Communications of the ACM (Vol. 52 No. 12), December 2009

Michael Zyda, director of the USC GamePipe Laboratory and a
professor of engineering practice in the Department of Computer
Science at UCLA, discusses the various ways that educators are
integrating game-development courses into the standard computer
science curriculum. After describing the dawn of a new
"conceptual age," he urges computer science educators to
focus on the "big idea or big concept" before presenting classes
on how to build the concept and with what technologies. Zyda also
offers guidelines to ensure higher success rates in engaging
students in CS and provides numerous examples of how university
computer science departments are incorporating game design and
development to prepare their students for careers within the game
industry.

The transition from information age to conceptual age has been
overlooked by most academics in computer science, yet many of the
consequences of the transition have been apparent for the past
decade. For computer science educators, the new conceptual age
has created an important role for cognitive and creative assets,
including design, storytelling, artistry, empathy, play, and
emotion. Zyda discusses what the integration of game development
into computer science curricula looks like, how it affects
computer science departments, and how it helps drive the overall
transition. Much of the rest of the traditional computing
industry is shrinking, but the game industry is a segment that
continues to grow due to its focus on design backed up by great
engineering.

The game industry wants graduates with a strong background in
computer science as well as an enhanced set of skills. This is
actually good news for CS departments, meaning they can
transition some courses to new material, create new courses, and
still not abandon decades of hard-won knowledge. Zyda discusses a
particular approach he has taken at the University of Southern
California, outcomes from that program, and questions with
respect to transitioning a mature field toward the conceptual
age. The best way to think about the transition to the conceptual
age is to make the focus the "big idea or big concept," with a
follow-on focus on how to build the concept and with what
technologies. Zyda wraps up with a look at modifications to the
CS curriculum and one approach to creating a cross-disciplinary
program.

Click Here to View Full Article
<http://cacm.acm.org/magazines/2009/12/52822-computer-science-in-\
the-conceptual-age/fulltext
>
to the top <#top_of_page>
It is a Pivotal Time for K-12 Computer Science
Communications of the ACM (Vol. 52 No. 12), December 2009

Chris Stephenson, executive director of the Computer Science
Teachers Association, discusses why K-12 computer science
education continues to be a national priority. The good news, of
course, is that enrollments in undergraduate computer science
programs are no longer on a downward slide. While there is
momentum for change, creating real, sustainable change within the
education field is still a slow process. Next year, plans for a
new and more engaging sequence of high school computer science
courses as well as an ambitious plan for teacher professional
development could result in a real transformation for K-12
computer science education.

Five years ago, ACM founded the Computer Science Teachers
Association (CSTA) with the goal of addressing serious concerns
in K–12 computer science education, including the lack of
curriculum standards and common misunderstandings about computer
science. Today, CSTA stands as an example that faith, funding,
and a lot of volunteer support from the top to the bottom can
achieve solid results. For example, the annual Computer Science &
Information Technology symposium is now an annual national
conference for K–12 computer science and information
technology educators. In addition, careers in computing resources
developed by CSTA and the ACM Education Board have now made their
way into every school in the U.S.

As a result of the enrollment crisis, colleges and universities
facing dwindling class sizes began reaching out to K–12
computer science educators and students in order to recruit
students directly into their programs. In doing so, many faculty
learned that the assumptions they had been making about what it
is like to teach computer science in K–12 were misguided.
Many colleges and universities now have ongoing outreach and
mentoring programs. Interest in computer science must begin long
before students sign up for their first university or college
courses. It begins in K–12 where other academic disciplines
first sow the seeds of interest and engagement.

Click Here to View Full Article
<http://cacm.acm.org/magazines/2009/12/52819-it-is-a-pivotal-time\
-for-k-12-computer-science/fulltext
>
to the top <#top_of_page>
To unsubscribe from the ACM CareerNews Early Alert Service,
please log in with your ACM Web Account username and password at:
http://www.myacm.org <http://www.myacm.org> and follow the
"Listervs" link. You can change the email where you receive our
CareerNews postings, leave, or rejoin the list at any time
through myACM.

About ACM <http://www.acm.org/about_acm/> | Contact us
<mailto:careernews@hq.acm.org> | Press Room
<http://www.acm.org/pressroom/> | Membership
<http://www.acm.org/membership/> | Privacy policy
<http://www.acm.org/about/privacy-policy> | Code of Ethics
<http://www.acm.org/about/code-of-ethics>

Online Books & Courses <http://pd.acm.org/> | Career & Job
Center <http://campus.acm.org/careercenter/> | TechNews
<http://technews.acm.org/> | MemberNet
<http://membernet.acm.org/>

Copyright © 2009, ACM, Inc. --
_________________________________________________________________\
_______ When I find myself in times of trouble,|All unattributed
content herein: Then I'll know just where I'll be,
|Copyright(C)2009 Gerard Robinson Swearing at the console, let me
be ... |All Rights Reserved; gerardr@...
6.

LEAD:  Sr P/A - NJ/NY - $? - Fin Svcs

Posted by: "john sampson" jcsspike@yahoo.com   jcsspike

Tue Dec 1, 2009 1:03 pm (PST)



Job Description              A Major Foreign Broker Dealer is looking for a Senior Progamming/Analyst to work in both their New York City
                                    And Hoboken offices.  The candidate will be responsible for the supporting the Futures trading desk.
 
                                    Major Responsibilities:
 
                                    Developing applications in C# to enhance existing trading systems and/or to build entirely new applications.
                                    Developing integration modules in SQL, SSIS.
                                    Working with traders to understand requirements.
                                    Writing functional specifications and working with the endor or the internal IT team to make sure that the solution
                                       Provided meets the requirements.
                                    Develop test plans and test the new modules to ensure the software works are expected.  Work with users to
                                       Certify ehhancements,upgrades and patches in UAT.
                                    Supporting the applications that ar3e used on trading desks.
 
Skills Required              Strong Development Skills in C# and other .Net related technologies.
                                    Strong knowledge of SQL.
                                    Strong architecture and design skills.  Understand trade flows and STP for financial systems.
                                    Strong knowledge and troubleshooting skills in Unix/Windows and Networking.
                                    Strong communication skills and ability to clearly articulate ideas, solutions, etc.
                                    Strong project management skills.
                                    Self driven - Ability to lead projects from initiation to completion.
                                    Strong educational background with BS / MS in Computer Science, Engineering or related area.
                                    Ability to work with various constituents - Traders, Accountants, Operations and Vendors.
                                    Ability to write clearly and document requirements and designs.
                                    Experience in the financial industry preferably Futures but Equities, derivatives and/or Fixed Income is acceptable.
 
                                   Additional Qualifications (Nice to Have):
 
                                   2+ years of Java and Messafging technologies such as JMS, ESB, MQ, etc.
                                   3+ years experience with Futures products.
 
                                   Targeted Systems:  Sql Server, IIS, GMI, PATS and TT
 
Salary Range                This is a full time position and the salary is based on market rate and experience.
 
How to Apply                Contact Tony Savoca at Momentum Resource Solutions at asavoca@momentumrs.com and then call him at 732-738-0929.
                         
 

Tony Savoca

Vice President

Director of Financial Services

Momentum Resource Solutions

1090 King Georges Post Road

Edison, NJ 08837

732-738-4700
 

Dec 1st - Dinner Mtg - Gerry Crispin - CrossXroads - Gaming The System
Dec 8th Next Reg mtg - Tues - 6 pm - Carnevale Center 10 Lenox Ave Pompton Lakes 07442 Rm 009 - bring 20 copies of resume
Dec 22nd & 29th No Mtg - Holidays
Jan 12th - Recruiter Night Out - Dinner Mtg - Abby Kohut Moderator
Feb 9th Combined Dinner Mtg AWC - Rod Colon - Empowering Today's Professionals (ETP) Network
7.

LEAD:  Bookkeeper - NYC - Family Office

Posted by: "john sampson" jcsspike@yahoo.com   jcsspike

Tue Dec 1, 2009 1:05 pm (PST)



Bookkeeper
Family Office
Midtown Manhattan

Opportunity for smart, articulate bookkeeper/junior accountant to work in a great corporate culture.
Requirements:
3 plus years bookkeeping experience
BS in Accounting
Financial Services/Accounting Industry Experience
Polished, Professional, Detail Oriented
Experience with ProSystems A Plus
Spanish a Plus

Elisa Sheftic
Senior Managing Director - Executive Search
The Patton Group LLC
elisa@thepattongroupllc.com
(201) 788 7283

Dec 1st - Dinner Mtg - Gerry Crispin - CrossXroads - Gaming The System
Dec 8th Next Reg mtg - Tues - 6 pm - Carnevale Center 10 Lenox Ave Pompton Lakes 07442 Rm 009 - bring 20 copies of resume
Dec 22nd & 29th No Mtg - Holidays
Jan 12th - Recruiter Night Out - Dinner Mtg - Abby Kohut Moderator
Feb 9th Combined Dinner Mtg AWC - Rod Colon - Empowering Today's Professionals (ETP) Network
8.

LEADS:  Sr Java Devel - NJ - Fin Svcs - Sybase

Posted by: "john sampson" jcsspike@yahoo.com   jcsspike

Tue Dec 1, 2009 1:09 pm (PST)



My name is Ilya and I'm a Senior Recruiter at Axelon Services Corporation. Global Financial Firm located in Warren, New Jersey has immediate Contract opportunities for experienced Senior Java Developers.

Job Description

- Must have at least 6 years of experience in design, development & implementation of applications within a distributed enterprise environment in Capital Markets & Banking. Prime Brokerage experience is desirable.

- Technical skills should include hands-on development experience - Core Java, JDBC, Unix, Scripting (ksh, perl)

- 3 years of RDMS hands on development experience in SYBASE.

- Web application development experience - J2EE, WebLogic

- Exposure to Enterprise Reporting ( Business Objects) desirable

- Good understanding of software development life cycle and Release Management

- A good understanding in Object-Oriented Programming, database design

- Ability to design, organize, and implement module, perform system testing, plan and automate tasks to maintain existing system

- Ability to research and trouble-shoot application problems

- Self Starter, highly motivated team player, always eager to learn and adapt new technologies

- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills

If you are qualified, available, interested, planning to make a change, or know of a friend who might have the required qualifications and interest, please send me an e-mail and please include a daytime phone number so I can reach you. In considering candidates, time is of the essence, so please respond ASAP. Thank you.

Sincerely yours,
Ilya Kushner
Axelon Services Corporation

Note: Please allow me to reiterate that I chose to contact you either because your resume had been posted to one of the internet job sites to which we subscribe, or you had previously submitted your resume to Axelon. I assumed that you are either looking for a new employment opportunity, or you are interested in investigating the current job market.

If you are not currently seeking employment, or if you would prefer I contact you at some later date, please indicate your date of availability so that I may honor your request. In any event, I respectfully recommend you continue to avail yourself to the employment options and job market information we provide with our e-mail notices.

Thanks again.

Ilya Kushner

Axelon Services Corporation
116 John Street
New York, NY 10038
Phone: (212) 306-0100 or (877) 711-8700

For more job opportunities: www.axelon.com

Dec 1st - Dinner Mtg - Gerry Crispin - CrossXroads - Gaming The System
Dec 8th Next Reg mtg - Tues - 6 pm - Carnevale Center 10 Lenox Ave Pompton Lakes 07442 Rm 009 - bring 20 copies of resume
Dec 22nd & 29th No Mtg - Holidays
Jan 12th - Recruiter Night Out - Dinner Mtg - Abby Kohut Moderator
Feb 9th Combined Dinner Mtg AWC - Rod Colon - Empowering Today's Professionals (ETP) Network
9.

LEAD:  Stor Admin - 6 mos contract - NJ

Posted by: "john sampson" jcsspike@yahoo.com   jcsspike

Tue Dec 1, 2009 1:12 pm (PST)



Title: Storage Administration
Location: Livingston, NJ
Length: 6+ Months
Industry: Insurance
KEY EXPERIENCE:

Administers all aspects of the mainframe storage environment for DASD and TAPE. Responsibilities include mainframe Systems Managed Storage customization, DASD provisioning and reclamation, all aspects of ICF catalog administration and recovery, disaster recovery backup administration, DASD replication administration, DASD and tape maintenance JCL administration, VTOC/VVDS diagnosis and corrective action, assisting users with storage related issues and questions, 24x7 support, tape database administration, tape replication administration, recommend and implement changes to the environment to ensure reliable cost-effective use of all tiers of mainframe storage, maintain and enhance in-house written SAS and REXX scripts, project duties as required to support the business and clients

Rick West
Open Systems Technologies
950 N Kings Highway
Cherry Hill, NJ 08034
856-795-3900
rwest@opensystemste ch.com

Dec 1st - Dinner Mtg - Gerry Crispin - CrossXroads - Gaming The System
Dec 8th Next Reg mtg - Tues - 6 pm - Carnevale Center 10 Lenox Ave Pompton Lakes 07442 Rm 009 - bring 20 copies of resume
Dec 22nd & 29th No Mtg - Holidays
Jan 12th - Recruiter Night Out - Dinner Mtg - Abby Kohut Moderator
Feb 9th Combined Dinner Mtg AWC - Rod Colon - Empowering Today's Professionals (ETP) Network
Recent Activity
Visit Your Group
Yahoo! Finance

It's Now Personal

Guides, news,

advice & more.

New business?

Get new customers.

List your web site

in Yahoo! Search.

Dog Groups

on Yahoo! Groups

discuss everything

related to dogs.

Need to Reply?

Click one of the "Reply" links to respond to a specific message in the Daily Digest.

Create New Topic | Visit Your Group on the Web

No comments:

Post a Comment

Twitter / newyorkitjobs

Twitter / NYC_Tech_Jobs

Followers

Blog Archive