Douglas Reeves

Anyone else feeling frustrated with job searching? I have to remind myself I am not alone. It's natural to hit roadblocks and encounter challenges along the way. But I have to remember, every setback is just a setup for a comeback. 💪 Let's be real, it's okay to feel discouraged, but please don't let it dim your light. Keep pushing forward, stay resilient, and maintain that positive mindset. Your dream job is out there, and with every application, interview, and networking opportunity, you're one step closer to finding it. Embrace the journey, learn from each experience, and trust in your abilities. Your hard work and perseverance will pay off. Believe in yourself, stay focused on your goals, and never underestimate the power of positivity. So, take a deep breath, shake off the frustration, and keep chasing your dreams. You've got this! 🌟 #DreamJobAwaits

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Do you have 100 million for a settlement? No, you don't! Lehigh Valley Network got hacked (look them up.) They say they didn’t pay a ransom and that the hack didn’t disrupt operations (who knows.) But then they got hit with a class action lawsuit from the people whose data was stolen. And they settled for $65 million. I’m curious, how much cash is in your bank right now? And if you have cyber insurance… Can it cover up to $100 million? Can you guarantee they’ll approve your claim? Insurance companies are denying claims left and right. In fact, they’re looking for any excuse to say you breached the “failure to maintain” clause in your policy. Are you sure you’ve met all your obligations as the insuree? Always check with your cybersecurity Insurance on how much you are covered, what are you covered for..etc. Just like any other types of insurance. Check with us too and we got you covered...Let us be your security advisors. DM me today

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“One of my direct subordinates—one of the guys who worked for me—would call me up or pull me aside with a major problem or issue. He’d say, "Boss, we’ve got this, that, and the other thing," and I’d look at him and say, “Good.” Finally, one day, he was telling me about another issue, and he said, "I already know what you're going to say." I asked, “What am I going to say?” He replied, “You’re going to say ‘Good.’ That’s what you always say when something is wrong or going bad. You just look at me and say, ‘Good.’” And I said, "Well, yeah. When things are going bad, there's going to be some good that comes from it." Didn’t get the high-speed gear we wanted? Good. Didn’t get promoted? Good. More time to get better. Oh Mission got canceled? Good. We can focus on the other one. Didn’t get funded, or didn’t get the job you wanted? Good. Got injured, sprained my ankle, got tapped out? Good. Unexpected problems? Good. We have the opportunity to figure out a solution. That’s it. When things are going bad, don’t get all bummed out, startled, or frustrated. If you can say the word “Good,” it means you’re still alive. It means you’re still breathing, and if you’re still breathing, you’ve still got some fight left in you. So get up. Dust off. Reload. Recalibrate. Re-engage. Go out on the attack.” - Jocko Willink

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Several years ago, I turned in my two-week notice for a job. In addition to my resignation, I also included a list of projects in motion, what I hoped to get done, what I didn't think would likely get done, and who I thought would be best to continue the project after my last day. And on my last day, I sent my boss an updated list of project statuses. His response rings in my ears often: "Always the professional, forever in your debt." That's been my aspiration for going on five years: to leave those I work with feeling like I did a good job, and they are better off because of my work. Have you had a manager say something that's always stuck with you? #customersupport #customersuccess #customerservice #careeraspirations

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A story about recruiting and scams. I have been receiving emails for years now offering opportunities in customer service that are fraudulent. Yesterday I received an email offering me an interview with an established company (name withheld, but it was not a big technology company) for a position that was in line with what I want to do, but something tripped the alarm in my mind that this was not real. The grammar was clear, the details were pretty good and the I would be into it...until I got to the way they wanted to interview. Skype. Nobody uses Skype/Lync for business meetings anymore after Teams launched. I then checked the sender's address and it seemed legitimate, like it was being used to hide the actual address to prevent junk emails. The signature line had a name, so I looked it up on LinkedIn and indeed they worked for the company, so I decided to reach out and ask about it. After sending the odd message to the recruiter in the signature line, I decided to look up the email domain and its owners. It was masked by the registrar so no dice there. When the actual recruiter got back to me, they confirmed it was fake and asked me to forward it to their legal department. The moral of the story is that scammers are starting to get more sophisticated with their emailing practices, using established companies (and domains) that aren't instantly setting off red flags, names of actual recruiters from the respective companies, for opportunities that are more in line with what people want to do for whatever ends they are hoping for. When all else fails, just ask who the email is supposedly from through another method to make sure.

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This is a gold mine of pearls... Imagine if tech companies hired like this...Looking at what the applicant wants to do vs what they have done. "Have done" is in the past. It's good to know what they have done to understand a baseline of where they are at. But the focus should be on where do they want to go and what do they want to do at your company.

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UPDATE: *** Off the job market…. will be starting a position in a few weeks… *** I’m finding the old adage “it’s not WHAT you know but WHO you know” is absolute fact. Without having an advocate pulling for you in whichever company you are applying to, the chances of your information catching the attention of hiring managers is slim. I have heard from a few recruiters that they are being swamped with applications for every decent job. How do you weed through 200,300 resumes without some tool like AI searching for certain keywords… Most times those keywords are right in the job description. I’m as guilty as anyone of firing my generic resume off to 10 jobs I found and expecting it to catch someones attention because well “I’ve been there, done that”, BUT if the been there done that doesn’t relate closely to what is posted…. NOPE not the one…. Once I tailored my resume to openings and paid attention closely to how they frame the position, I started getting bites... Original Post***** It's getting very close to 7 months since an entire group of us were laid off at IBM. As with many stories you will read, I have applied to over 700 jobs. I have had 3 interviews from those applications; some went great during the Tech interview part and the hiring manager would get on and the interview would stop after a few minutes (I'm not 25 anymore). Just getting someone to pay attention to you in this market seems insurmountable. When dozens even hundreds of people are all applying for the same job, how does a recruiter or hiring manager decide which to talk to? I have had recruiters tell me jobs have been pulled due to the overwhelming responses. There is one I interviewed for months ago that still has the position open... maybe with all the responses, they think they can find a better person if they just wait and keep going. oIn the meantime, the ork isn't being done. I don't have the solution to this problem, I just know there are may people out here with years of experience in different areas of computing that would be a great addition to any company. Some of us aren't perfect in an interview, at this point we are terrified of what happens if we don't get the job - so the nerves are in overdrive. Please if you find someone that can do the work - they are able to answer the technical questions - don't keep looking for that "perfect" person. They may not exist

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My first day on LinkedIn I was banned for being a bot. I had to take a picture of my ID and send it in to their support team just to get myself reinstated. I had just been hired as an SDR and it was my job to take data from a well known provider that gave me job titles and companies and then check LinkedIn to see if they really were still at that company or not. (hmmm bad data from that provider? couldn't be!) It meant that I had to get on LinkedIn for the first time ever, and I had to start using it to view A LOT of profiles. I had no connections, no posts, no comments, and I was viewing hundreds of profiles in a few hours. Instant ban. My relationship with LinkedIn is super different now. I'm starting up what I'm calling a "RevOps Advent Calendar" and I wanted day 1 to be a post about my thoughts on LinkedIn itself (I'm meta like that). I think that most people aren't using LinkedIn correctly. A lot of friends I have in real life never get on here. A lot of people I know through work only have it casually for potential job opportunities. Here's my main tip on LinkedIn. If you see a post from someone who seems to understand your field and is putting out content you like, connect with them. This has helped me not only curate a feed of people who are better than me in my field, but it creates a little chamber of people I can bounce thoughts off in DMs. If I ever needed a job THAT would be the first place I would go for a warm intro, not just a "hire me please" post out into the aether. LinkedIn is super intriguing in that way, because you can find whatever YOUR niche is and go all in on it. I've seen everything from people that are creating only content for working dads with young kids to people who are giving me daily tips and tricks for tools that I use everyday to get my job done. LinkedIn is IMO the best social media platform, and I'm going all in on it this month with a post each day. If you want to mute me or unfollow now go for it! 😅 ------------ RevOps Advent Calendar Day 1 I accept all connection requests, if you want to see what the other days have in store feel free to send one over.

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Open to work week 10. Fun Facts! Based out of New Hampshire. Open to hybrid or full remote roles. Lover of popcorn. Let’s connect! In my 30 years of experience, I’ve consistently identified key strengths that have been pivotal in every role I’ve undertaken. I have created a video to discuss these insights in detail. https://lnkd.in/edj-w7zb Passionate about: ...becoming SME on product or software to enhance client experience, find upsell/cross sell opportunities and focus on the client WOW factor. ...finding workflow deficiencies and presenting the deficiencies with solutions to proper channels within my organization. ...CRM utilization. Let me master your CRM to not only excel in my role, but teach others around me how to excel in theirs. ...Technology. New software, new gadget, new anything! When it comes to technology let me immerse myself in it so I can teach our teams and clients all about it to help drive revenue. #GrowthMindset #NewOpportunities #NextChapter #pivot #CustomerSuccess

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Don't limit your resume to just workforce experience. Showcase your pet projects! The technical skills you gain from tinkering in your free time are valuable in a professional setting. Whether you’re job hunting or demonstrating growth to your current employer, showcasing these skills can make a big difference. Growth and opportunity is the name of the game. Proactively expanding your skill set shows employers that you’re a lifelong learner, and there's satisfaction to be had in achieving personal goals. Whether it’s learning a new programming language, building websites, enhancing cyber skills, UX design, network administration, or anything else I encourage you not to chase perfection but just to try. If you haven't gotten started, a quick Google or YouTube search will yield endless resources to try. Keep it pushing everyone! #Cybersecurity #Networking #Community #Gratitude #CareerGrowth #PetProjects #SkillDevelopment #ContinuousLearning #TechInnovation #ProfessionalDevelopment #LifelongLearning #SelfImprovement #PersonalGrowth

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to recruiters, this is said with all do respect: please STOP calling and when someone answers immediately just asking for a name, or speaking someone's name. especially for those in technical roles. we are all to familiar with scams that are A(G)I in nature and there are real world instances of people going through legal battles. it is just common courtesy and etiquette to introduce yourself first anyway when making a call to someone you don't know #againrespectfully

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Ode to my wife – It’s all for nothing without her support and praise. My wife Jacqueline is the reason for believing. Her quite demeanor and subtleness is meaningful to me as it allows me the space to float on the waves of frustration and stress daily. Then maybe once a week or every few weeks I have a substantial win and I see a small smirk in her lips and a glint in her eyes as she whispers “I told you so”. Commitment – Family and work are priority. Schedule and energy management are required. I feel a deep commitment to feed my family with playful energy, love and support. I have to put the oxygen mask on first. I eat and sleep well about 85% of the time. I’m always looking for improvement and I attempt to implement the shared knowledge of popular scientists like Dr. Andrew Huberman and Dr. Rhonda Patrick. I recently found a clip where Dr. Patrick said blueberries can enhance cognitive performance. I now eat a lot of blueberries. Passion – I am developing a passion for studying programming and I find that my work performance has improved as a result. When I decided to take learning how to code seriously I didn’t expect to find a passion for it. The purpose was to improve my performance at work. Starting in January of this year my code learning journey has taught me many things and some are abstract from the code itself, like how to separate large tasks into smaller parts. This approach has helped me understand the stages of a workflow that I am troubleshooting. This past week I was assigned a critical case with an unhappy customer. I spent several hours over several days with this customer’s engineering team. There were some very knowledgeable and experienced people on this team and I did well. By the end of the first call, they were mostly quite while I worked and simultaneously explained my workflow. By the middle of the second call, we were sharing jokes. I could sense in their tone and voice that they felt confident that I was capable and committed to resolving the issue at hand, one small task at a time. At the end of the week, I was rewarded with my wife’s subtle smirk and a glint from her eyes. As challenging as it is to manage everything mentioned above I am having a great time doing it all. As challenging as it all is I am happier then ever. I have a positive outlook on the future and I have self-improvement and career growth on the mind. I would not change anything and I stand ready to embrace all the challenges in front of me. Each challenge equals growth and more responsibility. If you have a personal growth story fueled by passion and support and you would like to share, I would like to read about it.

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Pro Tip: During most interviews, hiring managers will give you a chance to ask questions. It’s important to be prepared for this part. Saying you don’t have any questions no may make them feel you weren’t prepared for the interview or just aren’t that interested. Instead of looking unprepared, use this time to showcase just how much research you have done. When they ask you if you have any questions- ask to share your screen. Show them a video montage of them and their family over the last few months. Make sure to include key moments like birthday celebrations, private conversations, intimate moments… the more personal you make the video, the better. After the video is finished playing, just ask one question. “Is there any reason you wouldn’t hire me?” #meantforsattire

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Hey, Friends! 👋🏾 Quick question: How many of you are in the job market right now? Just me? UGH! The Great Resignation of 2021 is over and this current job market is harder than ever to break. The way I'm feeling, the job hunt is like being stuck in the world's longest waiting room, but guess what? This is MY week! 🚀 💡 Every "no" is just a stepping stone to the perfect "yes." 🎯 I'm using this time to level up! I took a Data Analysis bootcamp over the weekend (more on that later), been polishing my resume until it shines, and looking to network like a pro while the weather is still nice. 💼✨ So here's to turning the job search blues into job search woohoos! 💪🏾😄 👉🏾 Are you job searching? Share your goals for the week in the comments and let’s cheer each other on! 🎉 You've got this, and we're all in this together! 🌟 #MondayMotivation #JobHunt #CareerGoals #LevelUp #Unstoppable #MidlifeMetamorphosis

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It's ok to be nervous I've played the violin for almost 25 years (YIKES) But gosh do I feel SICK before every concert no matter how many I do I got chatting to an experienced Identity Solutions Engineer the other day who said they felt nervous about their upcoming interview They also asked if they should tell their interviewer they're nervous... Nervousness is a natural response for many people When it comes to interviews though, nervousness MIGHT be perceived as a lack of confidence etc, and COULD impact you getting the job Great HR & Talent professionals know that many experience this, and it's (partly) their job to help break the ice, make you feel comfortable etc There's no magic formula to ease nervousness, but there's always a few universal things you can do to help like: 👉🏻 Being prepared 👉🏻 Practice (makes perfect, hey?) But my question is... >> 𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐥𝐞𝐭 𝐚𝐧 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰𝐞𝐫 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮'𝐫𝐞 𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐨𝐮𝐬?! << Had someone tell you they're nervous? Told an interviewer you're nervous etc!? I'd love to hear any insight/stories/advice etc! #interviewing #hr #careers #recruitment

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I've been thinking about the Crowdstrike chaos. And I want to pass the blame to someone else I've seen blame directed at: "The EU" (for demanding 3rd parties have access to the Windows kernel), Windows, Crowdstrike, admins who install without testing, and various other permutations. I've not seen anyone blame people who design an HA infrastructure where all the servers are the same. This is like a lock company making all their keys the same. It's a really secure key, so we'll just reuse it and it will always be secure. Until it isn't. And then all your locks (or servers) suffer the same problem. And with servers (unlike locks) they will all suffer the same problems at the same time. You're probably thinking "We can't mix Unix and Windows, they work differently". Well, not at the application level. If you're running an API to process orders or whatever, then your application should process the order in the same way regardless of OS. But it goes further than that. What about your load balancers? Do they all run the same software? What if they have a problem? Why not run a combo of HAproxy/MetalLB/Nginx/Traefik with some on Windows and some on Linux and some on Solaris and some on AIX? The different load balancers probably don't interact well with each other today, but maybe someone reading this will think "But they should" and figure out a way to fix it.

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