One of his SOS staffers left the organization last month, but Irwin was able to turn to the SOS relationship manager, Cathy DiBonaventura, for help filling the vacancy. DiBonaventura generated a list of qualified candidates, then reviewed the list with Irwin. They are interviewing job candidates. Irwin likes having a relationship manager to help supervise his staff and map out individualized training programs. And naturally, the IT professionals who make up SOS benefit as well.
SOS works to forge a sense of togetherness among the staff, for instance by holding weekly lunches.
If you like each other, it really helps. Eric Snyder, a senior support specialist with SOS who works for ISC's network group, says the luncheons usually spur a technical discussion. As a result, staffers learn about everything from problems others are having to new bugs in operating systems. Montabana thinks a program similar to SOS could work in a corporation as well, providing it was run by personnel that had a thorough understanding of the company's various business units. It'd be a little tougher, but it could be done.