Bounce Back in IT: Bounce Back in IT: Selling Your Skills Selling Your Skills

As A ServiceAs A Service

May 11th, 2010May 11th, 2010

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AgendaAgenda

Welcome & Introductions Welcome & Introductions Becoming a Contractor or ConsultantBecoming a Contractor or Consultant Becoming Self-EmployedBecoming Self-Employed TestimoniesTestimonies Wrap-up, Networking & BreakoutWrap-up, Networking & Breakout

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Consultant, Contractor or Consultant, Contractor or Self-employedSelf-employed

Small firms – 52% of salesSmall firms – 52% of sales 50% of private sector output50% of private sector output Small business exports 96% of all US Small business exports 96% of all US

goodsgoods Small business receives 35% of all Small business receives 35% of all

federal contractsfederal contracts In 2007 there were an estimated In 2007 there were an estimated

21.7 million self-employed21.7 million self-employedDepartment of Labor & US Census

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Sheila’s StorySheila’s Story

Develop a PlanDevelop a Plan Identify a ServiceIdentify a Service Develop a Pricing ModelDevelop a Pricing Model Communication & MarketingCommunication & Marketing NetworkingNetworking Delivery & SupportDelivery & Support Adjust and EvaluateAdjust and Evaluate

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ResourcesResources

Business.govBusiness.gov SBA.govSBA.gov www.entrepreneur.comwww.entrepreneur.com www.stlsourcelink.com/www.stlsourcelink.com/ www.business.mo.gov/www.business.mo.gov/

Ken TottenKen Totten

General ManagerGeneral Manager

Object Computing, Inc. andObject Computing, Inc. and

Advantage Consulting, Inc.Advantage Consulting, Inc.

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Ken Totten

My Background

U.S. Coast Guard, Governors Island, NYProvided real time Decision Support Systems for Search and Rescue Operations around the globe.

MCI Telecommunications Corporation – Rye Brook, NYManager, NE Operations Systems

NASDAQ – Trumbull, CT Assistant Director, Network Services

Consultant @ Anheuser-Busch, St. Louis, MOConsultant to MSG department and later moved into Business Development and Operations

3 St. Louis IT Consulting Firms spanning 20 years

Past 12 years at Object Computing, Inc. (OCI) - General ManagerOCI is a Software Engineering company that provides consulting, open source middleware solutions, and training services.

Started Advantage Consulting, Inc. 6 years ago-General ManagerAdvantage is an IT staffing solutions company.

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How and why I became a consultant

• In the beginning it was not a goal or ambition, it just happened to be the nature of the opportunity.

• I considered five factors:

1. What I would be doing?2. Was it a good fit?3. What opportunities might follow?4. The duration of the assignment5. Compensation and benefits

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My Perspective on the difference of being an employee verses a contractor

• When I first became an IT management consultant it felt temporary, less secure, and I learned the differences between being a consultant and a contractor.

• For example, is this “staff augmentation” or a “statement of work” based consulting engagement? Both are fine but they can be vastly different.

Generalizations

Contract Labor = Staff Augmentation Consulting = Statement of Work

Bill and Pay Rates vary by model

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My Perspective on the difference of being an employee verses a contractor• I came to know and understand several perspectives.

1. I was a consultant and a contractor.2. I moved into a role where I hired and managed staff who would

be consultants/contractors and learned the business concerns and rationale as an employer.

3. Earlier in my career I was a corporate manager and engaged and managed contract services.

There are many career contractors in the workforce today. The decision to be an employee or a contractor is personal and should be based on a number of considerations.

If you are starting out in your career, recognize the importance of acting now and throughout your career to prepare for retirement.

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Should you move into consulting and what should you consider?

Do you have the skills and experience to be a consultant?

Hard Skills, Soft Skills, Personality, Education, Certifications

Interpersonal Skills – getting along with difficult personalitiesAssertiveness towards work and getting the job doneAbility to pick up things quickly, to adapt, integrate and deliver results

What stage are you at in your career?

If you are in the last quarter of your work life and have the financial means or have a working spouse, then 1099 independent consulting may be ideal if you have a strong professional network.

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ConsultingConsiderations

Will you work for a Professional Services Organization or a Staffing Firm?Will you be a Direct Employee or an Independent Consultant?Contracts, Agreements, Insurance

Employment and Self-Employment models: • W-2 Salaried with Benefits• W-2 Hourly with or without Benefits• Independent Consultant – Direct with Client• Independent Consultant – 1099 to PSO or Staffing Firm

Employee AgreementOwnership of Work, Confidentiality and Proprietary Information,Non-Enticement, Non-Solicitation, Non-Compete

1099 Agreement1099 Insurance Requirements - General and Comprehensive Liability - Professional Liability

Engagement OutlineStatement of Work (SOW)Service Level Agreements

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Where to start?

Do your research first. There are many consulting companies in the St. Louis market. Learn of their reputation, what they do best, who their clients are, and what their “value proposition” is for employees.

In the St. Louis IT consulting market there is a lot of competition for the same opportunities.

Be careful and don’t allow multiple companies to represent you at the same time. Pick one or two companies that you would like to work for – approach them and measure their response.

Consider the firms ability to remarket you after the first project.For example, ask the recruiter how much PM work they do for clients and what companies they support. If your expertise represents a small percentage of their overall staff demographic, then they may not be the best company to represent you.

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Where to start?

St. Louis Business Journal Book of Lists

Indeed.com – identify openings and potential employers

Linkedin.com – cross reference your indeed.com results with your professional network on linkedin and examine as far as your 2nd and 3rd level contacts to see who works at the companies/opportunities you’ve identified.

Mentors – consider who you know that has made the transition you are contemplating.

Lastly, be true to and with yourself. Know where your joy comes from and thinkabout what comes naturally for you, then align your efforts accordingly.

As a recruiter/employer, our job is to learn your strengths and to “make goodassociations” between candidates and opportunities/positions. Do your part to represent yourself well through your resume and during the interview process.

Ben BinderBen Binder

Relay TechnologyRelay Technology

A few thoughts on A few thoughts on becoming a becoming a contractor…contractor…

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Benefits Benefits of Contractingof Contracting

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Doing Doing Your HomeworkYour Homework

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Important Important ConsiderationsConsiderations

Julia KoelschJulia Koelsch

Daugherty Business SolutionsDaugherty Business Solutions

Sharon ReusSharon Reus

Sharon Reus CoachingSharon Reus Coaching

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Turning skills into Turning skills into servicesservicesDavid StromDavid Strom

david@strom.comdavid@strom.com

BounceBack STL 5/11/2010BounceBack STL 5/11/2010

22http://strominator.com

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My own skills inventoryMy own skills inventory

Being able to break something Being able to break something usually in the first 5 minutes of useusually in the first 5 minutes of use

23http://strominator.com

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Skills (con’t)Skills (con’t) Testing and research about IT Testing and research about IT

productsproducts Public speakingPublic speaking Writing and sharing what I’ve learnedWriting and sharing what I’ve learned

24http://strominator.com

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ServicesServices

Email newsletter “Web Informant”Email newsletter “Web Informant”

25http://strominator.com

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BooksBooks

26http://strominator.com

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Other pubs I write forOther pubs I write for

27http://strominator.com

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Podcasts and videosPodcasts and videos

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Social networksSocial networks

29http://strominator.com

Frank DanzoFrank Danzo

Experience On DemandExperience On Demand

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Q & AQ & A

What do you want to know?

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Wrap UpWrap Up

THANK YOU to our panel!THANK YOU to our panel! Upcoming SessionsUpcoming Sessions

– May 19May 19thth, 9-11 BB into Administrative Services, 9-11 BB into Administrative Services– May 19May 19thth, 9-11 Networking with Frank Danzo, 9-11 Networking with Frank Danzo– May 20May 20thth, 8:30-1:30 Scientific Talent Open , 8:30-1:30 Scientific Talent Open

HouseHouse– June 3June 3rd, rd, 9-11 Networking with Frank Danzo 9-11 Networking with Frank Danzo– June 8June 8thth, 6-8:30 BB in IT: Understanding , 6-8:30 BB in IT: Understanding

Company CultureCompany Culture Continue to NETWORK and meet with our Continue to NETWORK and meet with our

speakers!speakers!

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ResourcesResources

Bounce Back St. Louis: Bounce Back St. Louis: Bouncebackstl.orgBouncebackstl.org

MERIC (MO Economic Research and MERIC (MO Economic Research and Information Center): Information Center): Missourieconomy.orgMissourieconomy.org

Bureau of Labor Statistics: Bls.orgBureau of Labor Statistics: Bls.org Careeronestop.orgCareeronestop.org www.business.gov/industries/self-emplowww.business.gov/industries/self-emplo

yed/yed/

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Ken TottenKen TottenKen Totten is the General Manager of two St. Ken Totten is the General Manager of two St. Louis consulting firms: Object Computing, Louis consulting firms: Object Computing, Inc. (OCI) and Advantage Consulting, Inc.  Inc. (OCI) and Advantage Consulting, Inc.  

OCI is a 17 year old Software Engineering OCI is a 17 year old Software Engineering company and Advantage is a 6 year old IT company and Advantage is a 6 year old IT Staffing Solutions company.  Ken has Staffing Solutions company.  Ken has partnered with St. Louis business leaders for partnered with St. Louis business leaders for the past 20 years to fulfill their consulting, the past 20 years to fulfill their consulting, training and IT staffing needs training and IT staffing needs

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Ben Binder, Relay Ben Binder, Relay TechnologyTechnology

Ben Binder has several years of experience in Ben Binder has several years of experience in permanent, contract, and right-to-hire staffing.  He permanent, contract, and right-to-hire staffing.  He tries to distinguish himself in a competitive tries to distinguish himself in a competitive marketplace by working tirelessly to truly understand marketplace by working tirelessly to truly understand what drives his candidates and how his clients' what drives his candidates and how his clients' business needs can be met through talent acquisition.  business needs can be met through talent acquisition.  Ben has experience in both recruiting of candidates Ben has experience in both recruiting of candidates and client relationship management.  He has helped and client relationship management.  He has helped many talented IT professionals who are in career many talented IT professionals who are in career transition as well as those who are employed and transition as well as those who are employed and looking for a better opportunity.  Ben works for Relay looking for a better opportunity.  Ben works for Relay Technology, Inc., a growing, St. Louis-based provider of Technology, Inc., a growing, St. Louis-based provider of Information Technology staffing solutions.Information Technology staffing solutions.

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Julia Koelsch, Julia Koelsch, Daugherty Business SolutionsDaugherty Business Solutions

Julia has over 10 years experience in IT. Originally from Wichita, Julia has over 10 years experience in IT. Originally from Wichita, KS, she moved to St. Louis to attend Washington University in St. KS, she moved to St. Louis to attend Washington University in St. Louis. She graduated with a degree in English, and shortly after Louis. She graduated with a degree in English, and shortly after started working for Mosby (now Elsevier) as an editorial assistant.started working for Mosby (now Elsevier) as an editorial assistant.

Shortly after starting her job, Mosby was purchased by another Shortly after starting her job, Mosby was purchased by another company. Faced with the possibility of being laid off, she took company. Faced with the possibility of being laid off, she took advantage of the employer paid college tuition reimbursement advantage of the employer paid college tuition reimbursement and took classes at Webster University in Computer Science.and took classes at Webster University in Computer Science.

Once she made the leap into IT, Julia has worked for several Once she made the leap into IT, Julia has worked for several companies in the St. Louis area as a software developer and companies in the St. Louis area as a software developer and analyst. She has been employed as a full-time employee, a analyst. She has been employed as a full-time employee, a contractor, and a consultant. She currently works for Daugherty contractor, and a consultant. She currently works for Daugherty Business Solutions as a Software Engineer, and has been engaged Business Solutions as a Software Engineer, and has been engaged on projects at Charter, Edward Jones, Express Scripts, and on projects at Charter, Edward Jones, Express Scripts, and Anheuser-Busch InBev.Anheuser-Busch InBev.

You can find Julia at:You can find Julia at:– juliakoelsch.comjuliakoelsch.com– linkedin.com/in/juliakoelschlinkedin.com/in/juliakoelsch– twitter.com/juliakoelschtwitter.com/juliakoelsch

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Sharon ReusSharon Reus

Sharon Reus has published her own magazine, been Sharon Reus has published her own magazine, been a producer for two syndicated talk shows (one was a producer for two syndicated talk shows (one was Jerry Springer!), created an audio tour for the St. Jerry Springer!), created an audio tour for the St. Louis Holocaust Museum, interviewed the New York Louis Holocaust Museum, interviewed the New York Knicks for ESPN, and produced several national sales Knicks for ESPN, and produced several national sales conventions for Anheuser-Busch. Her varied career conventions for Anheuser-Busch. Her varied career spans more than 25 years, and for more than half spans more than 25 years, and for more than half that time she’s been self-employed, contract or a that time she’s been self-employed, contract or a small business owner. Today she is a business coach small business owner. Today she is a business coach and consultant, helping business owners create and and consultant, helping business owners create and sustain profitable businesses and fulfilling lives. sustain profitable businesses and fulfilling lives. She’s the moderator of the LinkedIn group “Self-She’s the moderator of the LinkedIn group “Self-Employed St. Louis” and is a firm believer that she is Employed St. Louis” and is a firm believer that she is her toughest boss.  her toughest boss.