Career Talk JDR

Posts Tagged ‘Nicole Johnson’

With cyberattacks on the rise in 2009, the FBI now considers such attacks to be the third greatest risk for our country, following nuclear war and weapons of mass destruction.  The fear of “Cybergeddon” has lead to government agencies and private companies alike recruiting experts in the field of security.  Obama is in the process of picking his top cybersecurity aide, while many other organizations are also searching for these important skills.

Recently, we’ve been discussing a lot about virtualization and how cost-effective and important it is.  During my quest for knowledge on the subject, I discovered that Digital literacy is not only crucial for companies, but many leaders think it is also critical for the whole world economy.

Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) is a term used to describe the combination of computer and telecommunications.  There are a lot of devices used for ICT and numerous ways it can be useful.  It is a necessary and essential tool for national and international development and is crucial for socio-economic and technological growth.

Cloud computing is a new buzzword in IT.  So what is it and how can it affect your career?  Here are some of the basics of what it is and the skills that are involved.

Cloud computing is basically just the ability to leverage new platforms and resources that you don’t happen to own.  It goes hand-in-hand with SOA, which is laying the groundwork for a loosely coupled business that both creates and consumes services from an ever-growing selection of sources, both inside and outside the firewall. Web Oriented Architecture is another key term, and a more appropriate way to describe this, since more of these services are coming from outside providers.  Web 2.0, including sites like Linkedin and Facebook, is also a form of cloud computing.

Since online job marketing and searching has become so popular, some of the old rules of resume writing have changed.  Resume experts used to advise that you add your own personal flare and character to the resume.  These days, any formatting used to add such character can wreak havoc on your resume when it is added to an HTML database or when a major company tries to scan it into their employment files.  This could not only cause headaches for anyone reviewing your resume, but could even keep you from getting the job.  Here are some tips for formatting your resume to be technology friendly:

These days, the news is filled with negative stories about the economy and employment.  You hear a lot about the less than 10% of people out of work, but very little focus on the 90% who have jobs.  The media also reports often about the companies with mass layoffs, but rarely mention companies who are growing or hiring.  So, are there any jobs out there? 

After performing a simple Google search for employment, I kept noticing the names of major companies in the mix.  Just to mention a few companies that I found with a large number of openings:

The recent economy has resulted in a nationwide “tightening” of budgets for people of all financial levels.  We all understand that elimination of unnecessary expenses, like going to the movies or out-to-eat, is essential to many during these tough times.  But what if you are unemployed or are struggling beyond cutting out the “extras”?  Here are some other tips on how you can cut down on your fixed expenses to save money each month.  Some of the saving might not be much, but if you add them together, it can amount to a significant reduction in your monthly bills.

As many know these days, maintaining a top resume can mean the difference between snagging an interview and ending up in the trash can.  However, what if you have been unemployed for a period of time and that is the first thing seen on your chronological resume?  There are a few ways of handling your unemployment situation which can help increase your chances of staying in the game and being a true competitor for the job.  During your unemployed period, it is not as important what you are not doing – meaning working – as it is important what you ARE doing and making it clear to the hiring manager.

Today, there is a large focus on the environment that has crossed over into business, with major companies around the world participating in new efforts to decrease waste and extra power usage.  Here at JDR, located in the International Paper Towers, we have started participating ourselves, with recycling receptacles for cans, plastic and paper throughout the offices here.  We also have worked to create an almost paperless recruiting process.

The first day on a new job can be very nerve racking, but it is important to remember that your first impressions can be lasting ones.  So how do you cool your nerves and ace that first day on the job?

First off, if you can, take a little time off before starting the new job to relax, breath deeply and prepare.

Most employers and hiring officials spend a good portion of their time and resources in the hiring process.  The time invested and costs of sourcing top candidates for key positions are significant.  Companies and managers go to great lengths to try to entice the best professionals to come on board their organization, instead of the competition.  Oftentimes, candidates are flown in, wined and dined and offered a multitude of other perks, just to draw them in.