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Cyber Security & Digital Transformation

Cyber Security & Digital Transformation

Rostie & Associates has always prided ourselves on recruiting for new and cutting edge technologies whether it’s Cloud, IoT or Digital Transformation, and we definitely have a penchant for recruiting in Cyber Security!

That’s why we are so pleased to see that in spite of these, shall we say, challenging times, Cyber Security and Digital Transformation are areas where companies are continuing to expand.

While remote work is a “must” during the pandemic, and will likely be more and more the norm, there is no doubt it increases risk for employers and cause cyber challenges for IT and cyber security teams.

Remote employees have become prime targets for hackers and, unfortunately, that is not likely to change any time soon.

Here is an article from New England College that expounds on the increased demand for cyber security experts.

TechGig also agrees that the need for cyber security resources will continue to grow.

And in terms of Digital Transformation, this article from Forbes clearly states that the only way forward for manufacturing firms is Digital Transformation.

eWeek even goes so far as to say that Digital Transformation is the only way for corporations to survive COVID-19.

We have been hearing about Digital Transformation for some time and even more so since COVID-19.  So just in case you’re wondering, what exactly Digital Transformation is, here is the definition as offered by Salesforce:

“… The process of using digital technologies to create new — or modify existing — business processes, culture, and customer experiences to meet changing business and market requirements. This re-imagining of business in the digital age is digital transformation.”

What does a digital transformation framework look like?

Although digital transformation will vary widely based on organization’s specific challenges and demands, there are a few constants and common themes among existing case studies and published frameworks that all business and technology leaders should consider as they embark on digital transformation.

For instance, these digital transformation elements are often cited:

  • Customer experience
  • Operational agility
  • Culture and leadership
  • Workforce enablement
  • Digital technology integration

While each guide has its own recommendations and varying steps or considerations, CIOs should look for those important shared themes when developing their own digital transformation strategy.

A definition from The Agile Elephant emphasizes all the ways businesses may need to adjust their existing practices: “[Digital transformation] involves a change in leadership, different thinking, the encouragement of innovation and new business models, incorporating digitization of assets and an increased use of technology to improve the experience of your organization’s employees, customers, suppliers, partners and stakeholders.”

And the Wikipedia definition, while vague, touches on how the effect of digital transformation extends beyond businesses to society as a whole. “Digital transformation is the changes associated with the application of digital technology in all aspects of human society,” it states.

If you’re in the fields of Cyber Security or Digital Transformation and looking for your next position, please contact us at Rostie & Associates to see if we can help you on your post COVID-19 journey!

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Hiring in the time of Covid

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There is no doubt that the world is facing an incredible, and in some ways, unprecedented challenge; and while we are all looking forward to getting back to “normal” we have no idea when that will be and what the new “normal” will look like.

And while it’s only natural to feel the need to hunker down and maintain status quo, it is not sustainable and will not benefit your business in the long run.

It must be acknowledged that some industry sectors have been decimated and recovery will be very painful and very slow – we haven’t seen unemployment rates this high in North America since the depression – but there is hope in other sectors and many companies are still hiring!

More companies than ever already have a significant remote workforce in place – a trend that has been growing year over year, while others have recently been forced to implement work from home policies and have the technology in place, or available, to keep in touch with their team, so why not utilize those same technologies for hiring?

Particularly for remote workers there is no reason to not take it one step further and hire without in-person meetings. You can conduct one-on-one phone or video interviews or round-tables, conduct references, background or security checks, all without meeting in person.

It may be a leap of faith but hardly unprecedented.

Realistically, in this current climate, it is not likely that you will be able to physically introduce new employees to your current team. However, you should not risk losing your ideal candidate and what some of our clients are doing to avoid this is working through the interview process by phone or video, securing the hire and leaving an open start date.

Also, when things do return to “normal”, many of the candidates you wanted to speak with may have already moved on to other roles and there will be a lot of companies looking to hire all at the same time.

So before you decide to put all hiring on hold, do consider which roles you realistically can move forward with and avoid the hiring “scramble” that’s sure to come!

Just take a look at our jobs page and see all the companies that are still hiring. This might be the right time to move to a new career.

Working from Home

Working from Home – Blessing or Curse?

I have worked from home off and on. You know when you don’t feel well enough to go into work but well enough to actually do your work? That sort of thing. But for the last few weeks I’ve been working from home every day and I’ve got to say, it’s not all that it’s cracked up to be.

There are definite benefits – no commute, no distractions and actually eating dinner at dinner time! You can also throw a load of laundry in – I mean, it’s not like you’re sitting there watching it spin. You just toss it in, back to work then take it out. And, of course, being available to the cat for pets on demand!

I have found that I’m more focused and getting more done than ever, which is fantastic, but, aside from a very happy pussycat, there is a definite downside to rolling out of bed and rolling up to your desk.

My work day is infinitely longer. Normally it hits around 5:15 or 5:30 and it’s time to pack up and head home (though my boss would argue that point – “must be 5:00 as Pam’s heading out” which is SO not true!). And unless I’m working a special project or under a time crunch, I make dinner, watch Netflix and just keep an eye on my emails in case something urgent comes in. But, essentially, the work day is over. (And yes, obviously no children – I don’t know you folks do it but that’s a whole other blog right there!)

A clear transition from workday to home time doesn’t really seem to occur when you work from home. My workday never seems to end. As soon as I wake up I’m rushing to fire up the old laptop and thinking about what I need to get done. When I “leave” work, I’m still compulsively checking emails and doing “just one more little thing” before I settle in for the evening.

I’m sure if you work from home on a regular basis you create a routine and stick with it to separate work from home as much as possible. But, I think it takes a lot of discipline and some people are probably far more successful at this than others.

Then there’s the social aspect that cannot not be ignored. We’re social beings. Even those of us who are a bit more introverted still need some interaction with other people. I’m on the phone most of the day but it is not the same as being with people. I know we’re at work to work but there is social interaction between colleagues and peers. Whether you’re working with a team towards a shared goal or bouncing ideas off other people, it prevents you from feeling isolated and out of the loop.

Being honest, I think working from home a couple of days a week would be my ideal as it probably is for most people. So what can you do if you work from home but need to have some time around actual human beings? Well, now that you’ve asked, The Rostie Group definitely has the answer and, in my somewhat biased opinion, I think it’s a good one!

Coworking really could be the ideal solution for you. It allows you the opportunity to get dressed up in your big person clothes, meet people and perhaps even develop partnerships with other

Coworkers. I can tell you from experience that the Coworkers and tenants at The Rostie Group have built their own ecosystem, collaborating and working together to expand their businesses or learn new skills.

So, if you’re sitting at your desk in your home office – or the corner of the living room where you’ve squeezed in a desk and computer – and you haven’t spoken face to face with colleagues or peers in weeks, then why not take the time to discover the solutions that The Rostie Group can offer to get you out of the house and into a corporate environment?

The cat will miss you, but trust me, you’ll wish you’d done it sooner!