3 Risky Areas Where Automation Shouldn’t Solve Your Business’ Issues
Written by Lisa Sullivan
Automation has been a blessing for many businesses. Not only can it help cut costs, but it can also achieve amazing results while removing tedious tasks from the hands of your employees. In essence, it’s a win-win-win, making it hard to ignore.
However, automation isn’t always the way to go. There are some situations where using the technology introduces significant risk, at times in unexpected ways. Before you automate every aspect of your operations, here are three potentially risky outcomes.
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When It Allows the Manual Skill to Disappear
While automation is touted for reducing the need for manual processes, freeing up employees to focus on activities that genuinely require the human touch, using automation to the point where the manual approach is no longer known isn’t a great idea.
Even though technology is robust, it is bound to fail at some point. Technical issues happen every day, so you can’t assume that your company will be immune to trouble. If you rely too heavily on automation, when that problem occurs, no one will know how to default back to the manual process. This can bring business to a standstill.
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When It Leads to Disengagement
Automation is often an excellent way to boost engagement as it gives your workers the ability to handoff duties that are a bit mundane or repetitive. However, when technology is used to make decisions for employees or allows them to distance themselves emotionally from the company’s operational essence, disengagement can occur.
For employees to feel satisfied on the job, they need to connect with the company. Automation has the ability to eliminate core business knowledge over time, making it harder to create a bridge between what the worker is doing and the success of the organization. If morale begins to decrease, productivity generally falls and turnover increases, creating a less than ideal scenario for everyone involved.
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When It Creates Poor Customer Experiences
At some point, everyone has had a poor customer service experience thanks to automation. For example, being stuck talking to an automated call attendant that won’t let you reach out to a person can be infuriating, especially when the system can’t provide you with the information you need.
While using automation to make customer interactions easier can be wise, it shouldn’t be used to dehumanize the entire process. Instead, striking a balance is essential. Otherwise, customer frustration is going to lead to poor word-of-mouth, and that can be incredibly damaging to your business.
Ultimately, automation is a powerful tool, but it must be used wisely. Without an adequate balance between technology and the people-factor, automation can actually do more harm than good.
Ready to Hire Talented Developers? The Armada Group Can Help!
If you would like to learn more about how to use automation to your advantage without harming operations, morale, or customer service, the professionals at The Armada Group can help. Contact us to discuss your questions with one of our experienced team members today and see how our workplace automation expertise can benefit you.
Do You Have What It Takes to be a Top Systems Administrator?
Written by Lisa Sullivan
Since the world of technology evolves so quickly, systems administrators need to bring a lot to the table if they want to thrive in their field. This is especially true as the cloud gains greater traction in business, introducing something that is still seen as relatively new even as it enters the mainstream.
If you want to be a top systems administrator, bringing the right skills and experience to the table is essential. If you aren’t sure that you have what it takes, here are some key points that can help you decide.
Experience with Multiple Platforms
By having experience on multiple platforms, even if your career is largely focused on one, you show that you are versatile and adaptable. After all, you had to learn each one individually, demonstrating that you aren’t afraid of tackling something new to remain relevant and valuable.
Quick Problem-Solving
Systems administrators need to do more than just resolve issues; they need to problem-solve with speed and a sense of urgency. This ensures that everything is fully operational as quickly as possible, allowing the workplace to remain productive and efficient.
Adapt to Changing Security Standards
Security is increasingly a priority in business, and systems administrators need to be able to modify solutions as required to meet new standards. Without the ability, systems may remain vulnerable, and that can be detrimental to the company.
Strategic Mindset
Top systems administrators are often tasked with thinking strategically when determining the ideal direction for a system. This requires the ability to look beyond one’s own sphere and focus on the big picture, ensuring that the greater needs of the company remain the priority.
Similarly, being able to apply the principles of system configuration management in a strategic way is also vital. This not only requires a deep understanding of the concepts but also the ability to use them effectively for the most gain.
Strong Communication Skills
When you work as a systems administrator, communication skills are essential. Not only do you have to function as a vendor liaison, but you may also be tasked with making presentations to clients, customers, and your professional peers.
Further, you’ll need to coordinate with a larger tech team and any stakeholders outside of your department. Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to communicate complex ideas in simple language are must-haves. Otherwise, those without your level of technical expertise may be lost in the conversation.
Find Your Dream Job Today!
If you have the skills and experiences above, you are poised to one day become a top systems administrator. If you’d like to learn more or are seeking opportunities in the field, the skilled professionals at The Armada Group can help. Contact us to speak with one of our highly knowledgeable recruiters about our current openings or for career guidance today and see how our expertise can benefit you.
Looking for a Job in Cloud Data Engineering? Add These 8 Things to Your Resume!
Written by Jennifer Ireland
The cloud has become a staple in the business world over recent years. Businesses across the country are increasingly embracing hybrid and multi-cloud environments, allowing them to create solutions that best meet their needs.
As a result, cloud data engineering has emerged as a profession with a significant amount of potential. Many of the jobs are incredibly lucrative. Plus, since you get to explore an emerging field, the work itself can be very engaging.
Even in times of low unemployment, bringing the right skills to the table is essential. You need to have a firm grasp on specific technologies, programming languages, frameworks, and more to thrive as a cloud data engineer.
What to Add to Your Cloud Data Engineering Resume
By acquiring the proper skills and displaying them prominently on your resume, you can stand out in the eyes of hiring managers. Cloud data engineering requires a highly developed skill set, so just one or two of the core skills aren’t typically sufficient if you want to focus your career in this direction.
If you want to advance in the field or take your first steps into this exciting specialty, here are the eight skills you need to add to your resume.
- SQL
- Python
- Spark
- Hadoop
- Java
- AWS
- Scala
- Kafka
Luckily, you have options when it comes to increasing your competency in these areas, so improving your skill set may be easier than you think.
How to Acquire Cloud Data Engineering Skills
While many developers and engineers likely possess at least a few of these skills, they may not have them all. To add the ones you need, you typically have three options: formal education or training, self-exploration, and on-the-job experience.
Formal education and training are usually the most straightforward approach. You can find classes that focus on cloud data engineering as a whole or explore courses that concentrate on a particular skill. In either case, it gives you a chance to increase your level of competency.
Alternatively, you can also gain the skills on your own. There are tons of free online resources, including webinars, blogs, and communities, that can give you viable approaches for adding the skill to your list of offerings. This approach can be ideal if your schedule is tight and you need something incredibly adaptable.
Finally, if you have a chance to join a project or have access to a mentor, you may be able to gain your skills on-the-job. Speak with your manager about opportunities that can allow you to learn or use these skills, giving you a chance to increase your knowledge while at work.
Ultimately, any of those options can help you enhance your resume, so explore them all until you have all of the skills you need to excel in the field of cloud data engineering.
Find Your New Contract Today!
If you’d like to learn more, the team at The Armada Group can help. Contact us with your questions or ask about our current openings in this exciting field today.
4 Data Science Certificates that Could Increase Your Salary in 2019
Written by Crystal McKee
As we prepare to enter 2019, many companies are planning to bring in data scientists to help them make the most of their data. It allows them to make better business decisions, enhancing productivity, efficiency, and profitability.
However, even if data scientists will continue to be in high demand, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t strive to reach greater heights in the field. By acquiring the right credentials, you can increase your salary potential and your odds of landing coveted roles, both of which can accelerate your career.
If you are wondering which are worth your time, here are four data science certificates that you should explore.
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Hortonworks Certified Associate (HCA)
Considered more of a beginner-level course, this certificate program provides you with hands-on experience in key areas. You’ll learn data manipulation tools like Hadoop, Hive, Pig, Solr, and Spark, giving you a solid foundation upon which to build your career.
If you are just starting out in the field or are working to earn your first official data science-oriented credentials, HCA is a great place to begin.
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PGP in Big Data Analytics and Optimization
One of the main benefits of this course, aside from its hands-on approach to learning, is that it can be completed on nights and weekends. This is incredibly beneficial to working professionals, as you don’t have to abandon your job to earn the credential.
This course focuses on programming languages that are used in data manipulation, like Python and R, that are largely used in the data science field, including in systems like Hadoop and Spark.
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Cornell Data Science Certification
This certification is a bit focused, concentrating mainly on the use of predictive analytics as a marketing tool. While it does apply to numerous data science specialties, like Business Analytics or Data-Driven Marketing, it is considered somewhat niche, so it may not be as valuable if you aren’t focused on the marketing arena as a data scientist.
However, if you want to specialize, this certification can significantly boost your earnings potential, demonstrating that you have the skills and knowledge to work effectively in the niche. Plus, it is also considered more affordable than many other certificate options, which can be ideal for the budget-conscious data scientist.
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Mining Massive Data Sets Graduate Certificate
If you want to develop core data mining skills, this graduate certificate is a great option. It focuses on the fundamentals of the field, ensuring you have the proper understanding of data manipulation.
The course can be expensive, so it’s important to keep that in mind. However, it also serves as a good investment in many cases as it can increase your earnings potential.
Looking for a Career in Data Science?
All of the data science certificates can be worth pursuing, allowing you to boost your credentials and potentially earn more while working in the field. If you would like to learn more about data science certificates or are seeking new opportunities, the professionals at The Armada Group can help. Contact us to speak with one of our career specialists today and see how our services can benefit you.
As cybersecurity threats continue to multiple and major breaches hit the headlines on a regular basis, more companies are seeking highly skilled security engineers to make sure their systems are secure against the latest threats. To be a top candidate for these roles, you need to bring certain key skills to the table. Otherwise, you might not catch the attention of the hiring manager.
If you are wondering which skills can help you become a top security engineer, here are a few you absolutely need.
Security Product Expertise
Security engineers interact with a range of tech products while performing their duties. Everything from firewall management to URL filtering to virus protection fall under their purview, so knowing how to use the tools and technologies required to accomplish those goals is essential.
Similarly, security engineers need a firm grasp on what a variety of security products and services should cost. Since many security professionals are tasked with making recommendations when a new solution is required, understanding what is and isn’t a good deal is a valuable area of expertise to bring to the table.
Passion for the Subject
New threats emerge on a daily basis, and skilled security engineers understand the need to remain up to date at all times. Those who have an enthusiasm for their field are often more adept at staying informed, largely because the topic is of genuine interest.
Additionally, passion makes sorting through information regarding the latest security-related technology updates less cumbersome. Those with enthusiasm enjoy digging into the details to learn more about what the patches or new releases have to offer, making them more valuable in the eyes of employers.
Written and Verbal Communication
Security engineers need to be able to relay complex information, both verbally and in writing, to a variety of other professionals and stakeholders. This includes individuals who may not have an IT background, making it a necessity to be able to translate the “tech speak” into simpler language to promote understanding.
Technical Experience
Aside from security products, security engineers also need a firm grasp on a range of other technical topics. This can include various operating systems, coding languages, and network operations. Without these core understandings, it can be more difficult to assess a company’s needs, identify vulnerabilities, guarantee compatibility, and troubleshoot problems.
Time Management and Organization
Without time management and organizational skills, any security engineer would struggle to remain appropriately productive. Many projects are complex in nature, and even daily duties can be highly time-sensitive, making these core competencies must-haves if you want to excel in the field.
By acquiring the skills above, you too can position yourself as a top security engineer, making you a more attractive candidate to potential employers. If you would like to learn more about what makes a successful security engineer or are seeking out a new position in the field, the team at The Armada Group can help. Contact us to speak with a member of our knowledgeable staff today and see how our tech expertise can benefit you.
Highly effective IT teams don’t happen by accident. Instead, they are carefully crafted, bringing together the right mix of skills, experiences, and even personalities to ensure the team can collectively thrive.
But figuring out what such a team should look like isn’t always easy. However, there are certain traits that are common among top-performing IT teams, allowing them to serve as potential indications of the viability of the group’s composition.
If you are wondering what hallmarks are part of highly effective IT teams, here’s what you need to know.
Alignment
For a team to thrive, they need to align in a few key areas, including with the broader mission, the values of their peers, and the priorities of the leadership team. When it occurs, everyone is working toward the same collective goals, keeping everyone on target. Additionally, when every team member believes in the mission, this can boost morale, job satisfaction, and productivity, providing them with intrinsic value as a source of motivation.
Identity
Highly effective IT teams genuinely identify as part of a team. They exhibit self-awareness regarding how their actions impact those around them, giving them an additional source of guidance when they need to make decisions or solve problems. Additionally, they recognize that success is based on the cumulative work of the group, not the accomplishments of the individual. The perspective can increase teamwork and their willingness to help each other when problems arise, enhancing the sense of cohesion.
Leadership
A team can only be effective if they have a strong leader. Without proper guidance, the group will typically not flourish. Often, this involves having a manager who works as a coach and mentor, and not just a person delegating tasks. Further, open communication and transparency are necessities, ensuring everyone has vital information whenever something new comes down the pipe.
Growth
Genuinely stellar teams understand there is always something new to learn. Whether it’s a new approach to managing a project, a unique way to solve a problem, or an emerging technology that can provide value, they are open to exploring it. When it comes to knowledge, effective teams are never stagnant, and they typically aren’t fearful of change if it could potentially lead to better outcomes or increased efficiency.
Support
Strong IT teams feel inherently supported by each other. Typically, this means everyone has a voice and feels like they belong, creating an atmosphere that allows for constructive debates that don’t devolve into morale-crushing arguments.
Ultimately, it involves a sense of inclusion, the understanding that everyone is valued and that what they bring to the table is relevant. Without that, team members may be fearful when it comes to expressing their opinion, and that can stymy the group’s success.
All of the traits above are commonly found in highly effective teams, so forming a team that exhibits these characteristics may increase your project success rates. If you are interested in learning more or are seeking IT professionals to join your staff, the professionals at The Armada Group can help. Contact us to discuss your company’s goals today and see how our services can benefit you.
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How Can Having a Business Analyst in Your Corner Strengthen Your IT Team?
Written by Jeff Tavangar
When managers picture crafting a robust IT team, they typically focus on hiring individuals with specific technical skills that are vital for reaching their goals. However, if you neglect to add a skilled business analyst to your staff, your tech projects might not be a successful as they could be.
Business analysts perform a unique function, acting as a link between your IT team and the rest of the organization. Typically, they have experience in both the tech space and in business, giving them a solid understanding of each groups perspective and enabling them to work with tech pros and other business professionals to find solutions and reach compromises.
However, you do need to select the right business analyst to experience these benefits. This includes knowledge of data analytics, change management, and much more. If you want to strengthen your IT team, here’s how to select a business analyst to help you do just that.
Understand the Core Responsibilities
If you want to hire a top business analyst, it is critical that you understand the core responsibilities typically associated with these roles. Overall, they are usually tasked with identifying changes to processes, services, systems, and products that will facilitate positive change, such as increased efficiency and productivity.
They assist with determining project requirements, analyzing existing processes, and crafting recommendations, ensuring that a new solution is both technically viable and filled with features and capabilities that provide the end users with value. Additionally, they help the end users and IT team to communicate effectively, acting as a translator between the two segments of the business.
Critical Skills and Experiences
When you need a highly capable business analyst, it’s important to locate a candidate with the right combination of skills and experience. While every business analyst usually has more experience in either IT or business, it is crucial that they have a solid foundation in both areas. Otherwise, their lack of understanding on one side may hinder the success of the project.
For example, if a business analyst is highly knowledgeable on the business end but doesn’t have experience with the IT specialty involved, they may struggle when it comes to determining technical feasibility. This means their recommendations might not be ideal.
When it comes to hard skills, cost-benefit analysis, analytics, and process modeling should all be priorities. For soft skills, focusing on communication, problem-solving, conflict mediation, and interpersonal skills is often essential.
Additionally, most successful business analysts will have formal education that assists them in their role. This could include either a technical bachelor’s degree, such as computer science or information technology, or a business degree, depending on which area they gave greater focus. In some cases, they may also bring additional certifications to the table, though this may not be a necessity depending on your company’s or project’s goals.
Making the Right Hiring Decision
As you start looking for a business analyst to join your team, it’s vital you identify the technologies involved. Otherwise, it will be difficult to determine if the job seeker has the required level of technical expertise.
Additionally, you want to find a business analyst that meshes with the company’s culture as well as the IT team. This increases the odds they will connect with other professionals in the business, making it easier for them to perform their duties successfully.
If you are looking for the ideal business analyst, the recruitment specialists at The Armada Group can help you find the right candidate. Contact us to discuss your vacancy today and see how our services can benefit you.
What Skills Do You Need to Make 6 Figures as a Mobile App Developer in San Jose?
Written by Jennifer Ireland
Mobile devices have become valuable tools in the business world, allowing employees to accomplish important tasks from nearly anywhere. Now that smartphones are in the pocket of seemingly every person, companies require skilled mobile application developers to ensure that their apps meet the needs of their staff or their customers.
Successful mobile app developers have strong skill sets focused on this specific niche, and they can often command high salaries in exchange for their expertise. If you are wondering what skills you need to land a six-figure job as a mobile app developer in San Jose, here’s what you need to know.
Mobile App Developer Salaries in San Jose
In San Jose, mobile application developers commonly make more than six figures. The average base pay is approximately $136,000 per year, around 32 percent higher than the national average.
Additionally, even salaries on the lower end tend to surpass $100,000. This means, by choosing this tech specialty, earning a lucrative paycheck is certainly a possibility. However, professionals do need a strong skill set if they want to break into the field.
Mobile App Developer Technical Skills
To be a successful mobile app developer, a specific skill set is necessary. First, a thorough understanding of mobile user interface design is essential, as a high-quality UI has a significant impact on the overall experience.
Additionally, cross-platform development skills are often required for higher-paying mobile app developer roles. This ensures the selected candidate can produce apps that work on both Android and iOS, and potentially even Windows phones.
Programming skills are also a must, including languages like Java and C#. Web development languages like CSS and HTML 5 are also highly desirable, along with knowledge of mobile platform APIs.
Job seekers who bring robust backend computing skills to the table are also more likely to find a position that pays more than six figures. Anything from database management to security can fall in this category, representing a range of core competencies that allow the developer to thrive.
In most cases, a four-year degree is a requirement for mobile app developer positions, such as a bachelor’s in computer science or a similar major.
Essential Soft Skills for Mobile App Developers
A range of soft skills is also highly valuable in the mobile application development field. Strong communication and collaboration skills allow for more effective project teams, increasing the speed of development and potentially the quality of the outputs. Organizational skills are similarly valuable.
Since mobile app development can involve artistic design, creativity and a keen eye can help in the creation of attractive UIs. And, as with most tech jobs, problem-solving and troubleshooting skills are usually required.
Ultimately, if you possess the skills listed above, you can potentially earn a six-figure salary as a mobile application developer in San Jose. If you are interested in learning more or are looking for new employment opportunities, the professionals at The Armada Group can help. Contact us to speak with one of our skilled team members today and see how our services can make taking the next step in your IT career easier than ever.
How to Make 6 Figures as a Full Stack Engineer in San Francisco
Written by Crystal McKee
Over recent years, companies have become increasingly interested in securing full-stack engineers for their development positions. These professionals need a wide array of skills, ensuring they can handle both front end and back end development while supporting cross-functionality or multi-platform initiatives.
Full-stack engineers can easily cross into the six-figure salary category in San Francisco. However, a robust skill set is necessary to reach that pay level. If you are hoping to land a six-figure full-stack engineer position, here’s what you need to bring to the table.
Solid Knowledge Base
Full-stack engineers have to have a thorough understanding of a range of concepts and systems to be efficient in their roles. For example, knowledge of hosting systems, such as operating systems and services like DNS, is an essential part of these positions. Similarly, an understanding of the application stack and web applications is also vital.
A full-stack engineer can’t afford to have a substantial hole in their knowledge base, particularly if they want to earn six-figures in their next job. Ultimately, a knowledge gap means they may not be able to handle all of the duties, making their cumulative skill set fall outside of the full-stack arena.
Key Full-Stack Engineer Technical Skills
Working as a full-stack engineer requires a broad skill set that encompasses every development phase. This includes a range of programming languages, such as Python, JavaScript, Ruby, and SQL, as well as frameworks. Additionally, an understanding of networking, cloud services, and UX may also be necessities.
Ultimately, every full-stack engineer position may vary slightly from others, but core skills are commonly requested for all jobs. First, you’ll need front-end skills that allow the website or mobile app to be aesthetically pleasing and intuitive. This includes everything from being able to create code to knowing what layouts, color choices, or even fonts are considered the most attractive and appropriate.
On the back-end, full-stack engineers need the ability to build and maintain servers, applications, and databases. They have to have the skills required to create a functional solution. Precisely which languages, frameworks, or servers that will be involved may differ from one employer to the next, so having a diverse skill set increases your odds of landing a six-figure job.
Essential Soft Skills
Having certain non-technical (or soft) skills is also a must. The ability to communicate effectively with team members is critical to a project’s success, and being able to speak with stakeholders who may not understand the idiosyncrasies associated with the development process is crucial for gathering requirements and sharing what the final product can and cannot do.
Similarly, organization, patience, and attention-to-detail are also essential, especially for large-scale projects that are complex in nature.
Ultimately, by acquiring the right knowledge and skills, it is possible to land a six-figure full-stack engineer position in San Francisco. If you would like to learn more about exciting opportunities in the field, the professionals at The Armada Group can help you explore your options. Contact us to find out more about our current vacancies and see how our services can benefit you.
Ask Yourself These Five Questions Before Saying Yes to a Tech Job
Written by Crystal McKee
When you get a job offer, the excitement can easily overtake you, leading you to say “yes” before you really look at whether the opportunity is right for you. While the new role might be great for you, it’s also possible it isn’t, so taking the time to make sure is a smart move.
If you are trying to determine if a tech job is right for you, here are five questions to ask yourself before you accept.
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Is Now the Right Time to Make a Switch?
As the saying goes, timing is everything. While you may be dying to leave your position, how your exit impacts your current employer is a point worth examining.
Will you be heading out in the middle of a big project? Is your involvement in the project critical for its success? Can you give sufficient notice?
Everyone’s situation is different, but it’s wise to consider how your quitting will affect your current employer. After all, if you leave them in a bind, they may not be willing to give you positive employment references in the future.
Additionally, you want to reflect on whether your personal life can support a change. If you need to relocate, how will that impact you and your family? If the new job comes with longer hours, can you still maintain an appropriate work-life balance while meeting all of your obligations? Will your spouse or partner need to take on more to accommodate the shift or will the decision impact their career (which can occur if you need to relocate)?
Make sure to review the points above before you say “yes,” especially if other people will be accompanying you on the journey.
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Are You Excited About the Opportunity?
Sometimes, you apply for a job that seems amazing on the surface, only to later discover you aren’t really excited about the opportunity. Maybe something came up during the interview that changed your perspective, or you found details about the company that gives you pause.
Regardless of the reason, if you aren’t enthusiastic about the new role, then it might be better to say “no” and continue looking for something that’s a better fit.
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Is the Culture a Match?
Every company has a culture. If you feel comfortable in the environment, then you are more likely to excel. However, if it doesn’t seem like a good match, you might want to decline the offer.
Being the odd person out or trying to force yourself to fit into a culture that doesn’t jive with your personality can be harmful to your well-being and may impact the quality of your work. If the culture doesn’t align with your values and preferences, then looking for an opportunity that does is usually a smarter choice.
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Will You Receive Better Compensation?
While pay, benefits, and perks aren’t everything, they are always something. You need to consider whether you come out financially ahead by taking the job or are at least able to maintain the status quo.
Examine the entire compensation package, including the value and expenses associated with your benefits, to see if you are making positive strides. You also want to look at the shift in your costs, such as whether a change in your commute helps you save money or if it will lead to higher expenses.
If the math doesn’t work in your favor, then carefully consider whether making the change is a wise decision.
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Will This Job Help My Career?
Sometimes, even if you will take a financial hit by accepting a job, it’s worth it because you can use the experience to move your career in a better direction. However, even if you are getting a substantial raise, it’s always smart to consider whether taking the position will help or hurt your chances when it comes to making progress in your field.
Ideally, you want your new job to lead to additional opportunities after you gain experience with your new employer. If that isn’t likely to happen and you’re not looking for your last role before retirement, then you might want to continue with your search.
Ultimately, it’s always wise to carefully consider whether saying “yes” is the right decision. If it isn’t, then don’t hesitate to turn the job down. You can always continue your search and, by doing so, give yourself the chance to find an opportunity that is genuinely a good fit.
If you are interested in learning more or are seeking out a new position, the professionals at The Armada Group can help. Contact us to discuss your career goals with one of our knowledgeable team members today and see how our services can make finding your ideal role easier than ever.