glenn1
Lifer
I've been looking at the careers sections of several companies lately, and see that the writing skills of hiring managers and recruiters haven't really improve much. To anyone out there currently looking for a new job, it can be quite a frustrating experience trying to figure out what employers are really looking for. So, as a public service, I'll provide some helpful translations for common phrases on IT job postings. Feel free to add others to the list.
What they say / What it really means
Elicit, clarify, and translate business requirements into documentation and conceptual design from which application and solutions are developed. Listen to the sponsor and stakeholders for just long enough to develop a solution, then work backwards to create the business requirements, business case, and problem statement.
Be an active participant in all phases of the project lifecycle. Be willing sit on those inconveniently scheduled calls so I can sleep in or take a long lunch.
Work on projects of medium to high complexity. You'll be assigned to a project no one really understands.
The selected candidate must have the ability to work independently. You're on your own!
Work closely with developers and testers in the fast-paced environment. Let's see how many projects we can assign you at once.
Coach and mentor other team members in both the role and business knowledge to assist in project delivery. Hopefully they'll learn something from you, since right now they're clueless.
Demonstrates the ability to obtain and articulate a detailed understanding of the business being analyzed including the organizational structure and relationships that exist between business units. No one really understands who half the people on the JAD session invite list are, or why they're listed as approvers.
Develops and evaluates alternative solutions and identifies a recommended solution on medium to
high complexity work/projects leveraging existing systems where feasible. You're not getting funding for new development.
Uses negotiation skills to influence project team to facilitate the solution selection and decision making process. Let's see you get an approval out of this guy; I've sent him a dozen emails and left him 3 voice mails already.
Executes and manages all aspects and phases of testing initiatives for moderate to large sized system implementations and/or enhancement projects. Our normal QA person is on maternity leave, so you'll do her job also.
Candidate will be able to translate complex business requirements into detailed functional and/or technical specifications. None of us understand the requirements as written by the business sponsor, do you?
Ability offer solutions and the business impact to clients in a clear and concise manner. Be able to explain things repeatedly at a 6th grade level to some executive without him feeling patronized.
Candidate will have strong SQL skills. Remind me how to format the search query again? Better yet, I have a special project for you...
Work closely with a variety of internal and external business partners to ensure that all business requirements are understood, documented and met. Who cares if the solution doesn't meet their originally stated business needs, just be able to show them their approval of the requiremeints scope list.
It's an exciting time here in ABC Company! We are at the center of revolution! We are looking into the future and expanding our focus to a variety of value added services and products to our existing and potential customers. Our main product is now obsolete, and we don't have a replacement lined up.
Be proficient in technical business systems analysis. The hiring manager has a degree in Art History and no background in IT.
Excellent interpersonal skills conflict resolution skills. Everyone on your project team hates each other, and either refuses to cooperate or actively undermines the working sessions.
Experience with multiple SDLC methods; including waterfall, Agile, Lean, RAD, and Spiral. We don't have a standardized Project Methodology, and have tried and failed everything listed here.
What they say / What it really means
Elicit, clarify, and translate business requirements into documentation and conceptual design from which application and solutions are developed. Listen to the sponsor and stakeholders for just long enough to develop a solution, then work backwards to create the business requirements, business case, and problem statement.
Be an active participant in all phases of the project lifecycle. Be willing sit on those inconveniently scheduled calls so I can sleep in or take a long lunch.
Work on projects of medium to high complexity. You'll be assigned to a project no one really understands.
The selected candidate must have the ability to work independently. You're on your own!
Work closely with developers and testers in the fast-paced environment. Let's see how many projects we can assign you at once.
Coach and mentor other team members in both the role and business knowledge to assist in project delivery. Hopefully they'll learn something from you, since right now they're clueless.
Demonstrates the ability to obtain and articulate a detailed understanding of the business being analyzed including the organizational structure and relationships that exist between business units. No one really understands who half the people on the JAD session invite list are, or why they're listed as approvers.
Develops and evaluates alternative solutions and identifies a recommended solution on medium to
high complexity work/projects leveraging existing systems where feasible. You're not getting funding for new development.
Uses negotiation skills to influence project team to facilitate the solution selection and decision making process. Let's see you get an approval out of this guy; I've sent him a dozen emails and left him 3 voice mails already.
Executes and manages all aspects and phases of testing initiatives for moderate to large sized system implementations and/or enhancement projects. Our normal QA person is on maternity leave, so you'll do her job also.
Candidate will be able to translate complex business requirements into detailed functional and/or technical specifications. None of us understand the requirements as written by the business sponsor, do you?
Ability offer solutions and the business impact to clients in a clear and concise manner. Be able to explain things repeatedly at a 6th grade level to some executive without him feeling patronized.
Candidate will have strong SQL skills. Remind me how to format the search query again? Better yet, I have a special project for you...
Work closely with a variety of internal and external business partners to ensure that all business requirements are understood, documented and met. Who cares if the solution doesn't meet their originally stated business needs, just be able to show them their approval of the requiremeints scope list.
It's an exciting time here in ABC Company! We are at the center of revolution! We are looking into the future and expanding our focus to a variety of value added services and products to our existing and potential customers. Our main product is now obsolete, and we don't have a replacement lined up.
Be proficient in technical business systems analysis. The hiring manager has a degree in Art History and no background in IT.
Excellent interpersonal skills conflict resolution skills. Everyone on your project team hates each other, and either refuses to cooperate or actively undermines the working sessions.
Experience with multiple SDLC methods; including waterfall, Agile, Lean, RAD, and Spiral. We don't have a standardized Project Methodology, and have tried and failed everything listed here.
