Holiday Luncheon Pictures!

Last week the annual Comrise Holiday Luncheon was held at Salt Creek Grille in Rumson, New Jersey. Our New Jersey team took a well-deserved break from work to celebrate the work we've done and reflect on the outgoing year. It may have been cold outside, but it was warm and friendly inside!

A special thanks goes to Susan Knudson and Fran Banks for arranging an entertaining and relaxing (and delicious!) holiday luncheon for the Comrise team.

Congratulations also go out to this year's winners of our annual in-house Comrise Awards, who were announced during the luncheon. In no particular order:

       "Funniest Employee of the Year" - Deb Chen

       "Rookie of the Year" - Todd Snider

       "Unsung Hero of the Year" - Susan Knudson

       "Teammate of the Year" - Aditi Jaitly

       "MVP - Most Valuable Professional" - Aditi Jaitly

As we prepare for the end of the year and gear up for 2011, we'd like to wish everyone in the Comrise Community Happy Holidays and a safe and successful New Year! We hope you and your families have an enjoyable holiday season!

For more pictures of the luncheon, check out our Facebook page to see the complete album.

Toys Toys Everywhere!!

Imagine a school full of children…wait, ok so that’s pretty normal.

Imagine a school full of children accompanied by their parents, local companies like Comrise and other community members, all working together for a greater cause! That was the scene at the Beers Street School in Hazlet, NJ, on Monday night. Comrise joined the RAINE Foundation’s Toy Drive and Toy Wrapping Event and found ourselves swept up in rolls and rolls of wrapping with toys everywhere.

The school’s halls were packed not only with people but with more toys than a your typical toy store would carry. We began by sorting the donated gifts by age group and gender, and then began the wrapping! From Dora the Explorer dolls to skateboards, we wrapped it all and had a blast while doing it!

A gift is a perfect way to show someone you love them, but while some of us are able to do that without question, many cannot afford it. We felt it our duty as responsible community members to offer our dedication to our neighbors so they too can celebrate this Holiday Season. We hope you will join us at our next Comrise Community event!

Take a look at some of the photos from our night with RAINE below, and check out our Facebook page for more!

The Perfect Holiday Recipe

It is that time of the year to cook up some Holiday Spirit and we wanted to share with you Comrise’s famous Holiday Recipe:



-1 cup of our time
-3 pinches of Holiday Spirit
-15 teaspoons of Comrisers
-200 pounds of gifts
-400 families in need
-And a whole lot of love!



Comrise’s dedication to its community is undeniably great. As stated in our mission statement, “We are responsible to the communities in which we live and work and to the world community as well. We must be good citizens – and support good works and charities.” Taking these words to heart, Comrise will be participating in the RAINE Foundation's Toy Drive and Toy Wrapping Event this Monday, (12/13/2010) at 6PM. We encourage all of our consultants, clients and community members to join us in our efforts of improving our world one step at a time. Being a local company that works on a global scale, Hazlet is our home, and our first step towards making our community a better place to be.

So come join us and stay tuned for an update on our experience.

Who: The Comrise Staff plus the Hazlet Community
What: RAINE Foundation Toy Drive and Toy Wrapping event
Where: Beers Street School in Hazlet, NJ
When: Dec. 13th 2010 @ 6PM
Why: Comrise is dedicated to serving our community and growing as a team while working together for the greater good.

Don't miss out on the fun!

Leadership & Mentorship Program 1.5!

You heard right! Comrise will be launching its 2nd (well actually 1.5) Leadership & Mentorship program (formerly known as Leadership in Training) in the beginning of January 2011.

Originally the plans were to launch the 2nd annual Leadership in June of 2011, but because of the results produced by the 1st LMP class (Kudos Todd Snider, Mansi Patel, and Dhawal Kapadia), we are starting earlier in our recruiting process.

By mid-January, we will be bringing more bright, young minds on board to join the diverse and established Comrise team of Technical Recruiters and Account Managers.

Below is a brief overview of the Leadership & Mentorship Program. If you are a recent graduate and interested in applying for the program, visit our website and search:

à "Associate, Leadership and Mentorship Program 2011"

à under "Job Search"

à select "Apply."

Overview:

Comrise’s Leadership & Mentorship Program is a full-time opportunity designed for recent college graduates, who are self-starters interested in working in a collaborative, fast-paced, and entrepreneurial environment. This is a program designed for Associates to begin by becoming fluent in the core competency of our business, which is technical recruiting. To ensure the professional development and fluency of our Leadership and Mentorship Program Associates, Comrise provides mentorship from our highly qualified and experienced technical recruiting and business development teams. By learning and experiencing the core function of the business, associates will facilitate their transformation into future leaders.

Qualifications:

Candidates must be have a Bachelors degree - All majors excepted (B.S. in Computer Science, Information Systems, Engineering, or a related field is preferred) Overall understanding of Information Technology (IT) is preferred. Knowledge of Boolean search techniques and social networking such as LinkedIn and Facebook is strongly preferred Demonstrated experience in internet based research Excellent interpersonal skills required and experience with cold-calling or other professional phone call activity is a plus. Ability to work in a team-oriented environment Proficiency in MS Word, Excel, and Outlook is required

Questions or inquiries about the program? E-mail leadership@comrise.com

Potluck / International Thanksgiving - November 18, 2010

Last Thursday, Comrise held its annual Potluck/International Thanksgiving day at the office in recognition of the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday, and also to celebrate the diversity within the Comrise team.

Each employee brought in a choice dish or dessert that was either prepared by themselves, bought from a bakery, or even prepared by a friend/family member (well, I guess that is the category I fall under).

The lunch included everything from traditional Chinese food to Hungarian food (Goulash).

For dessert, there was Tiramisu, fresh-baked cookies, and the fan-favorite Brooklyn cannolis.

Other items on the menu:

Indian - Chicken Biryani, Kachori, Samosas, Dhum Aloo, Lamb Seekh
Polish - Kielbasa
Italian - Vegetable Lasagna, Goat Cheese & Pesto Pasta,
Miscellaneous: Sweet Potato Crisp, Fresh Mozzarella, Broccoli & Cheese Casserole

A very special thanks to each Comrise employee for their efforts in making this year's Potluck/ International Thanksgiving Day a memorable and delicious event.

Looking forward to another great event in 2011!

Want to see pictures posted from the event? Visit our Facebook Page for the complete album

Top Ten Most Promising IT Jobs

Nearly a decade ago, many industry analysts warned that IT degrees would not be worth as much as they had been during the unprecedented dot-com bubble. Well, it seems that they were wrong. So many IT firms (not just the biggies like Google and Apple) are in the process of expanding company operations and purchasing new offices for new hires. Companies in virtually every industry sector are in need of IT professionals and are luring them with competitive salaries and bonuses. Many of the big-name companies are bringing IT services in-house while smaller firms are relying on outsourced providers more heavily. Regardless of the size of the company, almost all of them are in need of IT professionals.

Based on government statistics and industry averages, there are trends that show the following 10 jobs to be the most promising and in-demand for companies over the next 10 years:

1. Information Systems Manager. The primary roles and responsibilities for this position does vary based on employer, however IS Managers are in charge of determining the “big-picture” technology strategies for firms. These individuals must combine their educational/computer training with business savvy and make decisions about things such as servers, bandwidth, and desktop tools for their respective companies.

2. Database Administrator. DBAs are in charge of ensuring the security and accessibility of information for customers/clients/employees. They design, implement, and maintain any given organization’s database. These requirements are very in-demand, primarily because of the difficulty to fill them.

3. Operating System Developer. It is somewhat of a myth that very few companies would hire or require “operating systems” managers, however, they are now needed for more devices apart from just PC’s. Manufacturers of automobiles, cellphones and refrigerators are truly reliant on skilled graduates of IT degrees to develop custom software platforms. So, the next time you drop a coin into a fancy-looking soda machine, you should remember that machines as simple as this could need operating systems too!

4. Application Developer. It is undeniable, that one of the most exciting fields for recent grads in Computer Science degree programs, from the employee-side is to build applications. Sometimes they could be working for large companies, or even working for third-parties on a contractual basis.

5. Computer Systems Analyst. Computer systems analysts essentially would work closely with information systems managers. These individuals would focus on digging deeper into the kinds of tools that companies use to solve their computing challenges.

6. Computer Systems Designer. Many computer systems designers spend their time focused exclusively on a single function or on a particular section of a larger software project.

7. Data Processing Specialist. While managers and administrators provide platforms for company data, teams of specialists would ultimately assure the accuracy of that data. In large organizations such as banks and high-transactional brokerage firms, skilled data processing specialists would handle complex tasks like backups or data transfer.

8. Web Hosting Technician. A decade ago, it probably might not have seemed very probable that web hosting would be as universal and as reliable as electricity or running water. There are so many companies and individuals that rely on their online promotional sites, applications, and photo libraries and it truly is important to have solid web hosting technicians.

9. Computer Support Specialist. Microsoft was once famous for its vision statement, "a computer on every desk." Now that we have mostly realized that dream, computer users require an unprecedented amount of technical support which these Specialists would provide.

10. Desktop Publisher. Not every hot technology career requires a bachelor’s degree. Many small companies rely on print shops and commercial printers to give their material a professional polish. Larger companies rely on staff members with computer training to produce internal documents like reports or employee handbooks.

Missing any jobs from the list? Please comment below and let us know!

Happy Halloween from the Comrise Team !

On behalf of Comrise, we’d like to wish the Comrise community a happy (and a safe) Halloween!

Comrise kicked of the holiday earlier today with some inner office trick-or-treating (actually mostly treating )

It was an interesting day at work as many of our employees came to work dressed up in costumes.

One colleague came dressed as a human spider web, another as a Halloween hallmark card, and another employee came with a monkey on his back..literally. He was the man with the yellow hat from Curious George! See some of the pictures below!

For those of you not familiar with Curious George, here’s the link (http://pbskids.org/curiousgeorge/)

Anyways, for those of you in need of a last minute costume idea, we decided to include some costume ideas, however, be wary, these are not your traditional costume ideas; these are what we like to consider the top 10 “Halloween IT Costumes” (broken down by theme) Enjoy!

Oh and if you have any other creative costume ideas..IT-related, feel free to leave a comment! Happy Halloween !!!!!'

Official Mascots:

• the Linux penguin
• the Drupal drop

Unofficial Mascots:

• the Apple colorwheel (spinning colorwheel of death)
• the Microsoft paper clip
• the BSOD (blue screen of death)

More Personalized:

• Your Favorite Relational Database
• Your Favorite Programming Language

More Abstract: (bonus points for difficulty!)

• Object-oriented languages
• Inheritance
• Open-source

Comrise goes to NMSDC Conference

The National Minority Supplier Diversity Council (NMSDC) held their annual conference just this past week in Miami. My experience at the conference increased my awareness of diversity in the work place. It was so great to see thousands of faces that represented all different and unique backgrounds with the purpose of fostering mutually beneficial business relationships.

Revisiting some highlights of the conference, I especially recall Scott Page, a well known and admired professor from University of Michigan, who provided insight on diversity in the work force. Professor Page emphasized the importance of diversity over ability. Diversity in the work place gives birth to different views and ideas as well as challenges people to think on a higher level. Not only is diversity the right and moral way to live and work, but it brings real measurable profit to the workplace. At Comrise, we fully embrace this concept and make full use of the diverse nature of our staff. It is this diversity of people and ideas that makes Comrise so successful!

It is for these same reason, many companies are increasingly turning to diverse vendors for resources, such as talent acquisition or marketing and promotions. After having attended the NMSDC Conference, I better understand the importance of these Supplier Diversity Managers and see how they serve as advocates for improving the quality of their respective workplaces.

All in all, the conference was a complete success for Comrise and we look forward to being more involved in the NMSDC - we have lots of work ahead of us!

Job Search V. Self Search

The raging flood of unemployment is still drowning many Americans in a land of hopelessness. The unemployment rate still rests at 9.6% with what seems like no intention of improvement. Those of us who are lucky enough to have a job in this current economic state certainly have something to be grateful for. As for those individuals that are fighting for their chance to get their foot in the door, hang in there! The stresses of job hunting very easily takes over people’s mind as pressure from family and society builds up and a sense of failure begins to define them.

But wait…

We somehow have forgotten the bigger picture in life. Some may recall being in that ever-lasting 9.6% of people unemployed and waking up every morning with the thought of, “Oh my God, I am unemployed, what am I doing with my life?” But how about turning that anxiety into a sense of excitement of, “How can I use my free to time not only job search but also self search?” Many times we get caught up in the actions of searching for a job that we forget to think about our careers and life goals.

Here are some helpful tips in making the most of these tough employment times:

1. Define or redefine your career path to remind yourself why you became interested in it and how you can excel in it.
2. Create a target list in terms of what kind of position you are looking for and with what kind of company you would want to work for.
3. Put together a schedule of how many applicable positions you want to apply to and stick to it.
4. Equally important: define your life goals and make sure your career is in line with it.
5. Then, ask yourself if the job you are applying for will serve as a tool to help you move further OR if you are signing off to become a tool for your job.
6. Most importantly… just enjoy life! We often get caught up in the thoughts of being unemployed and the actions of applying to jobs that we forget to make the most of that time we have to ourselves.

I’ll leave you with this note: introspection is one of the most important steps of job hunting. “Your work is to discover your world and then will all your heart give yourself to it.” - Buddha

Stuxnet and the Tech World

Alright, so, Stuxnet. If you haven’t already heard about it, it’s the hot (tech) topic of the day, and it’s pronounced just like you think [stʌksnέʔ]. Stuxnet is a computer worm, a piece of malware that was apparently engineered to target energy infrastructure systems. It’s been reported in India, Pakistan, Indonesia, and most notably Iran.

I won’t discuss the ethical or political implications of Stuxnet and the imitators it’s sure to inspire, nor will I talk about Myrtus or 19790509 embedded in the code. I will, however, touch upon the technical implications of the worm and what it means for the computing world, including the job market.

First, the nature and scope of the architecture of Stuxnet seems to indicate not the work of a single or even a handful of individuals, but a highly-organized team of developers. Imagine your team, or a team you’ve seen, a team of 10 developers. Maybe some pair programming for specific functions, and you’ve got a team of highly-intelligent developers creating a complex and sophisticated piece of engineering explicitly for the purpose of infecting computer systems. This is a significant escalation – you’ll notice that the words used in the press and online to describe malware are the same as are used to describe nuclear weapons – in the production process, in the ‘malware arms race’ as it were.

What does this mean for the tech industry? Time to invest in Symantec*. Or start studying computer security. If the offensive side of malware production has kicked it up ten notches, then the defensive side is sure to attempt to catch up. For every one virus that’s out there, there are hundreds of companies with systems and databases that they’d like to keep secure. And now that malware is targeting not only software but also industrial control systems, there are going to be lots of companies out there who’ll be willing to pay more to keep their systems secure. And companies like Symantec are going to have to adjust (probably in size, certainly in sophistication) to keep up with these new technological demands.

Second, Stuxnet infects not only systems connected to the internet and internal networks, but also isolated systems via USB drive. Turns out all those spy movies and TV shows where someone like Sydney Bristow or Michael Westen breaks into a secure facility and then all they have to do is insert a thumb drive into a computer to steal files or plant a virus are more accurate than I usually give them credit for.

What does this mean for you? If you work in a secure facility (whether it’s for the military or for an investment bank or a pharmaceutical company – any facility with information on the inside that isn’t supposed to be on the outside), and you see a USB drive in the parking lot or in the lobby, don’t put it into your computer. Curiosity not only killed the cat, but it also shut down the uranium enrichment facility. If you just can’t stand the suspense, do it on your personal, isolated, not-connected-to-anything laptop, and then be prepared to clean and patch it diligently.

What will the actual consequences be? Only time will tell. But this will probably go down as a significant moment in the history of malware, and is certainly a significant moment right now for the field of cybersecurity.

*Disclaimer:
This is a technology blog, not a finance blog. Please take any financial advice presented here with a grain of salt and at your own risk.

Comrise Blood Drive

Kindness is a language of its own that can be expressed in innumerable ways. Upon learning of the lack of blood units needed in the Hazlet community, Comrise immediately spoke the language of kindness by organizing a blood drive. Facts like every two seconds someone in the U.S. needs blood or how four lives can be saved by donating just one unit, truly encouraged many Comrise in-house employees to want to participate in the Comrise Blood Drive.

The blood drive was most definitely a big stride for Comrise in becoming a more active member in our Hazlet Community. We were successfully able to have 22 volunteers donate their time and in total collect 15 units of blood.

    
Despite the busy work, employees from management, recruiting, sales and our support staff took out the time to help our fellow community members in need. There was a certain sense of excitement in the air as my fellow colleagues along with our neighboring companies lined up outside the Central Jersey Blood Truck waiting for their turn to donate.

The Comrise Blood Drive is certainly only the beginning of our charitable acts in our community. Look out for our further opportunities to participate in our Hazlet Township Community in the next months to come. We encourage all of our past and current consultants to join us in our commitment to our community.

Comrise Referral Contest!

One announcement to come out of last week’s Consultant Reunion Dinner – the first ever Referral Contest!

What’s that, you ask?

Comrise has a long-standing Referral Bonus Program in place that pays people for referring quality candidates who then get placed. If you recommend someone who gets hired, you get paid – that simple.

Now, however, in addition to the Referral Bonus Program, we’re introducing a Referral Contest open to current and former consultants. The rules are as follows:

1. Send us resumes.

That’s it. Send us quality resumes. Whoever sends the most resumes wins. Simple. So start asking your friends, family, neighbors, anyone who works in or around IT for their resumes, then send them to referrals(at)comrise(dot)com!

     
And the kicker is, whether you win one of the prizes associated with the Contest or not – and they’re awesome prizes, I mean, who wouldn’t want an iPad? – every single resume sent our way is still eligible for the Referral Bonus Program. If they get placed, you get paid. So not only do you get closer to winning a sweet prize by submitting more resumes, but you also increase your odds of reaping the benefits of our Referral Bonus Program. You can win twice, or more!

Consultant Reunion Dinner - A Review

Despite the freak storm (and tornado!) on Thursday, the dinner was a great success! We were afraid the downpour would keep some of our guests from attending, but the vast majority of them toughed it out and joined us, some coming from as far as Virginia and Connecticut to celebrate. These current and former consultants were rewarded for their bravery with warm conversation, delicious authentic Shanghai cuisine, and even some karaoke! We, in turn, were honored by their presence and were happy to recognize them for the hard work they've done for us over the years.


By the end of the night, the Comrise In-House Team was all smiles:




Did you attend? If so, what did you think of the night? Did you have fun? What would you like to see in the future?

Couldn't make it? Tell us what sorts of events you'd like to be a part of for next time!

Any and all comments are welcome. Just click the 'Comments' link below...

Comrise Technology Consultant Reunion Dinner

Here at Comrise we believe in working hard, but this week we plan on playing just as hard! Comrise has planned a much-anticipated event this Thursday, September 16th. We wanted to acknowledge our consultants for their hard work and have organized a dinner and reunion for former consultants from two clients to show our appreciation. We’re looking forward to reconnecting with everyone, some of whom have worked with us way back in the early 90’s and some just more recently. We believe in investing in our consultants, for it is because all of them that we have been successful for 26 years, and going strong!

Things our guests can expect this Thursday:

- The best Chinese cuisine in the state of New Jersey
- An opportunity to network and reconnect with former colleagues
- Karaoke - a Comrise favorite!
- Most importantly, a night devoted to honoring your hard work

We look forward to seeing these consultants and having a memorable night! Stay tuned next week for an update on our event, and keep an eye out for similar ones in the future! We plan on including more of our former and current consultants in other industries and with other clients; our goal is to successfully treat every one of our consultants to their much deserved rewards.

See you there!

Sales 101

Sales has a bad reputation in the world of business. Sales associates have been stereotyped as people who could possibly go to the extent of selling their souls to make a sale.

The general manager of Comrise Technology, Thomas Liou, describes sales as the “frontline of the economy,” and a successful sales executive as “a facilitator between an opportunity and a candidate.” In more simpler terms, sales is merely the act of selling products and services in return for money – which is what the economy depends on!

The members of the Leadership in Training Program at Comrise Technology are quickly transitioning into the next rotation – Sales.
In our first training session we learned about the challenges and dynamics of sales. It is a discipline which requires innovative and benevolent individuals, who are prepared to lead fast-paced lives. The following are few points which can make a great recipe for success for great salesmen:

- Initiate: A good salesmen is one who takes the initiative to meet with clients for face-to-face meetings to not only build, but also maintain relationships.
- Driven: Sales is all results driven. The most motivated salesmen are ones with the drive and ambition to hit the target for success.
- Imagination: It is a salesmen’s instinct to find what their clients need, and not just sell something that’s on the plate. This leads into the next point…
- Work Ethic: A good salesmen’s self-confidence in their products and services, as well as their team, plays a key role at work. If salesmen do not have faith in their team or the products or service they are selling, they are bound to fail. Moreover, it is important to be honest and genuine with clients. The job of a salesman is not to fool clients into buying a product or service that needs to be sold, but to provide products or services which are needed by their clients!

Time, there just isn’t enough of it…

Having graduated from my student life and now entered the real world, I’ve come to notice the vast shortage of time in my new life. From making my own schedule to following a set work schedule, having to more carefully manage one’s time is a difficult change but one worth making. This week at Comrise, we Leadership in Training Associates seized onto our “Time Management Lunch and Learn Session.” We learned all the different ways in which we waste our time and how we can properly allocate the precious 24 hours we are given in one day. Randy Pausch, a well known and respected scholar who passed away in 2008 due to pancreatic cancer, didn’t leave without sharing his helpful insight in his last few months. General Manager Tom Liou is a big believer of Randy’s philosophy on efficiency and took this opportunity to expose the Leadership in Training Associates to the secrets of time management.

Here are a few highlights that I personally liked that can help one be more organized and time effective:

1- Create a to do list
2- Buy yourself a calendar or organizer
3- Ask yourself which tasks are more important rather than simply due sooner
4- Turn off your T.V. for a week and see how you can allocate your time differently
5- Always write stuff down, it takes up less of your brain power to have to go back and remember it again

These are a few simple yet effective ways to better manage your time and be more efficient in your day. Take a look at this link to get the full scope of Randy’s lecture on time management to see how you can better use your time and thus accomplish more of the important things in your life: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oTugjssqOT0.

Main valuable lesson for me: Time is the most valuable thing you can give to someone, because it is the one thing you’ll never get back. Use it wisely, whether you devote your time to yourself, your family, to work, or to the community - just never waste it!!

Job-Sectors with Recession-Proof Pay

I was passed along this article by a colleague last week about 5 job-sectors for which the average salary barely dips, in other words is "recession-proof." With the economic recovery slowly but surely occurring, this article could be valuable resource to both recent graduates who have entered the job-market and unsure about which industry to target, as well as professionals with past work-experience in different industries, perhaps thinking about a career change.

As for the professionals already working in the job-sectors listed below, well it seems like you made the right decision (based on upon average salary trends in a strong vs. weak economy).

According to Yahoo Finance, the 5 industries that "recession-proof" pay are 1) Healthcare 2) Government 3) Military 4) Accounting and 5) Information Technology.

If a recession-proof salary is what you're after, consider these industries for your new career path. And specifically for the professionals within the IT world, you can view Comrise' IT job openings here

Here's the link to the complete article

-SG

The Art of Intrapreneurship

So you're probably wondering what an intrapreneur is? An Intrapraneur is someone who does entrepreneurial things within an existing corporate context. A Change Agent. A visionary who can also drive the change he/she sees. Someone who brings new possibilities into reality - not for their own purposes, but to build, grow or improve an existing company. In the staffing industry, constant innovation and intrapreneurship is definitely a mechanism that be put to greater use to help companies avoid stagnation and foster consistent future growth and success. Comrise does.

Most firms are able to create competitive advantages by finding new and better ways to compete in any given industry and staffing firms are no different. Agreed, that companies such as Comrise are not really creating a “product” that they can innovate, however, the fundamental values at the core of intrapreneurship can be undoubtedly applied to staffing firms and their employees to help improve performance and business processes– starting with inventive changes from the inside.

These are the top 4 characteristics that I believe make the foundation of the intrapreneur:

Creativity. This is one of the most important attributes of intrapreneurs. They don’t see what is but what could be. This translates to always having the “creativity” switch powered on. Such a mindset allows the intrapreneur to consistently superimpose a view of the future on the present.

Agility. Intrapreneurs must be willing and able to roll with the punches and be quick enough to find new directions and opportunities to make progress. It definitely helps to take the initiative and do some independent research in order to avoid being slowed down by learning curves, etc.

Persistence. It is not always important to hit a “home-run”, so to speak, in every discussion or presentation. I have realized that it is much more important to be bigger than any one day or any specific (crushing) decision. Listen to and accept feedback/criticism, and use it to improve yourself and ultimately, the company.

Commitment. Something I recall from one of Guy Kawasaki’s speeches, is that an intrapreneur must be infected with “a love for what the team is doing”. It is important to hire and retain people in a business that actually “get it” and “love it”.

Employees should continuously build their personal entrepreneurial toolkit by learning on and off the job. By taking on multiple, multi-functional, challenging jobs within the company and by learning the art of taking calculated risks (frequently), not only will the company benefit, but the employee may also benefit a great deal. After learning about the complacent attitude and conservative approach taken by many other staffing firms within the industry, I am glad to see Comrise is taking measures to embrace and foster this intrapreneurial thinking and subsequently use it to drive its ambitious growth strategy.

Personally speaking, the intrapreneurial drive is one of the keys to keeping me focused on innovation in the workplace. If I’m not doing something innovative, the intrapreneurial urge kicks in and starts driving me in that direction. For young and dynamic companies such as Comrise, mastering the art of intrapreneurship is very important, and we do realize that. If implemented the right way, it will undoubtedly help many staffing firms such as ours to establish sustained profitability and powerful market presence within an industry that has always been characterized as having a very wide-open playing field.

A True Summer Internship Experience

I just wrapped up my summer internship here at Comrise, and as I brainstormed what to write in my last blog post (spontaneous writing is not my forte), I had trouble settling on one topic since I was so intent on finding one that would allow me to create the perfect, final entry. If you recall, last time I wrote a post, the Comrise team had just come together to work on several particularly difficult job reqs, so it was simple for me to choose something to write about. As luck would have it, however, the Comrise team came together once again last week, and even if the occasion doesn't lead me to write the perfect post, at least I'm staying consistent with the underlying themes of unity and togetherness.

This past week, we had our Town Hall, and it was the first time I saw all the Comrise employees gather in one setting. The topic of discussion centered around what our Comrise culture was and what we wanted it to be going forward. A Town Hall, in its traditional sense, is generally known to be an opportunity to vent any frustrations and offer suggestions for improvement, so not surprisingly, I expected to see just that in our meeting. However, this was not the case. As we went around to share thoughts, some praised their fellow colleagues for their contributions, some explained how they pitched our close-knit culture to other companies as a key differentiator, and some simply expressed how grateful they were for everything Comrise offers its employees. Sure, we all recognized that we faced significant challenges in our industry, with the economic situation, various governmental reforms, and the competitive landscape, but we were optimistic--optimistic that our culture and the way we operated would lead to success. "We are in it to win it," our manager repeated.

I am not saying that Comrise is perfect; we have our share of problems like anyone else. The difference is that we as employees, no matter our rank or job title, can voice our concerns freely, and our management cares enough to resolve them as quickly as humanly possible. It's not uncommon to see our manager or other directors walk around the office and ask how everyone is doing and how they can be of service to us. Because of this, we can share our problems as they come; we don't need to wait for a Town Hall to throw out suggestions and frustrations, and that's likely why our meeting went as smoothly as it did.

The Town Hall was a truly humbling experience and the perfect way to end my internship. I felt privileged to have spent my summer at a place where I could apply my knowledge and have ownership over my projects. A place where I was mentored and allowed to mentor. A place where I was challenged and pushed to think. And of course, a place where I could laugh, joke around, and have a good time. For all this, I thank the Comrise family for daring to invest in me as an intern, for patiently watching me learn and guiding me along the way, and for giving me the opportunity to use my skills and experience to excel. Thank you, Comrise.

New U.S. Visa Fees to Hit Indian Firms

Just yesterday, in order to raise funds for security measures to curtail illegal immigration on the U.S./Mexico border, The U.S. Senate passed a measure that will raise visa application and renewal fees for companies whose workforces are more than 50% foreign workers. Fees will be raised to the neighborhood of $4000 for applications and renewals of H1-B and L1 visas. Passed in the Senate, this bill will now go to the House for approval.

While this won’t directly impact Comrise, this measure (if passed) will be a major blow to other IT Staffing firms like Tata and Wipro, who specialize in helping to bring foreign skilled laborers to the U.S. companies who need their skills. With the majority of their eggs in one basket, these so-called “H1 shops” will have to reconcile these new costs with their existing financial schemes. While they’ll surely try to pass some of these new costs onto the visa holders themselves, these higher fees will certainly impact their business models and their bottom lines.

But, more broadly, what does this measure mean for the American workforce and marketplace, specifically in IT? Will this measure make more room for U.S.-born skilled professionals, as Senator Schumer has argued? Or is an overly protectionist measure, and therefore against WTO regulations, as the staffing firms most directly impacted by this measure argue?

Another question raised by college statistics as they’re released every year, are there even enough American skilled laborers in the market to satisfy the needs of the marketplace? Or is this measure going to force out H1 candidates who don’t even have American counterparts to replace them?

Well, dear reader, what do you think? Good move? Bad move? Irrelevant move? (This isn’t a rhetorical question – discuss below!)

Should this measure pass the House, it seems it’ll only be a matter of time before the answers are revealed…

"Why aren't I getting hired?"

Let’s say you apply to an average of 70 jobs a week, which results in only three interviews and NO callbacks. You might then ask yourself, “What am I doing wrong?” In the country’s current economic state, the employment rate is sluggish, which becomes evident when job-seekers are putting in the effort to find employment but employers seem to be just not hiring. Having been on both sides of the coin, I can understand how frustrating this situation can be for a job-seeker. Speaking from a recruiter’s standpoint, we are simply looking for qualified individuals who are hard workers and who fit our clients’ requirements. Sounds simple, right?

Well, it turns out that despite your best efforts in looking for jobs, your chances of getting hired can in fact be slim. Yahoo News takes a further look into this issue and summarizes the top 5 reasons you may not get hired.

Here are some helpful hints from Comrise on what you can do better to succeed in the job application and interview process, both with companies and recruiters:

1- Be yourself
-Let your charisma and intellect speak for themselves, rather than misrepresenting yourself. Plus, if you get hired under false pretenses, it is only a matter of time before they figure it out…

2- Go into your interview prepared
-Research the company for which you’ll be interviewing. See how their goals and values line up with your own, then focus on those parallels. Shared values and goals are more likely to get you hired than a glowing reference.

3- Only apply for those jobs for which you are suited
-If you can tell the sort of experience level a job requires, don’t apply for any positions that are too senior or too junior for you. You’ll end up wasting your own time and finding yourself frustrated when it doesn’t work out.

4- Network wherever you go
-If you share a cab with someone or strike up a conversation on line for a latte, take a second to introduce yourself. A quick business card swap might just be your golden ticket. In IT as much as anywhere else, it’s all about who you know.

5- Be confident in your skill set and clearly express what you have to offer
- Have a healthy amount of self confidence (but don’t come off as arrogant!) and be to the point in expressing yourself (but don’t leave out pertinent details!). Make sure to emphasize how you can bring value to your potential employer.

“You’re going to be a recruiter? You’re going to be GOD!”

A few weeks ago when a recruiter called me, I didn’t like them! I felt like they were lying to me about jobs, or finding ways to trick me into paying them; I just did not trust their motives. I didn’t think they cared enough to actually screen my credentials to find me job.

I was one of the many students ready to graduate, but without a job opportunity to secure my future. I was one of the many who felt the stress and pressure of unemployment. I was one of them few weeks ago… and then I got a call from Comrise Technology!

When I shared the news with one my friends and described my role in the company her reaction was, “You’re going to be a recruiter? You’re going to be GOD!” I obviously laughed at the time, but at the end of my second work-week I realize that being a recruiter is no joke. We are not here to cheat anyone. We, as recruiters, are just doing our job and helping others get jobs – it’s that simple. However, the process isn’t.

My second week started this Monday with a recruiter training session, which briefed us about sourcing and finding candidates. The following days of the week I practiced sourcing which included identifying candidates who matched the job requirements, screening them, and following up with my senior recruiters. I felt the pressure of the industry when I just couldn’t find the right candidates who matched the requirements, didn’t call back or respond to my email, or had an amazing resume but no contact information. And finally on Friday I managed to forward some good candidates to my seniors, which felt like a big achievement and definitely prepared me for the weeks to come.

Lessons learned so far:

• Understand the job requirement and job boards.
• When in doubt, just ask.
• Work SMART, not hard!
• ...and we are not God, not trying to be; we’re just trying to help.

Game-Changing Technology

According to the Macmillan Dictionary, "game-changing" is defined as completely changing the way that something is done, thought about, or made. As a sports fan, when I hear the term "game-changing," I think of an interception in an NFL game, a home-run in a MLB game, and a steal in a NBA game, because of each these events can have an instant impact on the outcome of the game (of course depending on how competitive the game actually is.)

Likewise as technology continues to expand its presence in our personal and work life through things like the iPad and Smart Phones, there are a distinct set of technologies that have evolved and will now lead the way for how we communicate and interact with technology in years to come.

Here is a link to an article written by an Instructor for Global Knowledge about ten IT technologiesthat have proven to be  "Game Changers." 

What are your thoughts about these "Game Changers." Do you think there are any other technologies that should be included in the Top 10 ? Leave us a comment...

We Too Can Think like Computer Scientists

You glance at your watch. The end of the work week is fast approaching. The recruiters in the office are rushing to find that last resume that they need to submit to the hiring manager. Meanwhile, the account executives continue trying to get in touch with a few more hiring managers. As you fill out your timesheet, you receive a notification that someone has just sent you an email. Ahh, yes… the “Thinking like a Computer Scientist” email that a member of our office sends out every Friday. The email contains a difficult brain teaser to keep you thinking like a computer scientist over the weekend.

As you drive home from work, it just refuses to leave your thoughts. The puzzle must be more difficult than last week’s riddle! You attempt to do a few calculations in you head: what is 2¹⁰? Or what happens if…? But every path you take seems to lead to a dead end. When you finally figure it out, you think back to all of the seemingly silly methods you had previously tried. The answers always seem so simple, yet it always takes you forever to find that solution.

Unfortunately, when you arrive back at work with the answer, you notice someone has already solved the problem. It is their name that is on our “Kudos” board, not yours. Disappointed, you open your project from the previous week and pull up the Internet. Searching endlessly for another resume, you decide to switch up your Boolean searches. The resume you just found is a perfect fit. Why didn’t you adjust your search earlier? It’s seems so obvious; so simple, just like the solution to the brain teaser.

A Recruiter's Insight on "Recruiting"

We thought it would be a great idea for our readers to hear from one of our recruiters on a more personal level. Here is a short, informal Q&A with Senior Technical Recruiter Tony DiGiovanni.

1. Why should a candidate work with a recruiter throughout his/her new job search?
   
   As we all know, presently the job market is a crazy competitive place. That understood, I feel it is essential for candidates to create relationships with certain recruiters. I will define “certain” as people who have an excellent reputation as pertains to professionalism. Candidates for the most part get absolutely flooded with inquires from many kinds of agencies (both contract and fulltime). It is the candidates’ advantage to deal with the recruiter to obtain an edge in regards to the position. A good recruiter will have knowledge of both the job and the client. It is much more advantageous to the candidate to work with the recruiter as opposed to just submitting to various online systems where resumes do not always get reviewed. We are the “pushers” in the process along with account managers to convince a client to review, interview and eventually hire a strong candidate.
   
   
2. Why do you think recruiters get a bad rep?
   
   We get bad reps from the unethical recruiters that are in this business. I can go on here, but in short there are many unethical practices, for example - lack of respect and consideration for the best interest of the candidates. The bottom line is that it will eventually catch up to those who act unethically, and the ones who don’t will reap the benefits of dealing with more of the quality candidates and clients that are out there.
   
   
3. What is your favorite part about being a recruiter?
   
   I have to say the best part about being a recruiter right up there on the same level of earning a living is the fact that you are helping people make and secure one of the bigger decisions they have in life. This of course relates more to the full time side as opposed to the contract side, however there is still a rush of putting together the deal and bringing it from start to finish and then getting the rewards both monetary and professionally! There really is nothing better….in my opinion.

If you are seeking a new job opportunity, browse our Open Jobs.

Teamwork with a Hint of Luck

Julie here, bringing you another week of LMP updates. I technically started out as an intern early June, but I've officially become more and more of an LMP member (recently added onto the email listserv!). Anyhow, I can't talk about my experience at Comrise without describing the culture and the people. From day one, the GM, Tom, stressed to us the value of teamwork, telling us we'd have to be leaders and followers, always ready to step up and make the star plays on the court and to sit on the sidelines and hand water to our teammates as they made those game-winning shots. Since then, I've seen how that value has been internalized in our culture; everyone has been so willing to help each other, whether one's on maternity leave, out sick, or just another new employee like me. Simply put, the people here are awesome to be around. Plus, they all have diverse backgrounds and interesting stories to share (maybe a perk to being a minority-owned company!).

As I wrap up my third week of sourcing, there's an interesting point I'd like to share about it. Sure, there's a lot skill and experience needed, whether in understanding the technical requirements, creating the perfect Boolean string, or snuffing out the bad resumes, but there's also a hint of luck involved. Sometimes, you're given a straightforward job requirement (shortened to "req") with simple keywords to put in the search box and candidates responding promptly to your calls and emails, and other times, you're hit with a crazy req filled with rare skills and candidates that just don't feel like picking up their phones that day. As job seekers, we're always worried about bad luck coming our way and having that one recruiter read our resume that was having a bad day or simply didn't like our interest in classical music. Well, on the flip side, we as recruiters worry about bad luck and having our ideal candidate accidentally skip over our email or get an offer the minute before we call.

Either way, how do we avoid this bad luck? We can't. But we can increase our probability of success. Remember that great thing called teamwork? This week, we received several difficult, somewhat impossible reqs, but we sat down together as a company and decided that we'd all be working together, full-force, since we understood the importance of fulfilling these top-priority reqs. Immediately after dispersing from the meeting, everyone jumped onto job boards, called former connections, and brainstormed new ways to find candidates. It was amazing to see how when faced with a company-wide challenge, we all quickly dropped our tasks at hand and adapted our schedules to focus on our new priority. Undoubtedly, having the entire team work together helped us get more submittals than a few recruiters could have pulled off alone. Hence, we saw firsthand the importance of teamwork (mixed with a bit of luck) and why it is one of our core values.

“Teamwork must be at the core of the Comrise culture, and we should strive to be as collaborative as possible. This teamwork shall be built on the principles of mutual trust, mutual respect, effective communication, accountability, candor, and integrity.”

On the Other Side of the Résumé

Just a few months ago, I was hard at work perfecting my résumé, researching for job fairs, and practicing for interviews. I was a set-to-graduate college senior with no plans ahead of me. I read guides on résumé-crafting, I compared with friends’ templates, and did my very best to make that document as clean, professional, and impressive as possible.

And now I’m on the other side of the résumé.

My name is Todd, and I judge résumés.

Sure, I’m still in the training process and I’ve got a whole bunch of side projects, but my current day-in-day-out is résumés. Reading, scanning, analyzing, judging. I used to be a nervous aimless applicant, and now I play the part of the first sentinel on the road to being hired. That average 10-30 seconds a recruiter looks at a résumé before deciding to pass or pursue? Those seconds add up to make my day. Too many spelling or grammar mistakes? No thanks. Too far from the job site? Next. Wrong past job titles? Pass. Not enough experience with a skillset? Moving on.

It’s quite the change in perspective, but what can I do but try to make the best of it? If I’m going to do it, I might as well do my best to do it well. So review I do. Eventually, the absurdity will surely wear off. But until then, I’m working hard to let myself get more comfortable doing this job, a job that has to be done. My reassurance comes from knowing that, for those people whose résumés just might be good enough, I’m the first step on the way to employment. And what could make you feel better than getting someone hired?

Our Continued Experience with Comrise

Hi my name is Mansi Patel and I am a fresh graduate from Rutgers University. I graduated with a degree in Communication and Psychology as I humbly find myself in the staffing industry. My previous internships have allowed me to walk into Comrise Technology's doors with some experience on my back. I spent one year at Masala Communications as the PR/ Marketing Intern and later almost ten months at Liz Claiborne Inc. as their Corporate Communications Intern.

After a well developed first week of training here at Comrise Technology, our more experienced recruiters allowed us to dive right into the most basic aspect of recruiting: sourcing and screening candidates. It is fascinating to now know the number of details that are considered in finding exactly what our clients are looking for. It was just yesterday that my recruiter and I submitted my first candidate (QA/UAT Tester); we are confident that our client will see the same potential in her as we did.

I think many of my colleagues can agree that Comrise Technology seems to offer a certain sense of satisfaction upon completing our workday. Not every young adult gets to say that they not only have a job themselves, but also played a major role in finding someone else a job. I am excited to see Comrise Technology grow in this turbulent economy and rise to exceed it’s perceived potential.

Check in next week to hear more about our progression with the company as LMP Associates!!

Leadership and Training Program Begins

Hello my name is Dhawal – In terms of my educational background, I attended Rutgers University in NJ with a focus on Economics. Prior to this I attended Babson College in Wellesley, MA with a large portion of coursework in Finance and Entrepreneurship. I formerly have had experiences within the Financial Services, IT and Sales sectors which I have greatly enjoyed. I recently became a part of the Leadership in Training Program at Comrise and just on the fourth day, I feel that I am already immersed in the company’s motivated team environment.

The entrepreneurial and diverse community of Comrise has proven to be a good fit for me thus far. The learning curves for the industry as well as the operational components of the company itself are high in many ways. However, the accelerated nature of the program definitely makes it interesting to constantly be learning more. The in-depth exposure to the industry has been quite useful so far and the very approachable management team has also helped extensively along the way.

The first week has had more of an emphasis on ensuring that a fundamental grasp is made on factors such as industry data and internal details regarding the company as well as the program structure. Nonetheless, the Leadership and Training team has already started researching potential international clients while simultaneously expanding our knowledge of the industry and its many competitors. Definitely looking forward to future weeks - Stay tuned for additional blog posts as I get a bit more acclimated with the company!