The Recruiter

An IT setup Santa would love

The North Pole comes up in conversation a lot this time of year, but we’re taking you in the opposite direction today—the polar opposite direction.

Meet Henry Malmgren, the South Pole’s IT manager. Yep, you read right: The South Pole has an entire IT infrastructure in place to support the researchers and scientists who work there throughout the year.

Henry and his staff handle the superstructure, handheld radios and every piece of telecomm or computer equipment in between. And then there are the occasional challenges of swapping out a router at minus-100 degrees, and having to order spare parts up to a year and a half in advance.

But even with nine-hour days, six days a week, Henry’s life isn’t all work and no play. He’s a member of the 300 Club, a daredevil group that withstands 200-degree heat in the sauna, and then streaks around the south pole survey marker in the sub-zero temps. (Check out ComputerWorld’s pics for a look at the fun.)

Henry’s experiences reinforce just how integral IT is to almost any job, and how pervasive the corresponding technology has become. Do you have a far-flung IT adventure to share? Tell us here!

And Happy Holidays, everyone!

Posted by Anna M.

All I want for Christmas is a job

Here’s some seasonal competitive intelligence for you: The holidays are not the hiring wasteland everyone thinks they are.

Yes, HR managers and other decision-makers are popping in and out of the office for holiday vacation time. But usually somebody has to stick around, so you’re guaranteed to contact at least one human being if you reach out with a phone call, eMail or resume.

Plus, you’re probably catching the company at a good time fiscally. Budgets are finalized in December, and often allocate for new positions starting in January. Landing on the radar screen early can keep you top-of-mind for employers’ next round of hiring needs.

Besides, you never know when vacancies will appear in holiday staff. Rudolph stepped in when he was most needed—who says you can’t? If employers know you’re interested, qualified and available, they’re more likely to call on you in a pinch.

The best part is, these temporary gigs can turn into long-term positions once the holiday dust has settled. The key is having the right skills, abilities and certifications going into the role, so you can accomplish your projects in a true work environment, and demonstrate your value in real time.

Posted by Anna M.

Giving thanks for IT pros

Pilgrims and Native Americans at the first Thanksgiving worried about crops, winter and disease. Nearly 400 years later, we fret about airplane schedules, Internet access for online recipes and credit card verification on Black Friday.

Lucky for us then, that talented IT professionals work behind the scenes to make sure a cornucopia of modern marvels—Web sites, e-commerce apps, user interfaces, online ticketing, terminal security and more—run smoothly and safely during our holiday weekend.

So this Turkey Day, we’re giving thanks for the skills, expertise and talent of our IT workforce, the brains and brawn behind our digital age. Have a fun and relaxing holiday—you earned it!

Posted by Anna M.

R.I.P print classifieds

Happy Halloween, Recruiter readers! Though I’m sure you’re eager to dress as your favorite celebrity, the stand-by Frankenstein’s monster or another creepy crawly of the night, let me tell you one place you don’t want to put a mask: over your Facebook picture.

That’s because Facebook, LinkedIn and other social networking sites have surpassed print as the most useful place to find IT staff, says the Association of Technology Staffing Companies in a recent survey.

This is not to say that job boards, advertising and (of course) recruitment firms aren’t effective hiring methods. But the very nature of social networking—connecting with people of similar skills, backgrounds and interests—perfectly lends itself to targeted talent hunts.

It works in reverse, too. Job hunters can use social media to get in front of recruiters and prospective employers. Plus, it’s a great way to start dynamic conversations with industry peers, and gain competitive intelligence about job opportunities along the way.

Just make sure to keep your profile clean, professional and in line with your personal brand. That means getting rid of any inappropriate pictures and wall postings. Also, be completely accurate and factual in your previous job descriptions.

Above all, don’t write disparaging comments about your current company or boss. Such comments will come back to haunt you, and not because it’s Halloween.

That said, creating a profile that says “You want to hire me!” is just a few clicks away. And your new job might be mere steps beyond that. Now that’s not so scary, is it?

Posted by Roseanne D.

Happy National Boss Day!

Want to earn bonus points with your managers? Shower them with holiday greetings for National Boss Day, a worldwide celebration of leadership and management. That encompasses quite a chunk of people. In the U.S. alone, more than 14 million individuals are employed in management occupations, according to the U.S. Department of Labor.

Now for some history. National Boss Day has been celebrated every October 16 since 1958, when State Farm Insurance employee Patricia Bays Haroski registered the holiday with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

She chose this date—her father's birthday—to honor his record as an exemplary boss. Since then, National Boss Day has expanded internationally to include England, Australia and South Africa.

It should come as no surprise that positive relationships between supervisors and employees directly contribute to job satisfaction. So take this opportunity to go above and beyond, and observe the holiday by getting your manager a greeting card, gift or small token of appreciation. Your gesture could have a big effect! J

Posted by Roseanne D.