Featured Candidate: Meet Rob

Meet Rob, a Computer Programmer for the Digital Revolution. A determined leader who is fascinated with technology, he brings both passion and creativity to each of his projects.

“You’re never too old to try something new. You finish with your education and you think you’re done and your metaphorical house is built but no, than comes  renovation after renovation – that’s how I look at life as a whole personally and professionally,” said Rob.

Adept in computer programming, Rob has always gravitated to opportunities that meld the human experience with technology. The knowledge he has gained has helped him with everything from being a champion Italian track star, to being a Web Developer with Ganz.

His accomplishments don’t stop there. He was a team lead at Ganz during the Webkinz craze, is a father of two, and just completed his first gig as a DJ.

Given all this, it’s obvious that Rob has a real passion and zest for life, and where technology can take him.

“My career has been quite an accomplishment. I’ve worked for some really cool companies and my resume is strong and speaks for itself. In the companies I’ve worked with I’ve done a lot of good work and everyone has been happy about that,” said Rob.

His academics are nothing to ignore either. He is a graduate with honours from the prestigious Bachelor of Math and Computer Sciences Program at Waterloo University. He didn’t stop there, and went on place second in a fourth year CG course for C++ and OpenGL in a 3D Brick Breaker Game, spending more time in the computer labs than back in his room, but he said it was all worth it in the end.

“I think my degree is pretty respectable, and being a Waterloo graduate is something I am very proud of. I went through their computer science program within the Math Department, and it definitely wasn’t for the faint of heart.”

Rob is also a very proud father. He has managed to develop a robust skill set while raising two children.

“I was once told being a dad is probably the only thing worth doing in life; that everything else is subjective to a degree. But objectively being a father yields many rewards. I love and respect my kids and the challenges of raising them – the challenges of modern day parenting are like no other in time. Technology is changing so quickly, as are our social dynamics with each other and with our kids. When in history has a parent texted his daughter to tell her to come home for dinner? My wife and I are doing the best we can, and so far the kids are growing up to be pretty great little people.”

His work experience has allowed him to develop a skill set that combines technical computer programming skills with effective human communication.

As for the future, he is fascinated and excited by the challenges it may bring – especially in business.

“We’re still trying to figure out how to incorporate all this technology into what’s fundamentally important. Technology is wonderful and we’re moving in the right direction. I’m very excited about everything that’s coming and how we can incorporate the human experience into that.”

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Featured Candidate: Meet Cumhur

Meet Cumhur, a expert in data and customer analytics for the Digital Revolution. A worldly self-starter who is continuously bettering himself, he brings both ingenuity and problem solving to each of his projects.

“I like to think my ingenuity, problem solving and process improvement are my biggest strengths,” said Cumhur.
Adept in economics with experience in business growth, Cumhur has always gravitated to challenging roles in his career. That drive has helped him with everything from immigrating to Canada, to graduating 3rd of his class among 300 plus students.

His accomplishments don’t stop there. He is a talented artist, with two of his pieces published in Existere Magazine by York University. Generous as well, he participated in a Data Marathon organized by Data for Good and UNICEF.

Given all this, it’s obvious that Cumhur is always willing to push himself to be better.

“I enjoyed a relatively comfortable life in Istanbul, so immigrating to Canada and leaving my parents behind was a remarkably tough decision. But it’s one that I am proud of today,” said Cumhur.

His academics are nothing to ignore though. His undergraduate degree was in Economics from the University of Istanbul, Faculty of Economics. He went on to get a major in finance and a minor in consulting from the Richard Ivey School of Business. He didn’t stop there, and went on to be one of 20 selected out of 3000 to work for Turkey Is Bank, the largest commercial bank in Turkey.

“I made several suggestions for opportunities with regard to process improvement and new products and services. In return, I was offered a six month assignment in their IT department before my first year was over. I was one of the first ever offered this position so quickly.”

Cumhur is also an entrepreneur. He managed to save a private college in distress in Northern Ontario by getting it break even. Then he sold the school to a local with several other businesses.

“I have no other entrepreneurs in my family, so I was proud to have the courage to take the plunge and save a business from closing. More importantly, I stopped four employees from losing their jobs.”

His work experience has allowed him to develop a skill set that combines both financial and data analytics.

As for the future, he is fascinated and excited by the challenges it may bring – especially in business.

“Thanks to recent advancements in digital technologies, today we are more interconnected to each other than ever in human history. What we eat, where we travel or shop, what we buy, and our hobbies; now it’s possible to track and size everything we do in our daily lives. On one hand it means less and less privacy, but on the other hand it constitutes a treasure trove for customer and predictive analytics for individuals and companies who strive to turn that data into actionable information for their business.”

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Want to be a featured candidate yourself? Send us a message on our LinkedIn group, here or on Twitter @pfourdigital

 

FEATURED JOB: BSA

The position requires working with various business lines, risk management areas and technology teams to resolve highly complex problems and provide solution to meet business needs.  Need to support business analysis activities for counterparty Credit Risk application

Our client is a leader in both the Canadian and worldwide financial district. They offer a diverse range of financial services to over 55 countries. On top of that, they havewon over a dozen awards rewarding them for their extensive corporate responsibility. They’ve been around over a century, and have the staying power to go for decades more. You could be a part of this world leading company that defines what a Top Employer should be.

They are looking for a Business Analyst who can handle dealing with a multinational company. They need someone who has the talent and the tenacity to resolve highly complex problems and provide solutions to meet business needs , who can understand Capital Markets and is as reliable as the company they will be working for.

Do you have a passion for risk management? Are you fascinated by business and technology? Do you want to work with the top business leaders and financial experts of Canada? Then you could be the perfect fit for this job.

The ideal candidate has experience with RiskWatch, knowledge and SQL, and Unix and has a good understanding of Counterparty Credit Risk.

This isa  contract position, and any candidates selected will be kept busy for a long while.
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Breaking down Business

WHAT IS A BUSINESS ANALYST?

Can you tell me?

There is a lot of confusion surrounding the job title Business Analyst (BA).  The word ‘Analyst’ is probably the most used term in the corporate dictionary. Anyone can theoretically claim that they are an analyst – and that includes me (Blog and Technology Analyst anyone?). However, the fuzzy job title of Analyst can actually do  bit of harm to both Job Hunters, and Employers looking to hire.

How can you be effective at any job if you don’t really know what that job is?

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE AN ANALYST

Working off of the above definition, an Analyst can apply to many different careers and areas of expertise. Essentially, they are people who review and examine data or information for a specific area. Analyst may be the title, but the real identifier is what comes before it. For example:

• IT Analyst: someone who is responsible for building and maintaining I.T. networks, servers and other computer hardware.
• Financial Analyst: someone who is responsible for researching and analysing financial information to make well informed decisions about the future investments of a company.
• Data Analyst: someone who performs a variety of tasks related to collecting, organizing, and interpreting statistical data.
• Application Analyst: someone who specializes in specific software package or custom business application.
• Digital Analyst: someone who specializes in understanding the effectiveness of any digital marketing channel such as social media, mobile, or even email.

If you want to see Infographics of some of these job titles, check out our Pinterest page HERE. P4Digital is an excellent source for information about the new jobs emerging in the digital revolution.

There is a reason the term ‘Analyst’ is so used in corporate society; because it can apply to a wide variety of areas and expertise. It is not a phrase that is meant to be bottlenecked.

To understand any of the above jobs, you have to understand the first word in the title.

The key to a business analyst role is business!

WHAT IS  BUSINESS?

It doesn’t matter which part of the world you’re in, which language they speak or what dialect – everyone understands Business.

The key to business analysis is to further define what is meant by that particular business, and which part of that business you are referring to.

• Horizontal Industry:  A horizontal industry is one where companies tend to produce a wide range of products and services. This type of industry totally lacks in specialisation.
• Vertical Industry: A vertical market is an industry companies that develop similar products and are marketed to similar demographics.

Business can be broken down into these industries.

VERTICAL MARKETS AND BUSINESS ANALYSTS

Businesses can further be subdivided into Divisions. Vertical industry in retail, manufacturing, banking and government could be divided into divisions of accounting, distribution, public relations and consumer affairs, to name a few.

For example: The mortgage department at a bank would be considered a division, while the Credit department there would be considered another, separate division. 

A Business Analyst is someone who can work within a division in a business Vertical.

In Toronto, for example, a common Business analyst would a retail/mortgage business analyst for a Canadian global financial institution.

They can be incredibly specialized.

WHAT IS BUSINESS ANALYSIS

Business analysis involves understanding the needs of the company in each division and vertical. From there, an analyst can recommend solutions that deliver value to both employees and stakeholders. 

They do this by assessing the impact of that solution, understanding  requirements needed for it, and then ensuring that those requirements are delivered.

While all this change is happening, a business analyst must continue to support the everyday functions of the business.

IF A BUSINESS ANALYST IS THERE TO ENSURE THE SURVIVAL OF A COMPANY, WHERE IS HE LOCATED?

Business Analyst’s are located in practically all business divisions. They can be found within a number of departments in an organisation:

• Accounting
• Distribution
• Public Relations
• Consumer Affairs
• Many more

Wherever they work, Business Analysts must be great communicators, tactful diplomats, and excellent problem solvers. They must have the ability to understand and respond quickly in rapidly changing business environments.

WHY ARE THEY SO IMPORTANT?

The only constant thing in this world is change, and Business Analysts are likely to be the key change facilitators in any organization or company.

They must deliver effective solutions with obvious benefits, and these usually have to be done within short time frames.

This is especially true now, in the wake of the digital revolution. If a company can’t keep up with the changes happening at an exponential rate, they will be left behind.

In hindsight, Blockbuster video could have probably used a better Business Analyst. Maybe one in the consumer behaviour division.

Apple on the other hand, has an amazing one.

Business analysts work across all levels of an organization. They could be involved in in everything from defining strategy, to creating the architecture, to taking a leadership role by defining goals, to supporting continuous improvement in businesses technology.

They have the specialized knowledge needed to act as a guide, and lead the business through unknown territory to get it to a profitable destination.

Business Analyst Infographic