With the demand for IT contractors showing little sign of slowing down, organizations want to recruit the best staff they can. Today, assessing skills through pre-employment technical testing is becoming a widespread hoop many contractors and job seekers find themselves jumping through today.

The use of technical testing by hiring companies is set to increase, according to Lisa Jobson, manager, Managed Services at Harvey Nash. “Many of our blue-chip customers are beginning to insist on technical testing of candidates for contractor positions,” she says. “And they often won’t progress candidates who have the right experience and skills until they have taken a technical test.”

Confident in their abilities, skills and experience, the candidates Harvey Nash puts forward typically complete the tests successfully. But still, technical testing can be rather daunting for some. “The tests never lie,” says Jobson, “How you approach them is important. We find that testing really splits those who are super confident and have ability, with those who perhaps don’t have the experience they thought they had.”

Harvey Nash is fully aware of the importance that doing well is to candidates. Jobson suggests contractors prepare carefully and try to give themselves plenty of time to answer questions so that they have the opportunity to fully demonstrate their abilities and skills. Candidates should practice in test situations beforehand, using online assessment tests as a way of gaining experience and getting in tune with the online testing processes. Speak to your local Harvey Nash team about practice opportunities. “Preparation gives test takers more confidence. As there is usually no reference material available during a test, it prepares them for a real test situation,” she says.

Financial services companies will only recruit those with a very high standard of skills, according to Jobson. She cites a recent example where one financial services company that needed C# programmers asked for technical testing to be carried out. Although the two contractors put forward got advanced level scores, they didn’t get the position because another candidate came in with an even higher score.

“That is how client companies are really drilling down on the technology and are looking for the most highly skilled staff available,” says Jobson. “Certainly in the contractor arena they are far more interested in high or advanced technical test scores than other abilities a candidate might have.”

Using technical testing saves time and money from a client’s point of view. It cuts out candidates whose skills are not of the required standard and also helps to determine their market value.

“Whether a contractor gets the position or not, they should make sure they get the results of their tests, as they may help in future job hunting situations,” advises Jobson. Most credible assessment testing is recognized throughout the world. “Someone with very high test scores in a given skill set will be a very attractive candidate to the rest of the market, even if they didn’t manage to secure the job they were being tested for. The result also gives the candidate a really good indication of how they perform under pressure."

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To make you more familiar with the skilled professionals we employ, the kind of work they’re capable of doing, and the markets in which they’re competing, we continue our profiles of Harvey Nash contractors. This month we introduce you to Senior Consultant Kirti Parikh, based in Chicago, Illinois.

On a cold and damp autumn Monday morning in Chicago, Kirti Parikh was in high spirits. She explained that her project team was migrating a data warehouse for a brokerage undergoing a merger, and the team was providing expertise in architecture and methods for data transmission to target systems. In this case, extensive analysis was required to enhance functionality and to provide custom data feeds downstream. “This is interesting to me,” she explained. “I’m performing a variety of roles. Design analysis, data modeling, data mapping, programming, testing and implementation—the whole project lifecycle. I’m enjoying the variety.”

Kirti’s first Harvey Nash project was with Citicorp, and her current project, now in its second year, is at Wachovia. While it is her second with Harvey Nash, it is hardly her first in Chicago. “I’ve spent my whole career here, almost 30 years…I’ve developed relationships with major clients—Fortune 100, Fortune 500. I’ve worked at companies like Motorola and SBC three and four times over 15 years…that’s an advantage, and it evidently speaks to the impression I left them with.”

While portions of her consulting career were focused on specific components of projects or specific industries, she has found the most satisfaction in the variety that she’s been exposed to. “Contracting has given me the opportunity to work on different technologies across different industries. Harvey Nash gave me a way to get back into the financial industry and into data warehousing, and I’ve enjoyed my return. I’m doing hands-on project work again—in the last two projects I’ve even done some coding.”

Kirti believes the consulting model works because clients benefit from the range of experience that people like her bring to each project. “In my experience consultants are looked up to. Clients think of us highly because we have a wide knowledge base.”

That explains perhaps why consulting isn’t for everyone. “People who can take on more kinds of challenges and pressures should be contracting. A lot of times I find people have comfort zones and they don’t want to step outside of them. As project managers we need to enjoy working with other people, but we also need to stay close to technologies and to gathering requirements.”

Kirti finds work as a Harvey Nash contractor a good fit. “Harvey Nash has been consistent and dedicated to keeping in touch with consultants and keeping them informed. They’re very supportive of taking courses or attending seminars for new skills. And as a global company, they have more awareness of outsourcing and offshoring worldwide, which opens doors to other areas.”

Kirti is an active public speaker at events for Chicago’s Indian community where audiences range from hundreds to thousands. Her most recent event was a forum for college students, many of whom are first-generation Americans. It was designed to explain Indian traditions and cultural differences between the East and West. An avid reader, she’s happy to do background research on the subjects of her speaking engagements.

She’s also getting ready for the next phase of family life. Kirti has two children who are now in the first stages of their own careers, so traveling worldwide as a family may be more difficult in the years ahead. “Last year it worked out, but everyone’s life is changing. It’s an adjustment for parents that I’m getting ready for.”

So what’s next professionally? “I want to learn more middle ware like the MQ series [IBM WebSphere MQ]. Middle ware is a growing area, and it’s a big topic at Wachovia.”

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Do you do your very best work in flip flops and comfy sweatshirts? Hey we all know it’s important to be comfortable while your working but getting too comfortable could be hurting your advancement opportunities. The truth is, in the workplace and on the career ladder appearances count. Studies have shown that first impressions have a profound professional impact and if your dress code is not communicating “professionalism and competence” opportunities could be slipping by.

Found yourself cornered in a particular part of the market or unable to keep your career development moving at the pace you think it deserves? You do a great job—no, you do a fantastic job—but you are hovering at the same level no matter what you do. Have you ever thought how you dress might have something to do with it?

Some of the most lax dress codes today have grown out of so many of today’s come-as-you-are IT departments. And it tends to be true that among peers at a developers’ conference no one really cares what is worn. No one will raise their eyebrows at beat-up sneakers and an ‘I survived Windows 2000’ T-shirt. However, people outside of the IT department and outside of the company (clients, partners, press, etc.) do notice and certainly care what is worn.

At a large IT conference a few years ago, organizers had arranged for a couple of image consultants to be available to give advice on appearances and dress. It was done as a bit of light relief from the rigors of the conference and was not expected to be a huge draw. But, to the surprise of all, the consultants were the most booked vendors of any of the exhibitors there. People really wanted to know how their personal professional presentation could help their careers.

What they learned was that a tidier, and often more traditional, style of dress will be taken more seriously in the workplace. Tidying your dress not mean having to wearing pin stripes, ties and gleaming, polished shoes every day. But, it does mean that having a few button downs—maybe even a suit— in your workplace wardrobe and could help demonstrate to peers and supervisors your commitment to treating the workplace as a serious, professional place.

If you feel your standard workplace wardrobe could be keeping your career on hold, consider talking to your local Harvey Nash team. A few small changes in your work attire might mean some big changes in opportunity!

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Microsoft revamps training
The Seattle-based software company has overhauled its training programs to “better reflect the changing IT environment.” The three-tier certification—Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist, Certified IT Professional and Certified Architect—is aimed at IT professionals and developers. According to the company, the certification will focus on specific job roles and use performance-based testing that better mirrors real-life jobs. The first of the programs will begin this month and will be offered for Visual Studio 2005 and SQL Server 2005.

Turn it off before you go go
Over a third of people do not turn off their PCs before they leave work for the day even though 75 percent of them claim to be environmentally responsible, according to the Energy Saving Trust, a UK-based environmental organization. In a recent report, The Trust estimated that companies are wasting about $209 million (£120 million) each year leaving computers on standby. Home users are not much better, wasting $71.5 million (£41 million) a year through leaving devices on standby. The Trust said people think they are saving money using standby, but a PC or TV uses 90 percent of the energy it would if it were left on.

Marconi sold for bargain $20.9 billion
Ericsson has bought the Marconi assets and name, leaving the troubled UK firm with just its services business, which will be renamed Telent. Ericsson has said that Marconi’s expertise in optical systems will help it ramp up its telecom networks to meet growing demand for Internet access.

Storage management software opening up
A band of vendors including IBM, Cisco, Sun Microsystems, Computer Associates and Network Appliance have formed a group called Aperi to promote the idea of open source software for managing storage. Aperi hopes to make it easier for firms to manage their data by making code available. This follows last year’s move by the Storage Networking Industry Association (SNIA) to create a standard for storage management software.

Viruses find a new frontier – mobile devices.
IBM is expecting a huge increase in viruses and worms targeting handheld devices, mobile phones, wireless networks and embedded computers, including car and satellite communication systems during the next 12 months. The company claims that mobile devices are the new frontier for viruses, spam and other security threats, and that wireless technologies used to connect mobile devices are creating new opportunities for hackers. A report from IBM’s Global Security Intelligence Services team also predicts an increase in the attacks on VoIP networks.

Microsoft change leads to crisp, fast action
Microsoft is reorganizing in an effort to stay ahead of competitors, and will offer more of its services over the Internet. It will split into three units, each with its own President: business; entertainment and devices; and platform, products and services. Chief executive Steve Ballmer said he hopes the restructuring will lead to crisper, faster action.

The platform, products and services division (which includes Windows and the MSN Internet division) will be headed by Jim Allchin and Kevin Johnson. The business division, Office software, will be run by Jeff Raikes. Robbie Bach will become President of the entertainment and devices arm.

Setting Standards in IT Security
Governments on both sides of the Atlantic are getting involved in certifying IT security experts. In cooperation with the U.S. Department of State, the International Information Systems Security Certification Consortium (ISC)2 recently announced a new credential that demonstrates competence in evaluating information systems. The Certification and Accreditation Professional (CAP) is expected to be especially of interest to heavily regulated industries like financial services and insurance.

In the United Kingdom, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) is getting behind the issue by creating the Institute for Information Security Professionals (IISP). Opening its doors in January, the IISP will also be backed by the Cabinet Office and blue chip companies like BP, BT and The Royal Bank of Scotland. It will certify security experts, and IT professionals who qualify for membership will have to adhere to a code of conduct and attend workshops.


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