Hiring Report: Bostrom Corp.

Company Name: Bostrom Corporation Headquarters: Chicago, IL Office Locations: Chicago, IL and Washington, DC Web site: Bostrom.com Founded: 1932 Number of IT Employees: 6 The Company: Bostrom is a leading association management and professional services company providing comprehensive management, consulting and outsourcing services to professional societies, trade associations and charitable organizations. For more than seven decades Bostrom has provided associations with the solutions they need to grow, stabilize, redirect, consolidate and meet challenging goals. Through the years Bostrom has provided services to countless organizations, big and small, and remains a cutting-edge professional services firm with one simple mission: To build successful organizations and enhance value for clients through trust, experience, personalized service and solutions. Recent news and more information about Bostrom's history, solutions and partnerships can be found at www.bostrom.com. Hiring Leaders: David Andrew, PMP/Chief Technology Officer David Andrew is an expert in e-business application integration, systems architecture, and business process improvement. He has a solid track record in analyzing information system needs, recommending solutions, and implementing successful organization-appropriate outcomes. Andrew brings 15 years of IT management and consulting experience along with the Project Management Professional (PMP) certification from the Project Management Institute to Bostrom. Prior to joining Bostrom, Andrew worked at Abanco with roles that included management of the information systems group, mobile channel product management, and corporate business process improvement. Andrew's other professional experience includes four years at the Chicago-based consulting firm, The Revere Group, where he was a Principal Consultant, and four years as a consultant with Northwestern University's Instructional Technology Group. Andrew is a graduate of Northwestern University, where he earned a B.A. in Cognitive Science.

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Are you looking to hire on more IT staff this year, and if so, how many and in what skill areas? Bostrom is looking to hire three to five more IT staff with a focus on .NET development, business analysis, QAQC and systems administration. Given all the news about the talent crunch, have you or are you finding it more difficult to find qualified IT professionals? If so, is any particular skill set in big demand or very scarce? We are finding it increasingly difficult to locate qualified individuals particularly with C# and ASP.NET expertise. What are your primary recruiting strategies? Do you work with recruiters, post jobs online, etc. We have tried a variety of recruiting methods from postings on the larger job boards, to CraigsList.org, networking with past employers and coworkers, and working with recruiters. The latter seems to be the most successful. What is the hiring process " how many interviews, with whom and any testing involved? We prefer for the recruiting firm to do the initial screening. We will then begin with a qualifying technical phone interview and lastly a face to face interview with our team lead, CTO, HR and often operations leadership to determine an appropriate fit for our company. What should candidates know before they interview at Bostrom? Bostrom is a small team with a rich history of 75 years in business. Employees are required to play a variety of roles and interact with non-technical staff on a regular basis. A cultural fit is as important as a technical fit in our environment. What makes for an outstanding potential hire? Technical capability, hands-on experience and good communication skills. What are red flags you look for when reviewing resumes, doing interviews. What are some issues that thwart candidates? When reviewing resumes we'd like to see stable work history, training and education complementary to our needs, and professional presentation of a candidate's qualifications. What kind of non-IT skills do your IT team members need, if any? Communication skills are very important not only in being able to present ideas clearly but to listen effectively to non-technical staff. How important is the cover letter in job queries " any tips or advice to job seekers on what to do or not to do. A cover letter is very important. It conveys how closely the candidate followed our position posting and their professionalism. Is the IT organization looking for certified skills, is that a must have or is there any other qualification that is a must have? External certification is always a plus, but not a requirement. Demonstrated experience in the field is more important. Does the organization hire 'newbies' and invest in training and how well does that work, and if not, why not? Bostrom typically does not hire candidates without experience. We generally look for candidates that can make an impact right away. However, training and continuing education are very important to both our employees and Bostrom and are certainly never overlooked. What characteristics or personality traits do you want in a hire, and don't want? We are always looking for the well-rounded individual. Team members must be able to wear many hats and be comfortable being an active participant in the direction of the department. Excellent written and verbal skills, in addition to technical expertise, are very important to us. What does your company offer IT specialists as an employer? Bostrom offers a small company environment, leading-edge technology and a competitive benefits package. We excel at involving our employees in the strategic direction of the IT department. At Bostrom, an IT specialist is not just a cog in a large machine, but rather an active participant in the project delivery process. Other recent articles from TechCareers Hiring Report: Ironworks Looking For Team Players, Not Big Egos Career Profile: Executive Director, (ISC)2

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