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We wanted to recognize Doug Lee who has been going to our meetings since 2007. He’s also been active on our board since 2013 filling in on various roles including VP of Programs and Member at Large. Doug has been nominated for Analyst of the Year and has attended numerous Leadership conferences.

Doug has been working for Sacramento County for the past 40 years and will be retiring, congratulations Doug!!!!

New Support World - 3 Steps to Help Your Team Define and Measure Success
In this edition of Support World - 3 Steps to Help Your Team Define and Measure Success- Ben Brennan shares how to increase the chances that your service desk team will meet its most ambitious goals. http://s1860958887.t.en25.com/e/es?s=1860958887&e=29430&elqTrackId=77CEC2663B223C9B3DD15BC4D803E695&elq=2745d44ca3e2483580754fa05c440449&elqaid=4178&elqat=1
Now taking submissions for HDI Awards. Nominate today!
This year - give them respect and recognition - HDI Award is their chance for industry-wide recognition. Our HDI Local Chapters are looking for award entries that celebrate your service and support analysts and technicians. And, after the year we’ve all had, we know we have much to stop and celebrate. The 2021-22 HDI Awards provide a platform to showcase your people, create value for your organization and inspire all professionals in the service and support industry. HDI Awards for Best Service and Support Analyst and Technician are an easy (and free) way to acknowledge your team’s efforts. The process of completing the entry form allows you to pause and consider what (and who) contributed to your success and where you can go from here. The deadline for HDI Award submissions is October 29, 2021.
6 Trends Affecting Technology Hiring Through 2021
6 Trends Affecting Technology Hiring Through 2021 By Jeff Weber, executive director at Robert Half Digital transformation, remote work and employees eyeing a better work-life balance are among emerging trends that are driving hiring strategies for IT managers. Here’s a closer look as reflected in data collected for Robert Half’s Demand for Skilled Talent Report. 1.Technology professionals are in high demand When comparing to the pre-pandemic employment market, talented IT professionals are still hard to find and even harder to retain, as companies everywhere continue to expand their digital operations. More than half (56%) of IT leaders surveyed by Robert Half say they plan to add new positions in the second half of 2021, but hiring managers are finding it’s challenging to recruit the right candidate. Fifty-three percent of leaders say they are offering signing bonuses for new employees to attract in-demand talent. 2.Fewer candidates skilled in the right areas The pandemic forced some organizations to put their long-term digital transformation projects on hold. As activity picks up again, many of those companies are now resuming their journey to full digital maturity, requiring more technology talent. Digital transformation is a major hiring factor especially in areas such as cloud computing, artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML), data analytics, Internet of Things (IoT) and cybersecurity. But there’s also a corresponding demand for relevant soft skills. Organizations need people who can communicate change across the company and help tie transformation projects to strategic goals. Highly skilled, specialized job seekers, however, are thin on the ground. It’s a universal problem with particular shortages in the following areas, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ second quarter unemployment rates for select positions: Database administrators and architects (0.3%) Software developers (1.2%) Computer and information systems managers (1.4%) Systems analysts (1.7%) Help desk and user support professionals (2.9%) 3. Workplace flexibility is here to stay 2020 saw a sudden shift to remote working that has turned out to be a win-win among many companies and employees. According to The Demand for Skilled Talent report, almost half of workers (49%) across all industries say they prefer a hybrid remote and in-office work model, while 26% would like to be fully remote and 25% would like to fully return to the office. And companies said the top way they’re supporting employees is by offering flexible work arrangements, which can include telecommuting, flexible schedules, or compressed workweeks. These trends, which will drive the rise of hybrid teams — a mix of on-site and at-home workers — means technology managers will have to continue facilitating collaboration between teams that may not need to meet face-to-face on a daily basis. 4.Distance is less of an obstacle for hiring Remote work is giving companies access to a global talent market, a decided advantage for technology managers facing a shortage of the talent they seek most. When hiring for an open role, 60% of technology managers said they start local and broaden their search if too much time passes without finding candidates, according to the report. And companies across industries are starting to make remote hiring easier; 49% said they have changed their hiring strategies to include conducting remote interviews and onboarding sessions since the beginning of the year. Job seekers are also considering remote-only roles. Fifty percent of technology professionals looking for a new job in the second half of 2021 said they would like a full-time, remote-only job opportunity. Hiring managers may find that expanding their search geographically opens a wider pool of candidates, as well as shortens the hiring process. 5.Managers are turning to contract professionals Short-term resources offer some relief when IT recruiting efforts come up short, and many employers find flexible staffing solutions can help manage workloads. A contract worker can inject additional skills or capacity into a team, without requiring a lengthy hiring and onboarding process. Eighty-two percent of IT managers in our survey say they plan to hire contract workers to support year-end initiatives. The benefits of adding contract workers to staff include being able to scale the team as needed, evaluate candidates for a full-time role and gain access to specialized skills. 6.Retention is a challenge The pandemic has profoundly affected the employer-employee relationship. Eighty percent of technology leaders said turnover has increased on their team since the start of 2021. The main reason they cite for employees leaving is their concern for job security. Companies that went above and beyond in their COVID response are likely to be rewarded with increased staff loyalty and productivity. Technology professionals know their skills are in demand and may be more inclined to look for new opportunities. Engaging employees in discussions about their workloads and possible concerns and offering competitive compensation, professional development programs and career advancement can help increase employees’ job satisfaction. What may be the most lasting takeaway from these trends? Technology professionals are more difficult to hire and retain, as many are reshuffling their priorities. Crafting job offers that reflect your understanding of the market and professionals’ needs may be what gives your company a competitive edge in 2021 and beyond. Jeff Weber is executive director of the technology practice at talent solutions firm Robert Half and manages operations for more than 100 locations worldwide. The firm places IT professionals for initiatives ranging from software development, system and application life cycle, systems integration and project management to cloud, infrastructure, security and technical support.
July 30 Edition of Support World - Get Closer to Your Clients in 2022 And Secure the Future of Cloud Computing
This week’s Support World includes Ben Brennan goes into why it is important for IT service and support pros to know they are in a relationship with their client, and that often misunderstandings will arise. In part one of this two-part series, Ben lists the five “love languages” of clients, and reminds us to be human-centered in our approach. In the second part Ben describes the key ingredients IT service and support pros need to have a strong relationship with their clients. He gives suggestions for how to implement them in practice, as well. Ben Brennan is the author of Badass IT Support, Founder and CEO of QSTAC. Ben has earned a reputation for bringing a "mind-blowing" customer centricity to the heart of the IT culture at companies worldwide. Brennan has been named by HDI as a Top 25 Thought Leader and Featured Contributor for 2020. Also in this edition of Support World: Joao-Pierre S. Ruth is Senior Writer at InformationWeek. Looks at “What Will Be the Next New Normal in Cloud Software Security?” Accelerated moves to the cloud made sense at the height of the pandemic -- organizations may face different concerns in the future. Chief among these is how to determine who is an authorized user and who isn’t in a hybrid work environment. Get the latest technical support and service management insights online, in-person, and in your inbox. Leading the technical support field with tips and insights from experts around the globe, exclusive research, and strategies for all segments of the industry, HDI's SupportWorld helps you become the expert in technical support and service management. Subscribe today.

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Congratulations to Ivy Tillich for winning Sacramento HDI's Best Service and Support Technician 2020 Award!

Ivy is a tech analyst and amateur writer with experience troubleshooting most hardware, software, and firmware difficulties on Windows and Mac machines. Ivy specializes in basic web development and design on Wordpress, Weebly, Drupal, and Plone. When Ivy is not working on websites for UCD-based magazines, she likes to read and write write tech how-to guides and reviews.

Ivy Tillich

Desktop Support Analyst
Letters and Science IT Service Center
University of California, Davis

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New Support World - 3 Steps to Help Your Team Define and Measure Success

Now taking submissions for HDI Awards. Nominate today!

6 Trends Affecting Technology Hiring Through 2021

July 30 Edition of Support World - Get Closer to Your Clients in 2022 And Secure the Future of Cloud Computing

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