Updated Nov. 27, 2014 at 2:30pm EST: We had a great Twitter chat with our guest experts today, featuring Richard Murray of Deloitte, Stephen Hornberger of Mercer, and Allison Griffiths of Mercer! Thanks again to everyone who joined us. But in case you missed the chat, we’ve prepared a quick recap below. Follow the discussions questions to see what was said!
The job hunt can be a frustrating process for both those who seek, and those who are looking to hire. That’s no different in IT – even though it’s a field full of opportunities, candidates often feel pressured to show prospective employers they have the right skills. And hiring managers need to find the people with the right talent to contribute to the workplace.
We’re holding a Twitter chat for both job hunters and human resources specialists alike, looking to bridge the gap between candidates and hirers in the IT space. Join us on Thursday, Nov. 27 at 1 p.m. EST for an hour-long discussion at the hashtag #ITWCjobs!
We’re excited to say we’ll be joined by three guest experts, two tweeting from Mercer:
- Richard Murray, senior manager in the National Talent Acquisition team at Deloitte.
With more than 15 years of experience in IT recruiting, Murray leads recruitment for Deloitte’s Consulting and Enterprise Risk Services practices across Canada. He will be tweeting from @DeloitteJobsCA.
- Stephen Hornberger, principal at Mercer.
As a principal in Mercer’s talent business in Toronto, Hornberger comes with 15 years of industry experience in offering clients solutions in a variety of areas, including variable incentive compensation program design as well as executive and sales incentive compensation program development. He will be tweeting from @Mercer_Talent.
- Allison Griffiths, principal at Mercer.
Griffiths is also a principal in Mercer’s talent business in Toronto, specializing in workforce rewards. She helps organizations ensure their rewards programs effectively attract, retain and reward employees.
Griffiths works with both public and privately-held clients to assess the position of their total rewards program, establish a strategic link between pay and performance, and develop long-term incentive strategies. She will be tweeting from @Mercer_Talent.
For the full list of questions we’ll be discussing, see below:
Q1. We’ve been hearing about the IT skills gap for some time now. Is that gap still a problem today?
RT @Mercer_Talent: @itworldca A1.The skills gap exists across multiple job types. 5 critical areas- SMACS #ITWCjobs
— IT World Canada (@itworldca) November 27, 2014
So to recap @mercer_talent – SMACs = social, mobile, analytics, cloud & security as jobs where there are skills gaps #ITWCjobs
— IT World Canada (@itworldca) November 27, 2014
A1. Yes. At Deloitte in our IT Consulting practice we can’t find enough talented people to meet demand #ITWCJobs
— DeloitteJobsCA (@DeloitteJobsCA) November 27, 2014
According to Oxford Economics, IT skills gap will only get worse by 2020 http://t.co/bGdzmYzdJE #ITWCjobs
— IT Business Canada (@itbusinessca) November 27, 2014
Good point @MercertTalent – today’s IT skills need to be so specific. Generalists might have a tougher time getting hired. #ITWCjobs
— Brian Jackson (@brianjjackson) November 27, 2014
There’s a national (Canadian) #IT skills gap, but we’re a global economy now, the gap isn’t global. #ITWCjobs
— Mat Pancha (@mpancha) November 27, 2014
@AhmedHibah @itworldca Due to pace of change 70/20/10 training rule applies: 70% on-the-job + 20% from peers+ 10% formal training #ITWCjobs
— MercerTalent (@Mercer_Talent) November 27, 2014
@MarylkaE For the 70/20 component – use mobility & stretch assignments – move team around projects to stretch their abilities #ITWCjobs
— MercerTalent (@Mercer_Talent) November 27, 2014
On how your IT skills need to be specific. #itwcjobs pic.twitter.com/MJMmovn0U3
— Jeff Radecki (@JeffRadecki) November 27, 2014
I think it’s time to accept that we will never completely close the IT skills gap. Tech is too interesting for that. #itwcjobs
— Shane Schick (@shaneschick) November 27, 2014
Q2. What types of hard and soft skills are IT employers looking for?
A2. Hard Skills: ERP, digital, analytics, SFDC, Agile, Guidewire. Soft Skills: Ability to operate in ambiguity #ITWCJobs
— DeloitteJobsCA (@DeloitteJobsCA) November 27, 2014
@itworldca Our environment is complex; nothing is black or white and we need people who can operate in the grey #ITWCJobs
— DeloitteJobsCA (@DeloitteJobsCA) November 27, 2014
A2.Combination of tech skills/ business acumen to ensure technologies are effective/ ready for business use #ITWCjobs
— MercerTalent (@Mercer_Talent) November 27, 2014
A2.Employers require expertise in complex problem solving, innovation, ability to deal with change, etc #ITWCjobs
— MercerTalent (@Mercer_Talent) November 27, 2014
A2.The list of hard skills is long: SMACS and related sub-skills (http://t.co/JIMYzKr2hI, languages for mobile apps… #ITWCjobs
— MercerTalent (@Mercer_Talent) November 27, 2014
If I were a CIO I’d be looking for someone who can see new tech and immediately identify the business opportunity. #itwcjobs
— Shane Schick (@shaneschick) November 27, 2014
I look for intelligence, problem solving, communications, desire to learn and work ethic. I can teach the rest if need be. #ITWCJobs
— Jim Love (@CIOJimLove) November 27, 2014
Q3. Should employers be spending more on IT training? Whose responsibility is on-going skills training – employers or employees?
A3.Employers need to assess their existing spend; consider expected ROI of spend. Staff need to be trainable #ITWCjobs
— MercerTalent (@Mercer_Talent) November 27, 2014
A3. Both. Training is an investment in yourself but it is reasonable for employers to share in that investment. #ITWCJobs
— DeloitteJobsCA (@DeloitteJobsCA) November 27, 2014
#IT #Training is a shared responsibility. Employee needs to self learn, and request training. #ITWCjobs 1/2
— Mat Pancha (@mpancha) November 27, 2014
Employers need to understand you can’t expect the best without investment in #training. #ITWCJobs 2/2
— Mat Pancha (@mpancha) November 27, 2014
@brianjjackson As Zig Ziglar said, better to train them and have them leave than to not train them and have them stay #ITWCJobs
— Cheryl Sylvester (@csylvester) November 27, 2014
#ITWCjobs The successful CEOs and leaders I know love to have people learn — even if they end up leaving — it creates more innovation
— Italia Corigliano (@ibcorigliano) November 27, 2014
You don’t have or hold the best people by failing to train them. You hold them by being a great place to work. #ITWCjobs
— Jim Love (@CIOJimLove) November 27, 2014
A3.Companies need support in establishing and measuring ROI for training spend. Big time commitment & hard to measure. #ITWCjobs
— MercerTalent (@Mercer_Talent) November 27, 2014
Q4. How can HR professionals and IT managers work together in hiring the right people?
A4. Workforce planning, succession planning and recruiting #ITWCJobs
— DeloitteJobsCA (@DeloitteJobsCA) November 27, 2014
@itworldca A4. Workforce planning = hiring the right people at right time in right place #ITWCJobs
— DeloitteJobsCA (@DeloitteJobsCA) November 27, 2014
@itworldca Succession – Identify critical leadership gaps allows opportunity to coach, mentor and skill-up the existing workforce #ITWCJobs
— DeloitteJobsCA (@DeloitteJobsCA) November 27, 2014
@brianjjackson Solid partnership between HR/Mgmt is best practice.Many clients dedicate support for IT(HRBPs, rewards,recruiting) #ITWCjobs
— MercerTalent (@Mercer_Talent) November 27, 2014
A4. Companies in general should be looking at getting involved with schools, internship programs #ITWCJobs
— Brian Jackson (@brianjjackson) November 27, 2014
@CIOJimLove good point. Mentorship I think sums it up. #ITWCJobs
— Mat Pancha (@mpancha) November 27, 2014
@mpancha @CIOJimLove Mentorship is key. Also Coaching. Coaching skills for leaders/emerging leaders, and/or external coaching. #ITWCJobs
— Cheryl Sylvester (@csylvester) November 27, 2014
Q5. Can you share some tips for job seekers negotiating salary and compensation?
A5. Start early when talking to recruiters. Salary negotiation should not be left until the very end of the process. #ITWCJobs
— DeloitteJobsCA (@DeloitteJobsCA) November 27, 2014
@itworldca I think @Glassdoor is useful to gauge what people are being paid for your job #ITWCjobs
— Hibah Ahmed (@AhmedHibah) November 27, 2014
@AhmedHibah @itworldca @Glassdoor LinkedIn premium too boasts of such features. #ITWCJobs
— Wolston Lobo (@WolstonL) November 27, 2014
@CIOJimLove We do indeed! Check out our #salary calculator here: http://t.co/jWXenBZsqN #ITWCJobs
— IT World Canada (@itworldca) November 27, 2014
Q6. How can job seekers find out what the market rate for their salary should be?
If you want a raise in IT, think about basing your next proposal on more difficult metric than cost savings, like customer churn. #itwcjobs
— Shane Schick (@shaneschick) November 27, 2014
Two ways to get a raise — prove you saved company money, prove you made the company money.#ITWCJobs
— Italia Corigliano (@ibcorigliano) November 27, 2014
@itworldca Need to create a win/win for both company and candidate. There needs to be an honest exchange of information #ITWCJobs
— DeloitteJobsCA (@DeloitteJobsCA) November 27, 2014
.@DeloitteJobsCA I’ve heard of the job interview as being two-way – job seeker & company are interviewing each other for best fit #ITWCjobs
— Candice So (@candice_so) November 27, 2014
@AhmedHibah There is no one market rate for a job-Pay varies depending on company pay strategy & what employees bring to the table #ITWCjobs
— MercerTalent (@Mercer_Talent) November 27, 2014
A6.Mercer leads the way in publishing survey compensation data on IT jobs (partnering with Gartner http://t.co/BJF57LXZfB)#ITWCjobs
— MercerTalent (@Mercer_Talent) November 27, 2014
Q7. What are some of the mistakes job seekers make during interviews and negotiations?
.@itworldca The biggest job interview mistake for IT people is the same for most others — not knowing enough about the company. #ITWCJobs
— Shane Schick (@shaneschick) November 27, 2014
A7. Know your resume,have a value proposition on why you would be an asset, ask intelligent questions re co. & industry #ITWCjobs
— MercerTalent (@Mercer_Talent) November 27, 2014
A7. Lack of prep, not asking questions to show interest, not articulating your value proposition for the role #ITWCJobs
— DeloitteJobsCA (@DeloitteJobsCA) November 27, 2014
A7.Positive & credible story line on why you moved jobs over course of your career & dress the part ! #ITWCjobs
— MercerTalent (@Mercer_Talent) November 27, 2014
“What are you looking for salary wise?”. I’ve rejected jobs when employers didn’t have a clear range they would disclose. #ITWCJobs
— Jim Love (@CIOJimLove) November 27, 2014
A7. Here are 5 interview mistakes that are most off-putting to the interviewer http://t.co/ClsY2TDBnW #ITWCJobs
— Robert Half Canada (@RobertHalf_CAN) November 27, 2014
A7 – interview mistakes, your biggest mistake…#ITWCJobs pic.twitter.com/iC2pvVnXYF
— Mat Pancha (@mpancha) November 27, 2014
Q8. IT employees often expect a lot of perks or “total rewards” from their bosses. What are the ones they should be looking for?
A8.Having a good manager is important to every employee & having a flexible schedule is a popular perk in the IT sector #ITWCjobs
— MercerTalent (@Mercer_Talent) November 27, 2014
Worklife balance is key, as is flexibility. People don’t want to loose their lives for a job #ITWCJobs
— Marylka Empey (@MarylkaE) November 27, 2014
MT @JamesLiu_: Implement strong internal learning & development program; provide engaging material & encourage thought leadership #ITWCjobs
— Brian Jackson (@brianjjackson) November 27, 2014
Let’s not forget ensuring that Managers know how to manage and not dictate.#ITWCJobs
— Marylka Empey (@MarylkaE) November 27, 2014
People might resist changes to schedules, work location / off site, but this is where change management is key; highly overlooked!#ITWCJobs
— Marylka Empey (@MarylkaE) November 27, 2014
Here’s the next great job perk – a job with purpose and fulfillment. #ITWCJobs
— Jim Love (@CIOJimLove) November 27, 2014
Q9. What role does workplace diversity play in the IT industry? How can employers address this?
A9.Create working environment/organizational culture that fosters age diversity & encourages young women’s participation #ITWCjobs
— MercerTalent (@Mercer_Talent) November 27, 2014
@itworldca Good question ! Learn about Mercer’s research on diversity #whenwomenthrive #ITWCJobs http://t.co/Wtspw9bizg
— MercerTalent (@Mercer_Talent) November 27, 2014
A9.Employers can address diversity challenges by identifying metrics and then tracking progress against those metrics #ITWCjobs
— MercerTalent (@Mercer_Talent) November 27, 2014
A9. Diversity of thought brings different perspectives. A diverse group brings a more diverse way of thinking to a problem #ITWCJobs
— DeloitteJobsCA (@DeloitteJobsCA) November 27, 2014
A9. If your clients are diverse and used to working as a diverse group internally, they probably want the same from their vendors #ITWCJobs
— DeloitteJobsCA (@DeloitteJobsCA) November 27, 2014
Diversity has many aspects; also includes providing options for disabled who have able minds #ITWCJobs
— Marylka Empey (@MarylkaE) November 27, 2014
Movements like @LeanInCanada doing a good job of furthering education about workplace diversity #ITWCJobs
— Brian Jackson (@brianjjackson) November 27, 2014
@Mercer_Talent In TO, seeing ethnic diversity in IT/Tech. Not much gender diversity. Not sure about sexual orientation diversity? #ITWCJobs
— Cheryl Sylvester (@csylvester) November 27, 2014
We will have more women in tech when we figure out it might have something to do with the behaviour of the MEN in tech. #ITWCJobs
— Jim Love (@CIOJimLove) November 27, 2014
Q10. What are some strategies you’ve used personally in improving employee retention?
A10. Retention is not a program – begins and ends with the feeling that people get from work they do and people they work with #ITWCJobs
— DeloitteJobsCA (@DeloitteJobsCA) November 27, 2014
A10.Having a job isn’t all about money– companies need to communicate the entire employment package & educate employees #ITWCjobs
— MercerTalent (@Mercer_Talent) November 27, 2014
http://t.co/LhFOLLVzDo advancement, training,culture,work environment, flexibility & trad.benefits get lost-employees focus on $$ #ITWCjobs
— MercerTalent (@Mercer_Talent) November 27, 2014
If you treat employees like commodities, they will price themselves accordingly and charge what the market will bear. #ITWCJobs
— Jim Love (@CIOJimLove) November 27, 2014
The bottom line for me: I know plenty of #CIOs who would still recommend tech as a career choice. That’s saying something. #ITWCJobs
— Shane Schick (@shaneschick) November 27, 2014
Q11. In the next five years, how will hiring change in the IT sector?
A11. Open talent networks will likely gain traction. Moving away from purely traditional models of hiring to fill a specific role #ITWCJobs
— DeloitteJobsCA (@DeloitteJobsCA) November 27, 2014
Over the next five years hiring will be more project based, skills-specific, and less dependent on location. #ITWCJobs
— Brian Jackson (@brianjjackson) November 27, 2014
will see demand for security and governance professionals rise — but also for strategic/business skills combined with IT skills.#ITWCjobs
— Italia Corigliano (@ibcorigliano) November 27, 2014
A11.Enhanced data analytics. The Internet of Things data generation is expanding exponentially #ITWCjobs
— MercerTalent (@Mercer_Talent) November 27, 2014
