Brendan Hayes

Brilliant Developers are difficult enough to find, but to find one that is an expert in D365 and available is really really difficult to find... What move do you make to ensure "our project isn't stalled by a lack of D365 knowledge" within the organisation? 🧠 Hire a contractor; they can step in at a moments notice and start scaling up from day one. They can do the do, while upskill your internal team at the same time - leaving your business in a better position for the long run - all without the long term commitment. 💫 If you haven't considered contract resource as part of your strategy, you're missing a trick I'm always happy to get time booked in with anyone embarking on a Dynamics ERP programme of work to discuss how contract resource can enrich your journey. #contract #d365

9

✅ Need someone with niche Power Platform experience ASAP? Done. ✅ A Functional Consultant to be part of a project mid-flight? Sorted. D365 consultancies pride themselves on expertise, speed, and delivering value to clients. But no matter how good you are, your project success hinges on having the right people in the right roles!! This is where a great recruitment partner steps in 😊 We’re not competing with your in-house team or trying to “take over.” Instead, we’re your bridge to specialised talent.

8

End Users: please stop treating #d365 roles the same as generic IT positions. ⛔ Here's why: ✅ Passive job adverts won't - unlike generic IT professionals: the best D365 talent doesn't look at job boards, let alone apply. ✅ D365 talent costs more - standard IT salary guidelines don't align, so be prepared to invest in top talent. ✅ The talent pool is smaller - even with proactive headhunting methods, engaging with D365 professionals is a challenge. Their inboxes are full, competition is fierce. You might only get 1 shot to hit the right candidate, with the right message, at the right time. Make it count. ✅ Know your USP: and shout about it! Why should someone join your company? Get interviewers aligned on this AND TALK ABOUT IT. Getting D365 talent excited about your company is critical. ✅ Don't drag your heels - once active, D365 professionals will have many options. Delaying the interview process means you risk losing out to competitors. These are the main ideas I coach #endusers that have challenges recruiting #d365 professionals. What else would you add? #d365 #recruitment #endusers

47

9 Comments

A successful D365FO Programme isn't really worth it You never hear anybody say this, because it's a huge catalyst to business success & profitability I spoke to a business who are now seeing the ROI having implemented D365 some time back I was keen to understand specifically what their project team structure looked like This can help me educate future D365 customers who are undergoing F&O Implementations It was a big programme, with very little internal expertise This is what the set up looked like: D365FO Programme Director - Contract D365FO Solution Architect - Contractor D365FO Functional Leads for each workstream (HR, SCM & Finance) - All Contractors D365FO Developer - Contractor D365FO Tester - Contractor D365FO Data Migration Consultant - Contractor D365FO Trainer - Contractor They also seconded a number of people from the various internal teams (Warehousing/HR/Finance) as and when they could spare their time This is an absolute masterpiece in terms of resource planning and it's benefits They weren't relying on ONE person to do everything They had an expert for each individual phase of the project and as a result went live across multiple entities in multiple nations in record time If more businesses took this approach to their implementation, they'd likely save a significant amount of money overall What do you think?

33

16 Comments

Yesterday I spoke to a CTO who is kicking off a search for multiple new permanent Architect and Developer hires. I immediately noticed their frustration when they told me about a recent negative recruitment process.. “Over 150 CVs received” “Submitted candidates were barely qualified” “Multiple dropouts at offer stage” “Candidates were under-prepared for interviews” After a bit of deep dive, the main issue I identified was… over 8 agencies were onboarded onto the search, all sourcing the same candidates in parallel!! But why is this a problem? Surely using multiple agencies helps companies to reach a wider talent pool and drives competition amongst the agencies. RIGHT?! WRONG! ⚠️This technique often the absolute opposite effect. - Coordination complexity – managing several agencies requires much more effort which can be very time-consuming for hiring managers and HR teams. - Inconsistent messaging – different agencies might present your company & role inconsistently, potentially confusing candidates and sending mixed messages. - The best candidates are already being approached multiple times per day. How do you think they’ll react to being approached multiple times for exactly the same role? - Very few hiring managers have the time to conduct a detailed briefing with multiple different agencies, usually resulting in an over-simplified job description being sent via email, followed by a “we look forward to your profiles”, without taking the time to deep dive in the company sell, nice-to-have vs must-haves, flexibility, process optimisation, etc. 🌟 The solution - Look for a specialised agency who has a proven track-record in the area you’re hiring for. Playing trial and error with agencies who barely understand your market is not the solution when looking for your next crucial hire. - Take the time to conduct a detailed briefing. I’ve lost track of how many times candidates have been blown out of the water by the detail we were able to provide about the client’s situation and what they are looking to achieve by this hire. Spoiler alert – this is never mentioned in a job description. - Set clear timeline expectations and map out the entire process (interview dates, any holidays planned, start date / contract signature by date X). - Arrange a (bi-)weekly update call where both sides can update each other on any challenges being faced, sourced CVs can be discussed, and the search criteria can be adjusted in a quick and agile manner if required. - Avoid moving the goalposts once a search has started. - Provide timely feedback to submitted profiles – active candidates will not wait 2-3 weeks for feedback! I personally avoid accepting any new search if I know that multiple agencies are already working on the same position in parallel. I’d rather stick with my exclusive clients where I know I’m 95%+ likely to actually fill the job. What has been your experience? Share your thoughts and let's discuss! 💬👇 #recruitment #staffingsolutions

17

3 Comments

How to test if a recruiter really understand the field they work in... Get them to create their own dashboards using Power Apps. Maybe consultancy is my calling 👀 (definitely not as its taking me far too long ahah) #Dynamics365 #PowerApps #PowerPlatform #Recruitment

27

13 Comments

It's a big mistake to try and 'wing' it when building an internal ERP team. I spoke to a seasoned D365 program manager recently who had been brought in to provide assessment on the strength of an ERP team. The results were not great. Staff had been pulled from various departments and only 20% were assessed as being even capable. This happens all the time. I liken it to when professional sports teams bring in a veteran or emergency loanee. Maybe 10-15% of the time it works. And when it does, it is normally for only a very short period. Best case scenario - it is a stop gap. A stop gap that hinders progression greatly. A stop gap that isn't great for business. #erp #d365 #dynamics365

16

1 Comment

Selling services to D365 Business Central customers requires a different playbook. It is very different than F&O. Out of over 22k Business Central customers I track... 88% do not have a C-suite. 72% have no form of IT leadership. 51% have no established IT department. It requires a very different approach. #businesscentral #d365 #erp

32

10 Comments

D365 Day rate contractors are being undervalued..... 🤔   I had a conversation with an end user last week who is looking to migrate from on premise to the Cloud. We discussed the skillset they were looking for and I got a look of concern when I quoted £450-550 per day for a D365 CE Consultant.   This response highlights a growing issue in our industry... a disconnect between true value of skills and expectations from clients.   I can think of many reasons as to why bringing an inhouse contractor is beneficial... efficiency and speed, cost effectiveness etc...   📢 Contractors take the spotlight in the comments and sell your skillset. #dynamicsce #dynamics365 #contractors #dynamicscrm

29

6 Comments

Implementing Microsoft Dynamics 365, like any complex enterprise solution, involves numerous challenges that can lead to project failure if not managed properly. Here are some common factors that can derail Dynamics 365 implementations: ❌ Inadequate Requirements Gathering: Failure to thoroughly understand and document business requirements can lead to a solution that doesn't meet the actual needs of the business. This includes both underestimating what the system needs to do and not setting clear objectives. ❌ Lack of Stakeholder Engagement: If key stakeholders, including end-users, are not involved in the project from the beginning, there may be resistance to change, and the final product might not be fully adopted. ❌ Poor Project Management: Without strong leadership and clear communication, projects can suffer from scope creep, missed deadlines, and budget overruns. Effective project management is crucial to keep the implementation on track. ❌ Insufficient Training and Support: Employees need proper training to use the new system effectively. Inadequate training can lead to low adoption rates and underutilisation of the system. ❌ Technical Challenges: Dynamics 365 integrations with other systems and data migration from old systems can pose significant technical hurdles that, if not handled properly, can lead to functionality issues and data errors. ❌ Underestimating the Complexity of Customisations: Over-customising can make the system complex and difficult to maintain. It's important to balance between using out-of-the-box features and customising to meet specific needs. ❌ Inadequate Testing: Insufficient testing can result in bugs and issues being discovered only after the system goes live, affecting operations and user satisfaction. ❌ Budget Constraints: Underfunding can lead to cutting corners in critical areas like testing, training, and support, which are essential for a successful implementation. ❌ Change Management Challenges: Dynamics 365 implementations often require changes in existing business processes. Without effective change management, these changes can be disruptive and negatively impact user adoption. Addressing these factors requires careful planning, expert guidance, and a clear focus on business objectives throughout the implementation process.

24

2 Comments

The most well oiled D365FO Project I've seen... Possibly ever! This business has taken one of the most proactive approaches toward a successful Implementation They have an MS Gold Partner BUT They realised early on they couldn't just rely solely on them So, by the end of discovery they already had the basis of a solid project team They are currently in Build and this is what the team looks like: - Project Director - D365FO Project Manager - D365FO Solution Architect - D365FO Security Consultant - Workstream leads from a Dynamics background across: P2P/O2C, R2R, FP&A, Tax & PMA (Yes the module!!!) They have somebody solely focused on this because they're a project based business - D365 BA's reporting into each of those workstream leads - PMO Function - Change Function - Test Manager (Testers to come) - PBI Consultant & Engineer They didn't set unrealistic timelines and will Go-Live when they said they would This is not the case for probably 80% of ERP programmes They've added additional investment at the earlier stages of their programme so they don't have to spend more in the long run! What are your thoughts on this approach?

60

41 Comments

There are new D365 contract roles everywhere. Don't believe Billy the recruiter, sitting in his WeWork office in Fenchurch Street, telling you the market is dead. There are opportunities arising everywhere. Here are some guiding principles: 1) D365 contract roles are born out of a business need. 2) The business may not, at this stage, know it's a need. 3) The business likely has no knowledge of the D365 market. Marilyn, the HR Director, does not wake up one morning and think, 'F#ck it, today we are going to hire a D365 consultant'. She also doesn't care if Billy has an amazing contractor with X years of experience. Nor does the CIO, CFO, Project Manager or whoever else. There are however a number of key trigger points that show a company are needing to 'scratch' the proverbial 'itch'. I track over 100 'predictive analytics' each day and can tell you now, most companies are very predictable! Here's a theoretical example: Company A are using D365 F&O and have announced 2 completed acquisitions and plan for up to 8 more in the near future. Fred the D365 contractor has a background in post-M&A D365 integration and has successfully led numerous projects of this nature. Billy the recruiter thinks M&A is a shop in Westfield so sits on his hands. Fred (or an intuitive recruiter unlike Billy) has just opened up a 12 month contract opportunity that didn't previously exist. .......... Great contractors market a solution. Great recruiters market contractors as solution providers. Whilst I don't place contractors, I do use this exact methodology for perm. And if all else fails, just get to know the D365 end user market inside out. A location and either industry or project synopsis is usually enough to figure out who the end client is that a recruiter is posting a contract role for. Call me Robin Hood. #microsoft #d365 #dynamics365

64

Lightbulb moment💡 WHAT IF, D365 customers actually hired the right resources at the beginning of their implementation 😮😮 Time and again I speak with D365 customers who have had very messy implementation lifecycles They have gone on for far longer than necessary and has subsequently cost the business far more money than if it was properly planned out at the beginning with the appropriate resources🤔 If done correctly in the first instance, a business will reap the following rewards: ✅Expertise ✅Efficiency ✅Customisation specific to the business needs (where absolutely necessary) ✅Risk Management - THIS IS A HUGE ONE ✅User Adoption ✅Stakeholder Management ✅Scalability (If there’s anything I’ve missed, feel free to share!) In summary, just do the right thing, hire the right team at the early stages and the rest will take care of itself How important is it to adopt the right resources as early as possible on D365FO Projects?

13

4 Comments

Here’s what professionals in the D365 space are saying about their experience working with me: 'Of all the recruiters I've interacted with in my job search, he is the one that stands out as being the most professional, personable, and understanding.' Take a look at the testimonials to see how I can assist in your career progression. Ready to discuss your next move? Contact me today. #D365Careers #Testimonials

4

Demand for Intermediate-level Software Developers is decreasing, resulting in salary levels on offer declining. For the time being it appears that the days of intermediate developers securing 15% - 20% pay increases when moving jobs are over.   Current advertised salaries for software developers in the UK (3 months to June 2024) are down to 2019 levels.   Is this trend mirrored elsewhere in the world? What are the causes for this?    

4

3 Comments

This is just a reminder that the WhatsApp communities I have created for the D365 and Power Platform space are starting to get some traction which is great! If you are interested in joining any of the following groups, please send me a message with your phone number and which group you want to be added to; - D365BC - D365CE - D365FO - Power Platform Looking forward to hearing from you and growing these groups further in the coming months! #Community #KnowledgeShare #D365 #PowerPlatform #ConspicuousRec

8

1 Comment

🚀 The 'Dynamics 365 Business Central - Blog Alerts' WhatsApp Community is growing.. 👏 We have a few new additions to the RSS feed aggregator this week, thanks to some excellent recent blog content from these BC legends: Michelle Serna currently mid-way through a series on Excel Reports, Gavin Whittaker has been sharing some absolute top tips, a recent one on intercompany payments journals, Stefan Šošić is just kicking off what looks to be an excellent series on the all important project phase of User Acceptance Testing! Please check out these great blogs! Links in the comments, and if you want regular updates when new blog posts are out - to help you stay on top of all things BC - then check out this WhatsApp Community - that does just that! https://lnkd.in/d_-NUqgv

37

6 Comments

The salary of your System Admin, .NET developer or any other Tom, Dick or Harry has zero relevance to the salary you should be paying for an internal D365 resource. Or one another. Or anyone else for that matter. It is incomparable and therefore irrelevant. I've heard of HR departments wanting to take a blanket approach to 'IT' salaries to not 'upset the applecart'. This isn't the Soviet Union in the 1940's. And you aren't Stalin. If you want a true D365 SME for your business and believe you can pay £60k / €70k / $100k then you are living in dreamland. Sure, some muppet will take your business. But anyone with half a clue would have the cross hairs firmly fixed on your existing team and be ready to pounce. #microsoft #d365 #dynamics365

30

3 Comments