Delaney writes:

What I am saying is that I believe in me, and I believe in you and I believe in elbow grease, objectivity and history. Did you see the recession coming? Did it announce itself and tell you the date it would arrive? No, it did not. Nor will recovery. So quit whining. Pessimism is for losers.

So to paraphrase Warren Buffett, whose sterling, brick and mortar, brilliantly run, cash-rich company Berkshire Hathaway was ALSO downgraded by S&P in the past, “American stocks are on sale.” Why not pick some up? I did. And I’m a 34 year old, hard working husband and father who gives a **** about the country he lives in and doesn’t take orders from S&P, CNN, or Congress. I give them. And so do you.

Emphasis mine. It’s a blunt message, but one I think people could stand to remember right now.

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More links:

MIPRO Consulting main website.

MIPRO on Twitter and Facebook.

About this blog.

Right time for a job change?

With the economy making a recovery (albeit painfully slow), many people are beginning to ask the question:  Is this the right time for a job change?

While each person’s circumstances need to be taken into account to answer that question, it’s safe to say that the job market is starting to loosen up.  With a growing backlog of projects and cash, companies are beginning to seek out resources that can provide an immediate impact to the organizations objectives.   Skill-sets like PeopleSoft are already becoming a highly sought after need in the marketplace.

Being the new kid on the block here at MIPRO, I obviously confronted the job change question and based my decision on a number of factors.  I selected MIPRO Consulting because of their reputation, culture and opportunity for growth.  But unfortunately, not everyone works in a great environment like we have here.  So while I can’t tell you if it’s right for you to make a transition, I can give you some tips on how to prepare yourself for a search, in the event you decide to venture out.

First:  Get Prepared

• Update your resume:  Make sure your resume is up to date with your most recent skills, accomplishments and education.  And don’t just add a few new lines to the old resume.  The market is constantly evolving so you’ll want to make it look new and fresh.  There are great tools on the internet and in Word/OpenOffice so this is a great time to spruce things up.
• Research:  Being at a one place for awhile often skews your perception of activities and processes that are going on in the outside world.  Use the internet to search for relevant topics, talk with peers outside your organization and attend seminars/webinars to gain additional insight into your profession.  Knowing and understanding current topics/issues is a great way to demonstrate that you can provide immediate value.

Second:  Network

• Many people are turned off by the term networking for a variety of reasons.  Often, it’s because they don’t feel comfortable asking people for help.  The reality is most people enjoy helping others out.  It makes them feel good.  But I get the issue, so here are a few points to help out:
  • Let people know.  If you’re uncomfortable asking people for help, simply let them know that you are interested in making a move.  If someone can help, just letting them know your intentions will help drive the process.
  • Be honest.  Everybody has strengths and weaknesses and likes and dislikes.  Letting people know what you’re looking for in your next position will help them narrow down the list of people who you should talk with.  And the more targeted your list is, the higher your percentage of getting to the right people will be.
  • Get involved.  Find reasons to get out and meet your peers.  Vendors, like Oracle, host a variety of events where you can go to meet people and companies in the industry.  Be sure to leverage them.

Lastly:  Be Proactive

• Contrary to many people’s desire, most companies don’t find their leading candidates through the posts on Monster or their web pages.  Especially for the good jobs.  That’s not to say that it hasn’t worked for you or a friend, but understand, you’re the exception not the rule.  Companies feel good that they threw out a “catch all” so they didn’t miss any candidates and prospective applicants feel good because they did something to make a change.  But it’s not very effective and there are certainly better ways to get noticed.  It just takes more time and more effort.
  • Target your search.  Identify what companies that you would like to work for.  And please note, they’re not always the Fortune 500!  Then do your best to know what they do and how you can help them.
  • Reach out to them.  Try to identify the hiring managers in your area (research and networking) and reach out to them.  A manager would much rather talk with someone that really wants to come work there, than someone who’s just “looking for a job”.
  • Be persistent.  In this economy, most people are doing the work of multiple positions.  So, they’re busy –often very busy!  Don’t put one or two calls or emails into someone and get discouraged if they don’t reply right away.  Send gentle reminders to let them know you’re still interested in meeting with them and ask if there’s someone else that may be more appropriate to contact.
  • Be positive and aggressive.  It’s your career – go after it.  Don’t let others hold you back because of their thoughts or experiences.  Just go for it!!

And that’s it in a nutshell.  I realized I skimmed over several important points, but I’m confident that if you follow the methodology, your chances of getting in the door at the right place else will increase dramatically.  I’ve helped many people with their career pursuits and those who put the outlined effort in, are the most successful.  So don’t be shy – if you have questions, please let me know.  I’m one of those people that enjoys helping others.  It makes me feel good!

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More links:

MIPRO Consulting main website.

MIPRO on Twitter and Facebook.

About this blog.

CFO.com’s Alix Stuart: Business Failures Down, but Not Done:

Bankruptcy has been in the headlines recently, thanks to the high-profile Chapter 11 filings of companies such as gourmet-food retailer Harry & David and bookseller Borders. But business failures overall have been declining, according to the most recent data from Dun & Bradstreet. Formal bankruptcy filings in 2010 were down more than 5% from 2009, while a broader estimate of business failures fell about 13.5%.

That doesn’t mean the economy is out of the woods, though. The failure rate is still high in many industries, as is the percentage of delinquent payments, a leading indicator of bankruptcy risk.

“We’re seeing that the economy is improving, but there’s still a high degree of failure risk in the system,” says Andrew Lobsenz, senior vice president of global D&B risk-management solutions. If the recovery happens too slowly, “failure rates could kick back up rather quickly,” he warns.

Despite the tone of the article, the is good news.  (It’s all to easy to focus on big-name Chapter 11 filings and in the process ignore the larger trend).  The risk, obviously, is that the recovery needs to keep building momentum and not falter.  From everything we’re seeing and reading, things are coming along nicely, albeit slowly.

From where you sit, how is the the recovery progressing?  What are your experiences?

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More links:

MIPRO Consulting main website.

You should follow MIPRO on Twitter and Facebook.

About this blog.

Always a fantastic read:

Throughout my lifetime, politicians and pundits have constantly moaned about terrifying problems facing America. Yet our citizens now live an astonishing six times better than when I was born. The prophets of doom have overlooked the all-important factor that is certain: Human potential
is far from exhausted, and the American system for unleashing that potential – a system that has worked wonders for over two centuries despite frequent interruptions for recessions and even a Civil War – remains alive and effective.

We are not natively smarter than we were when our country was founded nor do we work harder. But look around you and see a world beyond the dreams of any colonial citizen. Now, as in 1776, 1861, 1932 and 1941, America’s best days lie ahead.

The entire report is here (PDF).  If you read nothing else, read the beginning of the letter.

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MIPRO Consulting is a nationally-recognized consulting firm specializing in PeopleSoft Enterprise (particularly Enterprise Asset Management) and Business Intelligence. You’re reading MIPRO Unfiltered, its blog. If you’d like to contact MIPRO, email is a great place to start, or you can easily jump over to its main website. If you’d like to see what MIPRO offers via Twitter or Facebook, we’d love to have you.

More business posts.

2011 comes out of the gate nicely:

NEW YORK—U.S. stocks rose to fresh two-year highs on the first trading day of the new year, aided by data pointing to improving conditions in manufacturing and construction.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average jumped 110 points, or 1%, to 11687. The measure hit 11695.19, its highest intraday level since August 2008, and putting it on track for its fourth gain in the last five sessions.

We saw improving signs throughout 2010, especially in the latter half.  After a long haul, things are turning around for the better, though we don’t think anyone is telling themselves that things are back to pre-recession numbers or mindset just yet.  We still believe it will be a steady, slow progression out of the valley – which is exactly what we want.  We don’t need a baseless (read: emotional) rebound only to suffer a sharp correction and whatever consequences that would bring.  Slow, steady and smart: keep this on the right track and underpinned by real metrics.

Good news for a new year.

How do you see 2011?  Do you share our optimistic views, or do you see a different picture from where you sit?

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MIPRO Consulting is a nationally-recognized consulting firm specializing in PeopleSoft Enterprise (particularly Enterprise Asset Management) and Business Intelligence. You’re reading MIPRO Unfiltered, its blog. If you’d like to contact MIPRO, email is a great place to start, or you can easily jump over to its main website. If you’d like to see what MIPRO offers via Twitter or Facebook, we’d love to have you.

More business posts.

(Ed. note: Jeff Micallef is a Managing Partner of MIPRO Consulting.)

Perseverance is the hard work you do after you get tired of doing the hard work you already did.  ~ Newt Gingrich

Perseverance eventually pays off.

As we look back at this past year I am reminded of the childhood story of the race between the tortoise and the hare, particularly its theme:  Slow and steady wins the race.  In a business world that often looks at how fast something is achieved, it’s easy to lose sight of the fact that perseverance wins more than pure acceleration.

Over the past year, we had two races where our determination paid dividends.

Five years ago we entered into a relationship with Bart & Associates, a firm who has tremendous expertise in the government sector.  We brought our extensive PeopleSoft experience to the relationship.  Together we were going to rule the world.  Quickly.

Things didn’t work out that way.  Right away.

Three years later, not one battle had been won.  Alas, another crusade presented itself.  The United States Senate needed to implement PeopleSoft HR and Payroll.  So we began our quest.

Many months later, after dozens of meetings, midnight phone calls and fending off almost twenty other competitors – including Deloitte and Oracle Consulting – our resolve and experience paid off with the U.S. Senate selecting our team, MIPRO/Bart/ IBM, over all others for their PeopleSoft project.

This accomplishment is one we worked very hard to earn and are extremely proud of looking back at 2010.  And for a while there, it looked like we were getting nowhere, not unlike the race against the hare must have seemed to the tortoise.

In a similar tale, two years ago we joined forces with Jetco Solutions, a firm in western Michigan, in order to uncover opportunities at the state level.  We jointly responded to many Request for Proposals (RFPs) – which most readers of this blog know is a time-consuming effort – with not one win to show for our efforts.  Again, after thinking we would move quickly and bag some quick wins, we found ourselves running without covering the expected ground.

Fast forward several long months.

As the numbers game continued, we finally found an opportunity that was perfect for our expertise.  The State of Michigan was looking to improve their reporting and analytic capabilities.  This will be of tremendous value to the state, helping them uncover areas to eliminate waste and at the same time providing additional insight enabling improved decision making.

The RFP was substantial but we put a team together to respond.  We shared our past successes as well as the unique advantages we bring to our customers.  We responded during follow-up rounds with additional information.

And then the wait.

Silence.  And more silence.

Before long we concluded that we must have lost.  Just about to throw in the towel, we received notice that we were one of the vendors selected for the project.  Triumph! And here we were, perfectly cognizant that perseverance pays off, and we were about to chalk this endeavor up as lost.

Lesson reinforced.  It happens again and again.

So in 2010, we added the U.S. Senate and State of Michigan to our family of customers.  Long hours, email blizzards and a dedicated team diligently working toward the finish line eventually outpaced the subconscious expectations for quick accomplishment (the metaphorical hare).

Me?  I hope the hare gets his rest this holiday season, because it looks like 2011 will provide even more race opportunities and we’re up the challenge.

Do you have similar stories of perseverance and determination paying off for you this year?  We’d love to hear them in the comments.

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MIPRO Consulting is a nationally-recognized consulting firm specializing in PeopleSoft Enterprise (particularly Enterprise Asset Management) and Business Intelligence. You’re reading MIPRO Unfiltered, its blog. If you’d like to contact MIPRO, email is a great place to start, or you can easily jump over to its main website. If you’d like to see what MIPRO offers via Twitter or Facebook, we’d love to have you.

More business posts.

CFO Magazine:

While some made minor revisions, each is essentially sticking by what he said. What makes that particularly interesting is that now, as then, the predictions about the fate of the economy vary wildly. The intervening nine months have done virtually nothing to create a convergence of opinion, which calls to mind the George Bernard Shaw aphorism: “If all economists were laid end to end, they would not reach a conclusion.”

‘Vary wildly’ is accurate.  As you read these, you will note sentiments ranging from ‘early next year will be even worse” to ‘recovery but things are getting better.’

This article is an adjustment/update to CFO’s original (and incredibly popular) article called The Shape of Things to Come, published in March of this year.  I recommend reading both, starting with the original one first.

In your business, what are you seeing?  Are things picking up, or do you see more dark clouds on the horizon?  Love to hear your thoughts and reasoning in the comments.  Please let us know!

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MIPRO Consulting is a nationally-recognized consulting firm specializing in PeopleSoft Enterprise (particularly Enterprise Asset Management) and Business Intelligence. You’re reading MIPRO Unfiltered, its blog. If you’d like to contact MIPRO, email is a great place to start, or you can easily jump over to its main website. If you’d like to see what MIPRO offers via Twitter or Facebook, we’d love to have you.

More business posts.

(Ed. note: Jim Prokes is one of MIPRO Consulting’s Managing Partners.)

This deserves bluntness: 2009 wasn’t an easy year for many people. Painful decisions had to be made, jobs were lost, businesses were stagnated, and even though we managed to avoid outright panic, fear still governed us. And this is to say nothing of the personal problems many faced, as many struggled with unemployment, debt and perhaps the question of whether or not home ownership remained viable.

It’s 2010. Never before in my business career have I seen a symbolic change mean so much to people on both personal and professional levels. When 2009 ceded to 2010, for the first time ever, it was a palpable change.

Based on what I see so far in 2010, the new year kickoff momentum is carrying forward with people, both on professional and personal levels.

I’m a natural optimist. While I know we’re not out of the woods yet, I often get asked about what I see for 2010 as a business owner. I’m happy to say that I can give an answer today that I couldn’t last year: I think things are looking up. Here are five reasons why:

New year, new budget. The clients we’re talking to whose budgets have reset are saying that because of some of the macro-indicators coming out positive, they have budget this year, and no shortage of areas in which to spend it. From what we’re seeing it’s not a budget explosion, but there will be IT investment this year in strategic areas.

Pent-up project demand. The cutbacks of 2009 helped save money and bolster expense conservatism, but that doesn’t mean demand went away. Every client we meet with has a long list of initiatives they want to get underway ASAP. Naturally, the more strategic the project (Business Intelligence, moving enterprise tech to the cloud, upgrading to high-value, modern ERP platform versions), the more likey it will see executive buy-in and funding.

People are sick of being afraid. Purely anecdotally and based on subjective observation, people aren’t walking on eggshells like they were last year. 2009′s pervasive fear has given way to mere nervousness, and people can function when nervous; it’s not paralyzing, and it doesn’t lend itself to panic as easily. I pay particular attention to asking other business owners how things are going thus far, and each of them is happy to say pretty well. People and businesses are beginning to feel comfortable spending again. From our own perspective here at MIPRO, I know we are.

The headlines aren’t entirely bleak. You’d be hard pressed to find any positive headlines in 2009, but so far 2010 is offering some glimmers of hope at a mainstream media level, to wit: Fed sees recovery spreading across US, Fed’s Beige Book Says Economy Improved in 10 of 12 Districts, simply to point out a couple. Are there still bad headlines, and do we still have a lot of work to do? Absolutely. But for the first time in a long time, parts of the economy are starting to come up for air.  Let’s hope they  keep swimming.

The strategic positioning factor. We wrote in late 2008, at the onset of the economic crisis, about how some companies were still investing to be able to come into a recovery state with improved systems, business intelligence and strategic market positioning. While those were few and far between during 2009, so far we’ve already met with many companies about how they want to invest now to be able to reap the benefits by 3Q 2010. And, pragmatically speaking, they want to invest now while the gettin’ is good: most vendors are coming off a rough fiscal 2009, so buyers know vendors are willing to be flexible and work hard to win new business. Some of our clients have said they think the window of vendor discounting is closing, so now is a smart time to invest if you’re going to make the investment anyway.

I don’t write for this blog much, but as a business owner, I wanted to throw my thoughts out there as we break into 2010 in earnest.

What have your experiences been? Agree with me, or disagree? Love to hear your thoughts in the comments.

It’s funny.  I was going to write a longer post today, maybe the last truly good day for blog reading, just before the holiday frenzy begins in earnest next week. 

I was planning to talk about how 2009 was a forgettable year for most people, both personally and professionally, and that I wouldn’t be lying if I told you that I know of several people who are holding New Year’s Eve parties emphatically urging 2009, to, um, leave as quickly as possible.

In between me collecting my thoughts on how 2009 brought us challenges on unprecedented levels and how nearly everyone we know has had to scratch and claw just to keep business as usual anywhere near usual, I came across something that said it all for me.  So instead of getting all wordy and spiteful about 2009, I’ll let this picture, crafted by the one and only Greg Storey of Airbag Industries, say it all.

Yes, exactly.  Nuke 2009.  Hello 2010.  Would you like a coffee?

(Incidentally, if you want other versions of Storey’s graphic, here they are: wide, full, and phone.)

Where do you stand?  Is 2009 something you’re just waiting to delete from your memory as soon as possible, or was it good for you?  Tell your story in the comments.

It’s no surprise whatsoever that 2009 has been a challenging year for many businesses, ours included.  Everyone has had to adapt, make difficult decisions, and come to the realization that their projections might not come to bear due to circumstances far beyond their control.

All you need to do is scan the headlines and quickly review the past 11 months: Many families are experiencing tough times with our economy and domestic crises of all stripes, but we’re here (and so are you) and that alone is cause for thankfulness and gratitude.

But first, a quick note on frustration. You might have felt more than your fair share of it this year, and from personal experience I can say that one of the best ways to get past it is through gratitude.  And seeing how tomorrow is our country’s galvanizing day for this sentiment, there’s no better time.

Instead of being consumed by what frustrates you, take some time to think about what you are grateful for.  Reflect on what you are lucky to have. Frustration is all relative.

As Jack Canfield suggests, start every day by listing ten things we’re grateful for. No matter what’s not working for you our your business, some things are.  Focus on them at the beginning of every day.

For example, I am grateful for you, the readers, who have helped take this blog from 40 readers per month to 5000.  I’m grateful that even in the consulting industry – considered a “dry” business by some – I have seen incredible community engagement on Facebook and Twitter.  I am happy that MIPRO Gives Back, our community-powered charity project, touched the lives of so many people in dire need of help.

I am grateful that MIPRO’s cultural cornerstone of Do What’s Right has truly helped our clients, even if it has meant we didn’t make as much as we could have.  I am grateful for the amazing emails and testimonials our customers provide to us, saying that we’re unlike any other consulting company they’ve worked with.

In short, I’m grateful for what this year has brought, even if there were challenges.  And the the common ingredient in all of the good things that have happened over the past year is you, our readers and customers.

Thank you.  Happy Thanksgiving.