Tuesday, April 5, 2011

Design and WINNING!

I’m a strong believer that a company’s website design tells a story that can make or break a business. Research backs me up. Colors, typography, logo -- these seemingly small things are actually major factors in your success. When people visit your website for the first time, the colors and design give them a subconscious feeling for your company and whether they want to deal with you.

Research backs it up

Sports companies study jersey colour and pattern to find out how these correlate with winning. Some have determined that winners wear red. This relates back to all businesses. Paul Haft is a Toronto color guru who has been helping his clients find winning color strategies for decades. He designed the immensely successful Pink ribbon logo for the Canadian Cancer Society.

Recruiter by day, design buff by night

I’m by no means an expert but I do have a passion for design and these are things I notice. I’m not saying a failing company can resurrect its self by changing its branding, but it’s definitely possible. A fresh new design has the potential to carry a company to a new level of success.

Colour matters

Technology companies often use blue with white and yellow/orange/grey accent colours. This is a great colour palette as blue has a feeling of crisp/clean and business. Depending on the tones it can be regal or soft and inviting. Whenever I walk into a white and blue Apple store, I feel compelled to buy something. Banks often have green carpet runners. We all relax when we see the sand tones at spas.

Black and white

Look at websites like RIM. Their user experience is fantastic. They have excellent design and functionality. This isn’t just because they’re a huge conglomerate company. It’s because RIM puts innovation and passion behind everything they do. The black differentiates them from the white favoured by their arch rival Apple. Black gives a feeling power and authority that's good for business.

What story does your company tell?

This leads me to BMW’s new campaign slogan, “JOY”. What does that word mean to you? Is it freedom of sitting at the cottage on a lazy Saturday afternoon? Is it the walk on a crisp autumn morning with your Golden Retriever? Is it the feeling of flying down a black diamond ski hill? Joy is the perfect word to describe the feeling of owning and driving a BMW. The point is that they’re selling a car on a feeling! And that's what design and color does for your company too. 


Written By:

Ryan Ayres
Technology Recruiter
Website:    http://www.stafflink.ca/
Email:        ryan@stafflink.ca
LinkedIN:  http://ca.linkedin.com/in/ryandayres
Twitter:     http://twitter.com/ryandavidayres

Thursday, March 31, 2011

iPad vs. Playbook Debate Revisited

Back in October, you may recall a rather avid Blackberry fan writing an article called “Comparing Apples to Berries: 4 Reasons Why I Pick the PlayBook”. Still a self-proclaimed “crackberry”, I am just as thrilled now as I was then about the arrival of Blackberry’s PlayBook.

I believe the debate needs to be revisited with the arrival of the next generation of the iPad, the infamous iPad2. I will give credit to the iPad2’s sleek new package (it is 117g lighter than the first generation model) and exclusive “limited availability” marketing (the iPad2 could not be pre-ordered before its release date, making the average consumer want it that much more). However, when it comes down to the new generation’s specs, not much has changed.

Flash

My argument for Flash still stands. The iPad2 does not support it and Playbook does. Not supporting flash will weaken video experience for iPad users and provides a space for other tablets such as the PlayBook and Android tablets to capitalize on.

Video Conferencing

In terms of video-conferencing, the iPad added an additional camera so iPad users can now use FaceTime calling software just like PlayBook users (I knew that was coming!). However, according to many online reviews the rear-facing camera on the iPad2 is of low quality and the images are rather grainy, jerky and distorted.

Battery Performance

An area where the iPad2 has improved is in the battery life and internet performance. Apparently the iPad2 has an average battery life of 10 hours, with many online reviews claiming that the battery life lasts in excess of 15 hours. The iPad2 ships with iOS 4.3, which allows users to stream music and video flawlessy using AirPlay and remotely locate devices using MobileMe.

Apps

The iPad2 doesn’t offer any particular upgrades that will not work on the original iPad – unless you are looking for video conferencing capabilities. However, I will say the growth potential of the iPad2 is tremendous if application developers jump on the bandwagon – an area where the PlayBook has been having trouble.

The Verdict

Overall, the PlayBook is enterprise focused – and the iPad2 still appears to more be consumer focused; leaving both to target different markets. My verdict? I’ll still be lining up with all the other “crackberries” to purchase my PlayBook – but I know it’s not for everyone. Evaluate your own needs and purchase what device will suit your lifestyle best.

Related Articles

Comparing Apples to Berries: 4 Reasons Why I Pick the PlayBook
Steve, Mark and Jim: Who's Made 2010's Nice List?
Who Do You Love? BlackBerry Torch or iPhone?
Love What You Do

Written By

Michelle De Rubeis ,Technical Recruiter, StaffLink Solutions Ltd.
Website: http://www.stafflink.ca/
Email: michelle@stafflink.ca
Twitter: Twitter.com/stafflink1
LinkedIn: Linkedin.com/in/mmderubeis

Monday, March 28, 2011

WordPress Theme Smackdown: Free, Premium or Custom

We're migrating our corporate website to WordPress. After a year of searching for the perfect WordPress theme to style our site I've decided to get a custom theme developed. It wasn't an easy decision. My original intention and true wish is to do the whole thing myself. Now I see that DIY could stall the project forever. It's time to reach out and get some help.

Static Version of Stafflink.ca
I created the current version of our website over a year ago. Since then I've done everything in my power to make it look and act like a dynamic WordPress site. I added Twitter widgets, a blog and hooked our site up with an RSS feed and social media. This keeps our content fresh and pushed our Google page rank up a notch. But now it's time for the real deal.

The illusion.
I believed that if I found the right WordPress theme it would just be a simple matter of plugging in our content. Then Presto! I'd have a dynamic WordPress site at my command. I wrote 10 Reasons I Jumped on the WordPress Bandwagon to share this magic solution.

Reality Check.
Turns out isn't that easy. I've dressed up our content with a series of themes. I gave Elegant themes a whirl. I tried the Thesis framework on for size. I read every roundup of theme reviews that I could find. But I now I have to face reality. I'm never going to find the perfect off-the-shelf theme for our site.

The Smackdown.
Here's the smackdown part of this article. AKA my humbling journey from free themes, to premium themes, to frameworks, to hiring a custom theme developer.

Free Themes
    The BlueBubble Theme Template
  • The Good: They're free! They're part of the beautiful sharing opensource WordPress community. I used the free BlueBubble theme for my e-learning course Build an e-resume portfolio site with WordPress. If you want a personal blog or e-resume/portfolio site, then a free theme might be the perfect solution for you.
  • The Bad: It's free so you can't expect the same level of support that you would receive with a premium theme. Plus the developer may abandon the theme and stop updating it for new releases of WordPress.
  •  The Ugly: Free themes can hide malicious code so be careful. It's best to get your free themes from the WordPress.org Free Themes Directory.
Premium Themes
  • The Good: You get a professionally designed template for an extremely reasonable cost. Here are a few premium theme solutions that I recommend: Elegant themes and Woo Themes. But there are hundreds of great premium theme sources.
  • The Bad: I'm often attracted to premium themes with beautiful photographs. But when I add my own content the theme suddenly looks plain and cookie-cutter. If you have your own beautiful photos or artwork, this won't be a problem for you.
  • The Ugly: If you use a popular theme then thousands of sites out there will look like yours. Unless you have enough programming and design skills to customize the theme.

Theme Frameworks
A theme framework is designed to be a flexible foundation for faster WordPress development. 

Stafflink Styled with Thesis Folio

I tried the Thesis theme framework along with the Thesisfolio skin. People liked the look of our site dressed up with Thesisfolio. But when we compared the job list, the blog and landing page of our current site side by side with Thesisfolio, the consensus was that our old site was more friendly, approachable and engaging.

Someday I aspire to have our site running on a framework. But right now I need to expedite this project so it's time to hire a pro.

Custom Theme
  • The Promise: Experienced web developers design an original theme to showcase your business. You get a unique online identity for your business and expert support for migration and SEO.
  • Our Choice: We've hired a local Toronto company to develop a custom WordPress theme for us. We'll see how it works out in a month or so when the project is complete.
  • The Risk: Having a custom theme designed is expensive but after of year of unsuccessfully seeking a DIY solution, I think it's worth it. The biggest issue for me is that I'm not doing this development myself. But so far Will Webb, the owner of IMG, is responsive to my questions and I'm hopeful that his team will produce a beautiful site for us. And when it's all finished this baby will be mine.

Who wins the Smackdown? Free, Premium or Custom
It all depends on the purpose of your site, and your level of design and technical skills. For Stafflink, custom theme development is the winner today. But this story isn't over.

Enough about me already.
What's your take on this whole thing?
Do you think I made the right decision to hire a custom theme developer?
What WordPress themes do you recommend?
What's your favourite framework?

Related Links:
10 Reasons I Jumped on the WordPress Bandwagon
Build an e-Resume Portfolio Site with WordPress
WordPress Theme Framework Comparison
WordPress Free Themes Directory


Laura Upcott
Stafflink Solutions Ltd.

Website:    http://stafflink.ca/
e-Resume: http://www.lauraupcott.com/
Email:        laurau@stafflink.ca

Thursday, March 10, 2011

Learnable.com: A New Destination for Affordable Technology Training

Wow! My new e-learning course just went public and here I am sitting on a GoTrain in a freezing rainstorm waiting for people to sign up. I have other things to work on but this course is top-of-mind.

The journey began last October when I received a personal email from SitePoint. Yes Sitepoint! (I'm a huge fan.) It's normal for me to receive newsletters from SitePoint but this was different. Shayne Tilley had a question for me: “Would you like to create your own online course -- just like a SitePoint one?”

The Mothership Calls.
I've been fascinated with e-learning forever. Now I was being invited to create a course by one of my all-time favorite web portals. There was only one possible answer - YES!

My Favorite Courses
I've taken many Sitepoint courses and they were all excellent:
Now these courses are available on Learnable.com. And anyone can join in.

This was my chance.
But what to teach? I own an IT staffing agency and I've blogged about the benefits of having an online resume/portfolio website. That seemed a natural place to start. I immediately flipped back a pitch back to Shane: I would teach people how to create an e-resume portfolio website with WordPress.

A Big e-Learning Party and Everyone is Welcome
The best part is that my course is part of a new online training initiative called Learnable where anyone can make a course or take a course. It’s like a big e-learning party. A YouTube for online training. Everyone is welcome to participate. Check it out at learnable.com.

Try My Course for Free
Learnable priced my course at $14.95, but they’ve given me 25 free links to distribute however I like. If you’re interested in taking “Build an e-Resume Portfolio Website with WordPress”, then comment on this blog and ask me for a free link. If I have any left I will be thrilled to send you one!

Laura Upcott
Stafflink Solutions Ltd.

http://stafflink.ca/
http://ww.lauraupcott.com/
laurau@stafflink.ca
http://www.twitter.com/lauraupcott
http://ca.linkedin.com/in/lauraupcott

Monday, February 28, 2011

CPA Ski Day: A Great Team Building Event

What happens when you throw your staff into a dangerous winter sport for the benefit of the greater community? Team building, bonding, cooperation, enthusiasm, and laughter.

Every February we invite our staff and their significant others to join us at the CPA Ski Day (Canadian Paraplegic Association). It's a surprisingly popular event considering that only the owners are regular skiers.

Months before the big event we retell stories from last year's CPA Ski Day. Like the time that Ryan's wife fell on top of the boss's son while getting off a chairlift. Or when Joanne froze at the top of a blue run and got yelled at by a stranger. Or that horrible cross country trek we endured while trying to find a green run called the Northwest Passage, and Lorraine towed Ryan with her ski pole.

In spite of these past traumas, our staff was totally stoked about participating in this year's CPA 2011 Ski and Snowboard Day. Joanne and Michelle enrolled in ski lessons and gave us regular reports on their progress. We planned our outfits. We planned our après ski dinner.

Bottom line: Participating in the CPA ski day is more than a one day event. It's an event that brings us together for the entire winter. Why is it so compelling for all of us?

  1. It feels great to support CPA Ontario with their Track 3 Ski program. It is so beautiful to see the Track 3 volunteers give people with disabilities the chance to ski. Check out these amazing pictures of the 2011 CPA Ski Day.
  2. Skiing is dangerous, but not too dangerous. And it's super fun. That makes for lots of entertaining stories. It also gives us lots of opportunities to bond and help each other out.
  3. Skiing is social. Even if you're not a skier, it's really fun to sit in the ski lodge, share a beer and onion rings and have some laughs.
  4. It’s really fun to learn a new skill. Participants in the CPA Ski Day get free rentals, a lesson, lunch and delicious après ski snacks. They also get to ski at Craigleith, one of the best private ski clubs in Ontario.
I want to thank Donna Ha who encouraged us to go to our first CPA Ski Day about 5 years ago. Donna uses a wheelchair and worked for CPA Ontario before joining our staff. The first CPA Ski Day we participated in occurred during one of the worst snow storms of the season. I drove Donna up to Craigleith in whiteout conditions. When we finally arrived we were greeted by a warm buffet lunch and caring colleagues. Donna even got to ski that afternoon.

I also want to thank CPA Ontario and their key sponsor The Dominion of Canada General Insurance Company for hosting this amazing event and for supporting the Track 3 Ski program.

And of course I want to thank our amazing staff for embracing this event and making it so much fun. Now we are all brainstorming ideas for a community outreach activity where our staff could volunteer weekly for a few hours.

Do you have any suggestions for a volunteer program our staff could participate in? Do you have any teambuilding events that you recommend?

Laura Upcott
Stafflink Solutions Ltd.

http://stafflink.ca/
http://www.lauraupcott.com/
laurau@stafflink.ca
http://www.twitter.com/lauraupcott
http://ca.linkedin.com/in/lauraupcott

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Diversity Works: Recruiting, Integrating and Hiring Persons with Disabilities

This video is an extremely condensed 5:30 minute version of a workshop that Tim Collins and Donna Ha presented to CGI last month. They've delivered versions of this training to IBM, CIBC, Microsoft and many other clients. It contains the key messages and tips that might be useful to you if your company is interested in hiring, integrating and retaining persons with disabilities.

Stafflink is an IT staffing agency. So you might wonder where our interest in accessibility comes from. Like most people, we have close relationships with with people who have physical challenges but that's not what defines them because they are also exceptionally talented in their work. One of the biggest tragedies I've seen is when someone has excellent skills and loves to work, but their career is suddenly siderailed by an illness or an accident. One of the things I love most about Stafflink is that our owner, Tim Collins, has connected many people like this with jobs.

A few years ago we hired Donna Ha, a person who uses a wheelchair. Donna taught us all about accessibility and was our Diversity Hiring Coordinator for several years. She facilitated many job connections between our clients and qualified persons with disabilities.

Donna moved on to a new job and we love to keep in touch with her as her career develops. We were thrilled when Donna agreed to come back for an afternoon and help Tim Collins deliver this diversity training workshop to CGI.

Thursday, February 10, 2011

Interview Tips for Jobs: Why Should We Hire You? The Great Answer

Here's a video created by one of my LinkedIn buddies, Katherine Moody. Katherine is a Job Search Consultant and Recruiter. In this video she demonstrates how to ace a job interview by answering one question: "Why should we hire you?" Katherine offers a step-by-step plan to craft a succinct and memorable positioning statement that will make you stand out from other job candidates.

About the Author
Katherine Moody is a networking guru and job search coach. For more tips on navigating the hidden job market go to Katherine Moody's website HiddenJobMarketSecrets.com. Follow Katherine on Twitter @justathought99.



Further Reading: