Venteon’s 2013 Salary Guide is now available. It’s our way of helping you pay the right price for the right talent in the right job classification. According to Staffing Industry Analysts, demand for Accounting and Finance Professionals will continue to grow in 2013. Our salary guide provides ranges for financial and accounting positions and is compiled using data from hundreds of placements made each year.

Venteon is strategically positioned to provide employment services in some of the fastest growing professional sectors. Please contact Ben Kohns today to receive your 2013 Salary Guide at bkohns@venteon.us.com. Let us provide swift, top-quality service for your needs.

If you’ve spent any time lately trying to upgrade your resume, you may be a little stuck on what to do about the objective statement. Things have definitely changed over the years as a resume objective is not quite the same as it used to be.

In the “old days” an objective statement told a potential employer exactly what kind of work you wanted and why – a kind of a goal written out in a couple of sentences. However, now an objective statement is a personal summary that highlights what you can bring to the table. Essentially, you are now tasked with selling yourself to the person reading your resume, in 100 characters or less.

A well-written objective speaks to the recruiter, telling him or her how your experience and skills will help the company meet its goals. If you are a career-changer, or simply looking for a better opportunity, this is especially important because recruiters need to sense that you are ready to break into a higher role. In this statement, you must convey that you understand the company objectives and mission, so make it count.

Take a moment to read your objective, right now.

What does it say about you? Does it paint a picture of your strengths, or what makes you stand out? If you were a recruiter, would your objective “wow” you?  If not, then it’s time to revamp your professional objective so that it accomplishes what you need it to do for your job search.

Let’s review some of the guidelines for writing an effective, eye-catching objective statement on your resume.

1. Start with a powerful opening sentence that gets right to the point about your skills and expertise. For example, “14 years as a wellness physician with a strong background in alternative medicine and plant-healing research, awarded for outstanding contributions to Health Daily Magazine” See how this grabs the attention of a potential hiring manager?
2. Add a supporting sentence to further explain how you can meet a critical need in the company. Give more information or a little history that allows the recruiter to learn more about you, and why you are the best fit for the open assignment.
3. Close with an open-ended call to action for the recruiter to review the rest of your  resume, and reach out to your professional references. You want the hiring manager to keep reading and you want them to call you.
4. Limit this objective statement to 3-5 short sentences, with proper grammar and punctuation. Remember, you are not writing a book here, just an attention grabbing statement that leaves the recruiter with a positive impression of you, and wanting to know more.
5. Provide 3 ways to contact you on your resume. This is very important, although it falls outside of your objective statement, you need to give the recruiter a way to reach you easily. Add your full name, your home and mobile phone numbers, and a good email address where you can be contacted,

Writing a great objective statement takes time, and you may need to modify it a few times to get it perfect. You will also want to have several versions of your objective and resume to submit to potential employers, geared towards the type of jobs and industries you are applying to. Your recruiter at Venteon can give you more ideas and examples of good objectives and resume formats to use.

Imagine you are a field engineer getting ready to launch the start of a new project and you need accurate geometric measurements. Should you boot up your laptop and spend several minutes trying to log into your project management software, or could you turn to your smartphone and get the same results in less than 30-seconds?  The ease of using mobile apps is one of the many reasons why engineering professionals are turning to their smartphones each day, and it’s why engineering careers are on the rise.

So, what’s in store for the thousands of hard-working engineering experts and their employers this year? Expect that there will continue to be a large number of mobile apps developed specifically for the engineering market.

Let’s take a look at a few of these mobile apps, many of which are free or low cost to use.

AutoCAD WS: Designed for engineers to use on both computer and mobile devices, users can share complicated diagrams and designs in seconds. This adds convenience and accuracy to the lives of many engineering pros.

AutoDesk Bluestreak: Allows engineering project teams to collaborate and communicate from various locations, through a robust mobile app for iPhones, iPads or iTouch. This product coordinates with several of the other engineering project management tools available from AutoDesk.

The Meta Calculator: Is part of a series of mobile engineering apps designed for building and mechanical engineers. It provides hundreds of engineering calculations all in one convenient app for on-the-go accuracy.

What does the future hold for engineering mobile app development and careers?

According to a report released by MarketsandMarkets, “by 2015, the mobile application market is projected to be worth somewhere in the ballpark of $25 billion dollars.”  The largest portion of this mobile app growth comes from business productivity and personal lifestyle management apps. This is largely in part, due to Apple opening up its mobile app marketplace in 2009, where millions of free and low cost apps can now be obtained in minutes by mobile device users worldwide.

Overall, the mobile application market is booming, with a high need for mobile application developers and input from engineers. There has been a shift from creating computer-only based applications to developing those that have mobile capability. Even traditional websites are moving onto the mobile scene, giving greater flexibility to businesses and content producers.

For more updates on advances in engineering careers and technology, take the time to review our previous posts on related topics here.

Engineering Careers are Hot!

When one thinks of the modern workplace today, immediately a vision of employees and managers coordinating via mobile devices like laptops, smartphones, and tablet computers comes to mind. The business world is continually evolving, thanks to mobile technology that does everything from routine scheduling and meeting administration to information exchange and data security. But one thing remains a stable trend – mobile technology is a major database security changer.

A recent report called the Worldwide Mobile Worker Population 2011-2015 Forecast was released in 2012 by International Data Corporation, a leading technology media, events and research company. In this report, research has shown that the move to mobile devices in the workplace will continue to expand in the next several years, with an expected 1.3 billion mobile users by the year 2015. To put that in layman’s terms, that number represents 37 percent of the world’s workforce. Additionally, Portio Research a mobile technology research firm, has predicted that by 2016, there will be more than  8 billion mobile subscribers worldwide, representing more than 80 percent of the entire world’s human population.

A key factor in the shift towards more mobile data management is how each organization will maintain its identity. Oftentimes referred to as branding, each company is tasked with the responsibility of ensuring that all interchanges that take place do so in a controlled way so that the company’s ID is maintained. With so many users taking advantage of apps, search engines, and other business tools both on their work devices and personal mobile devices, how will a company manage to represent itself professionally to the rest of the world in a mobile environment?

There are a few quick guidelines that a company HR department can add to their corporate policy on mobile use now that can help.

1. Actually take the time to write a corporate mobile use policy to create a foundational set of guidelines for the ethical use of mobile devices while on work devices or work time.
2. Decide what devices will be standardized and branded to your company for work use only.
3. Incorporate a secure web-based system for database storage with password protection for all proprietary information.
4. Discourage the use of personal emails for business communications, and instead assign all employees a central corporate email address behind a secure server.
5. Maintain a corporate manual of style and communication so that all employees must refer to this when creating documentation, conducting presentations, or sending out correspondence.

While the use of mobile devices should not be discouraged in a corporate setting, as they can have many benefits, there need to be clear guidelines. This can help to preserve your information processes and company identification.

Feel free to review our previous blog posts on topics pertaining to workplace technology here.

Technology on the Go! IT Staffing

The IT Model of the Future

After your classes are completed and you’ve received your college accolades, the real work begins in terms of starting a lifelong career. Yet, for many new college grads, the shock of what is about to come in a job search hits hard. There are many things that you probably did not learn in school about preparing a resume, searching for work, getting interviewed, or landing your first job. In fact, you may have had a specific idea in mind about the kind of work you want to do, but now you are not so sure because there are so many new choices.

First of all, take a deep breath and remember that everybody has encountered this scenario at one time or another at the start of a career path. It’s perfectly natural to be a little confused and lack clear direction. Here are the top ten things that you probably did not learn in college and how to cope with your bright new world.

1. Your college degree does not limit you to one specific type of job.  Just because you have earned a degree in Ancient Greek History doesn’t mean you are stuck in one particular kind of job for life. Many adults find themselves in new roles that have nothing to do with their college degree studies, and that’s OK.
2. Getting an education does not guarantee you access to a job right away. With one in two college- degreed adults unemployed in the US workforce, there are many people who have found out how competitive it can be out there. Your degree is not an automatic ticket to success, it’s merely a door opener – so expect that it will take time and commitment to find a good job.
3. A resume or cover letter alone cannot help you find a job. While the traditional resume still remains one of the trusted ways to share your credentials with potential hiring managers, you cannot rely on this as the focus of your job search. Tap into social networking, community job search clubs, and referrals to get a job sooner.
4. Most of the good jobs are never advertised at all. It has been said that only about one-third of all job openings are ever posted by employers. That means there are many jobs out there that are waiting for you to find them. Increase your odds of landing a job by networking proactively and reaching out to staffing agencies.
5. A recruiter can be your best ally when it comes to landing work. Instead of trying to find a career on your own, which may be a confusing process, why not partner with a qualified recruiter at Venteon for support? Recruiters have strategic contacts and access to personal career tools you won’t get on your own.
6. Give internships a second glance while you look for a paid assignment.  Oftentimes, companies use interns while they are in hiring lags, then offer their top performing interns perm placement in great roles. Check to see what companies in your market offer internships.
7. Interviewing is not just answering a bunch of stale questions. Use interviews as a chance to find out more about the company, the work culture, and how you can best use your talents to meet the company objectives.
8. Regardless of today’s slack dress code, always present yourself professionally. When you show up for an interview or a job fair, recruiters will automatically judge you based on how you look. So, always dress in business attire to put your best foot forward.
9. Excellent career and personal references are more valuable than gold. When you apply for work, remember to have at least 3-5 professional and 2-3 personal references who will respond and provide favorable feedback to recruiters. Oftentimes, this will make or break a job decision, so choose these folks carefully.
10. Contract work can lay the foundation for a lifelong career path. There is much to be said about starting a job search by working with a contract work agency in your area, like Venteon, to place you in rewarding assignments. Many times, temporary jobs turn into full time careers, depending on if you put your heart into the work.

For the IT candidate, technology is a very important component of his or her future. Staying up to date with the latest software and methods of communication is essential, but there is more to it than that. In fact, technology as it relates to transportation is a growing industry and it may be just the place to put your education if you want to enter into this field. For job candidates, it is also the place to look for new career options. How is technology playing a role in transportation, then?

Consider the Skies

There’s nothing at all interesting about flying these days. From the invasive screening processes to just get on board to the limitations most planes have to allow passengers to communicate with the world below, it’s not an easy process. Some airlines are finding ways to use technology to improve the way people feel about the process.

For example, one airline is not adding iPads to the pockets in front of you, so you have something interesting to do while you are in flight. They come with movies and games, not to mention music and even television shows. Some customers may even have access to them without any cost. Interestingly, this also saves on fuel costs since this entertainment option is far less expensive than traditional products.

Improving Trains and Subways

Even if you do not like in a subway town, you know of the dreaded processes required to navigate one. In fact, most people would do anything not to travel by train if they could avoid it. Some companies, like Amtrak, are trying to find ways to change this. On board systems including Wi-Fi are making them a better option, for example, than trying to navigate home by care. With upscale entertainment options available, too, there’s an increase in demand.

By Road, Too

For those going by road, consider a new opportunity in the road train. This method focuses on having one large van or truck at the head followed by numerous other cars behind it, following very closely. The cars are programmed to follow the first truck’s every move. This cuts down on fuel costs while also ensuring everyone in the train is able to do as they wish since the driver doesn’t even have to drive.

Technology in transportation is growing and changing the way people do things. It is, without a doubt, a growing industry that is likely to keep growing for years to come. To keep up, your business needs good people who are familiar with this industry and what’s to come. That’s why you need Venteon for IT and technical staffing support and candidate screening to make sure you hire the best.

Business Analysts
• Bachelor’s Degreed
• 2-8 yrs of Business Analysis experience including formulating and defining system scope, analyzing business/user needs, writing and executing test plans.
• Experienced with traditional applications, web and mobile development/Quality Assurance.

Project Managers
• Traditional as well as Digital/Technical with Marketing/Advertising Industry experience.
• PMP certified, experienced with Agile Methodologies, traditional application, web and mobile projects.

Mobile Application Developers
• Experienced developers with Android, Blackberry and iOS technologies.
• Experience with Objective C, CSS3, HTML5 etc.

Web Developers
• Developers with 2- 7 yrs of experience
• Net, C#, PHP, CSS, HTML, etc.

Quality Assurance/Testing
• 1-5 years experience with manual or automated testing, including tool sets like QTP and Selenium and Quality Center.
• Experience running and executing test scripts etc

Network/Systems Administrators and Engineers
• SAN Storage
• Unix/Linux
• Windows

Help Desk Specialists
• 3-5 yrs experience
• Excellent Communication

If you are struggling to land a job currently, it may not be you at all; it’s likely your resume. Hiring managers review literally hundreds of thousands of resumes every year, and it’s the resumes that are well designed and relevant to the job that get positive attention, while the rest end up in the trash. Therefore, it’s up to you to make sure your resume is appropriate for the types of assignments you are applying for.

A Resume That Gets Results  

Take a moment to look over the kinds of jobs you are targeting and compare them to your resume. Look at the informative words used in the job advertisement, which should closely match what the actual job description is. This is the information that a recruiter will be looking for as he matches your skills to the assignment needs.

Designing a Functional Resume

You may also want to get away from the use of traditional chronological resume formats and go with a more functional resume that highlights your actual achievements. This can put your skills and credentials at the forefront of your resume, which helps hiring managers to find out more about you right away. This can be a useful way to display your talents, and more information can be obtained during the interview process.

Online Resumes Support Your Abilities

Consider developing an online resume that allows you to share your relevant skills and access to your work portfolio instantly. Your regular resume can include a link to an expanded resume that is placed behind a password to protect your personal information on the Internet. Make sure the resume lists all your job history and includes links to any published work completed over the course of your career.

Include the experiences you have had in your career, such as committees you have served on, projects you’ve completed, and community service you’ve been a part of. These are the kinds of things that recruiters look for when evaluating a potential new hire. Going beyond just the nine-to-five experience, demonstrating your true talents and passions are what can help you rise above your dull resume.

It’s challenging to get in front of the right recruiters, let alone get an interview in today’s market, but it is possible by following the above advice on resume development. You can get a head start on your job hunt by visiting the Venteon career opportunities board today. Consider reviewing the job descriptions and gearing your resume to the jobs you are qualified for, so that it’s relevant to your abilities.

In the engineering sector, having the ability to manage projects well to get things done is what counts. When the pressure is on to accomplish a project deliverable, there can be bumps in the road that can challenge even the best of project managers. Engineering of any form is not for the faint of heart, especially in an agile project management environment.

Here are some obstacles you may face and how to overcome them for project management success.

Scope Creep

Perhaps one of the biggest challenged for engineers involved in project management is when the scope of work begins to unravel into an uncontrolled series of changes and additions – also known as scope creep. This can occur at any stage of a project, but it must be carefully managed with a system for tracking requests for changes and an approval process before work can be modified.

Poor Team Communication

If a project team does not communicate well, any project can fail. That’s why it’s important to have an internal project management system where notes and appropriate dialogue can take place, as well as regularly scheduled project meetings. Clear and respectful communication should be your goal.

Underestimating Time and Materials

Before launching into any project, whether it’s new or a modified scope of work, be sure to get an accurate picture of the resources you will need to get it done on time. This includes time and materials, as well as the technical personnel who have the right skills to work on each element of the project. By planning these aspects carefully upfront, your business can be more profitable.

Bureaucratic Red Tape

Nothing reduces a project to chaos more so than a bunch of red tape brought on by too much corporate control and interference. While not all of this can be avoided, the vast majority of it can be handled by having a capable project manager at the helm. In this way, there are less people trying to manage a project, when one esteemed PM is in charge.

Lack of Knowledgeable Staff

Not having project managers and engineering staff who know what they are doing can destroy even the most innovative of projects. Taking the time to recruit and hire the best team members can ensure project success for the long term. It’s advisable to do this as early as possible in the project cycle.

The best engineering projects are managed by successful teams working together and working towards a common goal. By working out the above issues, your current and future projects can be more streamlined. Using a staffing agency, like Venteon, can help your business line up the right candidates for each project, based on their unique skill sets and project experience.

FARGO, N.D., July 17, 2012 — /PRNewswire-iReach/ — Professional Advantage, a staffing software solution provider, announced today that Venteon Holdings, LLC has selected 1Staff Back Office (PAM) by Professional Advantage as their back office staffing software.

Venteon first became interested in 1Staff Back Office (PAM) when they attended the annual Staffing Industry Analysts Executive Forum in March 2008. They witnessed the software in action with a live 1Staff demonstration by a Professional Advantage staffing software specialist. During the demonstration, they learned 1Staff Back Office (PAM) could integrate with their current software applications, specifically their front office solution from Sendouts.

“After speaking with professionals in the staffing industry, we were comfortable going with a software solution designed specifically for the staffing industry and is supported by an industry leader, Microsoft. 1Staff Back Office is the best of both worlds,” President and CEO of Venteon, Cedric Corera, said.

Data entry will no longer be inputted 3 separate times into the current software after 1Staff Back Office (PAM) is implemented, saving Venteon valuable time and money. For example, they currently have commission reports, weekly gross margin reports, forecasting, and financial information being created in separate applications. With 1Staff Back Office (PAM), they will have the ability to clearly and concisely report information in one software solution. “Our ultimate goal with 1Staff Back Office is to input data into one system; the data will then move from one input to another report. This process will be much more efficient than our current process and will eliminate duplicate data entry,” Corera said.

With 1Staff Back Office (PAM), Venteon will have the ability to consolidate rollups that are much simpler than they are currently using. “I’m confident we’re going to be able to streamline rollups with 1Staff Back Office (PAM),” Corera said.

Venteon is looking forward to starting the implementation process with Professional Advantage. Corera stated, “The staffing software specialist at Professional Advantage was very helpful throughout the entire sales process. We are very comfortable with the next steps and are confident Professional Advantage will provide us with high levels of satisfaction as we implement 1Staff Back Office (PAM).”

About Venteon Holdings, LLC Venteon Holdings is an expert in providing executive search, staffing and consulting services in Accounting & Finance, Engineering & Manufacturing, Information Technology, Workforce, Mobile Technology and Operations professionals with Executive Search, Contract Staffing, and Contract-to-Direct options. Venteon employees make the right placement the first time by spending a great deal of time matching the right candidate with the right opportunity. Venteon strives to nurture long-term, trust-based relationships with both clients and candidates in order to provide a high level of success in the placement processes.

About Professional Advantage Professional Advantage provides staffing software solutions built in Microsoft Dynamics that leverage Microsoft SharePoint® and Microsoft Office® to meet the unique needs of the staffing industry. 1Staff Back Office (PAM) staffing software, built in Microsoft Dynamics® GP, provides a powerful pay/bill and financial system compatible with all leading front office solutions including 1Staff Front Office. 1Staff Front Office is built in Microsoft Dynamics® CRM, allowing customers to take full advantage of Microsoft’s technology investments, including relationship tracking and lead nurturing. Professional Advantage has offices in North America, Australia, and the U.K. and partners with staffing organizations worldwide.

Press Contact: Info@profad.com or 701-235-2363

Media Contact: Matt Green Professional Advantage, 701-235-2363, mattg@profad.com

News distributed by PR Newswire iReach: https://ireach.prnewswire.com

SOURCE Professional Advantage

Published Tuesday, Jul. 17, 2012