5 Tips for Conducting a Smooth IT Audit

5 Tips for Conducting a Smooth IT Audit5 Tips for Conducting a Smooth IT AuditIf you havent conducted a recent IT audit, your organization could be vulnerable to costly security and legal risks. If you have determined its time to line up youraudit, you want to get the most out of it.Here are five tips on conducting an IT audit1. Get a clear scopeExtra attention on the initial scope of the audit will increase the chances the procedure will run smoothly. Remember that the audits main goals are to assess the existing IT environment, identify risks, assess current capabilities and gauge whether adopting new technologies or processes would be useful. Involve all relevant stakeholders in the initial planning period to ensure each geschftsleben unit is covered and all applicable laws and regulations are identified.2. Determine whether you need outside resourcesDo you have sufficient internal resources, or do you need to look for outside help? Using staff on hand may seem like a cost-effecti ve approach, but unless you have a suitable audit manager or other dedicated risk management personnel on hand, it can be helpful to look for assistance beyond your organization.For example, a consultant can come in when needed and for as long as needed to support your initiative. As an added benefit, he or she can provide guidance to your full-time staff to ensure theyll have the requisite knowledge for future audits.3. Implement wiselyDevelop a complete inventory of information systems and determine the priority of each one. Analyze current IT methods and procedures to ensure you followindustry standards. Evaluate security controls to gauge whether you have protectedbusiness assets and mitigatedpotential risks.4. Give effective feedbackBecause IT audits are highly technical, its important that the manager who commissioned the audit clearly understands the findings. If possible, deliver your complete report in-person.The report should contain all of the details covered in the initi al scope, such as applications and devices in use and security measures. Ensure that you give detailed recommendations and your solutions are feasible and costs are included. Also include a cost-benefit analysis in whichyou highlight the potential cost of not following the recommendation.5. Ensure future successProvide recommendations on how to maintain your IT resources. Most IT auditing software can perform ongoing monitoring of network users and assets. Identifying and selecting the appropriate tool to conduct the audit may aid in maintaining the solutions from the audit.Implement a plan to revisit applicable laws and regulations on a quarterly basis to stay abreast of new developments, and stay informed throughkey industry publications and media outlets, which should assist you in effectivelyreacting to changes in the business environment.For more detailed information on conducting an IT audit, check out Protivitis IT audit solutions.Related postsWhy Your Company May Need an IT AuditFrom Cybersecurity to IT Governance Is Your IT Audit Program Up to Speed?

Checking Job References the Right Way

Checking Job References the Right WayChecking Job References the Right WayFor some managers, employment references are just a resume tack-on, barely worth a glance. The truth is, checking job references can be invaluable when it comes to thoroughly evaluating your candidates.OfficeTeam research shows that managers eliminate job candidates from the running at a rate of one in five after contacting their references. But some managers still feel it is a waste of time, not to mention a tauglichkeit legal risk in fact, many employers avoid both asking and answering reference check questions because they fear potential lawsuits. In this article, Robert Halfs expert career professionals seek to do away with any confusion, and emphasize instead why checking references is an important step in the candidate evaluation process not to be overlooked. The key is to know which questions to ask and to avoid the most common pitfalls.Here are four tips to keep your reference checks smooth, effective a nd trouble-free1. Ask the right questionsWhen calling references, try to platzset a low-key, informal tone from the start and avoid jumping right into your most pressing inquires. References will be mora prone to honesty if they are relaxed. So, start with a few basic background questions, such as the candidates length of employment, duties and skills, and salary information. Next, move into the tougher questions that will give you a more well rounded assessment of the candidateWhat are his weaknesses?How does she compare to the current worker in the position?How often was he absent or late?What types of people did she have difficulty working with?Would you rehire him in the future?2. Do it yourselfMany managers are tempted to pass the buck and delegate the task of checking references to someone else on the team. However, no one knows what youre looking for in a new hire better than you. A candidates former or current employer is also likely to take the call more seriously if theyre speaking to a fellow manager.Robert Half has been finding A-list candidates for companies since 1948. Let us take on the time-consuming steps and the administrative details of bringing a new person on board.REQUEST TALENT3. Talk to the right peopleEmployers may decide to delegate on the receiving end of these calls, too, so dont be surprised if you contact a reference and find yourself talking to an assistant or someone in human resources instead. The problem here is youre more likely to receive standard, perfunctory answers that wont give you the insight you need. When you make a job reference call, make every effort to speak to the candidates manager, coworkers or anyone who worked directly with them.4. Confirm important claimsJob reference calls are an opportunity to confirm anything candidates said during the interview process, including why theyre leaving their current job. Before placing the call, take a few minutes to give those claims critical thought so you can dig a littl e deeper. For example, if a candidate claimed he was looking for a better salary or greater challenges, ask his employer why he wasnt given those opportunities at his former job. If he lost his job due to outsourcing or other external reasons, ask why he wasnt transferred into another position at the company. This type of careful questioning can help you avoid jumping to conclusions when you spot potential red flags regarding a candidate.Checking job references is a time-consuming process, but its nothing compared to dealing with the repercussions of making a bad hire. The effort you put into contacting candidates references will pay off when you find the perfect person for the job.Learn more about tips on how to handle the often difficult process of checking references for job candidates you are interested in hiring.

Business Management and Leadership Resources

Business Management and Leadership ResourcesBusiness Management and Leadership Resources

My Engineers Notebook Bryony DuPont

My Engineers Notebook Bryony DuPont My Engineers Notebook Bryony DuPont My Engineers Notebook Bryony DuPontASME member Bryony DuPont, Ph.D., an assistant professor of mechanical engineering at Oregon State University, conducts research in artificial intelligence and sustainability science, using simulation, optimization, and advanced computation to make sustainable solutions more realistically feasible. Bryony, who was named as ASMEs representative in the 2016 class of DiscoverEs New Faces of Engineering-Professional program, is also involved in a number of STEM volunteer and outreach activities for young women in zu sich area. A member of ASME since 2010, she is the co-lead of the ASME Early Career Engineering Committees Design and Advanced Manufacturing Market Segment Team, and has previously served the Society as a reviewer, review coordinator and workshop organizer for the Societys International Design Engineering Technical Conferences (IDETC). Bryony received a bachelors degree in mechanical engineering from Case Western Reserve University in 2008. She earned a both a masters degree and a Ph.D. in mechanical engineering from Carnegie Mellon University in 2010 and 2013, respectively.Whats inside yur engineers notebook?All sorts of things. Lots of notes from reading papers and articles and from discussions with my students. I have a terrible short-term memory, so Im always taking notes in meetings, at conferences, and thesis defenses. There are lots of product ideas and new research ideas, too usually sketched out too quickly from excitement and then I have to decipher my own scribbles when returning to my ideas.Whose notebook would you most like to peek into? Why?Grace Hopper. She was a rear admiral in the U.S. Navy and a prolific programmer. (Shes credited with first using the word vorderteil eines schiffs to represent a coding error, due to finding an actual moth in the circuitry) Doing what she did at a time when women faced huge cultural obstacles to l earning engineering must have been an incredible challenge, and Id love to know more about her day-to-day work and motivations.Bryony DuPontHow and when did you know you wanted to become an engineer?I grew up in the middle of nowhere, so we were constantly building things, taking things apart, and generally making our own fun. I was always into my math and science courses, but it was an interest in spacecraft that ended up pushing me toward engineering. One of my earliest memories is watching space shuttle footage with my brothers and sketching out new shuttle concepts. I read a lot of books (science fiction and nonfiction) that dealt with space, and even had a signed copy of Homer Hickhams Rocket Boys. Though I didnt end up studying aerospace engineering (I switched into mechanical engineering for my bachelors degree), growing up during the shuttle years was hugely influential.Whats the most exciting project youve ever worked on?My research team works on developing computational al gorithms for real-world green challenges, like renewable energy systems and sustainable product design. I really think all of our work is important and exciting, though I am clearly biased. So far, weve designed much more efficient onshore wind farms, some of the first wave energy converter arrays, and tools that help engineering designers conceptualize everyday products that have a reduced environmental impact. Were driven by the idea that environmentally friendly systems and products arent some far-fetched idea, and if were smart about their design and implementation, ideas like cost-effective renewable energy and innovative sustainable products can happen tomorrow, not years down the road.What do you think youd be doing if you hadnt become an engineer?I have bit of a performance bug, and Ive been acting and performing in musicals since I was young. Id love to say that Id be on Broadway, but that would probably be overselling my talent a bit. Ill stick to engineering, I think I r eally do have the best job in the world.A few of the imaginative carved cakes Bryony has made for her family and friends during her spare time.Whats your favorite activity when youre not working?Making cakes. I like to challenge my engineering and artistic skills by making complex, carved cakes for my friends and family. Its been an adventure and Ive learned an awful lot along the way.Was there a book or a movie that piqued your interest in science or inspired you to become an engineer?So many As is that case with many engineers, I really cannot emphasize how influential science fiction (and science fact) has been in my life. Im a huge Star Trek The Next Generation Trekker(thanks, mum), and I watched Space Camp enough times to wear out the VHS tape. From The Right Stuff and Rocket Boys to Doctor Who and Mythbusters, Ive experienced so many eye-opening engineering experiences from the arts. I still watch movies and read books and think to myself, I really want to learn how to do that Who are your heroes, either within the engineering profession or in the rest of your life?I have a wall of prints in my office devoted to my rock stars prominent scientists that are my heroes, including Newton, Tesla, Turing, and Hopper. I love it when students ask me about a name they dont recognize from the wall. Ive had the chance to speak at great length about Ada Lovelace that way. Personally, my grandfather has been a huge influence in my life. Hes a mathematician and all-around geek, and encouraged me to be a geek, too.Whats the most meaningful or rewarding aspect of being connected to engineering?Im an engineer and an educator, and while mechanical design research is my first love, I love getting younger students involved in science and engineering. Just last week, some of our graduate students and faculty went to the USA Science and Engineering Festival in Washington, D.C., and we met thousands of young people who are fascinated by fundamental engineering principles. Helpi ng to provide opportunities for students to learn more about what engineers do by making helicopters out of paper cups, learning how robots can be made out of squishy materials, and firing ping pong balls at 400 mph was so rewarding for all of us. Helping students have aha moments is an awesome feeling.What does ASME mean to you?ASME has provided me with so many opportunities as an early career engineer in research, education, and service. I started attending ASME conferences six years ago, and have met countless collaborators, mentors, and friends all of whom have had a positive impact on my career. Im also the co-lead of the ASME Design and Manufacturing Market Segment Team, where were working to create new and exciting content for ASME events. I co-run programs for students at ASME IDETC, including a design competition and a graduate student workshop, which lets me interface directly with the next generation of researchers. I also have my undergraduate design students work on the annual ASME Student Design Competition, which gives them the opportunity to design and build mechanisms for regional and national competitions. To me, ASME is a common thread in all aspects of my career, and Im immensely grateful for the opportunities ASME provides.To me, ASME is a common thread in all aspects of my career, and Im immensely grateful for the opportunities ASME provides.Bryony DuPont

The Chronicles of How Far Should a Resume Go Back

The Chronicles of How Far Should a Resume Go Back How Far Should a Resume Go Back No Longer a Mystery Long gone are the times of generic resumes to fit all submissions. If you held a job for just a couple of months, it may be better merely to list everything in conditions of years, and not include months. For instance, If youve been working for 15 decades, you might want to include only about ten decades of experience. For instance, if you are working for 20 decades but changed careers five decades before, you might only should show the last five years. A very simple address using your name at a recognized and mainstream service like gmail is the best way to go for an expert contact. List different positions youve held, but include somewhat more information about each role to demonstrate the variety of your expertise and skill collection. Resume writing can be unbelievably challenging. If youve got an extensive work history, it is going to be more complicated to symbolize your experience in an easily digestible form. For you not to get rid of an opportunity to find a job offer from a reliable company, it would be a wonderful remedy to use the assistance of a qualified writing agency. In the majority of instances, a standard hiring manager is faced with numerous stacks of applications, and he or she has only a little quantity of time to acquire through them. When youre looking for a new job, the normal procedure for filling out an on-line application or dropping off a resume isnt always enough. If youre at an entire loss, look at going to a reputable resume preparation support. In some instances you could have a gap of a month or two or more between leaving a job and receiving a new job. The very best center of your resume is the most essential portion of the entire document because its the very first thing the hiring agent or someone else will observe when they look at it. The advice for LinkedIn is, needless to say, the specific opposite. The Fight Against How Far Should a Resume Go Back Look over the information and determine whether its pertinent to the work opening and whether the hiring manager is going to be impressed with that. By carefully targeting resumes for certain jobs and situations, its possible to greatly enhance your odds of getting noticed in the work industry. To discover what you should include, return to the work description. You ought not submit generic resumes they ought to be unique for each business and even potentially for each job. In terms of earlier jobs, most job seekers wish to return as far as possible since they need to impress hiring managers. In the current competitive job market, its imperative that you help employers see the advantages of hiring you over somebody else. You might have heard that employers compare resumes and LinkedIn profiles, and youre probably wondering why and what they want to get. Likewise, if youre likely to apply to get a job which requires over 20 de cades of experience, add the amount of experience with the relevancy to the work experience needed. It can be difficult to streamline an individuals full career into a page or two, particularly if they have decades of work experience. Obviously, its important that you list relevant work experience on your resume. You might want to leave off work experience in different fields unless it is possible to allow it to be relevant to the job which you are applying for. What the In-Crowd Wont Tell You About How Far Should a Resume Go Back Resume objectives can be a little controversial. Your Summary is going to be short. You will also have information on your latest employment history, your activities, and your individual interests, but the focus of the CV ought to be academic information pertinent to the program to which youre applying. Should you need a resume that looks like it reads, look no more. Perhaps youve worked as a shop assistant. Your resume can continue to be rivet ing. If your resume is not proofread, your very first impression might not be the one that you need to last. So in that instance, it is wise to go beyond a page only in the event that you hold a valuable content. If youre able to do that in 1 page, definitely do. You need to be able to say all that in one page. Your aim ought to be to keep the resume concentrated on the work target and downplay irrelevant info, states Isaacs. Your purpose is to find the interview. The aim of your resume is to highlight your best accomplishments and abilities, instead of hurling every bit of information about you at an employer. The main aim of your resume ought to be to impress the reader with the particular qualifications and experiences that cause you to fit to get hired for a desired position.

The War Against Resume Writing Fast Food Experience

The War Against Resume Writing Fast Food Experience Resume Writing Fast Food Experience - Overview Leadership doesnt have to be in a job to have the hiring managers interest Writing a resume for employment in the art industry can be difficult. Experience will be crucial for management slots. Experience in the restaurant industry makes it possible to develop unique skills which are extremely valuable. The Unexpected Truth About Resume Writing Fast Food Experience Job seekers deserve to locate decent content quickly. The discipline of information technology grows more important every single day. If youre trying to customize professional, pre-formatted resumes, have a look at ur totally free downloadable templates. Top Choices of Resume Writing Fast Food Experience There are lots of resources available on how to a great resume summary, but its tough to locate good tips on how to do it if dont have any work experience. If you follow the advice above you are going to have an interesting, compelling resume summary that is likely to make the reader want to find out more about you even regardless of your lack of work experience Understanding how to tailor your resume will obviously offer you an advantage. A great resume format is simple to scan. Youve got to design your application in a manner it interests the employer in going through your details and theyll call you for the interview to talk about the further information. If asked for such info, you ought to be honest. The info in your resume should paint a photo of the sort of employee you are and show employers what youre capable of accomplishing. Create the food job-worthy resume effortlessly in just two or three clicks Working in food service may be a priceless experience. It is one of the most challenging industries to work in. A quick food worker needs to be organized, handle a multitude of situations, be cool under stress and be able to deal with money oftentimes. Vital Pieces of Resu me Writing Fast Food Experience All you should know to earn a stunning resume job description. When reading the work description included in the ad, start looking for keywords associated with your responsibilities. Otherwise, your resume wont fit the job that you seek. Stunning Resume matters a lot when youre trying to find a fine job. By putting in some work, and observing a strategy, you can make an effective resume that gives a superb start on the work marketplace. After all, youre going to obtain work. With persistence and patience, you will gradually land the job that you desire. If youre attempting to acquire work in accounting or finance you require averystrong resume. What You Need to Know About Resume Writing Fast Food Experience Writing an effective resume is among the main elements of landing work. Writing your first resume may appear to be a daunting job.