How to Find the Best Person for the Job

When it comes to adding staff, there’s little margin for error. Few CIOs have the time and budget to devote to a second round of recruiting if an initial hire doesn’t work out so it’s essential to select the right person … now. Of course, achieving this goal often is easier said than done. To…

Innovation and the CIO

CIOs must get the balance right between utility and innovation in order to secure influence in the future, according to new research from PA Consulting Group and Harvey Nash, a global professional recruitment consultancy and IT outsourcing service provider. The 2011 survey of over 2,500 CIOs and IT leaders reveals that CIOs are playing an…

The CIO’s Growing Role: IT and Innovation

As 2011 gets into high-gear, we are seeing the predicted IT spending increases come to pass; with companies often shifting their focus from cost-cutting initiatives to growth and innovation projects. Accompanying this spending increase is a shift in the role of the CIO towards an architect for business innovation. This increased, highly visible responsibility creates…

6 Ways to Boost Business Innovation in IT

Would you describe your own team as creative? Do your employees help set industry trends, or do they just follow them? With everyone focused intently on the day-to-day aspects of their jobs, your staff simply may not be thinking about developing new ideas or recommendations. As a leader, you can change that by setting the…

Are You a Transformational CIO?

“Today, the IT infrastructure is the backbone and accelerator of a company’s business transformation,” explained Jean Cholka, CEO of the global IT services provider Freeborders. “Thereby, having the right leader in the IT organization in place is critical to a company’s success.” This transition in IT’s role was fueled by a number of converging storm…

Top 5 Mistakes on the CIO’s Resume

The truth is, executives can go years without creating a polished resume. Much career development is based on internal promotions and/or being actively recruited by outside companies. When competing for roles internally, people generally know who you are, so the resume is less important. Although a good resume can be very helpful when responding to…

Top 5 Mistakes on the CIO’s Resume

No. 3: Concrete accomplishments – Some executive resumes read like job descriptions: “My responsibilities for this job were a, b, c,” etc. Readers want to know both your job responsibilities and that you did them well. Getting accomplishments into the resume (the more concrete the better) provides punch to the resume and gives people a…

Q3 IT Jobs Outlook Stable to Good

Technology executives forecast continued hiring activity in the third quarter of 2011, according to the just-released Robert Half Technology IT Hiring Index and Skills Report . In the latest quarterly survey, 7 percent of CIOs said they plan to expand their IT departments, and 3 percent expect cutbacks, for a net 4 percent projected increase…

Executives Optimistic but Hiring Plans Slim

Business optimism is rising but hiring isn’t following that trend. That’s the takeaway. But, according to The Robert Half Professional Employment Report , 92 percent of executives said they are confident in their firms’ growth prospects in Q3 of 2011. Just under half, some 44 percent, said they are very confident. This compares with 86…

The CIO’s Survival Guide to M&A, Part 1: The Merger

Relate everything IT to the rationale and expected benefits of the merger – Psychologically and practically, a merger becomes the primary focus of executives from the moment due diligence begins until the transaction is scrapped (which sometimes happens) or the integration is completed. Whichever position a CIO is in, that CIO’s ability to protect their…