Vivo

Michael Parish’s article got published in CTO Edge!

“Facts are facts. Due to the decrease in IT spending and demand for IT scalability and flexibility, and coinciding attraction of Linux, we have a perfect storm brewing for resource shortages.

Additionally, more technical operations teams outside of IT are competing for the resources with IT organizations that do actually boast these skills. So how will Linux-ready enterprises approach finding these talented individuals in the meantime?”

Read the rest at: http://www.ctoedge.com/content/coming-linux-admin-shortage

Check out our funny video creatively made by some of  the folks at Vivo. Here is the link from our YouTube Channel

Every quarter, Silicon Valley Network and Infrastructure executives get together in an informal setting to network and discuss real-world problems that are common to the group. Yesterday, we were privileged to host another SVNiE luncheon.

During the meeting we welcomed Bill Chan, a Vivo partner, as he facilitated a discussion on The Strategic IT Organization: Optimizing Your Team For Business Success . Bill has implemented his proven methodology at numerous Silicon Valley-area companies, and we knew this would be a highly interactive session.

Participants shared common issues such as how to handle situations when you are asked to deliver more with less or when your CFO announces the edict to “cut all contractors”.

But what happens when you really don’t have the ability to cut these individuals? The issues and risks associated with maxing out the team when contractors are already placed in key roles persisted throughout the discussion as participants expressed a desire for insights and examples. Bill and the group walked through scenarios for proactively addressing these issues and the importance of managing up, as appropriate. He sent everyone away with some simple checklists for making immediate strides.

All in all another great SVNiE event. We remain proud of our involvement and excited to underwrite this important group!

Are you familiar with the Silicon Valley Network & Infrastructure Executives group? The organization, SVNiE for short, was conceived to provide local network and IT infrastructure professionals with networking and other career development opportunities. Vivo is a proud sponsor.

If you’re someone who fits this description, then we are delighted to invite you to the organization’s next big event on Tuesday, January 25th at the Biltmore Hotel & Suites in Santa Clara—“The Strategic IT Organization: Optimizing Your Team For Business Success.” We are more than excited for this roundtable discussion as it will feature Bill Chan, the Silicon Valley’s foremost leader in IT-centric strategic organizational design, as well as an in-depth discussion on how strategic IT organizational design can deliver measurable business results.

For more information on the event, please see click here.

To register to attend the roundtable lunch discussion, head to www.SVNIE.Eventbrite.com – We would love to see you there!

Check out page 16 for Marilyn’s interview. Great quotes from Carlos Mena, a trusted member of Vivo’s Security practice as well

Insights on how to get that job

Yesterday our own Sandy Brown, Executive Business Development Manager, served as a panelist on the  RAL Associates: Executive in Transition Meeting. The crowd enjoyed a lively dialogue on the recent trends in executive hiring.

 Some themes from today’s event:

Cover letters are no longer relevant. Interestingly, almost no one bothers with a cover letter any more. Unsurprisingly, if you are going to attach one, it should be highly tailored to the exact position for which you are applying and should be extremely brief with three to four bullets at most.  The “ten second” rule applies here. 

 How to stand out among the pack? Audience members asked, what to do when constantly hearing they are in the “Top 3 candidates”. The panelists recommend, “know your CEO. Know his/her vision.” Also,  they suggest, “ask yourself, ‘where can I add value?’, then show your interviewers.  Bring your 30, 60 and 90-day plan.” This was met with some initial skepticism from the crowd.“Why would I give away my secrets?” one audience member asked.  The panelists agreed that this is a risk you should take.  Companies are looking for risk takers right now. Coming to the table with this level of detail shows your planning skills. It shows you are proactive, decisive and did your homework. One panelist recounted the story of the candidate who refused to provide such a detailed plan, because it felt like what he should do after he is hired. “What if the company is just picking my brain, and not looking to hire me”, he worried. So, the company hired another candidate – the one who brought such plans to the interview.

Economy-prompted changes in executive hiring? Right now, the panel agreed you need very specific skill matches. Companies are not as willing to take near matches, or those with generalized skill matches. Companies are being picky in industry, exact same roles, titles, team sizes, etc. Hiring managers want everything on the resumes and oftentimes want a laundry lists of skills

Job boards? The panelists’ views differed greatly on the subject of whether there is value in posting jobs on Monster or the Ladders. One panelist noted that she would be inundated with resumes if she were to post – so she does not. Another panelist reminded that there may be a gem hidden in those 500 resumes, making it worthwhile. Also, he reminded, this is a great way to build his network and have candidates lined up for the next opportunity.

While not exactly new, the panel also urged people to feed and nurture their networks, today moreso than ever before. I guess that’s what makes events like this all the more relevant as we look forward to 2011.

Despite the simplicity that is implied by the term, as IT consultants, we understand that “project management” can be a bit of a complex topic. Delegation, communication, time management, goal-setting, agenda-setting, implementation and more—there are just so many different components that come into play when managing even the most basic IT project. With that being the case, our team has always strived to adopt a holistic approach to IT project management that focuses on clearly communicated and planned expectations, priorities and deliverables. Effective IT projects that generate business results will take a heavy dose of planning and calculated execution. We understand that this approach can take some time, but we’re quite alright with that. As long as we’re managing a project and implementing solutions efficiently and effectively before deadline, and achieving our business goals, we’re happy.

Last week, Vivo engaged in a conversation about this topic with prolific blogger Christine Louise Hohlbaum who writes for Psychology Today. Christine, who advocates a “slow and steady” approach to business productivity, compiled the thoughts of our CEO Marilyn Weinstein and our Managing Director Michael Parish in her post “The Power of Slow: Embracing time so you have more of it.” The piece focused on our mantra to “plan one’s work and work one’s plan”—in a steady and strategic manner. Check it out and let us know what you think!

San Francisco Business Times Honors Vivo for Exceptional Year-Over-Year Growth

Pleasanton, Calif. – October 25, 2010 – Vivo, the premier IT consulting and staffing firm for Silicon Valley companies, today announced that it has been named to the San Francisco Business Times’ annual “Top 100 Fastest-Growing Private Companies.” Of the 100 companies on this year’s list, Vivo is ranked #25.

Each year, the San Francisco Business Times partners with PriceWaterhouseCoopers to research the region’s fastest-growing private companies. The list ranks Bay Area-based companies by revenue growth from 2007 to 2009. 

“We are proud to have made the Fastest-Growing Companies list this year,” commented Marilyn Weinstein, Vivo’s CEO.  “The key to our success and growth is our amazing team of talented IT professionals. I’m extremely thankful to work with such exceptional people every day.”

About Vivo

Vivo is the Silicon Valley-based IT consulting and staffing firm that solves complex technology challenges efficiently, effectively and with gracious simplicity.  The firm specializes in successfully aligning the business and technical needs of IT with the expectations and cost requirements of the CFO.  Regardless of a company’s market focus and unique business challenges, Vivo’s IT specialists optimize processes to accelerate business results.  Client-focused, nimble and precise—Vivo’s commitment is to constantly and consistently deliver the most responsive, highest-quality results possible.  For more information, please visit www.vivoinc.com.

Contact:

Keri Bertolino

fama PR

617-758-4148

vivo@famapr.com

Marilyn Weinstein and Mike Parish are quoted in the latest blog entry from Christine Louise Hohlbaum. In this entry Christine (who regularly writes on the Power of Slow) explains how even the most time-crunched folks agree that slow is bettter.   Read ‘Even in IT, the Tortoise Wins the Race’  and share us your thoughts.

San Francisco Business Times Recognizes Vivo Founder and CEO Marilyn Weinstein
(more…)