Some Thoughts to Ponder

I recently spent some time in discussions, chats, and brain-picking sessions with some technologists of different backgrounds and vocations. One theme that seemed to run through was different thoughts on security.

We know that from a demographic standpoint, many technologists believe in a combination of as much personal freedom for themselves, while simultaneously pushing maximum security measures for their own accounts and information. It's an interesting duality in some ways, but quite logical in many others. After all, we tend to believe in guarding what's ours from outside intrusion.

However, we may often find ourselves working with a client who doesn't always have the highest security standards in mind. Sure, standard steps are taken, including SSL connections and the like. However, it would be a smart move to have a serious conversation with your client(s) regarding the necessity of strong security measures.

While many clients might gloss over the "non-fun" aspects of building their site and online business, they may not realize how deep security should probably run.

I like to use an analogy to share the importance of security with clients. I would ask them if they ever built, or provided insight into the construction of their home. If not, they very likely have clear vision of what their dreamhouse would be. In that scenario, the vast majority of people find themselves intricately involved in the planning and design of almost every part of the house. They would also spend a lot of time considering security measures in order to protect their family.

I would then transition to compare this to online security. We, as users of technology, particularly in the cloud computing era, tend to store almost our entire lives in the cloud. Even if we don't realize that we're opening ourselves up to loss of personal data, we are still exposing ourselves to that risk. Therefore, I recommend urging your client(s) to pay the same level of close attention to defending their business' online data and financial security. Just like protecting their family, they would do well to protect their business and customers.

The New Office Etiquette

The folks over at job-board site www.monster.com have shared 12 rules for the workplace regarding etiquette.

Even though most employees know to follow these instinctively, an occasional refresher on the matter tends to be quite helpful. Some of the best-to-follow:

• Watch your language. Even if you work in a casual environment.
• Stay home if you're sick. We believe in keeping healthy here at Bixly, so please just tell us if you're sick, and we'll find a way to help you out.
• Avoid social media. While it's easy to think about how this wasn't an issue just 10 years ago, social media is a constant reminder of how much technology has changed our lives.

Be Ready for a Different Kind of Interview

The San Francisco Chronicle's online presence at sfgate.com occasionally has some great career and job search advice.

Most recently, one hit kind of close to home. I'd highly recommend going through the 25 Weird Interview Questions listed. They're kind of the rage in the tech world now.

We're Back!

So we had about a 9 month hiatus. Sorry about that. But nonetheless, we've returned on this blog and we're still looking for awesome developers here in Fresno and abroad.

In the meantime, if you're a recent college grad and looking for a job, check out this very relevant article from Careerealism regarding job search tips!

Crimes of the Cubicle

I like to keep on top of news and tips for the workplace. Salary.com just posted a great guide of 15 Crimes of the Cubicle.

Sure, many people have done at least 1-2 of these, but it's a great idea to make sure that you're not a "chronic cubicle criminal."

Acing the Interview

I get a real kick out of following interesting people on Twitter. One of those is a user called "@TheSuccessKing." They provide great resources for anybody who is career-minded and entrepreneurial.

They recently linked to an article that highlighted interview concepts and guidelines which can be easily missed by candidates of all levels. It's a list of 10 rules to live by when interviewing for a job.

Too often, us recruiters find ourselves interviewing candidates that haven't fully prepared for the interview. Step 1 in this article, which I have always been a proponent of, is to have a compelling story. Tell me about your successes. More importantly, be prepared to talk about your stumbles, but don't leave them that way. Demonstrate to me how you overcame adversity, and what you learned in the process. Everybody makes mistakes - we just care about how you recovered from them.

Additionally, Step 8 (Sell Yourself) provides a different way to look at another of my recommendations. While the article recommends using USPs (Unique Selling Propositions), I have typically found that to be easier said than done. I tend to be very hard on myself, so thinking of my strengths doesn't always come very easily to me. I would recommend that you create MSAs about yourself. In other words, what have you Made, Saved, or Achieved in your previous jobs? If you haven't had a job in the professional arena yet, what about in school, or on projects that you took on by yourself?

Key points? Don't be afraid to brag in an interview. It's your chance to set yourself apart from the competition.

Forbes and Bixly Have a Connection

A couple of months ago, Forbes published an article of the 5 most sought-after personality traits in new-hires. They were: professionalism, high-energy, confidence, self-monitoring, and intellectual curiosity.

Interestingly enough, these are areas that we tend to have opinions on. We don't typically require that a new hire have a college degree in order to work for us as a developer, or in another role. What we do require is a base amount of knowledge, coupled with a burning, passionate desire to gain more of it.

We also place a bit of a different cultural value on each of these traits. Professionalism is always expected in terms of interactions with colleagues, clients, and anybody else, but we don't require you to wear a suit and tie.

High-energy? It's something that everybody here has. Part of working in a startup environment is an “all hands on deck” mentality that permeates the culture. You will find yourself constantly challenged, so attacking new tasks with enthusiasm is required.

Confidence is also a must-have. As a developer, project manager, or anybody in a client-facing role, you will find yourself having daily interactions with clients from around the world. You must be prepared to explain your progress on your tasks so far, what you expect to complete next, and also an understanding of what obstacles might get in your way.

Self-monitoring is another way to describe someone with strong self-knowledge and self-motivation. You should be able to describe your accomplishments to date, as well as what you see yourself doing in the next 5 years. Career-mindedness is a highly valued trait here.

Intellectual curiosity is probably one of the most important and underrated qualities that we look for. We don't expect you to know how to fix a problem right away, but we do expect that you will put in the time to figure it out. Time-tested methods to fix problems are always appreciated, but sometimes, finding a new way to do things can be even better.