Twin Cities Non Profits Should Enter The Extreme Technology Makeover Contest

I was just forwarded this from a woman who is now volunteering at a local nonprofit after seeing a post on the MN Headhunter Volunteer Page (another of the many success stories). Her nonprofit is not eligible for the contest and she suggested that I get the word out.

   

NOTE, this is time sensitive. Applications are due February 28. Yes, that’s less than 36 hours from now but I hear the application is very simple to fill out.

   

Success Computer Consulting is partnering up with Microsoft, IBM and Lenovo in the Extreme Technology Makeover Contest. The winner receives a computer network, service and support that values $25,000. There are also prizes for 5 runners-up.

   

I have very little information about this other than the nonprofit must:

-be within 30 miles of downtown Minneapolis

-have at least 10 computers in the network

-not be using Microsoft Small Business Server 2003

-not be using Microsoft SharePoint Services

   

For more information, questions, and the application contact Laurie Sanders, lauries@sccnet.com.

   

FYI, Success Computer Consulting has an open position on their web site for a Network Engineer.

Minnesota Morning

Three weeks since my last Minnesota Morning entry and this one comes in the evening. I am a little slow today and I could have two excuses to use.

   

The first, I could say that the comment on the last entry left by Steven Rothberg scarred me. It was a cold day right before that very cold weekend and I asked if it could get any colder. Steven said:

“It isn’t really cold until your spit bounces. That’s Winnipeg cold.”

I can just imagine him as a young guy cruising the streets of Winnipeg making slick spots on the sidewalks.

   

Or I could go with this one I found yesterday at Charisma18, Short bursts of All or Nothing:

One of my behavior disorders took over this weekend. I have what’s known as Short-Term One-Track Mind with Unexpected Bursts of All or Nothing (STOM-UBAN.) I’m not sure if it’s the exact opposite of ADHD or just a variant, mainly because I just now made it up.

Huh, this is less than of an excuse and more of a reality for me. I used to think mine was more like ADD/OCD.

   

Aaron, please sign me up for the support group.

   

I’m sorry, was I doing something? Oh yeah…

 

This is a short edition and mostly being done so you all know that yes I am alive, that I did not freeze three weeks ago or have my snow cave fall in on me over the weekend. Actually, I was home from Friday afternoon until late in the day yesterday. I was getting claustrophobic so I came in to the office for a few hours.

   

I was talking to a friend last night and her 3-year old daughter wanted to speak with “Uncle Paul”. She has never seen snow in person and wanted me to describe what it was like to have it fall on my head.

   

My analogies were not making sense to her so I had her go to the freezer, grab a few ice cubes, had her give them to her mother, had mom “shave” some of the ice with a knife, and asked her to drop them on her daughters head.

   

All I heard was a loud giggling sound. I think it worked. And then we made up a new rhyme.

   

Remember the one about the woodchuck chucking wood?

   

We went with this, “How much snow could a snowplow plow if a snowplow could plow snow?”

This evening I will do a few posts that should have been done the past few weeks including my take on the event at the University of Minnesota headlined by Guy Kawasaki. Click How to Change the World to see his blog.

   

After my “Power Player” appearance in the August edition of Minnesota Business, see “Web Master” on page 48, I had a lot of email inquiries regarding the article. One of the questions I was asked more than others was “Who are the new tech companies in the Twin Cities?”

   

I will be doing a post(s) that highlight articles from the local business magazines articles on some of these new companies. I will also include ones relating to human resources, recruiting, and other items of interest.

   

Unfortunately the only way to see the articles is to have the magazines or pay for the content online. The local guys have not found a revenue model for their web sites yet so pay for content it is. I will at least point out the article, page, a sentence or two and a link to the highlighted company web site.

   

So much for a short edition, unexpected busts of all or nothing…

IT Volunteer Opportunities And Jobs With NonProfits

The following new volunteer opportunities and technology jobs have been added on the MN Headhunter Volunteer Page:

   

Web Designer or Webmaster – Volunteer

Technology Volunteer - Computer Confidence – Volunteer

PC Geek – Volunteer

Email Mentor – Volunteer

Computer Wizard – Volunteer

Computer Trainer – Volunteer

Data Analyst – Full Time

Database Administrator – Full Time

Programmer/Analyst – Full Time

System Administrator – Full Time

Database Analyst/Programmer – Full Time

Technology Project Manager – Contract

Click weekly newsletter to receive the Wednesday message of nonprofit needs, IT jobs I am recruiting for, recruiting jobs, and most popular blog posts of the week.

   

If you are using a RSS Feed click Volunteer.

Nerd Search IT Jobs Posted, Minneapolis And St. Paul

 

Full Time IT Job

 

This position has been filled.

Click Minnesota IT Jobs  for more jobs & Minnesota Headhunter  for most recent blog posts. 

Paul DeBettignies
VP Recruiting
HireCast Consulting, LLC 
paul@hirecastconsulting.com   
 

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Check out HireCast Consulting:

Boston Scientific Gives Layoff Notices

UPDATED October 19^th 2007:
The post below is from February 16^th, 2007. Click Boston Scientific To Lay Off 2,300 In Second Round This Year for the most recent lay offs.

Layoffs at Boston Scientific were announced yesterday. The original estimate was up to 600 and that is the number the Business Journal is going with Boston Scientific cuts MN jobs. But this article in today’s St. Paul Pioneer Press Boston Scientific begins local layoffs has slightly lower numbers. From what I heard the St. Paul paper is more accurate.

60 days pay and any cash earned from the Guidant sale will help these soon to be former employees but being held to the non-compete sucks. No other way to say it.

The local med tech community is doing well and should help absorb most of those affected.

Technorati Tags: Boston Scientific, Lay offs

MN Headhunter Updates LinkedIn And MySpace Profiles, Finds Cool New Widget

While most everyone I know was out having fun Saturday night I was home updating my LinkedIn and MySpace profiles. A very exciting evening for this recruiter. Yeah, right.

   

While on the TypePad site I came across this new entry on their blog, Turn your own blog into a Widget. I went to the Widgetbox site and created a blidget, turns your blog into a widget, for both my MN Headhunter and Gopher The Roses blogs.

   

The process was easy and I have already put it to use. Widgetbox has it set up so you can take your blidget and add it to your MySpace page.

   

I am guessing that the Widgetbox site has been around for a while now and I am one of the last bloggers to find it but hey, better late than never.

   

So if you go to my MN Headhunter profile on MySpace you will see a feed of both the MN Headhunter blog and the Gopher The Roses blog.

   

This is a cool little tool. I will be adding the MN Headhunter blidget to the Gopher The Roses blog too.

   

While not the most glamorous Saturday night I have ever spent it certainly did end up being productive.

Find Your Next Recruiting Job Here

The following new Recruiting Gigs have been added on the MN Headhunter Recruiting Gigs Page:

   

PPC Staffing Representative – Pearson VUE

Technical Recruiter – Kelly Mitchell Group, Inc.

Recruiter, Employment Analyst – MTS Systems Corporation

Recruitment Manager – Room & Board

   

   

Click weekly newsletter to receive the Wednesday message of nonprofit needs, IT jobs I am recruiting for, recruiting gigs, and most popular blog posts of the week.

   

If you are using a RSS Feed click Recruiting Gigs.

Traditional Search Firms Are Going To Be Extinct, Whatever

I really like when new ideas come around and universal statements are made that the cool new thing is going to do away with the “old” way.

   

Hyrian brings new unit to Twin Cities, grows in niche market:

A primary difference between Hyrian and traditional search firms is in the way it gets paid. Most firms are paid between 20 and 30 percent of a new hire's salary, and only when the position is actually filled. Hyrian charges a flat fee, tiered according to the complexity of the hiring process for each position. It gets paid for the candidate search, even if a client decides to scrap the position.

   

For example, a search firm would normally charge a fee of between $15,000 and $22,500 for a successful placement of a $75,000-a-year salaried senior accountant. Hyrian's fee would be $3,900.

Great, so they are less expensive than the traditional search firm. What I want to know is:

   

-What is the quality of candidates found?

-Through what means are they finding them?

-Will they be able to hire enough top-notch recruiters who want to work in this system?

-With a smaller fee will they be able to spend the 10, 20, 40 hours needed to find the difficult candidates or will they only be going after the easy to find ones also known as the low hanging fruit?

   

From what I have heard Hyrian is a good company. I respect them and I want to be clear about that.

   

But I remember getting in the business in 1998 and shortly there after hearing how Monster.com, the Internet, web sites and email were going to allow candidates direct access to hiring managers. That the recruiting industry as it was then was going to go away like the dinosaurs.

   

Here is a comment similar to my experience in the article:

Web sites like Monster.com, CareerBuider and other, even cheaper technologies have made it easier to find job candidates, and for candidates to find jobs, she said.

It is worth noting that the person quoted in the article that I have cited here is not a representative of Hyrian.

   

That last line I have an issue with. If it is easier to find candidates then why is Hyrian or any search firm in business? I would think employers could do this on their own and not need any assistance. Candidates should be knocking down the doors of employers and their security guards with tazers and batons trying to control the horde.

   

That is just not the case. New tools have not necessarily made finding the best or the right candidates any easier. Matching candidates to open jobs is still an art no matter how much new technologies try to make it into a science.

   

OK. I vented enough here.

   

Like the crocodile I and many of my colleagues will continue to adapt and will survive just fine.

   

I welcome the competition. Thanks for the motivation. Let’s get it on…

Tony Dungy To Speak At Annual Alumni Association Event

Indianapolis Colts Head Coach and University of Minnesota alum Tony Dungy is the keynote speaker at the University of Minnesota Alumni Association annual event on May 8.

   

Here is the link to the event, Super Bowl Winner Tony Dungy Headlines 2007 Annual Celebration. Tickets go on sale February 22.

   

This is open to the public. Scroll down their page to see ticket prices.

   

Coach Dungy had already been confirmed prior to the Super Bowl victory. He is a great speaker and I like many, many others are looking forward to this event.

Getting A Second Life

The more I read about Second Life the more I want to spend some time on it. The thing is, I am having enough issues with the real one I have. Is creating a second one an escape like a hobby or a diversion from what should be working on? Don't know yet.

   

While I am thinking out loud, I already have a couple of projects I have started and not yet finished that are closer to my heart and more likely to benefit me in some ways with the business life.

   

Julian at EXCELER8ion has Second Life starts cranking out jobs. It is the recruiting potential that has me interested in this, not so much the make believe place where I can have x-ray vision.

   

Any volunteers to help me get started with a Second Life identity? If so, I would be willing to give you some blog love.