None, right?

Getting a new job is all about action. As in taking action. To help you energize your job search, take a look at the five tips below:

1) Take a meeting with yourself and clarify what skills you bring, what kind of work makes you happy and what it is you want to accomplish in your next job and/or career? This will help you focus your job hunt activities and it will help make it easier for you to a) find a job more quickly and b) be the candidate chosen for the job you want.

2) Reach out to others. Get the names and contact information of the people who can hire you in the companies in which you’d like to work. For example, if you’re looking to move into IT management, find out the name of the IT director at your target companies. You’ll also want to get names of the movers and shakers in  your industry in your region and see if you can meet with them for an informational meeting. These meetings can help you stay up-to-date regarding hiring trends and potential job openings.

3) Organize your search. You’ll want to have all your job search materials such as the aforementioned potential employers, contacts, etc., as well as copies of your résumé, cover letters and so on in one place. Get one or more binders and folders to organize your paperwork. Use one of the binders to keep track of your progress.

4) See if you can find yourself a mentor, someone you trust who can help you with your job search. This person should have more experience in your field than you do and should successful in his or her career. Your mentor should provide you honest feedback about your skills and your career goals, as well as offer you tips for you job search. If you can’t find a mentor, consider partnering with a friend who also is looking for work. You can become accountability partners with each other, reporting once a week on your progress from the week before and coming up with the future action steps.

5) Contact The Wellspring Group. If you’re looking for employment as an IT professionals, we want to hear from you! Contact us today.

To begin with,  those who found long-term career success looked for a job that was important to them, one that really mattered.  And then this pushed their thoughts to find ways to produce results, and then they acted on those thoughts.

Researchers stressed that finding what really mattered to people, finding real meaning in their work, was an essential first step to create and enduring impact.  Without the meaning, people might experience success for a while, but not for the long term.  It is the passion people have for their work, the importance or meaning they find in it, that sustains them when the going gets rough, when they encounter obstacles.

What the researchers learned is that no matter who you are, you are not going to experience lasting success if you are not doing what you really love.  If you don’t love what you do, you soon will be surpassed by those who do.  People who really care about what they do will outrun those whose heart really isn’t in the work.  To be competitive, you need to love what you do.

If you develop your knowledge and skills and love what you do, you are better prepared to take advantage of unexpected opportunities when they come along.  Moreover, having the passion for your job or career helps you overcome adversity.

When people love what they do, they don’t really think about success. When these people begin their jobs, what they focus on is being good at what is important to them.  When the right timing and situation develops, they get success.  But for these people, success does not mean what we usually define it as – power or wealth – but it means having an impact, an impact that will last. They define success as a commitment to something that matters.  And they don’t blame circumstances or anything else for failures they may encounter. They never see themselves as victims.

If you love working in the information technology sector, we want to hear from you! The Wellness Group can help you take your sought-after IT skills to some of the best companies in the country. Contact us today!

But two business authors have looked at luck, and have determined that there are certain qualities that help people make their own luck. They talked to people who considered themselves fortunate in life and tried to find qualities they had in common. They looked at people who were not only financially and socially well off, but also at people who had made significant contributions to society, people whose lives were characterized by creativity and self-fulfillment.

What they found is something that many already claim to know – we make our own luck.

There were five major qualities that these “lucky” people had in common.

The first was responsibility. Those who seem to have good luck are those who also accept responsibility for their actions. They understand that their actions have consequences and, if something goes wrong, they look at what they themselves have done that might have contributed to the problem, rather than casting about for someone else to blame.

If they have difficulties, they look at what actions they have taken that might have caused the difficulties, and what they can do to overcome them.

The second quality shared by so-called lucky people is a willingness to learn from their mistakes. They see their errors not as failures, but as an opportunities to learn.

Another shared quality of the lucky is perseverance. But it’s a perseverance coupled with an action-oriented mindset. These people get things done.. They don’t put things on a to-do list. They tackle a problem right away. They either solve a problem, delegate it — or forget about it.

Another important quality of people who make their own luck is confidence. They not only have confidence in themselves, but confidence in other people as well. It’s this confidence that helps them to persevere when things get tough. And it’s confidence that helps them to really picture their goals, to visualize their realization.

Finally, another quality of the lucky is the ability to cooperate. They are able to put their trust in others and to form a network of colleagues they can rely on.

Being lucky is a matter of attitude, the researchers said.  It is having an attitude that we create the conditions of our success.

Add The Wellspring Group to your “network of colleagues” on which you may rely. We can help IT professionals and companies needing top-notch IT talent connect with each other. Contact us today!

Here are some tips to help you find and hire the happy among your applicants.

1) Use pre-employment assessment tests. Yes, assessment tests exist that can help you determine how optimistic/happy an individual tends to be.

Tests exist that can measure an individual’s propensity to optimism or pessimism, how well someone reacts/copes when the pressure’s on, an individual’s stick-to-it-ness, etc.. These are all characteristics you will want to consider when searching for happy, productive employees.

2) As you interview job candidates, ask open-ended questions about how an applicant faced and handled problems in his or her work past. Take note of how the candidate focused on finding solutions (optimists tend to do this), or how he or she stayed mired in the problem at hand (signs of a pessimist).

You could ask candidates to tell you about the very worst things that ever happened to them on the job and then listen to how they answer — by looking at the situations as problems to be solved or as challenges beyond their control (blaming others for their circumstances).

3) Walk your own optimistic, happy talk. If managers are dour whiners, can a company really expect its employees to buck the trend? Your firm’s managers, executives and other leaders should aim to be a role model for subordinates. Focus on achieving goals and coming up with solutions when faced with challenges.

When looking for IT problem solvers, contact The Wellspring Group. We will find and place proven skilled and reliable information technology professionals with your firm on a temporary, temp-to-hire or direct-hire basis. We look forward to hearing from you!

Here are some tips to help you create effective job descriptions.

Tip 1: All job descriptions will have basically the same sections: the job title, the department, supervisor’s name and title, required qualifications, the essential functions of the job and anticipated results.

Tip 2: Use action verbs. As you flesh out the different functions of a position, be sure you begin each statement with an action verb (organize, supervise, repair, create, educate, etc.).

Tip 3: Be clear and specific. Stay away from the vague; this only serves to confuse you and job candidates. Aim to create a job description that is as specific as possible regarding what the successful job candidate will do on a day-to-day basis.

For example, instead of “must possess good communications skills,” aim for something along the lines of “must be comfortable communicating with all levels of company personnel, from executives to management to line workers. Or, instead of “heavy lifting,” write that “this position requires lifting up to 40 pounds at a time and maneuver on ladders and tight spaces.”

Tip 4: Make sure the job description includes the full scope of the position, which could include job duties that may have to be performed less frequently than others. The more comprehensive the job description, the better.

Tip 5: The job description must comply with the FLSA (Fair Labor Standards Act).

Tip 6: Understand that job descriptions change and evolve. Take a look at your job descriptions and review them to make sure they still describe the duties and tasks the people now in them actually do.

Tip 7: Understand the difference between tasks and qualifications. Remember that tasks are the things a person in a certain position does while qualifications are the skills, experience and credentials someone needs in order to be able to perform the tasks well and successfully.

Tip 8: As such, make sure that any licenses, credentials and/or academic degrees that you give as required for a position actually are needed in order to perform the job. In other words, the degrees, etc. you require should be essential to actually doing the job.

Tip 9: be careful to not create a position that no one could fill. Don’t be so strict on qualifications, requirements and tasks that you create a job that would could only be performed by the perfect person — such a job candidate doesn’t exist.

When looking for great IT professionals, look not further than The Wellspring Group. We can deliver customized staffing solutions to help you find the “good guys” in IT when you need them. Contact us today!

With this in mind, employers are well advised to roll out the red carpet when orienting new employees who are likely to be on edge when they report to work that first day. After all, new employees represent a substantial investment in the company’s future and should be handled accordingly.

Unfortunately, this is not always the case. Sometimes an orientation reflects one of two extremes – providing a minimum of guidance while expecting the new hire to perform from the get-go, or bombarding a new worker with reams of information that can quickly be forgotten. With some forethought, there are ways to make the orientation process more effective.

First, tailor the orientation to the particular individual, focusing on his or her specific needs. Consider a fresh college graduate reporting for his first meaningful job and someone with years of experience. Subjecting the experienced worker to the same detailed orientation as a college graduate might prove irritating as well as a waste of time. Not all new hires are exactly alike; the orientation process shouldn’t be either.

Involving the new worker’s supervisor in the orientation is also recommended. Don’t expect human resources to do everything. This helps to acquaint the individuals who will be working side by side quickly.

When possible, also involve a co-worker. It is likely a new hire will be more comfortable with a peer. This way he or she can interact on a less formal basis. This person can discuss the ebb and flow of the work environment, the do’s and don’ts of the work place, as well as other aspects of the job that are not covered in the formal orientation process.

It is also important to remember that people are not computers. Do not try to teach them every relevant piece of information in the shortest time span possible. Give new hires room to breathe and take in their new environment.

And don’t be afraid to have a new worker perform meaningful work on the first day, unless regulations prohibit it. This can instill a feeling of being a member of the team right away.
Remember, Rome was not built in a day. Give new hires room to feel comfortable in their new jobs. This is the time to show your new employees what a good company they have joined, while helping them learn all relevant information at a comfortable pace.

If you’re in the need for new IT professionals, contact The Wellspring Group. We will follow your needs and skills specifications and source and present to you the “top 3 talent”  — all you’ll have  to do is interview these highly qualified prospects and choose the one you believe is best. We look forward to hearing from you.

However, the problem is not with managing time, but with the way managers do their job, with their vision of what managing is.  Managers shouldn’t look at putting out fires as something separate from management, but as an integral part of it, as an opportunity to achieve their goals, to do the work of managing.

To do this, managers need to look at each situation with a discerning eye.  Before taking any action, they need to prepare, to first figure out what they plan to do and how they will do it and what their goal is.  Then they carry out their plan.  And last, they reflect on what they did and how events unfolded.  They reflect on what they learned from the experience and if there is anything they would do differently.

This is a simple and not too difficult process, but one that many overlook.  When a crisis looms, many managers just jump right in and make out strategy on the run.  They just want to get the problem out of the way and move on.

But by using the process of preparing, doing and reflecting, managers can make every event an opportunity to achieve some managerial goal, whether it is taking action toward a goal, developing the skills of workers or creating stronger relationships.

Every situation can be a means toward moving closer to a goal and using the process of preparing, doing and reflecting is a way of making it a means and giving it direction.  Without doing the preparation, even taking just a few minutes, before plunging into a crisis, managers won’t be able to figure out how it can be transformed into an opportunity.

If managers don’t preparation process, they will continue to be mired in a cycle of putting out fires and not managing.  But if they employ the process, they will be able to use their daily activities as management tools to move their employees and company ahead.

Prepare for your upcoming IT staffing needs by contacting The Wellspring Group. We have a great database of some of the top IT professionals in the country and we’d love to talk to you about how we can keep your IT department running well, no matter what the workflow. Contact us today!

Research supports the age-old adage, revealing that people who have particular kinds of networks are more successful.  They move up the ranks faster, earn more, find jobs more easily, and are generally thought to be model employees.

But the research also shows that, in this case, size does not matter.  In fact, it may do more harm than good.  Building up a huge network of connections is actually a drag on performance at work, and it negatively impacts health as well.

The secret of an effective network, according to researchers, is making connections to more isolated people.  This allows the person who is connected to get the jump on new ideas that have not yet made it into the mainstream, and to sniff out new opportunities better than others who are connected to the wrong kinds of networks.

This finding about the value not just of networking, but the right kind of networking, holds true for the social media world as well.  Facebook and Twitter have just as great a probability of hindering work as helping it, if they pull the worker into making more “connections” and away from other work.  Employees already are almost drowning in networking at work, with meetings, e-mails, and phone calls.
Recent research also has shown that the social media networks have w the same characteristics as those with personal, “offline” interactions.  Here too, it’s not the size of the network that counts but the isolation of the contacts.  In the study, the researchers looked at the number of website bookmarks and tags workers shared as a way of communicating new ideas and information.

They discovered that innovation was not related at all to the number of bookmarks a person looked at or even the number of people the person was connected to online.  The workers who were more creative didn’t have larger networks.  What they did have were connections to other employees who themselves had fewer contacts.

So, in looking at networks, you need to keep in mind to whom you are linking.  If the links are to people who are themselves busy networking a lot, you are not gaining much.  As in many things in life, it’s the quantity of connections, it’s the quality.

If you’re looking for a new IT position, one where the quality of your work is appreciated and rewarded, forward your résumé to one of The Wellspring Group’s recruiters. We have deep connections with companies across the country needing reliable and skilled IT professionals. We look forward to hearing from you.

About half of the companies surveyed did curtail travel, conference, seminars, and workshops budgets, but continued to widely use Web-based and other electronic forms of learning. In addition, companies focused more on “targeted learning,” in which courses cover less material but gear it more toward the specific needs of an employee.

In addition, the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas recently confirmed that the more knowledge-based education a worker has, the more he or she will earn in a lifetime.

Over a 40-year career, the report shows, those with a high school education will earn about $1.5 million, a college graduate will bring in $2.6 million, a master’s educated individual will earn $3 million, a doctorate degree will bring in $4 million, while a professional degree (physician, attorney) will help an individual earn $5.3 million in that time span.

Several economists believe that workers’ lifelong learning (in formal, school-based settings as well as in less-traditional settings, such as online), is critical to the United States’ economic growth. The good jobs will be available here, but only if we have the qualified workers to fill them.

Technology is important, of course, but it’s individual bran that truly counts. Continuous learning throughout a lifetime means better living standards and more opportunity.

If you’re an IT professional looking for your next opportunity, contact a recruiter at The Wellspring Group. We look forward to learning more about your career goals!

A recent study researched the policies of companies in 173 countries regarding their employees with families, using information from a variety of sources, such as academic, private and government.

When it comes to right-to-work policies and programs that help reduce poverty in  the elderly, U.S. firms came out ahead. But when compared to how well U.S. firms aid their workers in their life away from the office or plant, America’s companies lagged.

The study found that most of the countries offer paid leave to women on maternity leave. As for the U.S.? We’re one of only five that don’t offer paid leave (the others are Sawziland, Liberia, Lesotho, and Papua New Guinea). In addition, 65 countries provide fathers with paid paternity leave. The U.S.? No.

Out of the countries surveyed, one-quarter have regulations allowing employees to take leave for marriage or funerals. In addition, 145 countries have laws on the books that allow workers to take paid sick leave, with about 80 countries offering paid sick l eave benefits for up to 26 weeks. In the U.S.? The Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) does give unpaid leave for workers dealing with severe illness, yet FMLA doesn’t apply to all employees.

Study results are important, said the researchers, because of these programs’ — or  lack of the programs — effect on children. Giving workers paid leave to have a child or raise their family improves the health of children because parents are available to care for and bond with them. Paid leave also helps a family keep its finances healthy.

Employers also benefit, researchers said, because paid leave and other family-friendly benefits result in high employee morale, lower turnover and higher productivity.

Contact us at The Wellspring Group to learn more about management best practices, such as helping your employees better balance their work and home lives. We look forward to hearing from you.