Author

Eric Larson

Company: an initiative of the Creating IT Futures Foundation, the philanthropic arm of CompTIA

Job Title: Director of the IT Futures Labs

Eric Larson

Eric Larson is Director of the IT Futures Labs at the Creating IT Futures Foundation, the philanthropic arm of CompTIA. In his writing, he shares his organization’s experience with technology workforce development and how companies can take a fresh look at identifying and recruiting their IT staff. He holds a BA from Duke University, and expects to complete his MBA at East Carolina University in December 2015. He has operated his own multi-media company and worked in the nonprofit field as a marketer, grant writer, and even a Peace Corps volunteer.

Recent articles by Eric Larson

For Your Holiday Reading: The Good Jobs Strategy

Uncomfortable as it could be at times, cotton scouting for Mr. Sykes Martin was a very good job. When I headed back to college I felt proud of the work I’d done, and we were rewarded with a full $500 bonus. Here’s why Martin got what he paid for, and how this “Good Jobs” strategy can be applied to a range of businesses to increase profits.

How Hiring for Skills Can Trump the Benefits of Nepotism

What we’re really looking for is something difficult to quantify: trust. How can we trust that this person is who they say they are? How can we trust that they will show up for work on time? How can we trust that they have a high level of skill in the things we need them to do?

What Does Your Hobby Have to Do with IT?

Great teammate qualities include empathy, humility, cooperation, willingness to share information, good communication skills, professional tact, and a sense of competition when it comes to making the team succeed. Don’t let “culture” questions deprive your company of great candidates.

Who are the Opportunity Youth?

It’s never been tougher for young people of either sex to get a foothold in an upwardly mobile career. About 6.7 million of these “opportunity youth” (a term often used to refer to youth ages 16 to 24) are neither in school nor a job. But our economy — and our country — could be a whole lot stronger if it put the most able-bodied to good use? Here’s how some organizations are working to do just that.

“Heel” Your Hiring Rules: College Degree Not Required

In competitive running, you should never land on your heel. It puts the brakes on. You think that you’re going faster because of your longer stride, but that’s actually slowing you down. The same is true when you require a college degree for all job candidates.

Encouraging STEM Studies: Don’t Just Recruit. Nurture.

College, much to the dismay of businesses in the science, tech, engineering, or math fields, is where STEM careers go to die. About half those who intend to major in STEM fields end up switching to another major. That’s a much leakier pipe than most non-STEM courses of study tend to experience. What happens?

Huge Key to Profits: Hiring the Right Person Quickly

No employer can forecast future sales with 100 percent accuracy, so there is always a bit of art and science involved in deciding when to hire. But once that decision is made, the clock starts ticking, and companies that fill their available positions first — and best — tend to have the competitive advantage in taking on new customers and keeping them happy.

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