7 ways to get the most from your Recruiter

Working with recruitment agencies can be a frustrating experience for many different reasons, but it needn‟t be that way! Accredited and professional Recruitment Consultants can offer valuable advice and provide career opportunities that may never be advertised.
We asked three of our most experienced staff, who have over 50 years engineering and technology recruitment experience between them, to give us their 7 top tips to ensure Recruiters and potential Employers sit up and take notice of your application.

1. Invest time in your CV. Whether applying direct to companies or via a recruitment company, it is essential to invest time in your CV. Ensure it is well formatted, spell checked, easy to read and above all does you justice. On average, hiring managers will give your CV just 30 seconds before making a yes/no decision and if they are left searching for relevant information buried in pages of block text, they will soon lose interest. Experienced Recruitment Consultants should be well placed and willing to provide independent advice on your CV but please also bear in mind that your CV will often need tailoring to a specific role to give you the best chance of securing an interview.

2. Work with Recruiters that specialise in your field. Perhaps an obvious statement - but it‟s essential that you engage and establish trusted relationships with Recruiters that are likely to be in a position to help, rather than taking the “spray and pray” approach. Recruiters that truly specialise in your sector (and it‟s easy to tell those that just talk the talk!) are much more likely to fully understand what you do and be knowledgeable about your specialist area. Furthermore, they are more likely to be well connected in your sector and therefore have more opportunities that are relevant to you. A list of accredited recruitment organisations can be found at the Recruitment and Employment Confederation website.

3. Limit the number of recruitment agencies that you work with. Do some investigation and focus on building relationships with no more than about 4-5 agencies that you believe to be credible and trustworthy within your sector, ideally from referrals.

4. Read job adverts and only respond to the ones for which you are suitable. The cause of much frustration for Recruiters is being deluged with CV‟s that are clearly unsuitable for the role advertised, despite including essential skills and experience. Job boards make it so easy to apply for roles these days that many candidates hit the send button without reading any more than the job title, thinking it will do no harm and not taking account of the considerable time it takes recruiters to assess, shortlist and respond to every application. In only responding to adverts appropriate to your skills / discipline, you are much more likely to receive a faster and more positive response.

5. Follow up with a phone call. Once you have applied for an advertised role for which you‟re confident of your suitability, it does no harm to give a call to the recruiter 24 hours later. When you‟re trying to differentiate yourself from many other applicants, speaking with the Recruitment Consultant gives you the opportunity to sell your attributes again and answer any initial queries or doubts.

6. Retain control of your CV. One of the biggest dangers of registering your details with a myriad of agencies is that you can easily start to lose control. Every week we hear of Clients receiving CV‟s that the candidate had no idea was being presented, let alone which agency might have sent it, without their knowledge or consent. We have even heard of CV‟s landing on the desk of their own Manager – unbelievable eh? Not only is this entirely illegal (although frighteningly common), but let‟s not forget that it is „your’ CV and should be treated with due respect by the recruitment community.
Be aware that the law demands Recruiters to tell you where they are proposing to send your CV and get your express permission before doing so. Most reputable Recruitment Consultants will also adhere to the voluntary REC Code of Professional Practice and the IRP Code of Ethics & Professional Conduct.

7. Utilise the expertise of the Recruitment Consultant. Once you have established a trusting relationship with a Recruiter, whose opinion you truly value, make the most of the competitive advantage they can give you. Their knowledge should include an insight into the company, organisational structure, major projects being worked / tendered etc and the preferences / personality of the managers that you might be meeting during the course of the selection process. They can also offer valuable assistance with interview preparation and what questions you might expect along with assistance with resignation letters, counter offers and salary negotiation.

How to create the perfect CV

                                                     How to create the perfect CV

Ok, it’s time to rewrite your CV. You may perceive this as an extremely tedious and mundane task that only needs a very short amount of your time, but this attitude could seriously jeopardize your career prospects!

A CV is an opportunity to show a prospective employer your skills, achievements and also your personality. It is your shop window and should be viewed accordingly. A poorly constructed CV will do you no favours when applying for a new position.

During my time in recruitment I have seen thousands of CVs, some well written and some extremely poor.Hopefully by the time you have read this, you will appreciate how important your CV is and also how to create the perfect CV.

Construction
The first thing I would advise is to write your CV yourself. Do not be tempted to pay a company to do this for you. Every CV I have seen that has been created by a ‘professional’ CV writing service has been extremely poor and a waste of money. A CV contains personal information and therefore should be treated accordingly, do not entrust someone who is merely doing it to pay bills.

When I receive a CV the first thing I look at is the grammar. Then the construction and finally the content. The reason is simple, I want to see that care and attention has been afforded. Anyone can put information onto a piece of paper, but it takes time to ensure it looks professional, captures the attention of the reader and most importantly, creates the right impression. You are a sales person after all!!

A poor CV tells the reader that you are not committed, lack attention to detail and quite simply, are not taking the process seriously. These CVs will head straight into the shredder. It still amazes me that people cannot see the importance of spending time constructing a CV, after all, this document could be your only way of securing an interview.

Don’t forget, first impressions count. You would not attend an interview in scruffy clothes, so why send a CV which is poorly constructed? Your aim is to communicate your strengths, your achievements, your initiative and your personality. In short, your credibility and suitability. Be positive, not too modest, but do not exaggerate. Always use a spell checker and get someone else to proof read. One mistake could make all the difference.

Content
So, what information should a CV contain and how should it be constructed?

1. Personal details.
Ensure that you provide all relevant information, the names of your children and year you were married are not. The introduction of the Age Discrimination Act in October 2006 means that if you do not give your date of birth, companies are not entitled to ask. I would however suggest that you provide this information as it helps the reader build a clear picture.

2. Profile.
This is a concise paragraph or bullet points highlighting your skills, strengths and achievements. Keep it brief but just enough to gain the readers interest. There is no harm in tailoring this to the role and matching your skills to those required.

3. Education
Work in chronological order starting with the most recent. Include the name of the establishment and the qualification gained. The further back you go, the less relevant they become but always provide some information, eg. 7 O’Levels incl Maths & English. If you are applying for a role that requires specific qualifications, make sure you highlight these.


4. Full employment history
This is the most important. Again, work in chronological order starting with the most recent role. You must include the dates, name of employer, role, duties and achievements.
Sell yourself! Give clear examples of your successes; include actual figures, but only ones that you can back up at interview.
Bullet point the information as this makes it easer to read. You must include a reason for leaving as this will put the readers mind at rest if you have had a few quick moves. On this note, do not leave out positions as you may be found out when references are taken.

The further back you go, the less relevant the roles become, so again, summarise. If you left school and temped for 5 years, do not list each role but bundle them all together giving an overview of the work and the skills gained.
Ensure that you do not leave any gaps between dates, this always worries the reader and makes them think you are hiding something.

5. Interests
One tip – never put ‘Socialising’ or ‘Reading’. They are far too general. Be specific without getting too quirky. Remember you want to appear interesting with an active life outside of work.

6. Referees
My advice is to write, ‘Available upon request.’ A prospective employer does not need names and addresses at this stage.

If you have undertaken relevant training courses list these also, including the date.
Including your picture is not necessary unless specifically requested by the employer.
Feel proud when writing your CV, you want to show yourself off!
Regarding length, do not try to cram all your information into 2 pages, your CV will look too cluttered. Use your common sense. Too short and your CV will lose it’s impact, too long and you will lose the interest of the reader. 3 pages will suffice and should leave the reader wanting to know more. The most recent / relevant information should be expanded upon, this will then allow you to summarise those positions you took upon leaving school etc.

Appearance
Your CV should be aesthetically pleasing also. No fancy fonts, no multimedia, keep it simple and professional. You should be spending more time on the content and less on trying to make your name flash in 5 different colours.
When printing, use quality paper with a decent gsm, do not attempt to alter your CV using a biro and when posting, do not cram the CV into a tiny envelope. Again, remember first impressions.

After all of this, take a well earned rest safe in the knowledge that when your CV arrives on the prospective employers desk, it with not languish will all the other scraps of paper and half baked resumes but will be top of the pile and making an impact.

CV Writing Tips

CV Writing Tips
Your CV is your personal sales brochure and the key that unlocks the door to high quality interviews. Decisions to interview or reject candidates will be made on this document and in most instances your CV will be pitched against a potentially vast number of other candidates.

How to write your CV
• Include contact/personal details at the front
• Unless requested, do not include supporting documents such as certificates or letters of recommendation
• Ensure all qualifications and jobs are dated
• If there is a gap in dates, include a brief explanation
• Illustrate your capabilities – try not to make sweeping statements
• Be clear about what your main selling points are
• Revisit your completed CV to check if these come across
• Examples of selling points: well-known employer, rare skill set, size of projects, particularly relevant qualifications etc.
• State the size and scope of your responsibilities. Examples of people you were responsible for,budgets, number of people affected etc
• Give examples of achievements, using adverbs where possible eg. “Successfully implemented…”
• Use a universally recognised job title if the internal one is likely to confuse
• State the scope and size of business when a company is not widely known
• Dedicate just a couple of lines to you your hobbies / interests Format
• Aim to keep your CV to 2-3 pages long. (Interim CV's may be longer).
• Try to use a good word processing package like Microsoft Word
• Include page numbering and repeat your name on each page
• Space the text out – with clear breaks in between sections
• Use lists – it is quicker and easier to pull out key information than in paragraph form
• Make it 3rd person: avoid using 'I was involved with..' - instead find examples where you can use 'Responsible for…’ or ‘ Achieved …’

Finally:

1. Check your CV for spelling and grammar
2. Ask a friend to have a look as they may spot some oversights
3. Read your CV again and ask yourself
Is it realistic? – don’t exaggerate or indeed, undersell Is it relevant to the job?
Would you want to meet that person?

Personal Profile

http://www.keirsey.com/sorter/user.aspx

Are you a Determined or Desperate Job Seeker ?

When you’re anxiously awaiting your next job opportunity, sometimes it’s easy to walk the fine line between being a determined job seeker and desperate one. Of course, it’s not uncommon to feel desperate when you’re ready to get a job, but being desperate is something that should be practiced in the privacy of your home – not where others, namely prospective employers, can catch wind of it. If you’re not sure whether you’re giving off an air of determination or desperation, here are some ways to make sure you’re coming off as a determined job seeker.

Keep the Usual Formatting In Your Resumes
Desperate job seekers have been known to do some crazy things when trying to find work. One has been creating the crazy resume that is meant to garner attention but actually steers people in the other direction.

You may feel that you’re in the middle of a last ditch effort to get someone to pay attention to you so you want to submit your resume in a quirky font or add hearts as bullet points – what do you have to lose, right? Well, there is actually as much to lose today as there was when you started your search right after leaving your last job.

Don’t allow the search to drive you to do crazy things. Instead, keep your composure, submit your great traditional resume and feel confident that it will help you get hired.

Follow Up but Don’t Harass
While you may feel anxious to get out there and tackle every hiring manager you see, pin them down and stuff your resume in their face, of course, this is something you wouldn’t do. However, in the midst of your job search, there are ways to actually come off as though you’re just that desperate.

For instance, you could hound a hiring manager with whom you’ve shared your resume or pester a person who may be a networking contact for you. In both cases, it’s good to hand over your information and let the people do their job. There’s nothing wrong with following up, but harassing someone is not acceptable.

Don’t Overstress Your Search
It’s good to dedicate quality time each day to your job search. In fact, many say that it’s good to give an entire work day’s effort to the search. However, you don’t need to spend every waking hour looking for a job, contacting individuals, blogging and sending out blasts on Facebook. You have to allow some of the search to manage itself.

A good way to remedy this is to spend time outside or enjoying some other favorite activities. Being anxious and desperate doesn’t really help you and won’t have a hugely positive impact on your search.

Whether you’re turning in crazy resumes or telling an interviewer how anxious you’ve been to find work, there is a such thing as being too desperate. So take time to pace your job search and make sure to relax so that the process doesn’t overwhelm you. Most important, feel confident that the hard work you’ve given will inevitably offer the results you desire.

CV Tips

                                              CV Tips

How many ads do you remember every day?

When you're job-hunting you are the ad. Your CV and interview are the only chances you've got to advertise yourself. Make sure you stand out. Don't forget, first impressions last: you're on sale from the first call.

Get our specialist advice on how to create the best possible CV as well as our tips on clinching that first vital interview. Take a look at the online CV template: simply fill in your own details and a consultant will contact you regarding suitable vacancies.

• CV Do's
• CV Don'ts
• CV Content
• CV Template

CV Do's

Communicate your strengths, your achievements, your initiative and your personality. In short, your credibility and suitability. Your CV should be no more than two pages long. Think quality, not quantity. On average, readers absorb 60% of the first page, 40% of the second, and the third is generally a waste - this has been proven time and time again.

Aim to make an impact on the reader.

Put the greatest emphasis on your most recent positions. Summarise older roles. Include dates and months of employment for each. Include your competence in foreign languages (basic, good, fluent), but be honest. So, if you only have 'O-Level French', then you have 'basic French'. Be positive - don't be too modest and don't lie about your experience. Positive thinking is vital to secure that next position.

Tailor your CV to each job application. Tailor the CV to the company/department and position whenever possible. Although this may be time-consuming, it could just help you clinch that job! You could include a 'position sought' section in your CV for this purpose.
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CV Don'ts

A badly prepared CV undermines the credibility of its contents.

If you cannot produce a professional document about yourself, an employer may conclude that you are unlikely to have the competence to fill an important job.

Don't make false/exaggerated claims: honesty is always the best policy. If the interviewer spots inconsistencies in your CV you won't be successful.

Don't provide personal information such as weight, height, and place of birth. You can include information about your interests, but keep it short.

Don't enclose a picture.

There is no need to include your 'hobbies'. If you have some outstanding achievements, such as 'Olympic Rower', there is clearly no harm in mentioning this: it may enhance the interview.

Don't include your required rate/salary. You cannot win - the figure will often be too high, or sometimes even too low. Negotiate this after you've got the job!
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CV Content

Make sure your CV has a clear structure - include career overview, skills overview, qualifications (education/professional) and employment history.

Employers often make up their mind from reading the initial summary and key skills. Create a compelling summary on the first page and include a list of your key skills and key applications in bold. Note the quantity of experience you have for each key skill, e.g. Sales Manager (5 Years), Field sales exec (4 Years), etc.

Bullet points break up a CV well. Employers want to get straight to the salient points so direct them there. Important information should stand out but avoid using just one or two words.

• Your typical duties
• Your achievements
• Your reason for leaving

The above should mean that the reader does not have any unanswered questions and would feel confident in inviting you for an interview.

For further information please download the following article, ‘How to Create the Perfect CV’ or clicking on this link.
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CV Template

Download the Online CV Template which you can complete and send to us.

Working overseas can be a real possibility if you know where to look

                                               SIX easy steps to finding work overseas.

1. INTERNAL INQUIRY
If you're lucky enough to be working for a multinational corporation, there are normally opportunities to work for the business overseas. An inquiry to the human resources department will determine what's available but it's also worth asking your boss. Hotel chains and mining companies are prime for such opportunities, as are large finance and banking corporations.
                                                                                                                         

2. RECRUITERS

At any one time there are hundreds of international recruitment firms offering opportunities for overseas labour, including many Australian-based groups. As well as facilitating the move, they can offer practical advice for would-be workers and save you time on research.

3. WORKING HOLIDAYS
If you are under 30 and not undertaking an internal company transfer, there are many countries that offer working holiday arrangements. Generally you need to be childless and have sufficient money for the length of your stay to qualify. The Australian Government has reciprocal agreements with many countries, including Britain, France, Hong Kong, Malta and Cyprus. Visit: www.immi.gov.au/visitors/working-holiday/australians-overseas/#c

4. LINKEDIN
LinkedIn is Facebook for work. It allows members to have a profile that can be viewed by colleagues, prospective employers and recruiters. Recruitment firm Robert Walters HR manager Marisa Iuculano says LinkedIn is a must if you want to be noticed.
"Getting LinkedIn is simply a non-negotiable if you want to find yourself a job overseas. It's an international database for labour, and employers won't be able to find you if you are not there. It is the easiest way for employers to see your skills."

5. VOLUNTEER
While you are not a slave, many overseas companies have an unwritten policy requiring prospective employees to do some unpaid work before they give them a job.
"This sort of thing appeals a lot to graduates who want to travel and who have just finished their degree. It also shows employers that you are keen," Iuculano says.

6. NETWORKINGGetting in touch with the governing body for your industry will help with creating opportunities to meet and get to know future employers and colleagues at industry events.


 

Attacks

Vulnerability Laboratory:

http://www.vulnerability-lab.com/

Hackers

Do You know ?

A Different Approach to Network Intrusion Detection

There are many Intrusion Detection Systems out there. What exactly should an Intrusion Detection System or Solution do? Well that one’s sort of self explanatory, it should detect intrusions. There are host based intrusion detection solutions and there are network based IDS solutions. Host based IDS try to determine malicious processes and inter-process behavior from the perspective of a host. Network IDS solutions attempt to see malicious activity from analyzing network traffic. Network Based IDS has a particularly broad view, but is prone to false positives (falsely identifying benign traffic as malicious) and false negatives (not identifying malicious traffic). Additionally, more and more network traffic is being encrypted, thus hiding malicious payloads from IDS sensors. So in addition to the initial cost of purchasing an IDS solution, they require a lot of tuning to get useable results.

This post is about a different approach to network intrusion detection. It is certainly not meant to replace traditional IDS solutions, but can be added alongside existing solutions. This solution looks for traffic that shouldn’t exist at all. If traffic is seen using this method, it should be investigated. This stray traffic is either a result of a configuration error, or a malicious process. In addition to producing few false positives, the cost of this solution is next to nothing.

To implement this solution, a network administrator would basically black hole all address ranges that are known not to be in use and direct the traffic to a host that can capture these packets. The RFC1918 range should be a safe bet. Additionally any public IP address space that is owned by the organization, but not in use could also be used. Let’s look at an example organization’s IP address usage to understand how this might work

ACME Organization

Routing Protocol (IGP): EIGRP (summarization disabled)

IP Addresses (Internal)—

192.168.1.0/24

192.168.50.0/24

192.168.60.0/24

192.168.70.0/24

192.168.80.0/24

10.1.1.0/30

10.1.1.4/30

10.1.1.8/30

10.1.1.12/30

Public Addresses Owned: 192.0.2.0/24
Public Addresses Used: 192.0.2.1-250

In the ACME organization, we should only see IP traffic destined to IPv4 addresses in the above RFC1918 address ranges, the used public address range, and any other public IP address that are not owned by this organization. If traffic appears on the network destined to other RFC1918 address it is certainly out of place and should be investigated. Additionally packets containing a destination IP addresses 192.0.2.0 or 192.0.2.251-255 are also out of place and should be looked at.

So how do we easily capture this traffic for investigation? It is actually quite simple if we think about how routers work and how packets are converted into frames as they are handed back down the OSI model. The first concept we should revisit is the longest match rule that is used by the route table. If a router has a route to 192.168.0.0/16 and another to 192.168.50.0/24, a packet to 192.168.50.12 would match the route to 192.168.50.0/24. A packet to 192.168.33.5 would match 192.168.0.0/16. We can leverage this and inject some routes into our network. So let’s take this concept and apply it to a simple network.

Network Diagram



In the above diagram, we have a “deflection router”. This router is located just behind the firewall, but could be located anywhere in the network (as long as summary routes aren’t overriding the routes that we are about to inject). The first thing we need to do is to deflect packets going to unused RFC1918 ranges out the Ethernet interface connected to our “Sniffer Host”. To do this, we’ll set up an IP address for that interface, and create some routes.

Router(config)#interface fa0/1

Router(config-if)#ip address 10.1.1.13 255.255.255.252

Router(config-if)#no shut

Router(config)#ip route 10.0.0.0 255.0.0.0 10.1.1.14
Router(config)#ip route 172.16.0.0 255.240.0.0 10.1.1.14
Router(config)#ip route 192.168.0.0 255.255.0.0 10.1.1.14
Next we will create routes that will divert the unused public addresses.

Router(config)#ip route 192.0.2.0 255.255.255.255 10.1.1.14
Router(config)#ip route 192.0.2.251 255.255.255.255 10.1.1.14
Router(config)#ip route 192.0.2.252 255.255.255.252 10.1.1.14

Notice, I’m routing the traffic to these unknown address ranges to 10.1.1.14. Does 10.1.1.14 have to exist on “sniffer host”? Not exactly. Actually I might not even want IP bound to the sniffer hosts’ interface. This will help protect the sniffer host itself from being attacked. However, if I take this approach, I must somehow coerce the router to forward the frame anyway. Typically, the router will do an ARP lookup or request to figure out what destination MAC address to use on the frame it has to build. We can trick the router into doing this by creating a static ARP entry. In this diagram, we are directly connecting a host to the router via crossover cable so the host will receive all frames produced by that interface (we just need to remember to put the sniffer’s NIC into promiscuous mode when we start to capture traffic).

Router(config)#arp 10.1.1.14 abcd.abcd.abcd arpa

Now the router understands the egress interface for these packets based on the route statements and the interface that is connected to the 10.1.1.12/30 network. The static arp entry gives the router the information that it needs to “frame” the packets. As long as the interface is up and the router doesn’t have more specific routes to a destination, it will send these packets to the sniffer host.

Earlier I pointed out that this router is in the path to the firewall but it could be located anywhere in the network. Keep in mind that if summary routes are being used, that may need to be evaluated. If this router isn’t already in the path of all packets (aka the default gateway), the routes can be injected into the IGP. This might look something like the following.

Router(config)#router eigrp 1
Router(config-rtr)#redistribute static

Now all we need to do is connect the Sniffer Host to our router via a crossover cable and start our favorite sniffer program. We don’t even need an IP address or the IP Protocol bound on the sniffing interface. A good technique for capturing traffic might to be using dumpcap (part of the Wireshark package) to capture anything destined to MAC address abcd.abcd.abcd and storing it in a file. For example, create a directory called “c:\caps” and enter the following command.

C:\Program Files\Wireshark>dumpcap.exe -i 2 -b duration:86400 -b filesize:50000 files:1000 -f "ether host ab:cd:ab:cd:ab:cd" -w c:\caps\badtraffic.pcap

The above command uses dumpcap to capture traffic on interface 2. The interface number is entered following the “-i” parameter. To determine the interface numbers use for a system, use the following command “dumpcap –D” (case sensitive). The parameters following the “-b” parameters are the ring buffer options. These tell dumpcap when to create a new file. In this case, a new file would be created at least once every 24 hours, the files would never exceed 50MB, and 1000 files would be retained. This should keep space consumption below 50GB. The string following “-f” limits the capture to the frames that contain the MAC address abcd.abcd.abcd (from the static arp). Finally “-w” directs dumpcap to save this contents to a file in the c:\caps directory. The filenames will be based on badtraffic.pcap but will also include a timestamp in the filename.

Now that we have this in place, we can easily test it. To do so, simply ping an address from an RFC1918 address space that is not in use. For the ACME network, we could ping 192.168.254.200. It is a good idea to test this from various points in the network. These packets should make it to our capture file. Double clicking the capture files should open it in Wireshark. We can now investigate the file for any signs of configuration errors or reconnaissance against our internal network. While this is not a comprehensive IDS solution, it is a good way to see when an internal host has been infected with something that it is trying to propagate to other internal hosts.

Ever heard of Layer 8?

In the networking world many are taught the Open Systems Interconnection model or OSI model of networking.  The OSI model is described as a layered approach of how data travels in the network.  The layers taught in any networking class are, starting from the bottom and working your way up:

Application Layer

Presentation Layer

Session Layer

Transport Layer

Network Layer

Data Link Layer

Physical Layer

However, for years I have always heard the joke about Layer 8.  Now although the OSI has no official designation of such a layer, it has been my experience that such a layer may exist!  In fact, Cisco even addresses this “layer” in their CCDA certification although they do not refer to it as a Layer of the OSI, which they are correct.

In the CCDA, it is taught that in order to make a good design you need to know what the business and technological requirements are and you have to live within the business and technological constraints.  Think about that for a minute.  You have to design a network to deliver who knows what and you have to do it with certain constraints, usually a limited time line or budget.  Have you ever found yourself in a meeting where a customer wants what is technologically impossible, against their company policy or so expense that not even all the money in the world could afford what they want?  I have… often.  To make matters worse the customer may have multiple people present the business and technological constraints and goals and they may conflict with another person’s goals and constraints within the same organization.  Then comes the process of debating, negotiating, hashing out the details to find some kind of compromise and to find a solution that will meet all of the goals and be achievable within the constraints that exist.  It is this process that I refer to as the Layer 8.

If you have not had this experience, consider yourself fortunate.  However as unpleasant as such a situation may be, there are some good learning opportunities for both the design engineer and the customer.  In fact, during this political process as I choose to call it, I have learned a great many things that have been beneficial to help me increase my understanding and help the customer increase theirs!

·      Education and understanding is key when going through the “Layer 8” or “political” process.  During such meetings I have come to realize that more often than not, the customer doesn’t even know what they want themselves!  They just want a solution to work and to be as convenient and easy as possible and they want it for next to nothing.  Listen, really listen to your customer and restate what they are telling you to make sure you understand the feedback they are giving you.  They may be surprised at what you understand from then.

·      Ask who, what, when where, why and how questions.  This will be extreamly helpful in getting the customer to really think deeper and consider the outcome. 

·      Explain in basic principles how technology works.  Some people really don’t want to know the deep details, however, give your customer enough understanding to help them make an informed decision.  It is been amazing to hear customers” gratitude for explaining technology to them. 

·      Give people options.  My kids really don’t care for being told what do to or how to do it.  Customers can be the same way.  Instead of dictating to them what they should be doing (even if you are right), give them options and explain the pros and cons of each option.  Remember it is ultimately their decision, not yours.  Help then to make decision via the process of elimination.  Objectivity is a must!

·      Control emotions!  I cannot stress this enough.  It can make or break a deal, get you promoted or fired!  It is difficult, but it can be done.  People are passionate creatures and that is ok, as long as the passion is controlled.  If it gets out of hand, you may find yourself having a Darth Vader conversion moment and that is not going to help yours or your customers situation. 

·      Document!  The old saying “the customer is always right” rings true, even when they are wrong.  We all make decision, some good and some bad.  All those decisions have some kind of consequence, some good, some bad.  When participating in the Layer 8/political process, acknowledge ownership where it is due.  This is a joint effort and there must be joint responsibility.  Documentation is the key to not only hold people responsible but serves as a reminder of what is discussed, agreed upon and finally decided.  Documentation helps serve as a reminder to everyone.  I can’t remember everything that is discussed in a meeting, but having good notes and documentation sure helps remind me of things and helps to keep me in check.

The Layer 8/political process isn’t for everyone.  Some love it, others hate it.  I love to see customers enlightened as I explain technology to them on their terms.  I really don’t care to be the mediator of a heated debate.   Oh how glad I would be if I had the Enterprise transporters to get me out of those situations!  Unfortunately, that isn’t an option so the mentioned points are the things that have helped me get through the Layer 8/political process.  For a designer, there is much more than technology skills that are needed.  Good personal and communication and negoation skills or "soft skills" are an absolute must to survive this process.

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Ref:Cisco.com