Economic pressures have hit every industry, including IT, and wages are down. In its annual salary guide, Robert Half Technology lays out in detail the changes in salary for 70 job titles, and compares 2009 with the coming year.

Here is a list of those job titles most affected on average by declining wages: http://www.eweek.com/c/a/IT-Management/16-IT-Job-Titles-That-Saw-Salary-Slashes-in-2009-651239

But don’t despair! There are jobs expected to grow in demand in 2010.

Robert Half Technology says the following IT positions are in demand for 2010:

• Applications developer and web developer: Maximizing the effectiveness of critical applications is key in any economic environment, but especially when the organization is looking for every way possible to control costs and increase efficiencies. Companies of all sizes rely on developers to create and improve applications that help them acquire new customers, interact internally and perform other key functions. Professionals well-versed in interactive web functionality and social media are in especially high demand.
• Database developer: One of the key areas in which employers are looking for cost savings is database management. They seek database developers, especially those with SQL skills, who can create and maintain more powerful, cost-efficient ways to use information.
• Network administrator: More complex and demanding networks have increased the need for skilled network administrators. Those versed in cloud computing, Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) and Software as a Service (SaaS) are particularly sought-after.
• Help desk/desktop support technician: Providing support to customers and end users remains indispensable. Relatively high turnover rates also contribute to an ongoing need for skilled support personnel. When growth and sales pick up, demand for support staff may quickly accelerate. Some firms are relying on project professionals to meet acute support needs.

Learn more about salaries that you can expect and about opportunities in IT at Robert Half Technology: http://www.roberthalftechnology.com/SalaryCenter

São Paulo, 27 de novembro de 2009

Existem algumas coisas que por mais que nos pareçam simples, fazem uma grande diferença no relacionamento que temos com nossos clientes, parceiros, colegas e até mesmo nos nossos círculos pessoais. Por vezes, são tão sutis, que nem mesmo percebemos os pequenos desvios que elas trazem e os grandes problemas que causam.

Para o post de hoje, quero falar com vocês sobre o “não”. Uma grande quantidade das encrencas que vejo, partem da dificuldade que temos para falar não, quando necessário. E não entenda esse “não” como a negação absoluta, pois ele se disfarça em milhares de formas tentando confundir ou convencer sobre algo que não necessariamente é verdade. Querem ver um exemplo?

O responsável por um projeto, após desenhá-lo com muita cautela e preocupando-se com mínimos detalhes, vai apresentar o produto para a diretoria. Ele sabe que o tempo que estimou está adequado às atividades necessárias, assim como o orçamento, mas quando seus superiores questionam com veemência tempo e custo, imediatamente, e sem critério algum, o dono daquele projeto fantástico cede. Ele não fala o “não” que deveria.

Isso pode, e na maioria das vezes acontece, por falta de argumentos ou alternativas. Mas acontece, e não deveria. Se vocês acham que estou exagerando, no Brasil, apenas 25% dos projetos de TI são entregues dentro do prazo e 45% dentro do orçamento inicial. Não vou discutir agora, as tantas variáveis envolvidas, mas chamo a atenção para a existência do problema.

Outra máscara comum do “não” é o “eu te atendo em cinco minutinhos…”. A gente sabe que não vai atender, mas com medo de falar “não” criamos um tempo que nem sabemos de onde veio. E os nossos processos, e assim, nossos processos, metas e estrutura são arruinadas sem percebermos que o inimigo era algo tão simples, como um “não” que deveria ter sido dito no momento correto.

Vamos fazer outro exercício? Vá até uma fábrica de carros e peça para que uma deles seja produzido em metade do tempo. Eles certamente vão dizer que não, porque existem negociações e técnicas para construir um carro no menos tempo possível. Então peça para eles tirarem uma ou duas peças do carro, como os faróis ou os bancos, para agilizar o processo. Novamente ouvirá um “não”, porque os critérios de qualidade devem ser seguidos para um produto perfeito. Sei que o carro é algo tangível, diferente dos serviços, mas pense no processo. Uma cultura foi criada para que ele fosse beneficiado e reconhecido por todos. Então, por que não podemos fazer o mesmo?

Negar qualquer coisa, não é uma tarefa fácil, mas deve ser pensada com carinho, pois senão, seremos os agentes que impedem a mudança cultural que tanto queremos. Se temos a intenção de sermos reconhecidos pelos nossos méritos e ter nosso valor claro para todos os stakeholders, está na hora de começarmos a seguir linhas administrativas e exatas de relacionamento, e treinar o “não” deve estar entre nossas metas. Querem saber como fazer?

Tenha sempre em mente o bem da empresa. Conheça profundamente todos os aspectos que envolvem sua área e seus relacionamentos com as metas do negócio. Tente tratar todos os conflitos compreendendo o ponto de vista dos seus colegas. Tenha alternativas documentadas para tudo que apresentar, elas deverão ser usadas para as inevitáveis negociações. Busque acordos formais, pois eles são a base para administração das expectativas, lembre-se que nunca é pessoal, tenha argumentos prontos e baseados em políticas ou acordos, administre detalhadamente o seu orçamento e lembre-se que sua performance está sendo avaliada pela sua capacidade de gerar oportunidades para o negócio.

Não é fácil, mas dá para fazer, e dizer “não” será menos doloroso!

Um grande abraço a todos

Quem era adolescente nos anos 90 sem duvida se apaixonou por esse filme. Acho que ele que me fez ter aquele desejo louco de morar em Londres. Tenho aqui em dvd, roubei de um amigo uns qse 3 anos atras (e to fazendo a egipcia nele ate hj).
E sabe como é, decada que vem, the 90’s are back, enton, vamo todo mundo fica toda trabalhada no trainspotting!!
beijas.

This is fantastic and so true!

Looking back on the previous year I realized that the travel world has changed me.

After decades of showing up 1 hour before my flight (and that’s for international flights, mind you) now I end up showing up so early – I have 2 hours at the gate.

I credit that to ElAl.

A good friend of mine showed up 2+ hours before his flight to Madrid and made it to check in with plenty of time to spare. Unfortunately for him, the flight was overbooked. Rather than bump a happy bumpee, they dug up the fine print and informed my friend that he did not show up on time. Don’t worry – the story has a happy ending.

For ElAl. Not for my friend, who was shipped to Barcelona and had to find his own way to Madrid. Cost – 1/2 day of vacation and at least $500. So, now I get there 3 hours before the flight. I am a changed man.

Second big change was reported in the New York Times.

Not about me, personally, but about the average traveller is ditching the web and booking flights through their travel agent. For the first time, I called a travel agent and had them do all the work. Changed flights ten times, paid later, speak to a human – it was all new for me and quite refreshing. (Kind of like my 8 year old kid discovering the VCR – you just put the tape in and press play. What a great idea! No menu! No scratched disk! No Estonian subtitles! – Just play the movie.) I actually had a good travel agent honest enough to tell me if I could get it cheaper online. But, I must admit that I still enjoy using the Western Union hold from time to time in online bookings.

And of course, if you need to decide where to do your Hannukah shopping on Long Island – at Roosevelt Field Mall or at Smithhaven Mall – you need the web. Or for conditions at Mt Baldy Ski Resort. If you just like reading blogs – try this travel blog and this vacation blog.

I guess this is a good place to introduce my readers to Josh Herst – blogger and Web entrepreneur, founder of TripHub. For our Canadian readers – check out this post with a rabbi’s experiences in the Canadian tundra (that’s a bit north of Hampstead, eh?).

• Restaurants Blog
• Shopping Blog
• Lloyd Center Mall Portland
• Pearlridge Shopping Center
• Potomac Mills Outlet Mall

I’ve heard many comments from individuals summing up their ‘NEXUS ECM Experience’ over the past week following the show’s November 2nd close.  From my perspective, the tweets and blogs captured the momentum and attendance at the show was greater than last year.  I think this is because the quality and value of the show in general was up.  Attendees this year definitely had an agenda, and most were actively seeking solutions, as compared to years passed.  The companies that will be on top when the economy turns will be those who have a strong ECM foundation for business processes.  It was encouraging to see the excitement and drive to get back to work and start retooling for a more efficient future.   If you missed out this year, make sure to register for Nexus 2010 and lock in the reduced rate of $195! Use code NEXUS10SPL

Leigh Woody

Program Manager

ImageSource, Inc.

Sério gente é uma inundação de gente bizarra me adicionando em orkut, msn e até no facebook que eu me mantenho super low profile aparece uns trastes me adicionando.
Se eu quisesse desesperadamente fazer amigos e arrumar um namorado eu ligava no chat line!
ODEIO gente desesperada.
Tenho umas amigas que chega dia dos namorados/final de ano elas tão saindo atécom neguinho caolho, manco e banguela só pra não ficarem sozinhas.
Tô fazendo a egipcia nesse povo!

Cliche customer service phone crap

Another day in the ecommerce salt mines, another noteworthy customer phone call:

Customer: You know that product that <description of product goes here>?

Me: Yes, I have heard of those. Unfortunately we don’t sell them.

Customer: <yelling> I DIDN’T ASK YOU THAT!!! I’ve got one and I need to know if it will damage <this other thing we don’t sell> after I install it.

Whoa! Wait one second here! What facts have we gleaned about the customer and the phone call based on what we’ve heard so far?

1. He is not our customer.
2. He didn’t buy the widget from our company.
3. He is extremely rude.
4. He wants us to provide free help desk technical support for something he bought from our competitor.

I hate him. Who in the name of Zeus’ butthole does he think he is? (Props to The Rock.) Please dear Lord take him from us and send him immediately to HELL!

Because they’re so important to us and to our creating a positive experience for our customers, we’ll let a few members of our staff introduce themselves. Today we’d like to introduce HelpDesk Technician Gerald “Lil’ Stinker” Zepaldi  (Swellco & Swellco 24543b)

Oh, Gerald. Not again!

Gerald “lil’ stinker” Zepaldi is a HelpDesk Technician for Swellco & Swellco. In this position, he is responsible for troubleshooting customers’ personal questions over the telephone or in person. Gerald enjoys working with people and has a background with phone sex which assists him in his role at Swellco & Swellco. Gerald obtained his Associates Degree in Network Systems Administration from DeVry University in Colorado Springs. Prior to that, Gerald worked as a greeter at Target for 6 years where he never once was late or missed a day of work. A Jersey City native, Gerald is a self-professed foot fetishist and also enjoys rollerblading and spending time indoors.

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Genty bota+ sapato mocassim (ou moccasin?)+ franjas+ tachas

Maldita hora que larguei meus coturnos em Londres.

To assistindo um clipe da byonssi aqui. Impressioante como ela conseguiu ficar branca, loira de cabelo liso e com uma cinturinha fininha (que que houve com o quadril dela?). Acho que essa foi a causa mortis do Michael Jackson. Ela conseguiu tudo que ele tentou por 40 anos.

I was chatting with Sophia Marchi, the director of sales for the Americas for BÖWE BELL + HOWELL Scanners at our recent Nexus event. She had just delivered a great break-out on scanner selection criteria and we started talking about how the users need to have input on scanner selection – they really know what they like and what works for them. Often, these aren’t the people consulted when purchase decisions are made, and it’s a shame. She related how at FedEx, there were 13 identical scanners deployed, and the staff had names them all – Annabelle, Karina, Chloe, Hannah, and so forth. Workers bonded with their machines, and would line up for their favorite – even to the point of coming in early to get their machine. Or switching to it the second in came available. Well what’s the attraction — they are all the same machines, right? Then I recalled my brother and I had the same Schwinn 2 speed bikes as kids, then in college we bought the exact same motorcycles (I stuck to silver, he to purple). 3K miles down the road, I’d borrow his bike. Felt a bit funny, compared to mine with the same mileage. Fast forward to when we had put over 45K miles – what a difference. Rider habits with braking, acceleration, maintenance, even storage – added up to make these bikes ride with distinct differences. I do remember mine being faster – I guess my throttle was used to more demands. It’s the same story with scanners. Properly maintained scanners – the ones that are doted on and listened to carefully – are bound to last longer with fewer unexpected breakdowns. Sophia learned from the users that with their favorite scanners, the operators can hear roller wear, hear double feeds, even hear the need for a cleaning. Scanning shops that listen to their operators, allowing them to use a particular machine when possible, and reward regular maintenance and cleaning will outperform shops that neglect these steps.

Peter Lang
ImageSource, Inc.

Basta saber se o pai da criança é o McSteamy (ê lá em casa) ou Kari Ann Peniche. Acho que todo mundo se lembra da tal threesome que rolou uns meses atras.(um tanto qto sem graça esse video btw, ouvi falar tanto que eu tava expecting so much more!)

né?

As vets of the military and the IT industry, business partners Dale Walls and Duane Wagner are used to counting on their wits and training the fight even the most difficult challenges. But when they decided to start offering managed services as an element of Corsica Technologies’ price to small and midsize companies ( SMBs ), home users and state agencies, the seasoned solution supplier faced two hurdles. The first hurdle centred on the easiest way to make the transition successfully to managed services, the second was how to educate customers and prospects about the value of managed services.
Clients wished to lower the risk and expenses related to down-time and break-fix services, he adds, and the Company tried to create a steady stream of revenue from offering managed services that help to stop computer crashes, network outages and virus-based eradication.
‘We couldn’t get our arms around the way to add managed services to our business offerings,’ recalls Walls.

They never called us back. We already had the managed services idea in our mind, but could not conceptualize how we were going to do it.’ N-able’s managed services experience makes the dierence That frustration ended when Walls was approached by N-able. Aware of N-able’s 1-rated N-central network and systems management software, Walls quickly became impressed by the business, sales and selling resources available to his company as an N-able partner. ‘N-able needed to help us create a managed services practice. They were never out to just sell a piece of software,’ he is saying. ‘Without N-able giving us the education and the steerage to build a managed services practice, we most likely would not have gotten it done.’ Not only did N-able demonstrate its solutions first-hand, but it also educated the Company on successful sales strategies that targeted on a client’s ROI and improved budget planning.
‘Clients like knowing how much their bill will be each month – and we like knowing how much we are going to invoice each. With N-central, we’re able to resolve issues before they become issues and deliver even more value to our customers by suggesting upgrades or changes based primarily on hard performance data.’ N-able in addition has helped the Company set up a true services help desk, further reinforcing its buyer support and satisfaction.
High-margin managed services cash rises Before it deployed N-central, the Company generated less than 5 % of its total income from maintenance business. Today, upkeep – or managed services – totals 35 percent of revenue and it continues to grow, says Walls, adding that margins on these services range from 40 to 65 percent per contract.

These exclusive business, sales and technology-focused tools and resources seriously cut down the time it takes for N-able’s partners to introduce managed services into their services portfolios.
‘We did not have time to take a seat and draft contracts, within sales sheets or managed service proposals,’ asserts Walls. The web sales and marketing resources are extremely quick and simple to customise and adjust to meet the needs of our company and buyers. It gave us a great early lead and just having the foundation, the concepts, document templates and calculators was a godsend.’ As a consequence of the in depth capabilities of N-able’s software platform and business development resources, Walls asserts the company unearths that little customization is required to support its whole range of clients. ‘What we’ve looked to do is run our service offerings as a virtual IT dep. and homogenize our clients’ gear, our deployment and support systems to make it simpler to scale. N-able has permitted us to easily attain and build on that goal.’.

Genty eu to MUITO atrasada com esse blog EU SEI. Tenho um monte de coisa pra postar de NY (desde agosto) e não consigo parar p organizar as minhas fotos, ae tenho umas fotinhos da VAI! (ainda nao consigo chamar de FUI!) de Halloween, e do fds passado tenho adendos p fazer sobre o Planeta Terra e sobre o incrivel ballet Preljocaj (com fotos! Eba)
Juro que eu vou tentar me organizar, essa semana comecei uma fase nova de arrumar a minha vida. Desentulhei meus armarios da sala (não aguento mais rolo de tecido pela casa inteira!) joguei 5 sacos ENORMES de lixo p reciclagem. Quando eu tava na facul eu precisava guardar revistas p recortar, entao guardava as gringas (ainda guardo) e fazia uma coleção de vogue brasil e elle p recortar. Achei Vogue de 2001, que diabos vou fazer com aquilo? Sei que eu deixei essa semana p reciclagem mais do que eu deixei minha vida inteira! Enfim, estou me organizando, mas tá dificil p eu arrumar tempo p fazer tudo que eu preciso. é dificil trabalhar p gnt mesmo, as vzs eu super me desintendo da minha chefe! Mas enfim… é isso… sorry!

Um amigo que mora em Londres pediu p eu explicar o que aconteceu, ae mandei p ele no fb tudo aquilo que já contei p vcs ali embaixo e continuei…
BLA BLA BLA No meu predio tinha gerador resolvemos subir e ficamos por aqui gritando na varanda (eu poderia virar cet) e vendo o caos se instalando enquanto pessoas viravam na contra mão, gritavam nas ruas, saiam correndo… barulhos de batida de carro na Avenida, foi qse poetico na verdade, e as luzes do gerador se acabando nos predios, cada vz mais um ponto de luz se apagava…
E um clarão se abria no céu, sentido sul, pegou fogo numa petroquimica perto de sao berrrrnarrrrdo.

Tenho uma amiga que morava ate mes passado num ap na Paulista. Do lado do Hospital Santa Catarina e de frente para a Casa das Rosas, eu costumava ir lá namorar a vista da Paulista, parecia vista de filme que se passa na Park Av. ou sei lá aonde. Ela acabou de juntar as escovas de dentes e não conseguiu ver nada, mas disse que o pai dela nunca viu a Paulista daquele jeito, um breu absoluto. Foi o único dia que São Paulo dormiu.

 São Paulo, 09 de novembro de 2009

Usando a colaboração do meu grande amigo Ricardo Mansur, a missão deve responder em poucas linhas “o que faz”, “porque faz”, “para quem faz”, “quando faz” e “como faz”. A visão segundo James C. Collins e Jerry I. Porras deve mostrar os valores que são imutáveis e variáveis, estabelece supermetas de longo prazo 10 a 30 anos e define o que fazer quando estas supermetas forem atingidas. Portanto a visão é dividida em ideologia central e visualização do futuro. A ideologia central define o caráter permanente da organização e é subdividida em valores básicos e finalidade básica. Os valores básicos devem resistir ao teste do tempo e são independentes do ambiente, necessidades competitivas ou modismos gerenciais. A finalidade básica é a razão de existir da empresa, ela reflete as motivações das pessoas para trabalhar.

 Com esse conceito, o grupo de avaliação do HDI, escolheu como melhor trabalho:

 ALFREDO DE SOUZA JUNIOR

 Parabéns e aguarde o contato da Debora para detalhes sobre seu prêmio.

 O trabalho:

 Visão: Ser um Centro de Suporte Motivado e Reconhecido:
- pela companhia: como a voz do usuário dentro da unidade de TI
- por TI: como integrador e facilitador das áreas de solução internas.
- pelo negócio: como agente fundamental da manutenção, crescimento e melhoria dos processos fundamentais de negócio

 Missão: Acompanhar e participar das estratégias da companhia; ter definidos com o negócio da empresa, serviços e metas claras equilibrando benefício do serviço e custo do mesmo; investir assertivamente em seus profissionais, processos,ferramentas e boas práticas; conhecer, divulgar e tomar ações sobre: atingimento e revisão de metas, tendências, satisfação e percepção de usuários, negócio e outas áreas de TI.

 Um grande abraço a todos

Jhilam Nandi, Head of India Sales and Marketing, informs a curious visitor at the booth about the various tools offered.

Dear Kovair Friends,

I’m posting this blog from the Kovair Kolkata office where I am spending the week with our Product Development group. The content of this blog, however, focuses on my visit to Bangalore last week where Kovair participated in the SPM-ICON event from October 29-30, focusing on IT Project Management. Kovair participated as the Gold sponsor of the event along with Microsoft as the Platinum sponsor and IBM as the Event sponsor.  As you can see by the names, we were in very good company and received great reception and recognition! This was the 5th annual event and we participated for the first time. This was also our first major marketing event in India where we started focusing on since Spring 2009.

Kovair CEO and Chairman Bipin Shah (myself, right) gives one of three cash prizes to an ecstatic winner.

The first day of the event primarily comprised of tutorial sessions where we networked and conducted a quiz on ALM and ITSM and gave out cash prizes to three winners. On Day 2, we had some very interesting sessions with a keynote address by Bob Hoekstra, former CEO of Phillips and a well-known face in Bangalore based on his past there. The day’s sessions were managed by individuals from some major IT companies in Bangalore such as Program and Project Management from Wipro, Challenges of Managing Projects to Improve Efficiency by HCL, Managing Software Product Portfolio with Real Insights & Real Metrics by IBM Rational and Managing Changes by Infosys. Kovair was provided with a vendor speaking slot where we presented the “Kovair Value Proposition for IT Projects and Service Management.”

Colonel Ravindranath shares his experience at the conference.

For those who wanted to hear something about project management from a non-IT perspective, there was an excellent and somewhat emotionally charged presentation by Colonel Ravindranath from the Indian army where he described the Project Management aspects of recapturing the Tololing peak by his battalion during the Kargil war between India and Pakistan a few years ago at an elevation of over 16,000 feet! The project included many details of planning, communicating, training, rehearsing and logistical planning, including the manual lifting of ammunition at night by couple of hundred soldiers and support personnel for over a week without the enemy realizing what was happening in the darkness of the night! While it was interesting from a planning and execution perspective, it was very sad to hear about the casualties of such an undertaking and realizing the tragic part of any war and how it affects the people and their families who get sacrificed in any such conflict!

Our booth drew several people and it was interesting for this writer to see the Bangalore IT crowd in action with attendees from the “who is who” of IT companies in India such as IBM (yes, you can also call it an Indian IT company with an employee count of 50,000 in India), Infosys, Wipro, Cognizant, HCL, Mindtree and many others!

For further details and to view presentations and/or download the Kovair presentation, please visit http://www.qsitglobal.com/spm-icon-2009/.

On another note, I would like to mention that Kovair is in the process of signing up two VARs in the Bangalore area — Vedasoft and GenXT so that we can better serve our customers in the India market – particularly in the Bangalore area with it’s large presence of both Indian and Global IT and Technology companies.

Thanks for reading this and I hope you will visit the Kovair website at www.kovair.com for other information and updates!

Sincerely,

Bipin Shah
CEO and Chairman

São Paulo, 04 de novembro de 2009

Caros amigos,

No post “Gestão Orientada” eu fiz um desafio a vocês. Criar uma declaração de visão e uma de missão para um centro de suporte campeão. Recebi ótimos trabalhos, que podem ser vistos nos comentários do post, e agora gostaria de reforçar o convite.

O vencedor será conhecido no dia 06 de novembro, e receberá uma vaga inteiramente grátis para um treinamento muito legal, trata-se do CAS – Catálogo de serviço, que acontecerá no dia 26 de novembro, das 09:00 às 17:00h.

Clique no link “deixe um comentário” e inclua o seu trabalho. Quem sabe, nos vemos no dia 26.

Um grande abraço a todos