Saturday | 22 November, 2008
Ticked Off at Tick the Box Mentality
Does your executive search firm know the difference between an MIS manager and a CIO, and if it does, can it explain that difference to its corporate clients?
The Bulletproof CIO Resume
Today resumes can't just shine: They need to beam
by Dora Vell
1. Speak the language of business.
All too often CIO resumes still speak in highly technical terms - a problem from the outset since it's the C-level position that hiring managers are least familiar with - while failing to link their achievements to the business. Citing how your successes tangibly and positively affected corporate results, whether it was dollars saved or strategic advantage gained, is absolutely essential. Make sure your resume includes accomplishments that highlight your decisions as effective, responsive, efficient and positive. Doing so gives your successes business value by showing operational impact.
2. Underscore strategic abilities.
Too many CIOs say they're strategic without showing it. Use good governance examples to underscore this skill in real terms. If you were able to get more mileage out of your IT dollar by outsourcing, if you had a process for determining projects' ROI, if you conducted post-mortem audits, say so.
These types of good governance examples strongly indicate your ability to align IT goals with those of the business. You want to be seen as an important contributor in maintaining the company's health while helping to cultivate its success.
3. Demonstrate your knowledge of and expertise in handling current "hot" issues.
Governance, offshore development, compliance and security are some of the hot issues companies are currently focused on. Providing examples of experience in these areas is critical. Their potential to wreak havoc on a business and executives' lives means an undue premium is being placed on skills associated with managing them. Leverage your experience as effectively as possible by discussing in detail your successes, putting them in a visible position and making sure you list each and every "hot issue" you've addressed.
4. Minimize potential liabilities.
Every CIO has liabilities, but deft handling can reduce if not eliminate their negative impact. Step one is being aware of them - too many people assume they won't be noticed - followed by a strategic assessment of how best to neutralize them. For example, if your present organization has outdated systems, then highlight your knowledge of current systems and issues. The dubious appearance of too many job changes can often be dealt with by consolidating them via a common theme. Whatever the issue, minimize it. And never blame, overtly or otherwise, associates for your liabilities.
More about Leader Computers, VIA, Echelon, SAP, Bill, ACT, Chevron, Leader, JD Edwards, H&R Block, Egon Zehnder, Westpac, Wall Street, Westpac
Related Topics
Related Features
- +
IS's Seven Levers of Growth 04 February, 2008 13:12:50
CIOs and their IS organizations need to play a greater part in enterprise top-line growth. The challenge is to understand that growth and contribute in the right wayGrowth remains the top priority for most business executives. In most enterprises, this means make more profits - +
Strategy with Oomph 04 February, 2008 13:11:04
Rule One: Never approach strategy making as a purely analytical exerciseIf you had to, which would you choose: to be a great strategic thinker or a great strategy maker? The answer follows the same logic as the question: "Would you rather be smart or rich?" - +
Process Trip 04 February, 2008 13:07:03
Why Maritz Travel revamped key business processes — and how business and IT came together to make it workWhen Rich Phillips became COO OF Maritz Travel about two and-a-half years ago, he sat down and took a hard look at the big industry picture - +
SharePoint 2007: A Tool for All Reasons 04 February, 2008 12:56:06
SharePoint 2007 packs in a sometimes confusing array of features from workflow to search. Here’s how smart IT leaders are making thisAs the technology partner (head of IT) at global law firm Bryan Cave, John Alber saw increasing resources being devoted to keeping multiple information systems integrated and the data flowing among them. Over time, the law firm brought in what it considered the best tools to handle tasks such as document repositories, e-mail management, conflict-of-interest databases and calendar management, to help attorneys and support staff research, collaborate and stay abreast of case developments - +
Getting Your Vendors to Flock Together 04 February, 2008 12:53:09
For better deals and stronger relationships, combine IT, legal and procurement experts in a vendor management officeKeeping track of bids, vendor performance, previous contract terms, alternative providers and technology differences was taking too much time for Bernard "Bud" Mathaisel as he settled in as CIO of electronics manufacturer Solectron in 1999
Related Stories
- +
Adobe launches hosted services, adds Flash to Acrobat 03 June, 2008 09:02:44
Adobe to launch Web site offering users free hosted services for document creation, sharing and storageAdobe this week is set to unveil the next version of its Adobe Acrobat software, which adds support for the company's Flash multimedia technology. The company also plans to launch a new Web site offering users free hosted services for document creation, sharing and storage. - +
phpBB3 takes giant strides from predecessor 05 February, 2008 11:17:14
Few surfers can claim that they never have visited a phpBB site. We speak to the key players of phpBB and find out why this version is better than V 2.2.As the world gets smaller, security threats and spam seem only to grow. PhpBB is the open source Internet Forum package that underlies a majority of the online forums on the Internet and its creators take their motto "creating communities" very seriously. All communities need to interact freely and safely, and although a long time coming, the latest release, phpBB3, has several increased security measures, as well as enhanced collaboration features and mobile optimisation. - +
Behind the scenes of Internet2 31 January, 2008 12:16:27
New network operations manager excited about Dynamic Circuit Network, multicast and IPv6You might think the network you oversee is big, but consider Chris Robb's new job: network operations manager for Internet2, which in October announced completion of a new research and education network boasting initial capacity of 100Gbps nationwide. Robb takes on his new position as an assigned staff member from the Global Research Network Operations Center (GRNOC) at Indiana University. Network World Editor Bob Brown interviewed Robb by e-mail to get an idea of what lies ahead for him and Internet2. - +
Juniper CEO comments on Ethernet switch scheme 31 January, 2008 11:40:24
Scott Kriens argues Juniper can challenge Cisco in switching because "the network has changed"Juniper's entry into enterprise switching with the EX line is rooted in extending a common operating system across the switching, routing and security domains of an enterprise network -- something that's lacking in what's viewed as a mature market dominated by Cisco. Juniper CEO Scott Kriens shared his thoughts on the company's opportunity -- and what it means for Cisco's current competitors -- with Network World President and CEO John Gallant and Managing Editor Jim Duffy at this week's EX launch in New York. - +
EBay unveils lower fees and tighter seller standards 31 January, 2008 10:13:14
EBay makes "historic" changes to its marketplace business, including reducing some fees, in order to jumpstart sales.EBay unveiled changes to its online marketplace that the company characterizes as sweeping and historic and that are aimed at boosting sales by making the shopping experience simpler and safer.
Additional Resources
Executive Guides
Whitepapers
Read up on the latest ideas and technologies from companies that sell hardware, software and services. Delivering the Power of Choice with Microsoft Dynamics CRM
Taking On Demand CRM Integration to the Next Level
Gaining Competitive Advantage Through Enterprise Planning
Discover the advantages of an open architecture multi-vendor network solution
Achieving the impossible: Unlimited application scalability
Solve Exchange Mailbox Storage Issues Once and for All
Data grids and service-oriented architecture
Still Sneaking In: The Threats Your Security Tools Aren't Telling You About
Newsletter Subscription
RSS Feeds
Featured Whitepaper Sponsors
- White PaperView this webcast and discover the drivers for changing network design practices, why many organisations are changing their approach to network architecture and how enterprises should be moving forward with open architecture multi-vendor network solutions. Register now and learn how your business can maximize the business value of the enterprise network.
- White PaperJoin industry expert Martin Tuip to discover best practice strategy for the archival and removal of .PST files using email archiving. Learn how to ensure long-term email records are there when needed, and reduce the risk to your business and clients.
- White PaperJoin industry expert Bob Spurzem and Chuck Arconi of Fox Hollow to discover how to reduce Exchange total storage and keep it at a manageable level. Learn how Exchange storage growth can be contained without sacrificing security and accessibility.
Market Place
Featured Whitepapers
Discover how SOA can create smarter outcomes for your business.
Attend and learn:
- How SOA is helping leading companies to become more agile
- Where you should be applying SOA processes in your company
- The top SOA implementation mistakes to avoid
Click here for more information.
- +
CIO Live Podcast #79: Brent D Taylor, author of The Outsider's Edge: The Making of Self-Made Billionaires Part II 05 October, 2007 06:00:00
For his new book, The Outsider's Edge: The Making of Self-Made Billionaires, social researcher Brent D Taylor spent four years of intensive research investigating the psychological make-up and backgrounds of some of the world's richest men and women, including IT luminaries Bill Gates, Larry Ellison and Steve Jobs. Taylor discovered that, despite working in different industries and coming from different upbringings, they all have one thing in common -- they are all outsiders. - +
CIO Live Podcast #78: Brent D Taylor, author of The Outsider's Edge: The Making of Self-Made Billionaires 28 September, 2007 17:34:25
For his new book, The Outsider's Edge: The Making of Self-Made Billionaires, social researcher Brent D Taylor spent four years of intensive research investigating the psychological make-up and backgrounds of some of the world's richest men and women, including IT luminaries Bill Gates, Larry Ellison and Steve Jobs. Taylor discovered that, despite working in different industries and coming from different upbringings, they all have one thing in common -- they are all outsiders. - +
CIO Live Podcast #77: Panasonic Speeds Up Trans-Pacific File Transfers, Part III 21 September, 2007 07:00:00
Part three in our three-part special report from CIO's sister publication Network World in the US, as Paul Desmond reports from the Network World IT Roadmap Conference in Santa Clara, California. With development teams in the US and Japan, Panasonic needed a more efficient way to move very large files between the two locations. Iben Rodriguez, IT consultant for Panasonic Research and Development, explains how a storage-area network and virtual server technology helped speed up WAN performance. - +
CIO Live Podcast #76: Panasonic Speeds Up Trans-Pacific File Transfers, Part II 14 September, 2007 07:00:00
Part two in our three-part special report from CIO's sister publication Network World in the US, as Paul Desmond reports from the Network World IT Roadmap Conference in Santa Clara, California. With development teams in the US and Japan, Panasonic needed a more efficient way to move very large files between the two locations. Iben Rodriguez, IT consultant for Panasonic Research and Development, explains how a storage-area network and virtual server technology helped speed up WAN performance. - +
CIO Live Podcast #75: Panasonic Speeds Up Trans-Pacific File Transfers, Part I 07 September, 2007 07:00:05
Part one in our three-part special report from CIO's sister publication Network World in the US, as Paul Desmond reports from the Network World IT Roadmap Conference in Santa Clara, California. With development teams in the US and Japan, Panasonic needed a more efficient way to move very large files between the two locations. Iben Rodriguez, IT consultant for Panasonic Research and Development, explains how a storage-area network and virtual server technology helped speed up WAN performance.
- +
Chris Hoff on Virtualization and Cloud Computing 20 November, 2008 10:55:00
Chris Hoff, chief security architect for the systems and technology division at Unisys and an advisor on the Skybox Security customer advisory board, is one of the biggest critics of virtualization security out there. Not because it isn't important - but rather because it is vital and needs to mature rapidly. - +
Cybersecurity is focus of new start-up incubator 20 November, 2008 07:19:00
Texas uni announces the Institute for Cyber Security.The University of Texas at San Antonio Tuesday announced a technology incubator aimed at fostering IT security-based start-ups within the state. - +
Dilip Sarangan on Physical Security M&A 20 November, 2008 11:18:00
Dilip Sarangan tracks physical security companies for Frost & Sullivan. He expects the industry's "need to have" products to weather the economic storm well, with the big players (now including IBM and Cisco) looking for value-priced acquisitions. - +
International Challenges in PCI Security 20 November, 2008 09:15:00
In a country that's seen many regulatory compliance challenges this decade, the headaches of PCI security tend to be analyzed from a largely American perspective. - +
PCI council sharpens oversight of security auditors 19 November, 2008 10:53:00
Quality assurance plan targets security assessors and scanning vendorsThe PCI Security Standards Council Monday unveiled a plan to sharpen oversight of the hundreds of security-service providers now authorized to evaluate merchant networks under the organization's Payment Card Industry data standards.
Vignette Announces 2008 Excellence Awards 21 November, 2008 10:50:00
PGP and Ponemon Institute Unveil Inaugural Australian Data Breach Study 2008 20 November, 2008 17:34:00
Symantec Cloud Services Transform Data Centre Operations Through Proactive Management 20 November, 2008 12:06:00
Verizon Business Offers Tips to Building a Successful Unified Communications and Collaboration Plan 20 November, 2008 12:04:00
AARNet Brings 4K Digital Cinema to Australia: First 4K HD Video Signal delivered into Australia by AARNet 20 November, 2008 12:02:00
|
||
|
||
|
|
||
|
Whitepaper
Discover the advantages of an open architecture multi-vendor network solution
View this webcast and discover the drivers for changing network design practices, why many organisations are changing their approach to network architecture and how enterprises should be moving forward with open architecture multi-vendor network solutions. Register now and learn how your business can maximize the business value of the enterprise network.
Subscribe to CIO
Critical. Authoritative. Strategic. CIO magazine addresses the issues vital to the success of IT and business executives. Solutions-oriented editorial provides a greater understanding of the role IT plays in achieving corporate goals. Subscribe to the print edition today.
PC World
Buying Guides
Latest Products
Good Gear Guide
Buying Guides
Computerworld
ARN
