Naked Domains for the Cloud

Naked Domains for the Cloud

A Facebook Jobs Board Would Be Big, But Obstacles Remain

A Facebook Jobs Board Would Be Big, But Obstacles Remain

I am very interested to see how this fairs.  Should social networking sites have separate focuses whereas LinkedIn focuses on professional relationships and networking and Facebook is for friends and personal relationships?  They are certainly marketed differently and the content is vastly different.

Choosing Between Making Money and Doing What You Love - Leonard A. Schlesinger, Charles F. Kiefer, and Paul B. Brown - Harvard Business Review

I say do what you love and the rest will follow...

Choosing Between Making Money and Doing What You Love - Leonard A. Schlesinger, Charles F. Kiefer, and Paul B. Brown - Harvard Business Review

Happiness Is As Happiness Does

Just received this message from my Financial Planner and thought I would share:


DON’T WORRY, BE HAPPY is apparently more than just a cliché. Research over the past 10 years shows there is a direct link between happiness and business outcomes. Author and researcher Shawn Achor says “happiness” raises sales by 37 percent, productivity by 31 percent, and accuracy on tasks by 19 percent. He goes on to say, “The single greatest advantage in the modern economy is a happy and engaged workforce,” (CNN.com, March 19, 2012).

So, how do you become happy at work?



Achor says you have to train yourself and start developing new, positive habits. For example, he challenges his clients to implement one of the following positive exercises everyday for 21 days.

·         Write down three new things you are grateful for each day.

·         Write for two minutes a day describing one positive experience you had over the past 24 hours.

·         Exercise for 10 minutes a day.

·         Meditate for two minutes, focusing on your breath going in and out.

·         Write one quick e-mail first thing in the morning thanking or praising someone in your social support network (family member, friend, old teacher).

By following one of these exercises, Achor says your happiness will rise and so will your business success.



The tiny Himalayan country of Bhutan has taken this idea of happiness even further. Four years ago, the country launched a “gross national happiness” measure to guide public policy. According to The Guardian, Bhutan’s “constitution mandates that at least 60% of the country remains under forest cover in perpetuity and its stated policy is to be 100% organic in its agricultural production,” (March 29, 2012).



Now, Bhutan’s definition of happiness is a little different than our typical Western definition. The Bhutan government says, “it refers to the deep, abiding happiness that comes from living life in full harmony with the natural world, with our communities and fellow beings, and with our culture and spiritual heritage, in short, from feeling totally connected with our world.”

Well, no matter how you define it, it looks like it “pays” to be “happy.”



Weekly Focus – Think About It

“Rules for Happiness: something to do, someone to love, something to hope for.”

--Immanuel Kant, German philosopher

·         

AIS is Gold 3x Over

AIS has picked up another Gold competency – Web Development. We are now Gold in Web Development, Software Development, Portals and Collaboration and a member of the Cloud Accelerate program (the highest level for that competency). 

Recruiting's Bad Rep

So, the following situation is something that I have seen happen with some frequency:
Recruiter approaches a group of acquaintances at a networking event and is introduced to those he does not know.  Part of the introduction is a reference to title/profession in which the reaction is “Oh…you’re one of those (rolling of eyes)…Recruiter then laughs it off and proceeds with pleasantries.  

Another situation: Recruiter is at a meeting and is networking.  Recruiter is introduced to an attendee  who then says “You’re a pimp?”

Could be taken as a joke, but REALLY?!?

People must have some supremely disheartening experiences with Recruiters to warrant such reactions.  There are folks out there that do not want to interact with recruiters at all!?!  Even when they’re interested in a company or potential opportunity – I would say that intrinsically makes the interview process more difficult.  Recruiters are not always welcome at professional events or groups on LinkedIn (no matter how relevant the group is; example: corporate alumni group).  Just because I go to an event, doesn’t mean that I automatically view you as “prey” or that I will relentlessly proposition you about working for my company.  Come on now!  Professional Recruiters are certainly smarter and more strategic than that.  We keep our eyes open, but generally conduct ourselves with a sense of decorum.

In my opinion, the actions of some have really put a bad taste in the mouths of many, which is really sad.  A great Recruiter is an advocate, a mediator, a champion for your cause, a counselor, and can help you progress in your career.  This is the fashion in which I and my teammates strive towards.  I know I am not perfect.  Sometimes things fall through the cracks, but I have good intentions. I like to “hunt”, but it’s not to thwart, take advantage or lead anyone astray.  For me, the thrill of the hunt is to find exceptional talent and to have them join a company that I passionately believe in.  As an organization, we understand that our employees are our greatest asset.  I want people to join our community and I want to hire “A” players whenever possible.  For me, it isn’t about hitting a number or filling a seat.  It’s about making a match and providing an opportunity! 

Obviously, there are some bad apples out there.  There are Recruiters that pay little attention to what they're doing – it’s just a numbers game for them.  I, personally, have received ridiculous messages from Recruiters in the past.  I have been offered opportunities to do .NET development.  Hmmm…I scratch my head with that one.  So, because I have .NET in my LinkedIn profile, that qualifies me to do .NET development?  That’s really interesting!  Hold yourself to a higher standard.  Try putting some effort into what you do.  Do a little research on your prospects.  Let’s work to rectify the reputation of this profession (reputation is *everything*).  Recruiting is challenging enough without the negative sentiment thrown our direction with such gusto.  I can tell you there are easier ways to make a living so be mindful of how you represent and “honor” what so many hardworking professionals do.  It would be wise to keep in mind that people take notice of how they are treated and people like to share their personal experiences (in many different ways J).

Your Relationship and Reputation Credit Score: How You Earned It and How It Affects Your Relationship Karma

Your Relationship and Reputation Credit Score: How You Earned It and How It Affects Your Relationship Karma

First Annual CMAP GiveCamp

This weekend (October 21st - October 23rd, 2011) is the first annual CMAP GiveCamp to take place at UMBC's Information and Engineering Building. This event begins on Friday, October 21, 2011 at 5:00 p.m. What is GiveCamp - it's an opportunity for the local technical community to “code for charity”. It is a weekend-long event where software developers, designers, and database administrators donate their time to create custom software for non-profit organizations. Since its inception in 2007, the National GiveCamp program has provided benefits to over 150 charities, with a value of developer and designer time exceeding $1,000,000 in services!

This is CMAP's entree' into planning and holding this event and it's the first GiveCamp to take place in the Baltimore region. I am on the board of CMAP and I am very proud to be involved with this event in which nearly 25 local charities are participating. So much hard work has gone into this and I can't wait to see the results. I am also proud to state that AIS, my employer, is supporting this event.

Law of Least Effort

Check out this article

How Would You Decide?

I have recently read several articles and blogs about what's important to a candidate when they are considering a new position. Obviously, each candidate has a unique set of circumstances and their own decision-making criteria, but the general categories are "relationships", "work/life balance", "type of work", "company" and "financial considerations".

With each general category, there are subfactors:

Relationships (sample list below)
1.) Who would you report to?
2.) What are the peer to peer dynamics?
3.) Who reports to you?
4.) Are you working within a team?

Work/Life Balance (sample list below)
1.) How many hours a week are you expected to work?
2.) Are you expected to participate in after-hours work events?
3.) Is there a travel component?
2.) What are the commuting expectations?

Type of Work (sample list below)
1.) Will you have more responsibility?
2.) Is the work challenging?
3.) Are you learning new things?
4.) Is the work personally rewarding?

Company (sample list below)
1.) Company location
2.) Organizational culture
3.) Value proposition
4.) Future growth
5.) Prospects for career advancement
6.) Work environment

Financial Considerations (sample list below)
1.) Increase in salary
2.) Potential for incentives
3.) Overall benefits program
4.) Does the company "pay for performance"?

Generally, people look for job stretch. This means some combination of the following:

• More responsibility
• More money
• Better benefits
• More opportunity for career advancement
• More challenging work

What's interesting, especially over the last couple of years, is that salary is typically not the most important factor. Of course, it is part of the decision, but it doesn't solely make the decision. If you could only use of these factors to make a career decision, which would it be? How would you decide?

5 Sure-Fire Ways to End Up with a Career You Hate - MonsterCollege™

5 Sure-Fire Ways to End Up with a Career You Hate - MonsterCollege™

New Office in Dayton, Ohio

AIS is excited to announce the opening of a new office in Dayton, OH. New projects out of this office will primarily be performed remotely while we build our presence and local client base.

Currently, AIS is seeking the following:

Federal - Principal Software Engineer and Sr. Software Engineer

• Minimum of an active Secret Clearance
• In-depth experience building .NET and SharePoint solutions

Commercial - Sr. Software Engineer and 2 Software Engineers

• In-depth experience building custom solutions
• Experience with C# (up to 4.0), ASP.NET MVC, WCF, Entity Framework and SQL Server

All AIS positions are listed at http://www.appliedis.com/careers2.html

You can also send your resume to amy.smith@appliedis.com

We are doing what we can to network and grow in the area - this is a unique and exciting opportunity!

Technical Recruiter

I am looking to hire a Technical Recruiter for the AIS account on a contract to hire basis. I am ideally looking for someone with up to 5 years of recruiting experience. Technical recruiting experience is desired, but not required. What is required is passion and motivation. Location would be in AIS' Reston, VA office as needed. This is the perfect opportunity for someone to take next step in their professional recruiting career. I can be contacted at amy.smith@appliedis.com.

How LinkedIn will fire up your career

How LinkedIn will fire up your career

Posted using ShareThis

AIS Is Growing

AIS is growing and we have immediate needs for all levels of technologists with a focus developing on the Microsoft stack! We are seeking .NET developers with a strong Object Oriented Foundation around the DC metro area. Our goal is to find smart people that are technology enthusiasts and interested in staying on the bleeding edge. If you have a passion for solving complex business problems by building flexible and scalable solutions, then we want to talk to you! Our clients are demanding the latest technologies and we have upcoming projects using .NET 4.0, ASP.NET MVC, Silverlight 4, VS2010 with SharePoint 2010. If you have been exposed to these technologies – great! If not, then we will train you! Bottom line…we want smart, capable people with a drive for success!

See all of our open positions here

Lots of Positions with AIS

AIS has lots of needs right now. Skills that we are looking for around the DC area:

• SharePoint/MOSS for our commercial and federal teams (federal positions require active DoD secret clearance.
• .NET for our commercial and federal teams (federal positions require active DoD secret clearance.
• Silverlight needs for our commercial team.
• System Engineers and Sytem Administrators for our Federal team (TS clearance is required)

Here is the link to our career page:

http://tbe.taleo.net/NA1/ats/careers/jobSearch.jsp?org=AIS&cws=1

Or send your resume to amy.smith@appliedis.com

Happy New Year

Wow - goodbye 2009, hello 2010! Last night, I was reflecting on 2009; in many ways, it was an incredibly long year - the economy, H1N1, political chasms, revelation of unknown weaknesses, etc. However this past year, I traveled to different parts of the world, renewed my passion for exercise, became an aunt again, made new friends, reconnected with family, and experienced both personal and professional growth. For many, this was a long & dark year; there was a lot of loss. I am going to focus on the positive, learn from mistakes, and begin anew for 2010 - I'm really looking forward to it! Here's to the next decade!

Keeping my eyes peeled...

I am starting to talk to technical recruiters in the DC area, given our potential needs. Please ping me at amy.smith@appliedis.com if you can recommend a recruiter that is considering new opportunities.

Enterprise Architect

I am starting a search for an Enterprise Architect with a strong background in networking and infrastructure. I am ideally looking for someone that has been involved with the architecture (from the ground up) of an internal ERP system for a large federal systems integrator. Networking has commenced.

Various Opportunities with AIS

So, I have a couple of needs that I am presently recruiting for. All of these positions are for our Federal team. Below see details below:

SharePoint Support Analyst - This position is with our team on-site at a client in DC. We are looking for somone that can take ownership of SharePoint and provide support to our team and to the client. We need someone that understands SharePoint and MOSS and has developed on the front end and has experience developing web parts. This position can grow into more of an infrastructure role. This opportunity requires the ability to obtain a DoD Secret clearance.

SharePoint Implementer - This position requires full-time presence at the Pentagon. This position requires an ACTIVE DoD Secret clearance. We want someone that can take ownership of a high visibility SharePoint application. This person will be a subject matter expert for SharePoint usability and UI design. This person will additionally be the technical and functional liaison for SharePoint Portal Solutions.

SharePoint/.NET Developer - This is for another one of our teams located at the client site in Arlington, VA. We need someone that has an ACTIVE DoD Top Secret (TS) clearance. We are looking for someone with development experience with ASP.NET and some SharePoint experience. This is an opportunity to learn SharePoint extensivley. This person will be part of a team developing productivity enhancement tools and applications. This person will gain experience with every part of the development life cycle.

Help Desk - This position will be full-time at the Pentagon. An ACTIVE DoD Secret clearance is required. We are also requiring either an A+, Network+ or Security+ certification. This position will provide phone and desktop support to our clients. Remedy is the ticketing system that is being used. Career advancement is available as our team grows.

More detailed information for these positions can be found at our career site http://www.appliedis.com/careers2.html.