Xtra Effort sees Software-as-a-Service/Cloud Computing as an important trend in recruiting. Examples would be Sales people possibly being attracted to a shortened Proof-of-Concept, without an onsite installation, but they maybe concerned about how commissions are paid out with a client only paying on per usage basis.
Some executives may see Cloud Computing as an exciting means to add further value to the enterprise and ignite new discussion, while others don't feel their employer's solution is yet sufficiently "real" to introduce the subject with a customer. VP's may have to spend more time selling their own employees and candidates on the validity of their cloud solution. Technical implementation people may see themselves as QA and product engineering, rather than PS people, if they don't perceive the cloud solution to be ready for prime time.
VP's don't want to overpromise their new value propositions to employees and candidates as a retention/attraction strategy, nor do they want to be too discreet about up coming plans because competitors can come knocking.
Implementation professionals may sense relief without having to perform as much custom coding and onsite integration work, but may feel diminished in their capacity to really help create customer specific solutions that represent competitive advantage for the enterprise.
Sales Engineers may appreciate the efficiency and liteness of an on-demand solution, but may feel less impactful without the customer commitment associated with a $1m dollar decision and massive integration considerations.
Your thoughts? What other considerations have you seen as VP's? As candidates/employees?
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Saturday, August 15, 2009
Please support my ride for ALS - Lou Gehrig's disease
http://web.alsa.org/site/TR?pg=fund&fr_id=5660&pxfid=138460
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Book Suggestion: Beyond Positive Thinking; by Robert Anthony
I just finished the book, "Beyond Positive Thinking" by Robert Anthony. A must read. I particularly like his thoughts on finding your joy and living in the Now, in addition to MUCH more quality content.
See:
http://books.google.com/books?id=29Q40Wwm_rwC&dq=Dr.+robert+anthony+behyond+positive+thinking&source=gbs_navlinks_s
It just occurred to me that I should not confuse telling others about the book with actually IMPLEMENTING his ideas! :)
For me;
1) RECOGNIZE and rid OBSTACLES to your goals, i.e., just don't say Xtra Effort is going to make 'X' placements in 2010 over and over again, but review what has been getting in the way, and remove it.
2) Be in the Present, don't fret/obsess over the future or past, i.e., remind yourself, "what real problems do I actually have NOW?" The answer is likely to be none. When real problems occur, our natural intuition kicks in real-time and will solves it. Otherwise stay in the present. It is like untying an emotional anchor of BS, i.e., "who really cares what my boss, family, friend, customer, or employee said about me two months, or might think of me if I screw this up"
3) Find your joys and incorporate them into your work life, family, and friends. In other words, feel righteous about what makes you productive and jazzed. I was fortunate years ago to create Xtra Effort, it represents self expression, risk/reward, informality, and a non-political approach to work culture. I had to walk away from security, formal leadership, a big brand name, benefits, etc., but it was clearly worthwhile. Yes, I no longer coach my kids sports, and I do cycle for fours on a Saturday morning, but when I return, I am "in the moment" and more alive (AND OF VALUE TO THOSE AROUND ME) than living in accordance with someone else's standards.
See:
http://books.google.com/books?id=29Q40Wwm_rwC&dq=Dr.+robert+anthony+behyond+positive+thinking&source=gbs_navlinks_s
It just occurred to me that I should not confuse telling others about the book with actually IMPLEMENTING his ideas! :)
For me;
1) RECOGNIZE and rid OBSTACLES to your goals, i.e., just don't say Xtra Effort is going to make 'X' placements in 2010 over and over again, but review what has been getting in the way, and remove it.
2) Be in the Present, don't fret/obsess over the future or past, i.e., remind yourself, "what real problems do I actually have NOW?" The answer is likely to be none. When real problems occur, our natural intuition kicks in real-time and will solves it. Otherwise stay in the present. It is like untying an emotional anchor of BS, i.e., "who really cares what my boss, family, friend, customer, or employee said about me two months, or might think of me if I screw this up"
3) Find your joys and incorporate them into your work life, family, and friends. In other words, feel righteous about what makes you productive and jazzed. I was fortunate years ago to create Xtra Effort, it represents self expression, risk/reward, informality, and a non-political approach to work culture. I had to walk away from security, formal leadership, a big brand name, benefits, etc., but it was clearly worthwhile. Yes, I no longer coach my kids sports, and I do cycle for fours on a Saturday morning, but when I return, I am "in the moment" and more alive (AND OF VALUE TO THOSE AROUND ME) than living in accordance with someone else's standards.
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
commentary on Xtra Effort hiring demand
Companies with hiring demand this current month provide enterprise solutions related to fraud prevention software, marketing automation, data integration, outplacement services, data storage technology and services, and IT infrastructure consulting.
Solutions are more often being delivered through Software-as-a-Service and Cloud Computing, but installed software remains a common way to buy solutions.
We have seen an increase in hiring demand for West Coast positions, as well heightened interest in the healthcare segment.
See: http://webconnect.sendouts.com/job-search.aspx?ID=XES&SiteID=WebConnect&Group=XES&Key=CN
Solutions are more often being delivered through Software-as-a-Service and Cloud Computing, but installed software remains a common way to buy solutions.
We have seen an increase in hiring demand for West Coast positions, as well heightened interest in the healthcare segment.
See: http://webconnect.sendouts.com/job-search.aspx?ID=XES&SiteID=WebConnect&Group=XES&Key=CN
Monday, July 13, 2009
can you outsource Sales?
The below article from the Mass Hightech Times informs us that smaller technology companies are considering a near 100% virtual model, including the outsourcing of Sales. Their example is a hardware company with a seemingly low price point.
It is Xtra Effort's opinion that outsourcing of Sales is only viable if the product's price point is relatively low, the category mature, and the installation/integration simple. Otherwise it won't work.
Sellers need to have extensive knowledge of their customers, markets, and pain points to be effective in making a corporation feel comfortable to make a capital expenditure with a newer technology that requires a change in enterprise behavior (to adopt among users). Customer intimacy is also required to help the enterprise buyer mitigate political and financial risk.
Only Sales people who are 100% committed to an employer can develop this required mix of knowledge and relationships for an enterprise to embrace change that is externally initiated by a start-up.
Outsourced demand generation is the exception. Appointment setting and market intelligence gathering can be effectively performed by a third party.
Technology start-ups should only outsource their entire Sales cycles if their price point is relatively low, their solutions represent little risk to enterprise decision makers, their product category is mature, and solutions easy to integrate and adopt.
Can you imagine a CIO (or more likely, her subordinate's subordinate) adopting new wireless headsets or a blog widget from a third party Sales agent? Yes, probably.
However, can you imagine a sales agent from a third party being successful in convincing a CIO to embrace a $500k annual commitment to a new order entry system based on Cloud Computing? Probably not.
The Mass High Tech Times article: http://www.masshightech.com/stories/2009/06/15/weekly7-Limited-funds-drive-startups-to-contract-hiring-.html
It is Xtra Effort's opinion that outsourcing of Sales is only viable if the product's price point is relatively low, the category mature, and the installation/integration simple. Otherwise it won't work.
Sellers need to have extensive knowledge of their customers, markets, and pain points to be effective in making a corporation feel comfortable to make a capital expenditure with a newer technology that requires a change in enterprise behavior (to adopt among users). Customer intimacy is also required to help the enterprise buyer mitigate political and financial risk.
Only Sales people who are 100% committed to an employer can develop this required mix of knowledge and relationships for an enterprise to embrace change that is externally initiated by a start-up.
Outsourced demand generation is the exception. Appointment setting and market intelligence gathering can be effectively performed by a third party.
Technology start-ups should only outsource their entire Sales cycles if their price point is relatively low, their solutions represent little risk to enterprise decision makers, their product category is mature, and solutions easy to integrate and adopt.
Can you imagine a CIO (or more likely, her subordinate's subordinate) adopting new wireless headsets or a blog widget from a third party Sales agent? Yes, probably.
However, can you imagine a sales agent from a third party being successful in convincing a CIO to embrace a $500k annual commitment to a new order entry system based on Cloud Computing? Probably not.
The Mass High Tech Times article: http://www.masshightech.com/stories/2009/06/15/weekly7-Limited-funds-drive-startups-to-contract-hiring-.html
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
you win some, you lose some
In the past month, Xtra Effort has helped three clients hire very accomplished sales people within clients' respective niches, i.e., "find me the purple squirrel".
Clients continue to insist on both functional skills and industry knowledge/experience. These hires represented long evaluation processes. The interview process is longer because both candidates and clients are cautious in today's market. Clients can't afford a bad hire because of the impact on cost, time loss, and customer perceptions. Candidates don't want to jump from one risky company to another because of lack of due diligence, and end up with too many job changes on their resume and have ineffective territory and customer momentum/traction or no substantial enhancement in acquired industry/technology knowledge.
In addition to the successful hires, we have had a couple of 4+- month evaluation cycles result with qualified candidates receiving a job offer but ultimately either staying with their current employer or accepting an alternative offer. Our candidates would have likely accepted our clients' offers had they been delivered less than six weeks from their initial meeting, but the lengthy client evaluation processes afforded the candidates the time to discover alternative choices.
Xtra Effort intends to be timely and professionally assertive with clients in communicating an old Western gun fighting adage "there is the Quick, and there is the Dead". 'A' player candidates still demand competitive wages and have lots of choice.
Overall, it is Good News!! We are seeing more clients hiring and more job offers being produced.
We commend the clients who are hiring because they believe in their company and its products they are selling solutions with a definable ROI and have an optimistic view of the future. However, we also have empathy for the clients who are taking a wait and see approach.
In the mean time, all of us: recruiters, clients, partners, and candidates, need to continue to flip as many stones as possible to find the right match, while also developing meaningful relationships for the long term - nobody said it would easy. But then again, an endeavor is only truly fulfilling if it contains challenges.
We are cautiously optimistic.
Clients continue to insist on both functional skills and industry knowledge/experience. These hires represented long evaluation processes. The interview process is longer because both candidates and clients are cautious in today's market. Clients can't afford a bad hire because of the impact on cost, time loss, and customer perceptions. Candidates don't want to jump from one risky company to another because of lack of due diligence, and end up with too many job changes on their resume and have ineffective territory and customer momentum/traction or no substantial enhancement in acquired industry/technology knowledge.
In addition to the successful hires, we have had a couple of 4+- month evaluation cycles result with qualified candidates receiving a job offer but ultimately either staying with their current employer or accepting an alternative offer. Our candidates would have likely accepted our clients' offers had they been delivered less than six weeks from their initial meeting, but the lengthy client evaluation processes afforded the candidates the time to discover alternative choices.
Xtra Effort intends to be timely and professionally assertive with clients in communicating an old Western gun fighting adage "there is the Quick, and there is the Dead". 'A' player candidates still demand competitive wages and have lots of choice.
Overall, it is Good News!! We are seeing more clients hiring and more job offers being produced.
We commend the clients who are hiring because they believe in their company and its products they are selling solutions with a definable ROI and have an optimistic view of the future. However, we also have empathy for the clients who are taking a wait and see approach.
In the mean time, all of us: recruiters, clients, partners, and candidates, need to continue to flip as many stones as possible to find the right match, while also developing meaningful relationships for the long term - nobody said it would easy. But then again, an endeavor is only truly fulfilling if it contains challenges.
We are cautiously optimistic.
Monday, May 4, 2009
"When you are green you are growing, when you are ripe you will soon rot"
I was commenting to a fellow cyclist how difficult it is to get any of you to have the courage or initiative to help out with a comment on this terrific Xtra Effort blog.
He said: "be more provocative". I said to myself, "hmmm, how do I that?" and left it alone. We had too big a hill to climb and suffer to waste time pondering.
Well, since then Xtra Effort has been working with a few clients that represent financial stability, proven references, first class technology, equity, and strong career opportunities. However, candidates have chosen to stay safe, despite definite signs of rot on the leaves in their tree garden.
Similarly, clients have been sticking by their hope that their candidates who are 50% of quota for the past three quarters are suddenly going to change; or they are hoping new revenue streams will be coming from the same old territories, knowing full well investment in new sales geography or vertical is required.
Where is the guts?
It's best stated in the below article. CARE TO COMMENT? :) (I wish I wrote it!)
http://www.boston.com/sports/baseball/redsox/articles/2009/05/03/go_ahead_take_a_chance/
He said: "be more provocative". I said to myself, "hmmm, how do I that?" and left it alone. We had too big a hill to climb and suffer to waste time pondering.
Well, since then Xtra Effort has been working with a few clients that represent financial stability, proven references, first class technology, equity, and strong career opportunities. However, candidates have chosen to stay safe, despite definite signs of rot on the leaves in their tree garden.
Similarly, clients have been sticking by their hope that their candidates who are 50% of quota for the past three quarters are suddenly going to change; or they are hoping new revenue streams will be coming from the same old territories, knowing full well investment in new sales geography or vertical is required.
Where is the guts?
It's best stated in the below article. CARE TO COMMENT? :) (I wish I wrote it!)
http://www.boston.com/sports/baseball/redsox/articles/2009/05/03/go_ahead_take_a_chance/
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