HTP

HTP, job analysis

Ask Why

So you didn’t get the promotion. Before you look for a new job, ask why. It’s possible you’re missing something critical for that role. Many years ago, I was working as a “senior member of the technical staff.” I was a tester, had coordinated beta tests, much of the testing work for the last couple […]

HTP, job analysis

Red Flag Words in an Interview

Before my webinar last week, I was chatting with the organizer, and experienced project manager. He said that when he interviewed a project manager, and hear words such as “I control projects” that’s a red flag for him. No, he’s not an agile project manager–he’s a smart and effective project manager who realize that people

HTP, interview

Guest Blogging for ITJobBlog

I’m writing about a post a week for ITJobBlog. I’ve already written a couple of posts about how to develop your interview skills when you’re a candidate, part 1 and part 2. Please join us over there, too!

career, HTP

Great Assistants Help (Senior) Managers

I spoke with someone who wants a senior level management position. (He’s currently a mid-level manager.) I asked him about his experience with assistants. “I’ve never had one.” Oh. Senior people have assistants because they need them. Other people need them, but our organizations have decided we can do all the grunt work ourselves. Don’t

HTP

How I Manage Comments

Some of my readers appear to be new to reading and commenting on blogs. Here’s how I manage my comments: I moderate (personally) all the comments. That means I read them and approve them Any comment that has content, I approve. I don’t care who writes it. If I read a comment from anyone and

HTP, network

When Someone Offers Help, Accept It

I was talking with a junior colleague recently. He can’t find a job. I offered to help network with him. He said no, he’d look for a job himself. Big mistake. If someone offers you help networking, take it! No matter who you are, how many years of experience you have, how sure you are

hiring strategy, HTP

Hire Junior Employees; Think Harder About Contractors

In the comments to Why Hire Junior Contractors?, one of my recruiter colleagues, MN Headhunter, asked a great question: …if we do not hire junior developers how they gain the experience to be a senior developer? I was not clear enough in my original post. I believe in hiring a diverse team, especially in diversity

Agile Job Search, HTP

Focus on Your Experience

I wa just reading recent grad frustrated by job search, and want to highlight something many candidates, even experienced candidates, forget: Remember, a hiring manager is going to spend maybe a minute (or less) on the initial scan of your resume. What do you want her to see in that minute — a list of

hiring strategy, HTP

Why Hire Junior Contractors?

George Dinwiddie asked me a question in email, “Why do companies hire junior-level contractors?  I feel bad about spending the company’s money trying to teach these junior contractors to be better software developers.  A junior-level direct hire makes sense, as you expect them to be around long enough that the education pays off.  But a

HTP, interview

Interviewing Ability May Help Your Career

I’ve been in email contact with Pradeep Soundararajan for a few months now. He was recently at a conference in Toronto, and has posted his The (bad) state of software testing interviews in India, which includes a pdf of a talk he gave about interviewing. He has several wonderful ideas, including: Candidate and interview myths

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