If you are looking for employment anywhere in Europe, these are the European job sites you need to visit to help you in your job search.

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4G Wireless Jobs — a group of Telecom Professionals who want to bring all the Wireless Opportunities under one umbrella with the focus on the emerging wireless technologies.

Abrade UK Job Search Engine & Recruitment Agency Directory — a UK career and job portal, offering a comprehensive collection of UK career advice and job and work related sites. A good starting point for a job-search in the UK. Free to job-seekers.

Academic Career Service in Finland — a network of Academic Career Services representing 19 Finnish Universities. The network offers services for university students, graduates and employers, as well as for the universities themselves. At the same time the network builds brigdes between students and employers.

AccountancyAgeJobs.com — a UK job board for finance and accountancy professionals, with job opportunities ranging from trainee to director. Job-seekers can search job listings (by keywords, location, salary, job type) as well as post your CV. Also includes a job-search agent and career resources. Free to job-seekers.

AdminJobs.ie — where job-seekers can search for admin jobs, office jobs, HR staff jobs, temp jobs, and part-time jobs in Dublin, Cork, Galway, and across Ireland (by keyword, location, job type, industry), as well as post your CV and register for jobs by email. Includes a good career advice section. No cost to job-seekers.

AllAboutMedicalSales.co.uk — A job site for locating UK pharmaceutical and medical sales jobs, where job-seekers can browse or search (by keyword, category, location, salary) job listings, as well as lots of career resources and articles. No cost to job-seekers.

AllExecutiveJobs.com — an executive job site for UK and Europe, where job-seekers can browse or search job listings (by industry, job type, salary (£50,000+), location, keywords), post your CV, and register for a job-search agent. No cost to job-seekers.

alljobsuk.com — a United Kingdom recruitment portal, with a searchable database of every recruitment firm and job site in the UK, along with major employers and publications. Its missions is to provide comprehensive employment information to job seekers. Free.

AllTheTopBananas — a UK job search engine, where job-seekers can search for jobs (by keywords, location, salary) as well as post your CV. Clicking on a job listing takes you to the original job posting so you can apply directly. No cost to job-seekers.

APEC — (French) Acteur majeur du marché de l’emploi cadre en France, l’Apec est le partenaire des entreprises pour le recrutement de leurs cadres, et accompagne les cadres à toutes les étapes de leur vie professionnelle (premier emploi, mobilité, évolution professionnelle…). Aujourd’hui, 31 590 entreprises et 530 000 cadres utilisent les services de l’Apec.

Aston Carterl– offers positions within IT, finance and consultancy. The IT division recruits across a number of industries including financial services, consultancy, public sector, Telecoms and New Media. The consultancy team works with clients from the Big Four to niche boutiques. In finance, front office, finance and operational candidates across all product lines.

Astroman.com.pl–Effectively searching for, and testing the knowledge, skills and professional dispositions of highly qualified management personnel possessing established experience in international business – as required by your company.

Bigram.pl — a Polish HR consulting company, present on the market since 1993. The wide range of services offered, our deep concern for the fulfilment of the individual needs of every Customer, as well as commitment to the projects with which we have been entrusted, have helped us succeed in each of our business areas.

BMS — a marketing recruitment expert with a wide range of blue-chip clients and extensive coverage of the South East, Central London, the South West, the Midlands and the North of England. Established in September 2005, BMS Marketing is the fastest growing business in the BMS group. We aim to continue growing by offering a transparent, reliable and dynamic service for both marketers and companies looking for them.

Cadremploi — (French) publie les offres de plus de 750 cabinets de recrutement représentant la majorité de leur profession, de différents supports de presse nationaux et régionaux (annonces du Figaro, de L’Express, de Libération, de CB News, etc.), des agences de communication spécialisées en ressources humaines et des D.R.H. d’entreprises. CADREMPLOI.fr est animé par une équipe de professionnels qui s’attache chaque jour à offrir aux candidats un service irréprochable.

Careerjet.ie — a meta-mega job aggregating site for Ireland in which job listings originating from company sites, recruitment agency sites, and large specialist recruitment sites are compiled, and where job-seekers can search all these job postings (by keywords and location). No cost to job-seekers.

Career Magazine UK — a UK job site, where job-seekers can search job listings (by keywords, location, industry, and posting date) as well as post your CV. No cost to job-seekers.

CareersInAudit (CIA) — a job site for auditors in Europe, where job-seekers can search job listings (by job type, keyword, location, language, industry), as well as post your CV and profile, register for a job alert system, track your applications, and find a recruiter. No cost to job-seekers.

Catapulta.it — (Italian) site that lists approximately 10,000 job vacancies throughout the country. Job-seekers can search job listings (by keyword, industry, job, and location), as well as post up to 5 CVs, and register for email-based job-search agent. Also includes a nice collection of career resources and links. No cost to job-seekers.

ClickAJob — a UK-based meta-mega job board, where job-seekers can search job listings from more than 200 job sites (using keywords, location, job type, salary), browse jobs by sector/industry, post your CV, register for an email job altert, and find informative career information. No cost to job-seekers.

company, meet creative — a UK job site for design and creative jobs — including part-time, freelance, contract, and full-time positions. Job-seekers can search job listings (by keyword, location) or browse all listings. No cost to job-seekers.

ComputerJobs.ie — a job site for job-seekers searching for Irish IT and computer (hardware and software) jobs, where you can search job listings (by experience/expertise, location, keywords), post your CV, and register for an email job-matching service. The site also includes an IT resource center with great links and resources. No cost to job-seekers.

CV-library.uk — a job site for job-seekers searching for jobs in the UK, where you can search jobs (by keyword, industry, location,and posting date), post your CV, and register for a job-matching service. No cost to job-seekers.

DayJob.com — an IT jobs and SAP jobs site for the UK and abroad, where job-seekers can search job postings (by keyword, position, job type, and location), as well as post your CV or register for a job-search agent. No cost to job-seekers.

Easy4More — a job site for job-seekers seeking jobs in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia, where job-seekers can search job listings as well as post your resume. No cost to job-seekers.

Education Jobs — for job-seekers looking for educational employment in the UK. Includes an average of 40-50 vacancies in all kinds of educational establishments, and is linked to JobSearch, which has a broader range of job vacancies.

Employers Jobs — an online recruitment portal for the UK that connects employers and job-seekers directly; recruiters or other employment agencies cannot post job listings. Job-seekers can browse or search job postings. Registration required. Free to job-seekers.

EmployIreland — a great job board for job-seekers searching for jobs in Ireland, where you can browse (by company, location, job) or search job listings (by keywords, location, job category, employment type), as well as post your CV. Free to job-seekers.

EOLAS recruitment — an IT and computer jobs recruiter based in Dublin, Ireland, offering both permanent and contract job opportunities. Search job listings (by job type, job title) as well as post your CV. Free to job-seekers.

euractiv — is a part of the wider FastActor service which includes the EurActiv Press Release Service and Agenda. Publishing jobs and internships in EU affairs, from junior to top-level positions, the EurActiv JobSite provides you every day with the hottest vacancies in EU circles.

Exec2Exec.com — an executive level recruitment vehicle focusing on senior level appointments enabling Executives, Directors and Senior level individuals, across all sectors, to explore relevant career opportunities.

Executives on the Web — where rising middle managers and top managers can find executive and management jobs across the UK and Europe. Job-seekers can search open positions (by level, sector, location, keywords), as well as post your CV, register for an jobs by email service, and find career advice. Free to job-seekers.

Expand Recruiting– recruitment service offered include Contingency for single or project based requirements, Search for business or time critical roles and Contract for clients that need resource flexibility.

Experteer.co.uk — Experteer is the leading website for executive jobs in the UK and across Europe. Specializing in executive recruitment in the £50K-£150k bracket, Experteer matches high-calibre candidates with management jobs, alerting them to vacancies that match their expertise and experience.

Experteer EU — is a highly personalised career service for senior executives. It connects you with an exclusive job market offering the largest and highest-quality selection of senior executive jobs across Europe.

ExecuNet–(Paid Service) Be found by executive recruiters and companies, and connect with other executives interested in discussing career opportunities

Eurobrussels.com — for job-seekers searching for jobs in Brussels with a variety of companies and EU institutions. You can browse listings that are updated daily. Also includes information on internships and traineeships in Brussels. No cost to job-seekers.

EuroJobs — where job-seekers looking for employment in Europe can post your resumes/CVs, search for job listings by country, and subscribe to a job robot that emails new vacancies to your email account. Free to job-seekers.

exec-appointments.com — a U.K.-based recruitment site for executives searching for career, interim, and contract positions in Europe across all industry sectors, including accounting, banking, IT, manufacturing, marketing and sales, and retail. Free to job-seekers.

Fish4Jobs — where job-seekers looking for a job in the U.K. can search for jobs, get email notifications of matching jobs, find salary information, and other career information (for sales, marketing, IT, engineering, construction, accounting, and secretarial careers). Also includes a career resources section with help on writing CVs, interviewing, and more. Free to job-seekers.

For Offshore — financial vacancies in Banking, Accounting, Insurance, Trust, Tax, Compliance and Fund Management in overseas jurisdictions. Headquartered in Gibraltar and serving all primary offshore finance jurisdictions such as the Isle of Man, Malta, Guernsey, Jersey and Luxembourg, we combine specific industry expertise with a real understanding of the difficulties candidates can have in finding jobs in this area.  The site holds a veritable wealth of offshore financial jobs.

Hcareers.co.uk — a UK job site for the worldwide hospitality industry, where job-seekers can search thousands of hotel, restaurant, casino, catering, and cruise ship job listings (by job type, location, keyword), post your CV, and register for a job-matching service. No cost to job-seekers.

icerecruit.com — the official online recruitment site for the Institute of Civil Engineers, where job-seekers searching for jobs in the UK (as well as some internationally) can search job listings (by keywords, job sector, location, and job type) and post your professional profile. Also include company profiles. No cost to job-seekers.

hoteljobs.ie — Ireland’s leading hospitality, hotel and catering job site, offering job seekers the ability to make contact with employers offering full-time, part-time or casual jobs as well as summer jobs in all job categories, including chef, waiter/waitress, bar staff, manager, receptionist, porter. Search jobs, post your CV, and find tips and other resources. Free to job-seekers.

HRM Consultancy — specialist in recruiting for the wireless communications industry, particularly for vendors of software and applications used by wireless carriers. Free to job-seekers.

LifeScienceJobs.com — for life sciences professionals in Europe and the U.S., where you can search job listings (by keywords, field of interest, and location), post your resume/CV, and register for a job-search agent. Free to job-seekers.

I-resign.com — advice about resigning (comprehensive), and resources for all aspects of job-hunting (including articles and tools). Free to job-seekers.

IrelandJobs.ie — a great resource for job-seekers searching for jobs in Ireland, where you can browse or search (by location, job category, and keywords) the job listings database, post your CV, and register for a job-search agent. Free to job-seekers.

Irish Jobs Page — as Ireland’s longest established recruitment site, The Irish Jobs Page provides a meeting point for job-seekers and recruiters to get in touch with each other. An excellent resource.

IT Jobs Online — a job site for IT professionals seeking employment in the U.K. and throughout Europe. Job-seekers can search by job listings (by skills, county, job type, and keywords), register, and then apply directly to each position. No cost to job-seekers.

JobConnect — a site for job-seekers searching for jobs in Italy and the rest of Europe, where job-seekers can browse or search job listings (by keyword, location, and skill area), post your CV, and register for an email job-matching service. No cost to job-seekers.

jobijoba — (French) JobiJoba est un moteur de recherche d’emplois. Notre vocation est de vous accompagner dans la recherche de votre prochain emploi. Nous pensons que trouver un job doit être simple et rapide. C’est pourquoi vous accédez sur JobiJoba à en un seul clic à toutes (ou presque) les offres d’emplois disponibles sur le net.

Jobrapido.co.uk — a UK-based meta-mega job search engine that allows job-seekers to search (by keyword and location) or browse (by location) job listings on all UK job boards, recruiting agencies, and company Websites. No cost to job-seekers.

JobsCareers24.co.uk — a UK meta job-search engine that pulls job listings from all the major job boards. Job-seekers can browse job categories, search job listings (by keyword and location), and register a job-search agent. Also offers job and career forums and lots of links. No cost to job-seekers.

Jobs Finder — a job site for job-seekers searching for jobs in Ireland (and parts of the UK), where you can search job listings (by job category, location, employment type, and keywords), as well as post your CV, and receive new job listings by text to your mobile. Includes some career advice. No cost to job-seekers.

JobSearch — where job-seekers can search for UK job openings or post your resumes. Jobs database has more than 10,000 vacancies. Free to job-seekers.

jobsearch.ie — an Irish job site (with some job listings outside Ireland), where job-seekers can search job listings (by category, location, employmwent type, keyword) or browse job listings by category. Includes CV tips and other career-related advice. No cost to job-seekers.

Jobsearchlive.com — a job portal (composed of a network of recruitment agencies and job boards) for UK job-seekers covering all industries and sectors. Job-seekers can browse or search job listings (by location or keywords), as well as post your CV. You can also register for an email job matching service. No cost to job-seekers.

Jobserve — a UK-based job site that has job postings in IT, accounting, engineering, sales and marketing, finance and insurance, office administration, legal, and medical/healthcare. Job-seekers can browse job postings, submit a profile, and sign-up for a daily email of new job postings. Free to job-seekers.

Jobs in Amsterdam — a job site for English-speaking professionals seeking job opportunities in Amsterdam and the rest of The Netherlands, where job-seekers can browse job listings by industry, with links directly to the employer sites. Includes helpful resources. No cost to job-seekers.

Jobs in Barcelona (Spain) — a job board for finding job listings in Spain where the primary language is English. Job-seekers can browse all job postings or review jobs by category or employer. No cost to job-seekers.

Jobs in Berlin (Germany) — a job board for finding job listings in Germany for which the primary language is English. Job-seekers can browse all job postings or review jobs by category or employer. No cost to job-seekers.

Jobs in Europe — a job board for finding job listings in Europe for which the primary language is English. Job-seekers can browse all job postings or review jobs by category or employer. No cost to job-seekers.

Jobs in Frankfurt (Germany) — a job board for finding job listings in Germany for which the primary language is English. Job-seekers can browse all job postings or review jobs by category or employer. No cost to job-seekers.

Jobs in Hamburg (Germany) — a job board for finding job listings in Germany for which the primary language is English. Job-seekers can browse all job postings or review jobs by category or employer. No cost to job-seekers.

Jobs in Milan (Italy) — a job board for finding job listings in Italy for which the primary language is English. Job-seekers can browse all job postings or review jobs by category or employer. No cost to job-seekers.

Jobs in Munich (Germany) — a job board for finding job listings in Germany for which the primary language is English. Job-seekers can browse all job postings or review jobs by category or employer. No cost to job-seekers.

Jobs in Copenhagen (Denmark) — a job site for English-speaking job-seekers searching for jobs in Denmark. Job-seekers can browse job listings by industry, subscribe to a weekly jobs newsletter, and find useful information and links. No cost to job-seekers.

Jobs in Rome — a job site for English-speaking professionals seeking job opportunities in Rome and the rest of Italy, where job-seekers can browse job listings by industry, with links directly to the employer sites. No cost to job-seekers.

JobsInStockholm — an employment site for English-speaking professionals seeking job opportunities in Stockholm (and other parts of Sweden), where job-seekers can browse job listings by industry, with links directly to the employer sites. No cost to job-seekers.

Jobs in Zurich — a job site for English-speaking professionals seeking job opportunities in Zurich and parts of the rest of Switzerland, where job-seekers can browse job listings by industry, with links directly to the employer sites. Includes helpful resources.  No cost to job-seekers.

Jobsite UK — where job-seekers can search (by job title, location, industry, posting date, and keywords) through thousands of jobs in the UK and Europe. Job-seekers can also register to received targeted jobs by email, get industry and career advice, and send your CV to recruitment agencies. Free to job-seekers.

Jobs.ie — where job-seekers searching for employment in Ireland can search job listings (by location, category, or job type), browse job listings, and post your CV. A great site for locating Irish job postings. Free to job-seekers.

Jobsin.co.uk — a job site offering several job boards with a range of vacancies from junior positions through managing directors. Job-seekers can search for jobs (by industry, geographic location or specific organization), utilize a job search agent, and post your CV. Free to job-seekers.

jobsinhotels.co.uk — where job-seekers who are seeking employment in the hotel and hospitality industry in the United Kingdom can find essential recruitment and training information about various careers and jobs. Links to the major hospitality employers. Free to job-seekers.

JobsinWales.com — where you can find employment in Wales. Job-seekers can post your CV (curriculum vitae) or search for jobs. Free to job-seekers.

JOBSITE — currently Europe’s largest and most widely used recruitment site, job-seekers can search for professional jobs in a number of fields, including: IT/Networking/Communications, Engineering, Banking/Finance, Accountancy, Sales and Marketing, and more.

Jobs in Ukraine — (Russian) a top job site for Ukraine, where job-seekers can search job listings (by industry, location, job title or salary) or upload your resume. Also includes a work-abroad section for Ukraine job-seekers who seek work outside the country. No cost to job-seekers.

Jobs Unlimited — one of the top UK job sites, including a searchable database of thousands of jobs. From The Guardian.

jobtosuityou.co.uk — a UK job site, with job listings in a wide variety of fields from leading recruitment agencies. Job-seekers can browse job postings and apply after registering and posting your CV. Includes some career resources. Free to job-seekers.

Leisure Jobs — where job-seekers searching for jobs in the leisure industry (including fitness, bars/pubs, entertainment, restaurants, and hotels) in the U.K. can search job listings (by location and job type), post your CV, register for jobs via email, subscribe to leisure industry newsletter, and find career resources. Free to job-seekers.

Manchester jobs — is a local online resource for job seekers to search for their ideal role and for potential employers to post job ads to find new employees. Targeting the Manchester area the site has vacancies in every employment sector including IT Jobs, Sales, Retail, Banking and more.

Monarch Recruitment –  is one of the UK’s largest and most successful specialist recruitment consultancies. Formed in 1992 aiming from the outset to deliver the highest possible standards to both our clients and candidates UK wide.

Muhren van Empel is a professional agency for recruitment and selection. Our unique combination of extensive work experience in both the ICT and recruitment & selection industries makes us a specialised partner for the ICT sector. We aim particularly at higher educated personnel within ICT or related areas.

MyJob.ie — where job-seekers looking for employment in Ireland can search for job postings (by job type, location, citizenship). Registration is completed automatically after job-search. Job-seekers can also register for email job posting alerts. Free to job-seekers.

My Job Search — a job-search engine for the UK that indexes thousands of job sites, including job boards and portals, agency sites, and employer sites. Job-seekers can search job listings (by keywords or location) as well as create job alerts. No cost to job-seekers.

Najdirabota — Looking for a job in Macedonia? Start your job search here. Search through the largest database of open job positions in Macedonia. Check the only place for online job search. The biggest job market with job postings from all industries and regions in Macedonia.

nixers.com — an Irish job site specializing in all types of jobs for 18-30 year-olds. Job-seekers can search for jobs (by location and type), post your CV, and register for an email job matching service. A nixer is Irish slang for a little job. Free to job-seekers.

Oak Tree Recruitment — a specialist in multilingual recruitment based in London. Recruiting for roles that require different levels of language fluency from native speaking and mother tongue through to conversational. Oak Tree offers a friendly, efficient yet professional service that is designed to help you progress your language career.

PFJ — leads the market for great media sales jobs, new media & digital jobs, media agency jobs, publishing & editorial jobs, recruitment jobs, events & exhibitions jobs, corporate sales jobs, business information jobs, IP jobs & graduate jobs

Professionals.ie — where IT professionals seeking job opportunities with Ireland’s top IT companies can search jobs (by keywords, location, job type), applying directly to job postings by attaching CV. All job listings no older than 10 days. No cost to job-seekers.

recruITALY — a great site for job-seekers — especially younger job-seekers — looking for employment in Italy. Job-seekers can post your CV and search job postings. You can also find information on career fairs, preparing an Italian CV, and other Italian and international job links. Free to job-seekers.

Recruitment-online.com — a great resource for finding job vacancies in Ireland. Many of the job postings are from Irish recruitment agencies, but there is never a fee to the job-seeker. You can search by job type and preferred location or by keywords. Includes Job Alert, an email matching service. Free to job-seekers.

Redgoldfish Jobs — where job-seekers can search job listings across all industries throughout the UK. Job-seekers can search (by industry, location, keywords), as well as build and post your CV, find career resources, and register for a job-search agent. Free to job-seekers.

Reed — some great employment resources from the leading employment agency group in the UK.

Sales Jobs in Ireland — a job site for job-seekers searching for Irish sales jobs in all industries, where you can search jobs, post your CV, and register for an email job-matching service. The site also includes sales tips, sales training, and a monthly newsletter. No cost to job-seekers.

Sales Roles — has been designed to be the ideal partner for sales professionals,recruiters and employers involved in sales and marketing. Launched by a team of professionals with more than 10 years of experience from within the sales and marketing industries, Sales Roles provides a high level of service for job seekers, employers and recruitment agencies.

SalesVacancies — a great site for looking for sales jobs in the UK. Job-seekers can search for jobs (by keywords, industry, job title, location, salary) as well as post your CV. Also includes company profiles and discussion forum. Currently more than 1,000 job listings. Free to job-seekers.

Selecta Online — è una società di consulenza e servizi alle imprese nell’area delle Risorse Umane. Opera attraverso attività di Ricerca e Selezione di Profili Professionali qualificati e manager per aziende di ogni settore. Realizza progetti di Formazione manageriale e del comportamento organizzativo, affianca le imprese nella realizzazione degli strumenti più moderni per la gestione e valutazione del personale.

StepStone — one of Europe’s leading career and recruitment job sites, currently offering more than 130,000 job vacancies in 16 European countries. Job-seekers can browse jobs by country and industry, post your CV, and sign up for a job search agent. Free to job-seekers.

Simply Marketing — a UK job site for marketing professionals — in advertising, public relations, branding, direct marketing, market research, all areas of marketing — where job-seekers can search job listings (by keyword, specialization, keyword) and post your CV. No cost to job-seekers.

SimplySalesJobs — a UK job site for sales professionals, where job-seekers can search (by keywords, location, job type) thousands of job listings from UK employers and recruiters, post your CV, and register for a job-search agent. No cost to job-seekers.

Spring — Spring Group plc is an international full service recruitment provider, comprised of three core business divisions, Professional Staffing, General Staffing and Managed Solutions.  Operating under a multi-brand strategy, with a global network of offices spanning UK, Europe, USA and Asia Pacific, Spring Group targets a broad range of industry sectors and has clients ranging from market leading multi-nationals to small and medium enterprises.

Technojobs — covering mostly the UK and Europe, where job-seekers can search for IT jobs, post your CVs, and subscribe to a “jobs by email” program that sends you new job postings that match your expertise. Free to job-seekers.

TheJob.ie — an Irish job Website offering jobs in customer service, administration, retail shops, hotels, and restaurants, where job-seekers can browse the latest job listings or search by keyword, location, job type — and apply directly to the prospective employers. No cost to job-seekers.

TipTopJob.com — a UK job site where job-seekers can search for jobs worldwide (by job type, industry, location, keywords), post your CV, and register to receiving job matches by email. Also includes a helpful career center. No cost to job-seekers.

Top Jobs — where job-seekers searching for employment in Europe can conduct a detailed search for jobs, subscribe to a email-based jobs alert, get company profiles, and read career tips. Free to job-seekers.

TotalJobs.com — where job-seekers searching for employment in the United Kingdom can search for jobs (by location, industry), post your CV, register for a job-matching email service, find recruitment events, and check your salary against industry averages. Also includes some great career resources and advice. Free to job-seekers.

UK Jobs Network — an excellent source for UK job-seekers because it’s an umbrella site for a growing network of UK job web sites, where you can search (by job title and location) or browse job listings, as well as follow links to the best UK career web sites to post your CV. No-cost to job-seekers.

wanajob — (French) vous propose plus de 280.000 offres d’emploi partout en france, pour tous les types d’emploi et de mission, en CDI, CDD, en Interim ou pour des emplois à l’étranger. Stage, contrat en alternance, emploi de cadre ou pas, toutes les offres d’emploi des entreprises qui recrutent sont sur Wanajob.

Wemploy — a job site for job-seekers searching for jobs in Spain and Gibraltar, where you can search job listings (by industry and keyword), post your CV, and find useful resources and links for job-seekers. No cost to job-seekers.

Wenham Carter — is a global executive search firm; focused on mid to senior level appointments in Technology, Media and Telecoms (TMT). Our business model is unique; seamlessly enabling the cross industry transfer of talent between the converging worlds of technology and media content.

Wine Job — la crescita della tua azienda. Attraverso lo staff di Selecta, WI·MA Servizi per le Imprese del Vino e degli altri professionisti e strutture che gravitano attorno al progetto WineJob, è possibile mettere in campo interventi altamente specialistici, che coinvolgano il management o la proprietà aziendale ed abbiano anche un notevole impatto formativo all’interno dell’azienda cliente.

WORKgateways — a UK job site for travellers from Australia, New Zealand and South Africa who are searching for UK-based jobs in engineering, construction, and town planing. Includes some great resources and useful UK links. Registration required. Free to job-seekers.

WorksFM — a leading European diversity and ethnic recruiting site, where job-seekers can search job listings (by keyword, location, job) as well as post your CV. You can also create a job-search agent and find some career advice. No cost to job-seekers.

Google Wave is a new model for communication and collaboration on the web, coming later this year.
Here’s a preview of just some of the aspects of this new tool.

What is a wave? A wave is equal parts conversation and document. People can communicate and work together with richly formatted text, photos, videos, maps, and more. A wave is shared. Any participant can reply anywhere in the message, edit the content and add participants at any point in the process. Then playback lets anyone rewind the wave to see who said what and when. A wave is live. With live transmission as you type, participants on a wave can have faster conversations, see edits and interact with extensions in real-time.

Some key technologies in Google Wave
Real-time collaboration	Natural language tools	Extending Google Wave
Concurrency control technology lets all people on a wave edit rich media at the same time. Watch the tech video	Server-based models provide contextual suggestions and spelling correction. Watch the tech video	Embed waves in other sites or add live social gadgets, thanks to Google Wave APIs.

Working with any team, including remote teams, requires great project management skills.  Thus, we thought we’d put together a list of top 25 project management blogs to help you manage your teams wherever they may be.

20 PROJECT MANAGEMENT BLOGS

1. Project Shrink Though software projects have been Bas de Baar’s specialty, his thoughts on project management in general are increasingly sought after on the internet. He’s become a bit of a guru, with posts like “Fifth Discipline: What to Do When All Your Projects are Failing.”
2. Bob Sutton: Work Matters There’s a reason Bob Sutton keeps getting book deals. His project management and all-around leadership advice is often priceless, even when it’s simple (or laced with certain profanities). Case in point: “Do You End Meetings on Time?”
3. Herding Cats The expertise of Glen Alleman shines on this blog, with posts such as this one on increasing the probability of project success, called “Back to Basics.“
4. Project Management Hut Readers will find job listings here, as well as innovative tips like how to use a weather metaphor next time you assess the state of your project.
5. PM Crunch This blog from multiple contributors offers various insights on the topic of project management, including this  post from John Reilly on Software as a Service–otherwise known as” SaaS.”
6. Raven’s Brain Here, Raven Young gives readers great highlights of the blogosphere on project management. In this way, her blog is a gateway to many other points of view.
7. A Girl’s Guide to Project Management This blogger, Elizabeth Harrin, offers a distinctly feminine viewpoint, but she has the all around expertise to pull it off for any gender. An example? “What Are You Worth?”
8. PM Majik This blog comes from multiple contributors, contains a job board, and contains a stellar post posing the question “Are You A Prima Donna PM?” It’s a worthwhile read–if nothing else, you have to see the image topping the post.
9. Gary Gagliardi’s Blog He seems to be on the blogroll of every project management blogger around. Maybe it’s him or maybe it’s the Science of Strategy Institute behind him, but Gary offers up insights like  “What Isn’t Changing in the Twenty-First Century?”
10. Project Management Bistro The project management community site PM Boulevard sponsors this blog, with great tips like this article from guest blogger Raven Young (see #6) called “4 Keys to Successful Project Management.”
11. PM Think! This blog from multiple contributors has been around for years, and still manages to find interesting things to say. Example?   “Project Managers Specialize in the Project Management Lifestyle.”
12. Crossderry Coming from experienced project manager Paul Ritchie, the beauty of this blog is typically found in it’s simplicity. No long rants or lectures here, just quick tidbits of advice, food for thought or simply quotes, like this one from Abraham Lincoln.
13. Zen, Project Management and Life This one from Bob Tarne has been going strong for four years, with thought-provoking posts like this one: “Can You Share Best Practices?”
14. Eight to Late This insightful blog goes deep and even includes graphics to help project managers who learn visually. An interesting sample, from creator Kailash Awati: “A Communication-Centric Approach to Tackling Project Complexity.”
15. Beaufortes Blog Blog creators and co-founders of Beaufortes Jason Bates and Philip Greenwood prefer innovation in project management, and it shows in their blog. An example?  The N-Gage Process.
16. Better Projects Here, you ‘ll find Craig Brown’s musings on project management.  Sometimes his thoughts are brief, but almost always helpful, such as “The Better Projects Scrum Reading List.”
17. How to Manage a Camel This blog from Arras People includes a lot of project management outsourcing advice, such as “How to Maximize Short Term Project Management Contracts.”
18. Cutting’s Edge Here, blogger Thomas Cutting instills his wisdom for project management with posts like “Killing False Confidence.”
19. The Tao of Project Management This blog’s title isn’t just a cute play on words. Blogger John Carroll is serious in his observations of Taoism and the art of proper project management. Take a look at this convicting post: “Owning or Being Owned.”
20. PM Karma Though it’s a smaller blog, from a blogger named Sreejith, it is impressive in the areas of practicality and thoroughness. Check out Sreejith’s review of project management software 5PM.

5 AGILE PROJECT MANAGEMENT BLOGS

1. Agile Blog When Jean Tabaka and Ryan Martens (founder of Rally Software) talk Agile, people listen. This blog has a growing following for posts like this one: “8 Ways to Re-Tool a PMO in an Agile Environment.”
2. Agile Thoughts This blog from Agile consultant Tobias Mayer has a solid following for thoughtful posts about things like this: the place of Scrum in the world.
3. Drunken PM Here, Dave Prior offers Scrum and Agile project management thoughts and a lot of humor. A good sample? “Done, Done and the Bag of Oranges.” (P.S. He will be the first to tell you, he did not come up with the concept–but he might just word it the best.)
4. Agile Project Management This blog from Patrick Merg proves Agile is “more than a method, it’s a mindset” with posts like this one on “MoSCoW.”
5. Tommy Norman Posts like “How Scrum Are You?” might make Agile purists cringe, but Norman seems to maintain balance.

What do you think of our list? What’s your favorite project management blog?

My fellow citizens,

I stand here today humbled by the task before us, grateful for the trust you have bestowed, mindful of the sacrifices borne by our ancestors. I thank President Bush for his service to our nation, as well as the generosity and cooperation he has shown throughout this transition.

Forty-four Americans have now taken the presidential oath. The words have been spoken during rising tides of prosperity and the still waters of peace. Yet, every so often the oath is taken amidst gathering clouds and raging storms. At these moments, America has carried on not simply because of the skill or vision of those in high office, but because We the People have remained faithful to the ideals of our forbearers, and true to our founding documents.

So it has been. So it must be with this generation of Americans.

That we are in the midst of crisis is now well understood. Our nation is at war, against a far-reaching network of violence and hatred. Our economy is badly weakened, a consequence of greed and irresponsibility on the part of some, but also our collective failure to make hard choices and prepare the nation for a new age. Homes have been lost; jobs shed; businesses shuttered. Our health care is too costly; our schools fail too many; and each day brings further evidence that the ways we use energy strengthen our adversaries and threaten our planet.

These are the indicators of crisis, subject to data and statistics. Less measurable but no less profound is a sapping of confidence across our land — a nagging fear that America’s decline is inevitable, and that the next generation must lower its sights.

Today I say to you that the challenges we face are real. They are serious and they are many. They will not be met easily or in a short span of time. But know this, America — they will be met.

On this day, we gather because we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord.

On this day, we come to proclaim an end to the petty grievances and false promises, the recriminations and worn out dogmas, that for far too long have strangled our politics.

We remain a young nation, but in the words of Scripture, the time has come to set aside childish things. The time has come to reaffirm our enduring spirit; to choose our better history; to carry forward that precious gift, that noble idea, passed on from generation to generation: the God-given promise that all are equal, all are free, and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness.

In reaffirming the greatness of our nation, we understand that greatness is never a given. It must be earned. Our journey has never been one of short-cuts or settling for less. It has not been the path for the faint-hearted — for those who prefer leisure over work, or seek only the pleasures of riches and fame. Rather, it has been the risk-takers, the doers, the makers of things — some celebrated but more often men and women obscure in their labor, who have carried us up the long, rugged path towards prosperity and freedom.

For us, they packed up their few worldly possessions and traveled across oceans in search of a new life.

For us, they toiled in sweatshops and settled the West; endured the lash of the whip and plowed the hard earth.

For us, they fought and died, in places like Concord and Gettysburg; Normandy and Khe Sahn.

Time and again these men and women struggled and sacrificed and worked till their hands were raw so that we might live a better life. They saw America as bigger than the sum of our individual ambitions; greater than all the differences of birth or wealth or faction.

This is the journey we continue today. We remain the most prosperous, powerful nation on Earth. Our workers are no less productive than when this crisis began. Our minds are no less inventive, our goods and services no less needed than they were last week or last month or last year. Our capacity remains undiminished. But our time of standing pat, of protecting narrow interests and putting off unpleasant decisions — that time has surely passed. Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin again the work of remaking America.

For everywhere we look, there is work to be done. The state of the economy calls for action, bold and swift, and we will act — not only to create new jobs, but to lay a new foundation for growth. We will build the roads and bridges, the electric grids and digital lines that feed our commerce and bind us together. We will restore science to its rightful place, and wield technology’s wonders to raise health care’s quality and lower its cost. We will harness the sun and the winds and the soil to fuel our cars and run our factories. And we will transform our schools and colleges and universities to meet the demands of a new age. All this we can do. All this we will do.

Now, there are some who question the scale of our ambitions — who suggest that our system cannot tolerate too many big plans. Their memories are short. For they have forgotten what this country has already done; what free men and women can achieve when imagination is joined to common purpose, and necessity to courage.

What the cynics fail to understand is that the ground has shifted beneath them— that the stale political arguments that have consumed us for so long no longer apply. The question we ask today is not whether our government is too big or too small, but whether it works — whether it helps families find jobs at a decent wage, care they can afford, a retirement that is dignified. Where the answer is yes, we intend to move forward. Where the answer is no, programs will end. And those of us who manage the public’s dollars will be held to account — to spend wisely, reform bad habits, and do our business in the light of day — because only then can we restore the vital trust between a people and their government.

Nor is the question before us whether the market is a force for good or ill. Its power to generate wealth and expand freedom is unmatched, but this crisis has reminded us that without a watchful eye, the market can spin out of control — and that a nation cannot prosper long when it favors only the prosperous. The success of our economy has always depended not just on the size of our Gross Domestic Product, but on the reach of our prosperity; on the ability to extend opportunity to every willing heart — not out of charity, but because it is the surest route to our common good.

As for our common defense, we reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals. Our Founding Fathers, faced with perils we can scarcely imagine, drafted a charter to assure the rule of law and the rights of man, a charter expanded by the blood of generations. Those ideals still light the world, and we will not give them up for expedience’s sake. And so to all other peoples and governments who are watching today, from the grandest capitals to the small village where my father was born: know that America is a friend of each nation and every man, woman, and child who seeks a future of peace and dignity, and we are ready to lead once more.

Recall that earlier generations faced down fascism and communism not just with missiles and tanks, but with sturdy alliances and enduring convictions. They understood that our power alone cannot protect us, nor does it entitle us to do as we please. Instead, they knew that our power grows through its prudent use; our security emanates from the justness of our cause, the force of our example, the tempering qualities of humility and restraint.

We are the keepers of this legacy. Guided by these principles once more, we can meet those new threats that demand even greater effort — even greater cooperation and understanding between nations. We will begin to responsibly leave Iraq to its people, and forge a hard-earned peace in Afghanistan. With old friends and former foes, we will work tirelessly to lessen the nuclear threat, and roll back the specter of a warming planet. We will not apologize for our way of life, nor will we waver in its defense, and for those who seek to advance their aims by inducing terror and slaughtering innocents, we say to you now that our spirit is stronger and cannot be broken; you cannot outlast us, and we will defeat you.

For we know that our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness. We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus — and non-believers. We are shaped by every language and culture, drawn from every end of this Earth; and because we have tasted the bitter swill of civil war and segregation, and emerged from that dark chapter stronger and more united, we cannot help but believe that the old hatreds shall someday pass; that the lines of tribe shall soon dissolve; that as the world grows smaller, our common humanity shall reveal itself; and that America must play its role in ushering in a new era of peace.

To the Muslim world, we seek a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect. To those leaders around the globe who seek to sow conflict, or blame their society’s ills on the West — know that your people will judge you on what you can build, not what you destroy. To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history; but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist.

To the people of poor nations, we pledge to work alongside you to make your farms flourish and let clean waters flow; to nourish starved bodies and feed hungry minds. And to those nations like ours that enjoy relative plenty, we say we can no longer afford indifference to suffering outside our borders; nor can we consume the world’s resources without regard to effect. For the world has changed, and we must change with it.

As we consider the road that unfolds before us, we remember with humble gratitude those brave Americans who, at this very hour, patrol far-off deserts and distant mountains. They have something to tell us, just as the fallen heroes who lie in Arlington whisper through the ages. We honor them not only because they are guardians of our liberty, but because they embody the spirit of service; a willingness to find meaning in something greater than themselves. And yet, at this moment — a moment that will define a generation — it is precisely this spirit that must inhabit us all.

For as much as government can do and must do, it is ultimately the faith and determination of the American people upon which this nation relies. It is the kindness to take in a stranger when the levees break, the selflessness of workers who would rather cut their hours than see a friend lose their job which sees us through our darkest hours. It is the firefighter’s courage to storm a stairway filled with smoke, but also a parent’s willingness to nurture a child, that finally decides our fate.

Our challenges may be new. The instruments with which we meet them may be new. But those values upon which our success depends — honesty and hard work, courage and fair play, tolerance and curiosity, loyalty and patriotism — these things are old. These things are true. They have been the quiet force of progress throughout our history. What is demanded then is a return to these truths. What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility — a recognition, on the part of every American, that we have duties to ourselves, our nation, and the world, duties that we do not grudgingly accept but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character, than giving our all to a difficult task.

This is the price and the promise of citizenship.

This is the source of our confidence— the knowledge that God calls on us to shape an uncertain destiny.

This is the meaning of our liberty and our creed — why men and women and children of every race and every faith can join in celebration across this magnificent mall, and why a man whose father less than sixty years ago might not have been served at a local restaurant can now stand before you to take a most sacred oath.

So let us mark this day with remembrance, of who we are and how far we have traveled. In the year of America’s birth, in the coldest of months, a small band of patriots huddled by dying campfires on the shores of an icy river. The capital was abandoned. The enemy was advancing. The snow was stained with blood. At a moment when the outcome of our revolution was most in doubt, the father of our nation ordered these words be read to the people:

“Let it be told to the future world…that in the depth of winter, when nothing but hope and virtue could survive … that the city and the country, alarmed at one common danger, came forth to meet [it].”

America. In the face of our common dangers, in this winter of our hardship, let us remember these timeless words. With hope and virtue, let us brave once more the icy currents, and endure what storms may come. Let it be said by our children’s children that when we were tested we refused to let this journey end, that we did not turn back nor did we falter; and with eyes fixed on the horizon and God’s grace upon us, we carried forth that great gift of freedom and delivered it safely to future generations.

Thank you. God bless you. And God bless the United States of America.

OK, it’s finally happened.

Tip’d is out of a one year beta and has officially launched.

They have added some improvements that should make users happy:

• Published stories get direct links.
• No redirects, and no ‘nofollow’ directives
• ‘business’ and ‘entrepreneurship’ categories added
• The down-voting function (‘Topple’) has been overhauled
• Subscriptions to receive published articles via e-mail
• Upcoming stories can be sorted chronologically or by popularity
• More effective duplicate submission detection
• Better spam handling

At the time of this writing, Tip’d has over 1800 members, including me, who have submitted thousands of articles.

It is an active place, and you should definitely check it out.

Dear fellow PM bloggers !

It is my greatest pleasure to announce Sreejith’s roll out the ‘PM Karma’ community. It is aimed at forming a friendly and collaborative group of PM enthusiasts who share our knowledge and contribute to each other’s professional growth.

Basically this will be a group of PM bloggers , who are linked to me (and linked by me). We will  be actively discussing on the topics of our interest (which we publish through our blogs). Effectively , this will increase the traffic and visibility of our blogs and will also help us to know each other more. This will help us to share information, help each other in making our jobs better (or a better job!).

How to join PM Karma Community (PMKC):
Its’ easy , just comment on Sreejith’s post & he will add you to the community. Please provide the following info as well at PM Karma Community

1. Your full name
2. Your profile link
3. Your blog / web address

You are also requested to provide a link in your blog to mine (How ever this is not a mandatory requirement to join the community. But it is highly recommended since we will keep informed about each others postings, thus keeping our community closely connected).

Where can I find the community members? I will add a member page , after receiving sufficient number of requests.
What about adding a thumbnail of member? Please let me know.

1. Keep your blog clean (You know what I mean!)
2. No abusive comments

Note:
Also read about the ‘Link Exchange Initiative’ here

(PM Karma Community is an extension of PM Karma Link Exchange Initiative

Welcome to PM Karma Community!

Thanks & Regards,
Posted by Sreejith at:

Virtual teams are so common, that I can honestly say that I was not a member of a team where we all were in the same building since 1995. From 1999 on, I was part of a virtual team, and I managed a virtual team that and no one was in my own country.

The troubles managing people that are remote are many, and here are just a few things that I have learned (the hard way) need extra attention. I am going to include examples where my best intentions failed because of the distance or difference in languages.

Before I begin, I am an American and I live in France. One of the first things that people on remote teams say is that “you can’t understand what it is like to work in a language that is not your native language.” Well, I can. I have done it for years and will continue to do it.

Basic Management

With remote and virtual teams we can’t really manage daily activities as our parents did. In days of old the manager was on the same floor as his employees, and senior management was usually on the upper floors, but at least they were in the same building.

Build trust

All managers have to gain the trust of their local and remote teams. It is always much easier to lose trust, than to build, it. Trust needs special work when you are never face to face with employees – because you can’t catch the body language and rolling of the eyes during a phone call.

When your people are not in the same room as you they tend to feel that any praise they receive is a light praise, or something obviously due. When they are criticized the criticism is often taken to harshly.

My personal example was a gent that worked for me in Sweden. He did a good job one year and I had recommended that he be promoted in level, receive a pay raise and a bonus. My recommendations were sent to my management before our review meeting. I the review, he asked for the promotion and pay raise – a lower pay raise than I had already recommended to senior management. What could possibly be better than getting more than you asked for?

Somehow he when he saw the numbers, I remember sending them by instant message because we both worked in an open space and I didn’t want to say the numbers out loud. At first he was sort of shocked, then he was quite. I had no idea why. I should have reacted to the silence instead of continuing with the review.

The full review was almost done, I just had to ask what he wanted to do the coming year. Our company had a policy that year where every manager asked their employees if they wanted to leave the company (stock value had dropped) and if anyone wanted to leave we were going to offer a package. We had a script that we read. My manager read it to me, I said no. I read it to the gent in Sweden and he became horribly upset. Asked to end the call. Contacted his local HR representative and said that I was trying to get rid of him.

HR had the “do you want to leave” script that I read to him word for word, and they had his promotion and pay raise numbers in the computer system, and seeing the numbers made him trust HR. From that point on he had a hard time trusting me, even though 3 years later I promoted him again.

Communication

As the example above should show, you have to contact every member of your team regularly. How often is regular? Often enough that they feel

comfortable with you. Communication can be email, telephone, a face to face visit, or a text message on a cell phone. It can also be a hand written message delivered through office mail. I used to ask people

in my company that were going to the country where my team members were to deliver something. Anything. A baseball cap with the company logo and something written in French, accompanied by a signed note.

Invent opportunities to get your together. This works best when it is the entire team, but if you can only do parts, make sure that the people that don’t attend the first meeting do get to attend the second. I had 3 of a 5 person team traveling one seek and they were all passing through Munich. One of my team member worked in Munich. I sent the 4th person, from the UK, to Munich and had everyone stay for a one day meeting that I could not attend. I was there by phone and video conference, but was not able to be there in person. The team found this to be one of the most productive meetings, I suppose because they could easily mute me and talk “behind my back” before coming up with a collective answer. This also did wonders for the team building trust in each other.

At any meeting, encourage team members to share difficulties and successes. I always brought up that I am and American in France, I have language issues like they do. I told of operations that I had. I have physical problems like some did. Try very hard to make sure your team knows that you are not a faultless person, part of the trust that you gain will come from honest and open communication.

Keep everyone up to date and aware of what is expected of them. Don’t let any of them feel they are ‘remote’. An essential element of your communication plan is…

Regular conference calls

I hate conference calls. But they are important for the team. If you have a team spread across countries, keep up to date on the working hours and holidays in the different countries. In France, calling a meeting after 7 in the evening is bad. In Holland, calling a meeting after 5 is considered bad.

National holidays differ. Use Microsoft Outlook, they have a feature that lets you choose to list different country and religious holidays. Take extra care when dealing with religious holidays.

Learn when your team has their weekend. There are some countries that don’t have the Saturday and Sunday weekend. I was part of a team that called a meeting every Friday afternoon. Certain people on that call (who attended every call) were on their weekend. When I was asked to host the call for a month I set it for Sunday afternoon. There were a lot of people that didn’t want to attend the weekend call, but after that odd month we never had a Friday call again.

Publish a schedule of calls, make them at the same time and day so that your team can build a schedule around them. Conference calls need to be run like any other meetings but with stronger control. Have an agenda and stick to it. Don’t let the conversation drift, be careful about people that are native language speakers and tend to talk a lot. Repeat in appropriate terms any comment that may be confusing to people who don’t speak the main language of the call.

Use video conferencing when you can. There are new products that focus on the speaker; very useful. At the beginning and end of a video call make sure to go around the virtual table and ask everyone to speak. this gives everyone at least 2 chances to speak up.

Cultural Differences

Be very aware of cultural differences. Some cultures don’t say say no, or find it hard to say no. Different culture have different expectations of the managers. Even when you have a common language, some things are understood differently in different parts of the world.

Conclusion

Building trust is the most important aspect of managing a virtual or remote team. Cultural differences will possibly bring up the greatest trust issues and you really have to work on these.

Make sure that you have developped a sense of rapport with each member of your team before a group meeting, if possible. I have twice been made manager of groups, and no one except me was aware of the change until we were in a group meeting. If this happens, make sure you are as short and to the point as you can be, and use that first meeting to schedule time with each person on your team before the meeting has ended.

I had an interesting question asked, is offshoring unpatriotic?

The quick answer is, of course, NO.

If you think about it, the outsourcing or offshoring decision has nothing to do with patriotism. Patriotism is defined by Wikipedia as “love of and/or devotion to one’s country.” ( Or from the Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary patriotism: love for or devotion to one’s country). Offshoring does not denote the lack of love or devotion to one’s country.

Since offshoring is a business decision, you have to look at the business question. Every company that makes a product, or sells a service has some dependence on foreign good and services. If nothing else, the gas to drive the foreign made car (and before someone says that they only drive cars from their country, some of the parts are made elsewhere).

While true, current economic situation in the US might trigger negative thoughts on offshoring, the objective of any company is to make money. The shareholders are the people to whom we owe our loyalty.

I think that companies cannot be patriotic or unpatriotic. Companies are and should be focused on the long-term value to their stakeholders. If that means moving jobs out of the county where they can be performed at a lower cost, then (in a global economy) the price paid for a service outside the US is the real value of that job. Would it be unpatriotic to move an office from New York to Missouri (which has the 5th lowest cost of living in the US)?

The lesson here is not about patriotism it is about economics. If a company choses to offshore – that is their choice and one made for the stockholders. If the economy and their own revenue streams dry up because they have not expanded in the areas where the offshoring is done, then the offshoring companies are responsible for their own financial fate.

You have an IT department, but you are not big enough to have a Chief Information Officer (CIO) or a Chief Technology Officer (CTO) and the company owner isn’t a technology master. Can you outsource this position part time?

There are a lot of companies that bring in people to cook the books on a weekly or monthly basis, but few consider bringing in someone to make the IT decisions. In fact, all too often the important IT decisions are passed off to the IT department ( or IT person) hoping they will make the right decisions.

Leave IT Governance To An Expert

In business today this is a horrible decision. Consider finding an IT professional, who can manage your IT department, not on a day to day basis, but to make the decision on where your company should be going. Someone that can work with you to outline your business goals and budget, and then tell you the technologies that are best suited for your company.

Often people hire a consultant to come in one time to do an audit, and then that person vanishes forever. Or until the company suddenly finds themselves about 5 years out of date. What you are looking for someone with knowledge of your business, a wide understanding of technology, an understanding where both your business and the technologies that are best suited for your business, and someone who knows where IT is going.

If you have such a company and are in France, you can hire me. If you are willing to work with someone remotely, I may still be your man. But, this post is not about getting me a job.

The person you need must have a willingness to collaborate with your business units, and be able to explain in terms that you will understand where the technology is going and how both the technology and your business can grow together.

IT Governance is a complex field and should not be taken lightly.

Technology touches all parts of a company, so it is important that the different business unit leaders are involved in this process, and they have to understand that the person, even though part time, has the decision making responsibility. Too many people think they know enough about technology to make decisions themselves, but a sales person is usually not the best person to make these type decisions. Bringing in a part time person is to improve their performance, to another person to do battle with over fiefdoms of a company.

If you don’t have a person to run your IT department, outsource IT decision making.

Outsourcing used to be something that only larger companies did. A call center or software development center for Dell or IBM was considered the norm Today mid-sized companies are taking advantage of outsourcing. By being selective on what they outsource and to what partner they select these smaller companies are expanding into the outsource world.

Successfully outsourcing is not as simple as negotiating a contract and letting the service run. The success of an outsourcing project is highly dependent on the relationship developed between the the company outsourcing and their partner.

A recent report I read stated that over 65% of outsourcing relationships fail partially or totally. the primary reason these deals fail is due to a lack of understanding between the outsourcing company and they partner, as well as poor management.

the cultural differences that cause these relationships to fail are not simply because “they” are different than “us”. Each company has its own culture and these company cultural ideas and beliefs have to be taught to the partners just like they are taught to new employees. And just like with new employees these values have to be continually reinforced.

If you have a company that believes working 9 to 5 is enough you will have one type expectation of your partners. If your company believes that working on a problem until it is resolved regardless of the  hours, then you have to make sure that your partner will accept to work in the same manner.

When Culture Collide

To make sure that work culture don’t collide (or collide with a smaller impact) there are several steps that you can take.

First, do a formal Request For Proposal (RFP) for any service that you are outsourcing. In addition to defining the services that you want supplied, include a detailed section on the reporting details that you require. Some cultures want to avoid confrontation and place a high vlue on “saving face:. Make sure that the reporting you receive will include reference to the results from clients that were not satisfied with the service that they received.

Second, in the RFP, include a section that describes your company culture and your values. An outsource partner must adapt to your values because the client who speaks to your partner will only associate good or bad results with your company – not the partner. To a client, a partner does not exist, the client is dealing with your company.

Third, when you have a shortlist of potential partners, go to their site. You need to get a real feeling for the company and how they operate. If you are considering 3 potential partners in India a service, send at least on person to India for at least 2 weeks so one employee can spend at least 3 days on each site to get a real feel for how the partner does business.

Interview employees from the partner sites.

Finally, consider bringing the potential managers of the service that you are outsourcing to one of your team building exercises. There is probably no better way for these manager to see your company culture than to share a team building exercise with you.

Mind The Gap

Cultural gaps exist.

To lessen the impact of the culture gaps, make sure your contract clearly states that changes in service managers require hiring company approval. Having completed the vetting process will serve no purpose if the people you hire change the key personnel. Important changes could be equivalent to never having done the prior steps.

If you are outsourcing a service to your own country, assign an experienced employee from your company as a site Account Manager (AM). this AM would be in site during normal working hours and report only to the hiring company.

If you are outsourcing to distant shores, have the AM present full time if possible. If you can’t, or choose to not, do this have your AM on site for at least one full week each quarter.

Only with a person from the hiring company present on site can yo have a real understanding of your partner and how they do YOUR business.

Meet Client Expectations

In all cases your partner must supply ongoing training related to the products and services they are supplying and supporting. If the partner is in a country where they don’t speak the same language as your client, language courses are also a requirement. If the language level is sufficient, language courses may still benefit to work on accents.

Every service provider must have a clear understanding of your client expectations.

Realistic expectations must be defined  in the original RFP and measured against the Service Level Agreements (SLA). An SLA can include any form of measurement that you decide is required. This can include the maximum time a client can be on hold, the maximum time to complete a call or service, the maximum level of clients that define themselves as dissatisfied with the level of service that they received. This last is often recorded by asking the client to complete a survey after the service has been delivered.

This is just a beginning on how to overcome some of the cultural differences in the outsourcing process. More information will be posted soon.

Sometimes outsourcing makes sense. But the decision to outsource should be carefully made. Outsourcing does not just mean sending jobs to different countries, outsourcing is also when you hire a vendor to supply a service for your company that you basically don’t want to do.

Domestic Outsourcing
Domestic outsourcing is when both the employer and employee are located in the same country. Cleaning services, facility management, restaurant services in the office cafeteria are examples of jobs that are examples of domestic outsourcing. One of the main reasons for domestic outsourcing is to reduce costs and management of an important service. It is very common to outsource any service that is not a core to the hiring company.

My former employer outsourced everything that was not core business. The company makes software and has thousands of people that do technical support for the software developed. They outsourced the desk side support – not core business.

The same company had a European IT lead that thought telecom should be outsourced, and idea I fought. All things telecom for him were, well, the phone on his desk. I was fortunate to present for the company EMEA VP, and finished my presentation with the question “is telecom core business?” I ran telecom, so this could have just been taken as an opened ended question, but the VP answered “Yes, it is.” End of conversation.

Outsourcing Decisions

Deciding to outsource, especially the first time or for a big project is not easy. Some questions to consider before making your decision are:

1. is this core business
2. will this become core business in 5 years (think big)
3. is this only a question of cost cutting
4. is this only a question of reducing headcount
5. is someone trying to get rid of a problem by sending it away

If the answer to any of these questions is yes, then deciding to outsource is probably not the best idea.

On the other hand, for those same questions yo have to consider these questions, which could change an outsourcing decision:

1. is there a shortage of talent in the area
2. is the talent available simply too expensive
3. would it be impossible to hire and train a team in the time frame available

Here is something people find hard to believe, there is no project too big  to be outsourced. The Treasury Department is going to hire its own mercenaries {oops, “private portfolio managers”} other financial services consultants to manage the $700,000,000,000 bailout.

There is also no project to small to be outsourced, I spent $100 to get some PHP coding done that was out of my skill set. The day it would have taken to learn the code was more valuable than $100 and when the programmer was done I just read his code and figured out what I needed to know.

The big news has been how the US Government has decided to bail out troubled banks with 700 Billion US tax dollars. 700,000,000,000 is such a big number that I just had to write it out.

Now the Treasury Department has announced plans to outsource the management of this $700 billion using special contracting authorities. Hmm, probably the same guys that ran Enron, right?

These “special contracting authorities” may end up being like the private security teams that worked in Iraq. Not subject to American law, because they were in Iraq. Not subject to the laws in Iraq (or they just hid so well that they never got caught). Not subject to the UCMJ (military law) because they are no longer int he military.

So the Treasury Department is going to hire its own mercenaries (oops, “private portfolio managers”) other financial services consultants without following standard procedures. I’m not sure why but this really sounds like a dirty business that is going to make some people very rich on the taxpayer dollar.