Author: Mindquest

Mindquest Connect offers you a collection of articles and innovative content for recruiters and IT professionals.

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Weekly News: A Difficult Relationship With 5G

Weekly News: A Difficult Relationship With 5G
IT news

How is the relationship with 5G? Outlandish theories were spreading like wildfire across the U.K. at the start of the COVID-19 outbreak. 

In a sudden burst of technological ignorance, a few conspiracy-lovers set out to destroy the country’s newly deployed 5G towers. The technology was, of course, behind the mysterious disease. 

Since then, the relationship with 5G is difficult, anti-5G sentiment has grown around the globe, and the rest, as they say, is history.

Only that the U.K. has another major problem with 5G: China. Following raising internal pressure and sanctions by Washington, the British government has banned sales of Huawei’s 5G kit starting January. Network providers will also have to abandon all already-purchased Huawei 5G tech by 2027.

Meant at addressing national security concerns, the decision is likely to delay the U.K.’s 5G rollout by 2 to 3 years. 

Big ‘oops’ from Twitter

No one is safe from cyberattacks. Not even Twitter. 

The company’s IT, PR and legal departments sure had one hell of a day yesterday after news emerged of a high-profile breach involving major firms and public figures. Apple, Elon Musk, Joe Biden, Kanye West. 

It all started when their accounts starting posting invitations to participate in a lucrative Bitcoin scam with a simple message: send 1.000 dollars to this account, and you will get double in return. 

While Twitter blames the breach on a coordinated social engineering attack against its employees, other sources point at a rogue employee who might have helped hackers get inside access.

relationship with 5G

Remote work is here to stay

Newsflash — Gartner survey confirms the writing on the wall: remote work is part of the new normal. 

A sweeping 82% of business leaders are planning on allowing at least some level of remote work moving forward, even after the pandemic is over. 

\Nearly half of companies (47%) will allow employees to work remotely full time, while 43% of respondents are aiming for a flexible week schedule. 

This new set-up highlights the necessary transformation of the CIO role. IT leaders will now have a bigger role within organisations, leading the construction of stronger cloud collaboration environments and helping maintain a cohesive remote corporate culture.

relationship with 5G

The AI bandwagon

53% of global tech and business leaders invested more than $20 million in AI and related talent in the past year, according to a report by Deloitte.  

Although the majority of respondents believe AI will significantly transform their industry in the next 3 years, only 47% of them consider they have a sufficiently skilled AI workforce. 

Ethical concerns, data privacy/regulations and AI failure are among the top concerns keeping executives up at night. 

relationship with 5G

Also discover our weekly news: Eco data centers, a Microsoft hack and the EU’s digital sovereignty

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Job Descriptions Project Manager

E-CRM Project Manager : Job Description

Salesforce Consultant
The Salesforce consultant is on the IT side of customer relations and specialises in the Salesforce ecosystem. Exlpore the role...

Use our template to create a compelling and comprehensive E-CRM PM job description to attract top talent.


The e-CRM (electronic customer relationship management) project manager position is at the crossroads of the IT, marketing and sales functions. This role occupies an important place in the field of customer relations on the web; since it coordinates the implementation of digital campaigns across all of the digital platforms of a company.

Explore also the role of the SOC Analyst: Job Description

What is the role of the e-CRM Project Manager?

Build the appropriate databases

The experts must first identify the target customers in order to adapt all pertinent actions according to the objectives set. They must then define the means to collect all the relevant data for a given customer. For example, age, family situation, opinion on a product, etc., and they must set up the according processes.

Develop programs to connect with customers

Further, the e-CRM Project Manager must use the right methods to create links with customers and retain them. For example by sending email campaigns. The objectives are to better understand the consumer and retain them to develop sales and generate profit. One of the priorities of the position is therefore to analyze the behaviour of users and their browsing habits.

Put in place strategies to offer products that meet customer expectations

In addition, the goal of the e-CRM Project Manager is to provide value to the customer. To meet their purchasing potential and follow the evolution of their tastes. They need to define a strategy for leveraging visitor and customer data and implement e-CRM solutions to offer products adapted to the profile of each contact. They then set up automated campaigns and tracks their actions to measure ROI.

Required skills to

Excellent analytical and project management skills

The e-CRM Project Manager must also know the client and develop a link between them and the company. For this, they must have robust data processing and analytical skills and a strong appetite for project management.

Good ability to interpret customer reactions

Good interpersonal skills are a must here. The expert is in direct contact with the client and must have good interpersonal skills to be able to interpret user behaviours and needs.

Strong technical knowledge of digital tools

The expert in e-CRM Project Management must have perfect knowledge of the various digital tools employed by the company. In order to carry out the relevant analysis, ensure the correct implementation and monitoring of campaigns. They must also master statistical tools.

Also discover the other Project Managements roles and career paths

The E-CRM Project Manager within the industry

This job has been very popular for some years now and keeps attracting more and more young graduates in commerce, IT or marketing. However, there are not that many available positions, and the hiring rate is relatively low due to strong competition.

This role has developed in many sectors of activity: e-commerce, banking, insurance, telecoms …

Salary of the e-CRM Projet Manager

The average daily rate fluctuates between €500 and €900.

Training of the e-CRM Project Manager

Most e-CRM Project Managers have a university-level degree. Studies in sociology and training as a webmaster also help you gain access to this kind of position. But you should know that prior professional experience is essential before becoming an e-CRM Project Manager.

In terms of evolution; after a few years of experience as an expert in e-CRM Project Management, it is possible to occupy a position of marketing director in a relatively technical context.

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IT Consultants Tips for your daily life as a freelancer

Time Management Tips in remote for IT Professionals

Time Management Tips in remote for IT Professionals
Discover our time management tips in remote for IT Professionals. Here are a few tips on how to achieve full efficiency while working remotely.

Discover our time management tips in remote for IT Professionals. Having independence in one’s work is a great thing for any driven professional who likes to take the initiative. But it is not all advantages.

Working independently lets you distribute your energy throughout the day as you see fit, giving you more flexibility to dedicate time to yourself and others. Yet all that schedule juggling requires solid time management skills.  

The ability to deal with a fluid timetable has long been one of the key factors of success for tech freelancers. Now, the coronavirus pandemic has catapulted millions of in-house workers into a new workplace paradigm. With 82% of business leaders planning on allowing at least some level of remote work from now on (Gartner), knowing how to take full control of one’s day has become a must for independent and permanent IT professionals alike.    

Here are a few tips on how to achieve full efficiency while working remotely.

Time management tips in remote:

Start by building a comprehensive calendar

It is easy to get overflowed with daily activities and forget about the bigger picture. Especially for newcomers to the remote working life.

Outline all your tasks and upcoming deadlines and incorporate them into a comprehensive calendar. Plan your week and then look at each day, building a schedule that defines clear goals while allowing for some flexibility.

Spending 10 minutes at the start of each day to review your calendar will let you reassess priorities and adjust objectives. Your goals should be “smart”, that is, achievable without excesses. Sort priorities and categorize tasks.

You can use one of the myriads of free calendar apps out there or opt for the more traditional paper version. Whatever works best for you.

Make sure to put some time on your calendar to deal with all the administrative tasks we all love so much (invoicing, timesheets, reporting, etc…). 

Prioritize the most important tasks 

It is advisable to use the morning hours to carry out your most important tasks, namely the ones that will demand the most energy and attention from you. For most people, the morning is the time of day when their brain is most productive. 

Starting with the more tedious tasks will make the rest of your day easier, leaving the less strenuous tasks for when your mind is tired. 

Find an adequate place to work 

You must be comfortable to deliver your best work. Your work environment should nurture your productivity and creativity while promoting general well-being. 

Don’t forget that your body and mind need to rest periodically to remain at full capacity. Choose a work setting that allows you to take breaks throughout the day. An hour of work usually requires 10 minutes of break.

To learn more, read our article: IT Pros: How to Work On Remote in the Post-Pandemic World

The Pomodoro method for time management

To manage your daily schedule in the best possible way, try using the Pomodoro, or ‘Tomato’ method — yes, Italian. 

This technique is designed to help you split your working day by alternating breaks and intense concentration sprints. 

The steps are pretty straightforward: 

  • Focus your attention on a single task at a time 
  • Set a timer to a fixed duration of 25 minutes 
  • Work on that single task for the duration of the timer
  • Once the time has passed, take a break for 5 minutes 
  • Start again from the beginning and, after the 4th repetition, take a longer break (15-30 minutes).   

Plan for the unexpected

Your daily schedule will often be thrown off by unforeseen events that you will have to deal with. As Murphy’s law makes clear, nothing goes as planned. Here, reactivity is key. Allocate some time on your calendar for contingency management so that you are not caught off-guard by unexpected pitfalls. 

Discover our special guide: IT Job Hunting Done Well: A Step-by-Step Guide

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Hiring an IT consultant IT Decision-makers

4 Keys to Hiring Top Tech and IT Freelancers

4 Keys to Hiring Top Tech and IT Freelancers

Freelance work has become largely democratised and, more and more, companies now rely on independent IT and technology consultants. Hiring top IT freelancers brings many benefits to your team, especially in times of crisis.

But the talent war rages and on in several areas of expertise, with professionals receiving up to dozens of mission proposals a day. 
Here is a series of concrete measures that you should put in place if you want to attract the best IT freelancers out there.  

Propose conditions in line with the reality of the IT freelance market 

Are you looking for a rare profile, with a high level of expertise and many years of experience? Be aware that this type of expert is often in high demand and can, therefore, afford to set higher rates. 

Learn more about the situation of your target talent market: what types of profiles are available? What are the average daily rates? Once conducted this research, you will be able to write a clear job description and propose suitable conditions. 

Keep in mind that compensation is not everything: all the benefits come into play here and can help you gain attractiveness top tech or IT freelancers — especially for long-term assignments (travel expenses, access to the company’s gym, etc…). 

Highlight your project’s strengths

Don’t forget that top-performing freelancers need to be passionate about their job. An IT consultant is not only looking for remuneration. Like permanent employees, they often look for a company that shares their values, with opportunities to learn and grow; a dream project, a friendly and talented team, etc. 

Don’t forget to indicate what you can bring to the table on your end. If a candidate must possess certain qualities and skills to be considered for a mission, you must also specify what you can offer.

It is not a matter of overselling the assignment, but simply of highlighting its strengths to attract the attention of the best candidates: peculiarities of the technical stack, visibility on the projects and possibilities for renewal, location, etc. 

Also, amidst the rise of DevSecOps, IT recruitment needs to adjust. Traditional methods fall short; recruiters must adapt to DevSecOps demands. Here‘s what to consider in recruiting for this era.

Work on your brand 

Your company brand is a critical deciding factor for potential candidates.

Don’t hesitate to collaborate with your company’s HR and Marketing departments to discuss how to best benefit from these communication efforts. 

Keep in mind at the time of the interview that the candidate is not the only one who has to convince. You need to make them want to join your team rather than choose another company. Try as much as possible to be transparent about the context and concrete objectives of the mission. Candidates highly appreciate this openness. 

Focus on retaining talent to hiring top IT freelancers

Hiring the best IT freelancers is not easy. But neither it is to make them want to stay. Take steps to ensure the satisfaction of the IT freelancers you work with and keep track of your missions. 

Implement specific measures to ensure that they are “freelance-friendly”: work on onboarding, regular feedback processes, etc…

Are you looking the best tech talent or tech freelancer and you don’t know how to go about it? Club Freelance is here to help you find the best candidate and support you throughout the recruitment process. 

Click here to submit your request. 

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Press review Tech Magazine

Weekly News: Rise and Fall of a Hacking Empire

IT News

Bringing to light an international hacking empire

More often than not, reality overcomes fiction. Why bother with whodunnit novels books when you can read newly-unsealed court documents?

An estimated $1.5 million in profits. Over 300 target companies across 44 countries. Under the moniker “Fxmsp,” a hacker made global headlines last year for stealing and selling source code and customer access to MacAfee, Symantec and Trend Micro.

More importantly, the hacker built backdoors into enterprise networks and then made them invisible to the system. He then sold these through Russian hacking groups for up to hundreds of thousands of dollars a piece. 

Meet Andrey Turchin, a 37-year-old man from Kazakhstan whose name has just been made public by a U.S. court. He established a full-blown business almost overnight, even employing another reputed hacker as his sales manager. 

Read the full story before Hollywood makes a movie out of it. 

More on cybersecurity

Another week goes by, leaving us with new record-breaking cyber incident metrics.

British security provider Sophos published a comprehensive cloud security study, revealing that 70% of companies hosting data or workloads in the public cloud experienced a breach in the past year. 

Businesses in the multi-cloud received almost twice as many attacks compared to those using a single cloud provider, highlighting why companies should be more worried about their cloud data. 

On another note, be advised that there is a new kid on the block. A novel strain of ransomware called Conti can use 32 simultaneous CPU threads to encrypt your data.

The most in-demand IT pros

Remote work is here to stay, and that is re-shaping the IT talent needs of companies looking to remain competitive in this new reality. 

Unsurprisingly, being knowledgeable in collaboration tools like Zoom or Teams comes in handy. So does expertise in cloud-based business suites like Microsoft 365 and G Suite.

Networking and infrastructure skills are also in high demand, as companies need to build stronger ecosystems that are able to withstand the surge in remote work and cyber attacks. 

But general business acumen takes the spotlight in the post-COVID world. Here are the most sought-after business skills of the moment.

News from Microsoft

We got some updates from the Redmond-based company this week.

The wave 2 release plans for Dynamics 365 and the Power Platform are now available. Be sure to review all the upcoming changes and additions ahead of the October roll-out. Early access begins on August 3rd.

Also — Microsoft Teams will now present your team in a fake auditorium during video calls. It certainly looks strange, but apparently our brains process it better than the rectangular grid with everyone’s face on it.

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Growing your career: permanent & freelance IT Consultants

4 Indicators of a Successful IT Freelancer

4 Indicators of a Successful IT Freelancer
KPIs

With any self-employed activity, tracking your performance is necessary to identify what works and what needs to be improved to achieve optimum results. The slow summer months can be a good time to carry out this type of assessment and ensure you are doing the best you can to be a successful IT freelancer.

But what are the best indicators of success for your self-employed activity? Follow these key indicators to draw appropriate conclusions and make effective resolutions, both in terms of income and of work methods

Has your turnover increased compared to the previous year?

What was your turnover this past year? Was it higher or lower than the previous year? Although freelance income can vary widely from month-to-month, looking at the bigger picture will help you assess your performance. Compare this year’s figure with what you achieved the previous year over the same period. Deduct from it the percentage of evolution. If that percentage is negative, it might be time to change certain things.

When calculating your turnover, do not forget to take into account all your expenses. Then divide your total turnover by month to get a comprehensive overview of the year.

Did you have more expenses than last year?

Another indicator of the health of your one-person business is the total amount of your expenses, especially compared to the previous year. As a successful IT freelancer, your charges should be in theory low, especially if you carry out your tasks at the client’s office or from your own home.

If the expenses incurred are made in the interest of your activity and this has resulted in an increase in your gross turnover, this is a good sign. On the other hand, if your expenses have increased more than your earnings, you have things to ask yourself.

Are you managing your time well?

Time management is essential for any successful IT freelancer. You must organize your days to be as productive as possible while maintaining a healthy work-life balance. thinking of allowing yourself moments of rest.

But that is not all: as an successful IT freelancer, you must also reserve some time for housekeeping. Make sure you allocate time to deal with administrative duties, as well as to search for your next assignments.

Have you managed to retain customers this year?

Customer loyalty is a key indicator of a successful IT freelancer, as it reflects the ability to build trust and ensure satisfaction with clients. The higher your loyalty level, the more likely you are to be contacted again by this client. But you are also more likely to get good recommendations; the best asset for finding new assignments.

You can also look at your customer portfolio and calculate your average income per customer: you may find that some customers have asked for too much time compared to what they paid you.

If you are doing short assignments and a client represents almost all of your turnover, you are in a delicate situation that must be taken into account. You in danger of depending too much on this unique client. In the case of long missions, this indicator is obviously less relevant.

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Press review Tech Magazine

Weekly News: How Tech Is Rewiring our Brains

Weekly News: How Tech Is Rewiring our Brains
Our brain is being rewired, pushed towards shorter attention spans and shallower forms of reading by feeds and visuals. How Tech is rewiring our brains?

How Tech is rewiring our brains, a few bumps on the road for data science, new AI beats historic videogame trap; and the newest new Internet… Discover our weekly news about Tech & IT.

How Tech Is Rewiring our Brains – ‘We shape our tools, and thereafter our tools shape us.’

How Tech is rewiring our brains?

‘We shape our tools, and thereafter our tools shape us.’ Often mistakenly attributed to the philosopher Marshall McLuhan, this quote by John Culkin has become a symbol of the symbiotic relationship between humans and tech. 

Science writer Nicholas Carr took the concept to a new level in his 2010 book The Shallows: What the Internet Is Doing to our Brains. It was not that well-received at the time. But with every new app that changes the way we communicate and consume information, it gets clearer how relevant Carr’s work was and remains. 

In the book, Carr leaves moral judgements aside and urges us to approach technology from a position of understanding. 

Our brain is being rewired, pushed towards shorter attention spans and shallower forms of reading by feeds and visuals. Only by being aware of these effects, we will be able to stay in control.

Ten years after the book’s publication, Vox’s Ezra Klein sits down with Carr to discuss where we stand today. 

An interview worth checking out.

A few bumps on the road for data science

A new report by software provider Aanaconda sheds some light on the current state of data science and its role in the enterprise. Far from being a consolidated part of today’s business world, the discipline has yet to overcome a few key challenges before reaching maturity. 

Problems demonstrating ROI across the organisation. Difficulty integrating open-source tools. Attracting and retaining top talent. Tackling AI bias and ethics — quite the line-up. 

Thankfully, the report also provides specific recommendations on how to overcome these challenges. Taking a look at them won’t hurt.

New AI beats historic videogame trap

First released in 1979, Zork set a new standard for interactive, story-driven videogames. Rich in storytelling and equipped with advanced language syntax recognition, this text-based adventure prompted players to input actions at every step. 

Now, a new AI built by Georgia Tech and Microsoft Research has become the first to overcome one of the game’s most iconic bottlenecks (i.e. times where players tend to get trapped and die).

Named Q*BERT, the AI leverages NLP and reinforcement learning to avoid getting eaten by a ‘Grue’ monster whenever it moves without any lights around the game’s dungeons.

Also read our article: The Task of Rebuilding AI Infrastructure: Machines and the New Reality

The newest new Internet

Blockchain-powered Dfinity proposes a decentralized and non-proprietary type of network that takes the power away from existing monopolies. 

It does this by allowing for apps to be built and run on the network itself, rather than exist in data centres that are increasingly controlled by large companies like Facebook and Amazon.

This so-called ‘Internet Computer’ is now open to third-party developers and entrepreneurs in a bid to spur a new era of connectivity and development. 

Dfinity launched a privacy-friendly version of TikTok named CanCan to illustrate the platform’s power. Thanks to its architecture, the app is said to do in 1,000 lines of code what Facebook does in 62 million.

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Also discover our Weekly News: How brain-like should AI be?

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Hiring an IT consultant IT Decision-makers

Interview Tips: 5 key questions to ask to an IT freelancer during an interview

5 key questions to ask to an IT freelancer during an interview
Asking the right questions is key to ensure you are making the best staffing decision. Discover 5 questions to ask to an IT freelancer during an interview

What are the 5 questions to ask to an IT freelancer during an interview? The way companies approach the selection process for IT consultants might well have changed forever due to COVID-19. CIOs and HR experts have moved IT hiring online, and things seem likely to stay that way from now on. Among the benefits: greater schedule flexibility, agility no need for travel and other expenses, agility. But remote interviewing also has its downsides.

It can be tricky to properly assess things like soft skills and cultural fit when you are not face-to-face with a candidate. Asking the right questions is key to ensure you are making the best staffing decision. Whereas hiring the right IT freelancer will bring great benefits to your projects and team, enlisting the wrong person will only multiply your problems.

These are the 5 questions to ask to an IT freelancer during an interview and that you should always cover.

1# Have you ever worked on a similar project, and if so, for what type of client?

You have a project for which you are looking for a freelance professional. Whether you are looking for a web developer or a SAP expert, the technical nature of the mission requires in-depth know-how from the consultant. Thus, it is first necessary to verify that the candidate has the necessary expertise and experience.

You can first ask them if they have ever been confronted with a similar project, in order to find out more about their experience on this type of mission. Moreover, suggest that they detail their previous gigs, giving details on the technical and organizational context of those projects.

Then, ask them who their previous clients were, whether they were large accounts or smaller companies. If the candidate tells you that they already have one or more similar experience (s), in a company in your sector and with a similar context, this is a real advantage, as they should be operational very quickly.

2# Faced with this or that technical problem, what actions would you put in place?

Freelance experience is important, but to test your candidate’s technical skills, do not hesitate to ask them one or more very concrete questions directly related to your project. How would you resolve this incident? What type of functionality or solution would you develop? Which computer language seems to you the most suited to this situation?

First, asking a hypothetical problem allows you to test the candidate’s ability to solve a problem, as well as to evaluate their technical understanding of your project. This will also give you a good overview of their analytical skills, as well as the interest they have in the area and project.

3# Could you tell me about a difficulty you encountered during a previous project, and how you coped with it?

Don’t forget to check for the essential soft skills in IT. Since your freelance consultant will effectively be a member of your team, evaluating traits like their interpersonal skills will be fundamental.

To assess them, you can ask questions that highlight the candidate’s team spirit and communication skills, as well as their ability to manage conflict and crisis situations. Favour open-ended questions to let the candidate express themselves, revealing their personality.

4# What is your availability? And your rates?

Make sure that the candidate’s expectations correspond with the conditions you propose for the assignment. This is obviously valid for the economic compensation, but also for all others terms of the contract. Is the candidate willing to come work on your premises if the mission requires it? Or will they be able to work remotely, and under what conditions? Will they have to plan trips to other sites? Will their professional expenses be covered? As you can see, there are many finer, concrete points on which you must make sure you agree with your candidate.

Then, in terms of availability, you must ensure that the candidate’s situation is compatible with the calendar aspects of your mission. Ask the candidate for their exact date of availability, and if they have any foreseeable impediments (vacation, for example). Thus, meeting deadlines is a crucial element in any professional relationship. In the case of a long-term assignment, you must ensure that the freelancer will be able to engage for the duration of the project.

5# What kind of projects really fascinate you?

The last of the 5 questions to ask to an IT freelancer during an interview is about what is the difference between a good and an excellent candidate? Passion. A tech freelancer or IT consultant who is genuinely interested in the project they are working on will undoubtedly be more involved and more efficient than a candidate with a “mercenary” profile.

Finally, the question of motivation is a key question which is all too often forgotten by recruiters and hiring companies. And yet it often makes all the difference.

Are you looking for an IT consultant or tech freelancer and you don’t know how to go about it? Club Freelance is here to help you find the best candidate and support you throughout the recruitment process.

Click here to submit your request.

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Press review Tech Magazine

Weekly News: Remembering the Father of Mechanical Brains

Tech News

Remembering the father of ‘mechanical brains’

British mathematician Alan Turing would have celebrated his 108th birthday this week. 

Regarded as the father of computer science and artificial intelligence, Turing played an instrumental role in deciphering the Nazi Enigma code during World War II. The communications intercepted thanks to his computational machine are said to have saved millions of lives.  

Sadly, Turing was never recognised in life for his many contributions to humankind — all on the basis of his sexual orientation. He died at a young age in tragic circumstances, after years of prosecution and forced chemical castration. 

Thankfully, our society has made major progress since then. But, as we celebrate Pride month, let his story serve as a reminder of why we need to keep fighting for universal LGTBQ rights.

If you are curious to see how little importance was given to Turing’s legacy at the time of his death, here’s the obituary that The Guardian wrote for this creator of ‘mechanical brains’.

Tech execs are regaining confidence

A new survey by global industry association CompTIA revealed that tech executives are feeling confident about an imminent return to normality. Around two-thirds of respondents believe things will be back on track by August, with business volume already beginning to pick up. 

Despite most companies have experienced at least some degree of client loss and restructuring, the sector has shown its resilience by maintaining solid activity levels throughout this crisis period.    Training is a focus for 70% of respondents, with soft and business skills being prioritized. Discover what business skills are the most demanded right now.

Apple has news for devs

After months of rumours and speculation, Apple finally announced it is abandoning Intel chips in favour of its own ARM-based processors. The custom-built silicon, which will debut in new systems by the end of the year, is said to deliver better performance at lower power consumption.

The company is releasing a developer transition kit (DTK) to let developers familiarize themselves with the new architecture. It’s basically a Mac mini on steroids, preloaded with everything you’ll need to start building your software. 

Find out how to request a unit.

Please find our secrets attached

COVID came and cyber security got trickier with the surge in remote employees and potentially hackable access points. This week, a WSJ survey revealed another major cause for concern for companies: rogue employees.    

About 70% of companies are worried about malicious employees leaking proprietary data or helping attackers get into enterprise networks. For all the advancements in security tools, limiting the harm that can be done by individual employees remains a challenge for most big companies. 

Ironically, the study was made public less than a week after a poll by Nordlocker showed that a preoccupying number of employees regularly share sensitive and confidential files via email. Not with malicious intent, though. 

News from the frontlines…

What’s tech doing this week about the coronavirus?  If it’s the U.K. we are talking about — starting again from scratch. 

Last week we wondered why the country’s authorities were silent regarding their NHS-sponsored app. Well, it turns out that the government is abandoning the app altogether, pursuing instead a new one based on the Apple-Google technology. 

However, the new app is not likely to come in time to be of any significance in the fight against the second wave of the virus this Fall. 

But there’s more — allegations have surfaced regarding the NHS’ obsession to shut down rival apps while its now-failed one was in development. Live and let live, as they say.

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DSI challenges IT Decision-makers

IT Careers: These Business Skills Become Priority Amidst Pandemic

IT Careers: These Business Skills Become Priority Amidst Pandemic
Companies now require be nimble, act fast and keep a big-picture mentality. Discover these business skills that become priority amidst pandemic.

Making it through uncertain and changing times requires companies to be nimble, act fast and keep a big-picture mentality. At the organisational level, that means implementing smarter resource management and allocation; cutting down fat and focusing on the most future-proof lines of business. Discover these business skills that become priority amidst pandemic.

Although it might seem counterintuitive to a business world that has grown accustomed to laying off personnel whenever there is a crisis. Doubling down on human capital is key to the success of this strategy.  

Companies need the best talent when venturing into uncharted territory and, as we have discussed before, having a strong IT department is vital for the post-COVID enterprise. But what makes a strong IT department? 

Business Skills: The importance of business acumen  

Soft skills like communication and creativity have become a must-have for IT professionals. Now, InformationWeek’s analysis of a recent study by training firm Degreed suggests that IT pros should look to acquire business-related abilities as well.  

According to Degreed, in the December-March period, the number of clients who searched for business-related trainings to upskill their workforce increased. On the other hand, queries for IT-specific trainings took a considerable dive.  

The change of focus makes sense. As higher-level business and management skills can help a great deal in navigating change and identifying new opportunities. For IT professionals and technical profiles, making a lateral career move to become more business-savvy can prove very beneficial.  

The most coveted business skills 

Based on Degreed’s data, these are the business-related skills for which demand has increased the most since the start of the pandemic, from least to most:  

Leadership 

This one is a no-brainer. Now more than ever, senior IT experts must know how to effectively take the lead to ensure the proper innovations are implemented across the board. Team management, setting goals and tracking progress, spearheading interdepartmental cooperation. These skills often make the difference between an IT expert and an IT leader.   

Compliance 

What used to be something for lawyers to worry about is becoming part of everyone’s work life. Especially in areas like IT or marketing, where data privacy regulations keep getting stricter; there is a clear advantage to having specialists who know how to avoid legal minefields in their day-to-day.  

In data science and analytics, for example, countless hours of legal review can be saved if those building the models know exactly what they can and cannot do.  

Data analytics 

Speak of the devil… as we have discussed above, not everything in data analysis is about data acumen. In fact, successful data analysts and scientists possess a combination of complementary skills. For technical profiles, being fluent in the business domain where they operate is key to delivering better and more actionable data insights.  

Microsoft Power BI 

One of the most prevalent and accessible data visualisation tools out there. Microsoft Power BI is a business intelligence platform that caters to business users. As an IT professional, knowing your way around MS Power BI will make you a great asset in today’s enterprise. There is always going to be someone in need of an expert to help them set up the environment, train end-users and troubleshoot.  

Coaching 

Helping others succeed should be every coach’s main goal. This is achieved through motivational support, understanding and the potentiation of individual and collective strengths. Being able to help in that regard makes for a great addition to the team.  

In IT, the emergence of new standards of working and team organisation; like Agile or Scrum; is making the figure of the coach an even more important one.   

Six Sigma 

Devised by Motorola engineer Bill Smith in 1986, Six Sigma is a set of tools for process improvement. Its focus: to streamline business processes while minimising the probability of errors. Six Sigma is now standard for many companies, so it can be worth picking it up.   

Change Management 

As this whole crisis is demonstrating, managing change is no easy task. One of today’s most repeated business terms, change management refers to the series of processes involved in helping an organisation or industry transition to a new reality. Change management takes into account all stakeholders involved in and necessary for this transition; employing a mix of communication; training and restructuring to effect change.   

Design Thinking 

Based on how designers are taught to approach problems, design thinking is a way of looking at the world as much as it is a method for developing better and more efficient solutions. The strategy parts from putting oneself in the shoes of the end-user, designing the product for what it needs to be in addition to what we want to be. Clearly, a useful methodology when designing apps and platforms.   

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