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Limitations live only in our minds. But if we use our imaginations, our possibilities become limitless.
Jamie Paolinetti
MARCH 2016
LIMITLESS
The Interview Big Data and Me Austin Startups
By Oliver Wood Computer Futures VP Danny Cohen pg 5. By Jessica Warden-Brown From Netflix to email: Big Data knows all pg. 7 Founders of: Homads, Remedy, and Humm pg. 9
Breaking the Glass
By Lizzie Verbeek Family life, to gender diversity, and career progression pg. 13
The Bearded Bytes
By Stephen Rea and Dan Maw Round 1 - Artificial Intelligence pg. 15
Fountain of Knowledge Style Salary Report Austin Community College SOS Children’s Villages
By Haley Fountain Haley’s Knowledge of Space and the next steps pg. 17 Workspaces in the US pg. 20 By Brittany Alexander Security professionals are in high demand pg. 29 By Melaina Wilkin Community College teams up with local businesses pg. 31 By Yvonne Humphries Fundraising across the country through cycling pg. 33
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MARCH 2016
LIMITLESS
The Force Awakens 30 Years in Business
3 Computer Futures |March
By Kelsey Ulrich Closing the supply and demand gap in the Saleforce market pg. 34 By Bennida Jang Our Journey from 1986-2016 pg. 36
AN INTRODUCTION TO LIMITLESS “Limitless” is used to describe many things; a set of beliefs, the quest for knowledge and even space & time. For us at Computer Futures, “Limitless” is how we see our company and it’s a belief system that allows us to go beyond the norms of a traditional staffing company. This year marks our 30th Anniversary and to celebrate, we could not think of a better way than to release a bi-monthly publication that combines all of our years of experience, expertise, and knowledge. Our aim is to utilize this knowledge and share it with you, the people of technology, and support your individual and collaborative goals. This magazine will bring you the best stories in the tech community, insights into groundbreaking start-ups and the greatest tech innovations from around world. Please enjoy our first edition as we look forward to working and collaborating with the Technology Community for another 30 years! Oliver Wood Editor in Chief Bennida Jang Co-Editor limitless@computerfutures.com
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The Interview:
Danny Cohen, VP at Computer Futures
By Oliver Wood WHY LIMITLESS?
I am extremely passionate about our company. I want to communicate to our market, to the people who make it tick, to discuss and debate our views and yours. Limitless is the belief that anything is possible. Would we have sat here 30 years ago believing Computer Futures would be in Texas and in every major city in the US? I hope so, if we had the Limitless view. I firmly believe in the highest standards for our clients and candidates. We listen to what they need, and deliver the very best people to the marketplace. It’s that simple. I also recognize how important it is to have a local focus, which is why we launched both our Houston and Austin offices in under a year. This outlook has made us number one in Europe, and I’m confident that with our Limitless scope 5 Computer Futures |March
for growth opportunity in the South, we can become the best technical staffing company in the industry. WHY THE MOVE?
If I told any of my friends back home in London that at the age of 33, I’d be sitting on the 16th floor in WeWork, on Congress Avenue, announcing the launch of our brand new publication, they would remark on how much things have changed! From 10 years in Amsterdam to moving across the pond to set up offices in Houston and Austin. I love what I do. Pure and simple. It’s pretty obvious that technology isn’t going away. Far from it, technology is where anything and everything is happening. Where a system is being developed, maintained, innovated, invested in or even becoming obsolete, technology is here
“I love what I do. Pure and simple. It’s pretty obvious that technology isn’t going away.”
to stay and that’s why I am delighted to be part of this fascinating, ever-changing industry. FAVORITE FOOTBALL TEAM?
Tottenham Hotspurs – Best Club in London FAVORITE ‘AMERICAN’ FOOTBALL TEAM – REAL FOOTBALL?
brisket, but haven’t made my way to Franklins or Le Barbeque yet. However, I did experienced the awesome Terry Blacks. If you meet me please give me your favorite recommendations, I can’t wait to try it all! ELECTRIC, HYBRID OR GAS?
I can’t drive…so Uber.
Green Bay Bears?
WHERE TO EAT IN AUSTIN?
I love food and could not have found a better place than Austin for that. In my short time here, I have come to love Taverna for its Risotto and weekend brunch! I also enjoy Cru for its wine and cheese. I can’t have enough 6
Big Data & Me By Jessica Warden-Brown, Client Relationship Manager j.warden-brown@computerfutures.com
I’d like to take this moment to thank Netflix. Without Big Data and you, I wouldn’t have Grey’s Anatomy….life wouldn’t be the same. Every time I purchase an item from my favorite store, I delve into my purse keen to scan my rewards card; momentarily oblivious to the idea that the data the retailer is capturing excites them as much as me receiving my ‘points’. For me, Big Data has had a big impact on my customer experience. The most apparent example of this is my Netflix account – the suggested recommendations based on my previous viewings. Aside from my Saturday morning TV fix, Big Data has also successfully enhanced my shopping and travel experiences. I will happily trade my shopping secrets/habits, in exchange for discounts on flights to my most frequented locations, and money off 7 Computer Futures |March
my favorite groceries. The Big Data industry is growing exponentially, and it’s easy to see why. However, where is the line drawn? When does Big Data move from the realm of improving the customer’s experience, to creeping the customer out? The best retailers capture consumer habits and both reward and incentivize for repeat business. I get free coffee for fuelling my caffeine addiction, and an occasional upgrade for my flights back home to the UK. However, I recently heard from a friend that she was confident her other half was going to propose. When I asked why – she replied she couldn’t open a website on their home computer without there being advertisements for diamond engagement rings littering the page. Naughty naughty Big Data.
Naughty, Naughty Big Data There has been a lot of controversy around the topic. One famous retailer has even been suspected of predicting pregnancies and mailing baby related coupons; all prior to some of these women knowing the news themselves. Yet, that line between being creepy and positive is subjective. For me, it’s a game changer and I will enthusiastically continue to exchange my shopping secrets and habits for a greater consumer experience. And one day, just maybe, I’ll successfully have traded enough data for airmiles to find a full trip home.
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AUSTIN STARTUPS Homads By Vi Nguyen & Lan Chu WHO WE ARE
Homads is an online marketplace for rentals of 30 days or more. We provide online payments, a rating and review system, screening, and insurance services. Our market reflects fair pricing for month to month rentals. Our main customers are people moving to Austin (currently 157 per day); families waiting to sign on their home, students moving in and out, and anyone dealing with life’s emergencies. We’re looking for homeowners who want to make extra cash but with less effort and more stability than short term rentals, and also avoid the 15% hotel taxes and licensing. HOW HOMADS STARTED
designer, joined the team. She is the creative genius and someone I’ve worked closely with for a few years. We then proceeded to hire the three best developers we knew. They had prior experience at HomeAway, Dell, and Blackbaud. We wanted their expertise on the best tech stack for our needs and to build out a solid foundation. WHY WE’RE DIFFERENT FROM AIRBNB
People ask us why we’re competing with Airbnb, and our answer is “we’re not!” We wouldn’t exist if they provided the marketplace that we needed. If you’re a host with Airbnb, and you rent out your place for 100 bucks a night, why would you lower your rate to $1,500 a month for someone knowing you can make up to three grand? Our market reflects fair pricing for month to month rentals with minimum commitment. Sometimes you need a place to stay for a month or two without inflated prices or being locked in a lease.
The idea originally started during SXSW in April of 2014, when I received a warning from the City of Austin stating that I needed my short term rental license to rent out my condo. I had barely started being an Airbnb host and definitely wanted to follow city regulations. Therefore, I worked with the city and took the necessary steps to get my WHERE HOMADS IS NOW place inspected and ready to go. Unfortunately, throughout Fast forward a year since inception: We are planning to the process I discovered that although I own my condo, launch by SXSW (mid-March) and have been in beta for a short term rentals were prohibited by my homeowner’s couple of months, addressing bugs that early adopters have association. This is when I decided to find an alternative encountered. We had hit a few road bumps along the way, site to help me rent out our condo for a few months to but were able to smoothly address the problem with minor a year, since we just finalized the delays to our launch. People ask us why we’re paper work for our new house. I wanted something that would keep One of the harder obstacles we’ve competing with Airbnb, and both the homeowner and renter our answer is “We’re not!” We faced was finding a merchant to accountable, unlike classified ads on process payments that would work wouldn’t exist if they provided the sites like Craigslist. To my surprise, with our site. Most startups have there were no resources for people a difficult time getting a merchant marketplace that we needed. who wanted to sublet and it was a account as they’re normally using steep learning curve for the average person to learn how to a lean startup methodology and bootstrapping their properly rent their place. From these obstacles, Homads company, which makes them a high risk company (lacking was born. Homads took off once Lan Chu, cofounder and financial history). Fortunately, we were able to find a local 9 Computer Futures |March
company willing to work with us that offers the escrow services we need. WHERE HOMADS PLANS TO BE
We plan to create a successful marketplace within Austin in our first year before moving to major cities in Texas. Apartment complexes in Austin are at a 97% occupancy rate, so we know there is a demand for more housing. The same can be said for Dallas and Houston which are at 95.4% and 94.7%, respectively. Within five years we plan to spread to major cities throughout the US, and eventually,
globally.
Although we are a new startup, we have a roadmap of where we want our company to go. We want Homads to concentrate on building communities by being the one stop shop for rentals and the go-to place to learn more about their future neighborhood.
homads.com
AUSTIN STARTUPS Remedy inc. By Dr. Jeremy Gabrysch Throughout my career as an ER physician, friends and family have called me for various medical issues. I always kept supplies around my house, so when a friend needed stitches, I could take care of it, and save them the expensive trip to the emergency room. Or I might get called over to a neighbor’s house to look in his child’s ear. Then it occurred to me, “Why not make this convenient in-home care available to everyone?”
Remedy delivers professionally licensed medical experts to patients in their home, office, or hotel.
Housecalls had been abandoned decades ago because they couldn’t be efficiently performed. You didn’t want a medical provider sitting in traffic all day trying to cross town to see the next patient. But recent advances in smartphones and geolocation have allowed us to maximize efficiency in these areas. The consumer’s appetite for on-demand services like Uber and Instacart has continued to increase. If an app could be developed that would increase provider efficiency, then housecalls could make a comeback. Patients might even demand them in order to get more convenient care. Remedy is the app that does that. By using Remedy’s mobile website (or native iOS and Android app), patients log in, pay a service charge, and the provider arrives to the
preferred location within 90 minutes. Remedy delivers professionally licensed medical experts to patients in their home, office, or hotel. Alleviating long waits, exposure to other germs and the expense of emergency room facilities, patients can be seen where they are most comfortable. Remedy is prepared to care for illnesses such as flu, strep, minor infections, as well as sprains and minor injuries. We are also prepared for minor procedures including stitches, IV fluids, injections, and splinting of minor fractures. Busy young professionals have Remedy see them at the office. Stay-at-home moms have their sick child checked without loading the whole family into the car. On the physician side, the app pairs the nearest doctor with the patient, and keeps providers in a zone of efficiency where they can see the most patients. The house call is back in Austin for all types of urgent care needs, and it’s being made possible by Remedy.
remedyurgentcare.com
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AUSTIN STARTUPS Humm By Bernard Briggs, CEO and Founder People are often shocked when I tell them that Humm -a technology platform that now powers some of the most well-known hospitality and healthcare brands across the country -- got its inspiration from a lunch outing at a fast food chain. But years ago, as I was sitting in a Long John Silver’s having lunch with my sons, the sound of a bell caught my attention. I watched as customers rang the Captain’s Bell to show they had enjoyed their experience, and took note of the clear energy and satisfaction it gave the employees. The gears were already turning in my head. What if companies could create a digital version of the Captain’s Bell to better understand and quantify every customer experience? How could companies better use direct customer feedback to drive improvements, uncover new opportunities and make every experience exceptional? The idea percolated for years, and in 2012, with the invention and widespread adoption of smartphones and tablets, we launched Humm to turn that inspiration into a reality. PSYCHOLOGY DRIVEN TECHNOLOGY
Since our launch, Humm has helped hospitality and healthcare companies around the world tackle that challenge, leveraging real-time, on premise customer feedback to improve the guest experience and drive measurable business improvements. We believe customer feedback is rooted in psychology, so while we’ve built a rich technology platform, we consider ourselves a psychology company first and a technology company second. 11 Computer Futures |March
Through extensive research and our work with more than 300 brands, we’ve seen that when a customer has an experience -- whether good or bad -- there are a few key principles that dictate their behavior and willingness to share that information: Diminishing emotion: brands have the greatest chance of capturing honest feedback at the time of the experience Actionable trends: trends in feedback, versus a few anecdotal opinions, enable the most informed actions Empowering anonymity: giving consumers a degree of anonymity increases authenticity of feedback Eruptive behavior: let consumers vent on premise, and you reduce the likelihood of an online blow-up viewable to the public Our real-time platform enables companies to tap into those psychological drivers, giving them the ability to capture and take action on higher volumes of more authentic feedback. While still on-site, guests are encouraged to provide feedback on a variety of facets of their experience via tablets pre-loaded with a short series of questions. As feedback is collected, dashboards help companies keep a pulse on their business. With real-time alerts provided to the management team and leadership, they have the ability to immediately intervene when issues arise. By tracking feedback, over time companies can better identify
trends, pinpoint and address challenge areas and uncover new opportunities. DRIVING REAL RESULTS THROUGH REALTIME FEEDBACK
Our platform’s success starts with its ability to drive large volumes of feedback. To encourage participation, tablets are incorporated into the natural flow of a customer’s experience. As a result, our clients regularly see a 85-90% response rate, staggering when compared to the sub-10% response rate seen with more traditional approaches like survey cards or post-experience emails. Within the restaurant space, tablets are often provided alongside the check, with questions focused on how they enjoyed the food, if their server was friendly or knowledgeable, or whether the space was too loud. To date, more than 400 hospitality brands around the world rely on Humm to inform and refine menu items, recognize top performers and adjust ambiance. For example, one restaurant in Austin, credits our platform with inspiring a full redesign of the space. Speaking to direct bottom-line impact, Nath Companies in Minnesota, attributes much of its double-digit revenue increase with the ability to better understand and act on direct input from its customers.
exam rooms, at prescription pick-up areas and at checkout. Feedback covers a wide variety of elements from wait time to facility cleanliness, staff service and understanding of discharge instructions. To date, Yale New-Haven Hospital has deployed 70 tablets across 19 locations, and after seeing the initial impact, now
has a full project team dedicated to the implementation of our platform and the integration of patient feedback across the business. More recently, MedSpring Urgent Care deployed the Humm platform nationwide, with more than 90,000 pieces of feedback collected in the first few months. The company credits real-time feedback with helping drive major improvements in their day-to-day operations as well as their third-party ratings. LEADING THE EXPERIENCE MANAGEMENT REVOLUTION
Two years ago, we began to explore how the same technology and approach could be applied to the healthcare space, and today, our platform plays a critical role in helping providers tackle the new era -- and accompanying challenges -- of consumerized healthcare. Consumers now shop for healthcare options much like they scout out new restaurants or hotels, and patient satisfaction plays a large role in determining provider reimbursement. With Humm, more than 100 hospital systems, private practices, and urgent care clinics are leveraging real-time feedback to win and retain patients, and improve the patient experience and overall quality of care. And the use cases are vast. Providers utilize our platform in waiting rooms,
Information is only as impactful as the action it enables. We live in a world where online customer rants regularly go viral, and negative Yelp reviews have the ability to put a business under. At Humm, we are focused on leading a macro shift from after-the-fact reputation management to real-time experience management. From hospitality to healthcare, the ability to deliver exceptional experiences will make or break companies in every industry. Real-time feedback is the key for companies looking to take control of their brand experience. Your customers are talking -- are you listening?
hummsystems.com
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Breaking The Glass By Lizzie Verbeek, Business Development Manager
On November 20th, Computer Futures held their inaugural “Breaking the Glass� event at Rouge Wine Bar in Houston, with a goal of bringing together senior business women. Our attendees were a diverse group of professionals, coming from the Oil & Gas, Human Resources, and IT industries. Hot topics of discussion ranged from balancing a career with family life, to gender diversity and career progression. Each woman offered unique viewpoints on the business world, but were in agreement about the importance of women being given the opportunity to network socially and professionally. Moving forward, we will continue to provide round table events, seminars, and expert speakers. Our second event will be February 18th at the Beer Market in Houston. We are also pleased to announce the opening of our Austin Chapter. The 13 Computer Futures |March
Gender Diversity
first Austin event will be held on March 24th at 5:30pm downtown at The Market. An industry specialist will be speaking about unconscious biases and how we can overcome them. Refreshments and snacks will be served. We are excited to have begun this journey, offering a valuable service to our network and getting to know our clients and candidates on both a professional and personal level. I truly believe this group will grow and provide members with career opportunities and chance to discuss best practice and challenge around the area of gender diversity.
Please contact limitless@computerfutures.com to RSVP.
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B Y D B Y D T R T R E A E A S E S E BB Dan Dan
Stephen Stephen
RRoou n d 1 :1 : und
Artificial Intelligence 15 Computer Futures |March
DAn Maw O
PR
As a race, humanity has always seen intelligence as a desirable factor, something to be sought-after, admired, and glorified. We’re heading toward a time where we can actually create the same level of intelligence in something we crafted ourselves, to better our lives and the lives, of those around us. How could this be seen as a bad thing?
vs
Stephen Rea T S N I A AG
A.I.- it should read “All In” not “Artificial Intelligence”. If we keep pursuing progress in this area, we are getting closer and closer to losing control. In simple termsWhy do we need a computer to drive our car for us? Isn’t the fun of owning a car to drive it?
Why do we need a computer to drive our cars? We absolutely should have the choice to make driving safer, more efficient and open to those who need access to a car but can’t drive. People make mistakes. They make bad judgement calls. They get road rage. They show off. They fall asleep. Having a layer of A.I. in your car takes away each one of these anomalies, and makes driving safer across the board. Artificial Intelligence has the potential to make lives easier by understanding our thoughts and desires, but if it were uncontrolled or unleashed fully, the advancements definitely pose a serious threat to our normal lives. If people as smart as Stephen Hawking are busy warning us of the danger, people like you and I need to listen
A.I.’s are going to be crafted by human hands, and that means we set the limitations. People get a bad perception of what A.I. could be, because of movies where the scenario plays out in some terrible, worldending cataclysm. Movies about a car driving safely from one place to another would not make for great entertainment. People have been making the world a better place with their ideas for generations, electricity, telephones, tand he internet, are all things that at one time seemed inconceivable to us, until someone went ahead and “did.” It’s a no-brainer (see what I did there) to introduce an additional layer of A.I. wherever possible. We entrust other people with the authority to plan and run our lives, to tell us how much tax to pay, how much healthcare and groceries should cost, and those individuals all have their own motivations an agenda. A.I. allows us to trust in something that’s completely unbiased, equal, and fair.
Successful business leaders and tech executives continually reference their excitement at the progress we are making, BUT they all seem to use the word “control” at every turn. We must keep control. We shouldn’t lose control. We must tell the computer what to do - not the other way around. To normal folks, that sounds like fear that they themselves are going too far. With our customers talking about how A.I. will change their working landscape from office workers, to field and remote employees, now is the time to take stock. Do we really want Artificial Intelligence to continue outpacing Human Intelligence at this rate? If Hawking can’t keep up with the concept, what hope do the rest of us have? If you have an opinion on this topic, or believe Dan or Steve had the best reasoning, please email us at limitless@computerfutures.com s.rea@computerfutures.com
d.maw@computerfutures.com
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Haley’s Fountain of Knowledge By Haley Fountain, Account Manager
NASA’S JOURNEY TO MARS
NASA has officially announced that they are on a journey to Mars. Over the next few decades, NASA will begin “taking steps toward establishing a sustainable human presence beyond Earth.”
They seek to answer the following fundamental questions:
• Was Mars home to microbial life? Is it today? • Could it be a safe home for humans one day?
• What can it teach us about life elsewhere in the cosmos or how life began on Earth?
• What can it teach us about Earth’s past, present, and future? The first steps have been taken by the International Space Station (ISS) through science and technology research, and the next step will be developing the Space Launch System (SLS).
So what should we expect from NASA in the meantime? They will begin testing key capabilities
through “EM-1 and EM-2, along with ARM, SEP, cislunar habitation, and long-duration testing and operations.” The biggest challenges facing future missions are associated with transportation, working in space, and staying healthy. Solving these issues will be key in ensuring successful
missions to Mars.
REAL ESTATE INDUSTRY REVENUE AND TECHNOLOGY NEEDS ON THE RISE!
According to Realtor.com, 2016 is supposed to see an increase in total home sales - the highest since 2006! This is partially due to the median new home price finally coming down, leading to more people buying. Analysts are already seeing an increase in revenue this year and expect this trend to continue.
There is a huge opportunity for technology in the Real Estate world - and some companies like Zillow, Trulia, Realtor.com, Redfin, and StreetEasy have already shown the power that technology can have when applied to a market as lucrative as this. The biggest areas of opportunity in technology for Real Estate include Property Management, Research and Analytics, and Mobile Applications.
What technologies are impacting the Real Estate Industry the most? According to inman.com, the top
technologies that are “shaking up real-estate:”
1. Virtual Reality: prospective buyers can now 18
look at houses from the comfort of their home.
2. IoT: smart homes and smart furniture are quickly growing in popularity. 3. 3-D Printing: homes built from 3D printers will be cheaper, faster and safer.
4. Bitcoin: digital currency is gaining popularity, and the most useful way to take advantage of it in real estate is allowing international investors to purchases “slices” of property.
5. Drones: perfect for shooting aerial photos, pending the FAA approval. 6. Big Data: firms are analyzing public and private data to flag potential buyers.
7. Artificial Intelligence: could make lead management a lot easier. THE FUTURE OF TECH JOBS
It’s no secret that IT is the hottest job market out there. According to a recent study, there is a projected 18% of growth in Tech Employment expected by 2022, compared to 10.8% growth in other markets. To put that into perspective - we are looking at over 685,000 new tech jobs to be available by 2022!
Where Tech Is Growing: IT encompasses so many elements, and is rapidly changing. Here are the specific IT markets with the largest projected growth in the near future: • Health IT • Analysts
• Programming and Software Engineering
• Database Development, Administration, and Business Intelligence • Project Management • Security
• Web Development
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Style
A look at some of the coolest environments to work in throughout the US.
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Contently SoHo, NY Contently is a technology company that helps enterprise companies create results-driven content by providing them with smart technology, vetted creative talent, and proven methodology. We are headquartered in SoHo New York. Our office offers unlimited snacks, beer kegs, free lunch Fridays, monthly happy hours, and quarterly outings. Ann Fabens-Lassen Communications Manager 267.738.2978
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RetailMeNot Austin, TX At RetailMeNot Inc. in Downtown Austin, forget the receptionist. A barista with a fully stocked coffee bar greets employees in the lobby, ready to whip up anything for free. “We’re saving them money, and there’s a lot more productivity and collaboration happening among our employee set,” said RetailMeNot Vice President of Communications Brian Hoyt.
“If I can have folks stop here in the office and grab a bite to eat, maybe talk about work for 30 or 40 minutes while they’re having lunch, we get much more productivity out of the RetailMeNot staff,” Hoyt said.
RetailMeNot is a digital coupon website. Each floor of the office has its own theme, and every corner is meticulously decorated. Employees can grab a beer, play a game of ping pong, and smile for a photo in the photo booth. But they don’t forget there is a job to do. An electronic calendar greets employees, reminding them of all major retail holidays when business will pick up -- namely Black Friday In the tech world, competition is stiff, particularly in Austin.
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HomeAway Austin, TX Headquartered in Austin, Texas, HomeAway has four offices in the city – each one cooler than the last. Last year, HomeAway finalized construction on its newest office. HomeAway Domain is the company’s fourth and largest space in Austin, with even more unique features designed to make work feel like a vacation: Stuff you won’t find anywhere else: a living wall featuring a moss birdhouse and a 3D video tunnel featuring virtual vacation experiences from the art on the walls to the meeting room names. Travel themed-everything: There’s even a mural made up of thousands of vacation photos from HomeAway employees, Chuck Close style.
Souvenirs: You can never have too many vacations – or vacation souvenirs. The Domain office is decorated with dozens of birdhouses, including a huge collection of one-of-akind birdhouses crafted by employees. Wellness: Sit-to-stand desks for all employees and a brand-new gym. Unlimited healthy snacks and drinks in the kitchen.
Collaboration: Abundant breakaway areas and gathering spaces, including an underground “Zen Den” and an upstairs party deck. Fun: Retro arcade games, Ping Pong tables, shuffleboard, PlayStation, Wii, Xbox and more.
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Livefyre San Francisco, CA San Francisco-based tech startup Livefyre, is passionate about helping brands and publishers build and manage real-time social experiences around their content. Founder and CEO, Jordan Kretchmer, teamed up with Studio O+A to design their outstanding HQ. The 38,000 square foot SoMa open floor plan highlights the company’s culture and encourages a collaborative work environment. Complete with a 15-foot video media wall, a rooftop to rival Miami, an artisan coffee bar (with an extra strength coffee keg), soundproof developer caves, acoustically paneled work cubbies, commercial grade kitchen, a custom art installation that incorporates pieces of Livefyre’s history, secret passageways, and old-school game room. The space even has office lighting made to simulate sunlight and it’s own internal amphitheater located in the center dubbed the “Ring of Fyre.” Livefyre’s HQ is the perfect combination of work and play.
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Salary Report By Brittany Alexander b.alexander@computerfutures.com
Identity theft is something we’ve heard about for decades, but over the last few years there has been a significant uptick in this kind of fraud. We now hear about these stories almost daily. Given the consequences and possible long lasting implications of identity theft, consumers are on high alert.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics forecasts a 37 percent increase in Information Security Analyst positions alone between 2012 and 2022.
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Major corporations with allegedly secure infrastructure such as Target and EBay have found themselves at the center of major data breaches. As a result of these hackings, millions of customer’s personal and financial details have been compromised. Even governments around the world have fallen victim to this kind of cyber-crime. So what does that mean in the technology world? Security professionals are in high demand. The Bureau of Labor Statistics forecasts a 37 percent increase in Information Security Analyst positions alone between 2012 and 2022. That is a highly favorable increase in the demand of these types of workers, but what about the supply? As the need for security professionals is skyrocketing, the supply is actually quite low. We might not be able to imagine our daily lives without the ability to quickly purchase something online, but it wasn’t that long ago that such capabilities didn’t exist. Remember we haven’t always had these magical devices attached to bodies. A decade ago flip phones were still the height of cool. Now we can bank, shop, travel, date, and even control the temperature of our homes remotely from multiple personal gadgets.
We are perpetually wired; our financial and personal information is out there on countless platforms. Meanwhile cybersecurity is still in its infancy with a small base of experts. As the principles of supply and demand dictate, individuals with these coveted skillsets earn premium compensation. You might be asking yourself, what if I’m interested in technology security? Let’s have a look at the Top 10 highest paid professionals in the sector based on PayScale’s estimates from 2015: CISO: C-level management executive whose primary task is to oversee the general operations of an organization’s IT security department and other related staff. The organization’s overall security is the foremost concern of the CISO. CISOs earn a median salary of $131,322
Security Architect: responsible for building and maintaining the computer and network security infrastructure for an organization. Security Architects earn a median salary of $109,794.
Security Director: responsible for designing, managing and allocating resources to various programs within an organization’s security department; creating user awareness and security compliance education campaigns; interacting with non-management employees; and offering key assistance to law enforcement in the event of a security incident and subsequent investigation. A Security Director’s median salary is variable, ranging from $104,775 to $116,245. Security Manager: responsible for managing an organization’s IT security policy. They must also test and implement new security tools, lead security awareness campaigns, and administer both department budgets and staff schedules. Security Managers earn on average a salary of $100,215.
$86,996. Incident Responder: responsible for addressing security incidents, threats and vulnerabilities that arise in an organization. Incident Responders earn a median salary between $70,000 and $90,000.
Security Consultant: an outside expert who helps an organization implement the best solutions according to their security needs. Security Consultants earn a median salary of $81,220.
Computer Forensics Expert: responsible for analyzing evidence gathered from computers, networks, and other data storage devices in an effort to investigate incidents of computer crime. Computer Forensics Experts earn a median salary of $77,270.
Malware Analyst: responsible for helping an organization understand the viruses, worms, bots, Trojans and other malicious software that threaten its network on a daily basis. Malware Analysts earn a median salary of $75,000.
Security Specialist: responsible for completing a variety of duties designed to strengthen the security of an organization. Security Specialists earn a median salary of $73,853.
Those are some attractive dollar amounts, and as the need for these skillsets continues to rise, so will the figures on the offer letters. A report issued by Burning Glass Technologies, reveals that job postings across the industry have grown 74 percent between 2007 and 2013—twice the rate of all other IT jobs. Information security is booming and the threats are evolving. It will be interesting to see what this space looks like in 10 years.
Security Engineer: responsible for building and maintaining the IT security solutions of an organization. Security Engineers make a median salary of
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By Melaina Wilkin melaina.wilkin@austincc.edu When a major employer needed its third shift trained between midnight and 4 a.m., our first question was “When do you want classes to start?”
studying a text book. We want our students to have a solid comprehension of their field, empowering them to excel in their chosen profession when they leave our classrooms.
Austin Community College’s Continuing Education (CE) Program is one of the largest in the country, and a leader in partnering with the local businesses to satisfy both community and the student needs. The majority of CE students are attending classes to either restart or change their career direction, with an ultimate goal of finding employment at the end of their training. We share in this ambition and believe that if our students are unable to do so, then we are not doing our job.
One way we ensure that we are meeting the needs of local businesses, is by setting up advisory committees comprised of leaders in a given industry. Our IT Advisory Board includes executives from the area’s biggest employers including: Rackspace, City of Austin, Austin Energy, and Computer Futures. The board meets several times a year to review CE’s IT classes, employment rates, and curriculum. Board members help set the direction of the curriculum, update our staff on trends in the industry, and offer feedback on what the college has accomplished.
Austin Community College is committed to ensuring our students find a return on their educational investment. We believe that preparing for a career encompasses more than
In turn, our CE program is responsive to the needs of the industry, making curriculum adjustment to ensure that students are gaining cutting edge knowledge, and
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ultimate goal is for the “ Our students to be able to find a job
“
at the end their training.
developing in demand skillsets that they can bring to the workforce. This partnership creates a beneficial relationship for all involved. Students use their education to gain stable employment, local companies gain qualified employees, and the school has met the needs of both parties, as well as the community at large.
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SOS VILL AGES
SAN FRAN TO LA Yvonne Humphries Recruiting Consultant y.humphries@computerfutures.com
In 2009, Computer Futures and our sibling recruitment brands made a commitment to SOS Children’s Villages to raise $1.5M for abandoned and orphaned children by 2018. Since that day, our offices around the world have come together to raise an astounding $1.1M, becoming one of SOS Children’s Transformational Corporate Partners. One of our greatest expeditions took place in May of 2015. Nine employees began a journey from the Golden Gate Bridge south to the Santa Monica Pier with one thing on their minds, helping the children of SOS. Throughout the 400-mile journey, the coworkers raised $20K. Our company matches every dollar raised for SOS, turning the 400mile journey into a $40K win for the charity. The efforts of these nine employees was an amazing push toward our $1.5M goal, and we have decided to make the bike ride an annual event. Given the success of the California ride, Computer Futures has decided 33 Computer Futures |March
to get involved in a local bike ride from Houston to Austin supporting Multiple Sclerosis, BP MS 150. Organized by the National MS Society South Central Region, the BP MS 150 is the largest of the Bike MS events in the United States. This two-day fundraising bike ride brings together 13,000 cyclists and 3,500 volunteers. In 2015, they raised a record-breaking $20.3 million dollars toward. creating a world free of MS. In 2017, we will be entering our own team, and opening up spots for avid cyclists who wish to support this cause. Please contact us for more information about our charity events and to find out how you can get involved.
THE FORCE AWAKENS
Kelsey Ulrich, SoCal Salesforce.com Consulting Services k.ulrich@computerfutures.com When we started our Salesforce recruitment team, we saw it as an opportunity to provide a unique service to our client network. We noticed a huge disparity in the market between the number of open Salesforce Developer jobs and the scarce supply of qualified candidates. That gap has continued to widen over time. In Southern California, the ratio of open positions to qualified candidates jumped from 5:1 to 10:1 between 2014 and 2015. This demonstrated to us that the Salesforce market is incredibly candidate driven, so we developed our strategy around building and maintaining strong relationships with Salesforce candidates, and then proactively representing them to top companies throughout the US. Our Salesforce team now covers all of the major Salesforce user hubs: San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Diego, Austin, Dallas, Houston, San Antonio, Seattle, Portland, Minneapolis, Chicago, and the East Coast. With the abundance of jobs and so few qualified individuals, many have asked why these candidates would want to work with recruiters. A huge value in our service is that each recruiter on our team is a true Salesforce market specialist. We’ve studied the market trends, we have a unique perspective on understanding what our candidates look for, and also what potential hiring managers look for. We’re aware of average rates and salaries per job title and per region, and we share this valued market knowledge with our networks to allow them to navigate the Salesforce market more easily.
For me, this was one of the most rewarding As part of our goal to proexperiences vide a truly consultative service, our team has also I’ve had in my put together a comprecareer.
hensive market report that summarizes and analyzes hiring trends in the Salesforce community throughout 2015, and examines the outlook for 2016. Following the release of this report, I was personally asked to speak at a Women in Technology event to further explain the trends in the report and facilitate discussions on other interesting topics specific to Southern California Salesforce community. This was one of the most rewarding experiences of career. I was given a platform to share prized knowledge with an audience of candidates and hiring managers – information that they likely would not have had access to otherwise. I was able to see in real time how our team strategy has come full circle, and I left the room feeling like I had genuinely helped the people in my Salesforce community. With this strategy in place, it feels like we’re doing more than just finding and filling Salesforce jobs. We’re teaching candidates and hiring managers how to traverse through a complex but prolific market, and in doing so we hope to start to chip away at the supply and demand gap and create a more sustainable future for the Salesforce hiring market. 34
Computer Futures 30th Anniversary By Bennida Jang Operations Manager b.jang@computerfutures.com An individual’s 30th Birthday is considered a momentous occasion and a milestone – a time to celebrate, but also a time to intrinsically reflect on the past. As Computer Futures hits the big 3-0 this year, we want to take a look back at how far we have come. So please, take this journey with us Back to our Future.... The year was 1986; the scene a small one room The 35 Computer Computer Futures Futures |March |March
The year was 1986; the scene a small one office in London, England. Computer Futures had just been founded by Bill Bottriell and Simon Arber. With an employee headcount of four and a large dose of entrepreneurial spirit, this young dream team set out to help fill IT positions with top talent. Fast forward to 2016. Gone are the days of recruiters receiving resumes from candidates by mail and faxing contracts to clients. Computer Futures has evolved into an international business with presence in 15 countries, launched 8 sibling specialist recruitment brands, and is publicly traded on the London Stock Exchange. The US is the company’s fastest growing region, with hubs in 8 major cities. In Texas alone, Computer Futures has offices in Houston and Austin and is rapidly expanding. We anticipate opening in Dallas and San Antonio in the near future. Despite our growth, we remain rooted in the
simple belief that our clients and candidates are the heart of our business, and we strive to provide them with the best level of service possible. In celebration of our 30th Anniversary, we plan to give back to our community through charity runs and food drives. We will also host number of events throughout the year to thank the customers that have made our success possible. Stay tuned for more information about our upcoming festivities and follow us on Twitter and Instagram @CFSouth. 36
ACCELERATION PROGRAM
where tech companies go to grow
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PROGRAM Mentorship » Robust and active network of mentors and advisors
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As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit accelerator, HTC assists entrepreneurs in several sectors: energy, IT, life sciences, nanotechnology, & NASA/aerospace.
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37 Computer Futures |March
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“
Time is a companion that goes with us on a journey. It reminds us to cherish each moment, because it will never come again. What we leave behind is not as important as how we have lived.
“
Captain Jean-Luc Picard
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Notes
Computer Futures |March