CORTEX FAQ
- About The CORTEX Concept
- About The CORTEX Marketplace
- How does the CORTEX Marketplace service work?
- Why Use CORTEX (What’s In It For Me)?
- Do I have to register for work?
- Can’t I just register to participate in the forums?
- Is the service free for employers?
- Is the service free for contractors?
- How much detail do you need about me?
- Can students join?
- Can employers join?
- Can vendors join?
- Can anyone join?
- About the Intel500
- About the Forums
- Want to know more about the BIG?
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About The CORTEX Concept
Why did you create the CORTEX?
We have created the CORTEX for a few of reasons:
- We are BI professionals just like you and we wanted better access to our colleagues so that we could ask questions, swap experiences, learn from each other and generally benefit from all of the BI knowledge out there beyond each of our own personal networks.
- We are often hiring teams of BI experts for clients and you can never know too many good BI people to hire.
- We have dealt with over 100 Australian, Asian and global organizations over the last couple of years and our BI discussions had many common themes. It became obvious that many companies would benefit greatly from having an open forum in which they could discuss and learn about BI.
How Can I contact you?
The simplest way is to either email us on info@tbig.net.au or join the CORTEX and contact us using our online forms or via the forums.
I want to sponsor the CORTEX
We welcome sponsors from all areas of the BI industry: vendors, user organisations, educators and government. Simply contact us on info@tbig.net.au to discuss this.
How else can I help the CORTEX?
This is a community - the more the merrier! We are looking for people to help:- Edit the website
- Contribute to the Intel500 and Case Study Library
- Moderate one of the forums.
The CORTEX Marketplace
How does the CORTEX Marketplace service work?
For Contractors
The service is just like applying for jobs the traditional way but with some important differences:- You register all of your professional details so that we can be a lot more specific about your skills. CORTEX is run by people just like you: we work as BI contractors as well - you may even know one of us!
- You are joining a community of BI specialists. You can only join the CORTEX if you are referred to us by two other members. Joining does not obligate you to take any job, pay anything or do anything! That is for you, and only you to decide.
- Register for free and start searching for jobs
- Contact the employer to put yourself in the running
- Negotiate terms
- Start earning
- Post your profile online by using our form
- We place you on our confidential skills database
- You name and details are kept private while allowing prospective employers to match your past history and business intelligence skills to their needs
- When an employer expresses an interest, we contact you confidentially and you tell us whether-or-not you want to discuss the opportunity further
- Work on the projects you want
- Get feedback. Watch your ranking improve as your feedback ratings and earnings grow!
For Employers
The service is just like finding staff the traditional way but with some important differences:- You register all of your requirements so that you can be matched to candidates with exactly the skills you are looking for. CORTEX is run by people just like you: we work as BI employers and contractors as well - you may even know one of us!
- You are accessing Australia's largest community of BI specialists. Joining does not obligate you to take hire anybody, pay anything or do anything! That is for you, and only you to decide.
- Register for free and start searching for candidates
- Contact the candidates
- Negotiate terms
- Start your new employee/contactor
- Post your requirements online by using our form
- We place you on our confidential employer database
- You name and details are kept private while allowing:
- Qualified candidates to be identified automatically
- Candidates are also able to match their past history and business intelligence skills to your needs
- When you pick a candidate you want to follow-up on, we contact them confidentially and ask them whether-or-not they want to discuss the opportunity further
- Interview the candidates and proceed or not as you wish
- Agree terms and conditions with the candidate and BIG and the person is ready to join your organisation
- Get feedback. Watch your ranking improve as your feedback ratings and earnings grow!
Why Use CORTEX (What's In It For Me)?
We have created the CORTEX Marketplace for a few of reasons:- The BI community needs a new way for employers and contractors to find each other.
- It is a natural part of the CORTEX community. Most of us in BI regularly want new work. Wouldn't it be great to have the CORTEX community helping your job search?
- With a community behind me, I don't see why I should pay hundreds or dollars a day to agents. We are unabashedly cheaper than 'traditional search and recruitment firms.
- With a community behind me, I don't see why my employer should pay hundreds or dollars a day to agents. We are unabashedly cheaper than 'traditional search and recruitment firms.
Do I have to register for work?
No! The CORTEX is a diverse community and you choose how you interact with the community at all times. Here are a few examples:
- John is a busy BI employee of a large Australian publishing group. He enjoys the opportunity to learn from his peers, so John joined our forums and is an active contributor and reader.
- Anne runs the BI function for an online bank and uses the CORTEX to find and hire experienced BI experts for her team.
- Carl is a busy consultant who project manages BI for a number of his employer's clients. He uses the CORTEX to remain on the cutting-edge of BI and especially values the fact that it is the only active local BI online community. The Case Study library is a great way to read about local uses of BI.
- Mahmood is studying for his MSc and has a keen interest in data visualisation. He wants to learn more about techniques used in the 'real world' and uses the Intel500 and the Case Study library.
- Sarah is in her final year studying Management Information Systems and wants to pursue a career in Business intelligence. She has registered on the CORTEX and made her profile available for use in the CORTEX Marketplace. Currently she is talking to 2 city firms about joining them when she graduates - and maybe even before that!
Can't I just register to participate in the forums?
Yes! You profile is only used in the CORTEX Marketplace when you select that option.
You create a user profile and, if you aren't currently looking for work, then simply say so at the bottom of your profile (In the field 'Use entered data for recruitment'). It is a required field so you can't accidentally forget it.
Is the service free for employers?
Yes.
Is the service free for contractors?
Yes.
How much detail do you need about me?
Your CORTEX profile can be as simple or as complex as you like. We do have a small number of required details but mostly it is up to you to decide:
- How much detail about your past experiences and skills you provide.
- Whether-or-not you want to participate in the Marketplace.
Can students join?
Yes!
Can employers join?
Yes!
Can vendors join?
Yes!
Can anyone join?
Yes!
About the Intel500
What sort of information is in the Intel500?
The Intel500 contains a wealth of information about:
- Vendors
- Technologies
- Resources for further information
- Case studies
- Books and articles
- Etc.
The content is changing all the time so use it as you would wiki or google.
How can I search the Intel500?
Each page on our website has a google-like search field in the top left-hand corner:
Can I contribute?
Yes please! Simply hit the feedback button anywhere in the Intel500 and fill-in our online form with your comments and suggestions.
I don't agree!
Again, all comments and suggestions are welcome. Simply hit the feedback button anywhere in the Intel500 and fill-in our online form with your comments and suggestions.
About the Forums
Can't I just register to participate in the forums?
Yes!
You create a user profile and, if you aren't currently looking for work, then simply say so at the bottom of your profile (In the field 'Use entered data for recruitment'). It is a required field so you can't accidentally forget it.
Who moderates the forums?
We have a number of people who have volunteered to moderate specific forums. You can see who this is in each forum.
Not all forums have moderators. We are not trying in any way to control the direction of forums. The only rules that the moderators are asked to follow enforce are:
- Respect all users. Inappropriate behaviour like personal attacks, rants, really bad language, etc. is not part of the CORTEX.
- Keep on topic. If it is not about BI, analytics, performance management, reporting, etc. then perhaps there is a better place on the net?
Other than that: go for it!
If you are interested in moderating a forum, then please contact us. The more the merrier!
Can I play a greater role in the forums?
Yes!
If you are interested in moderating a forum, then please contact us. The more the merrier!
About The Business Intelligence Group
How long have you been in business?
We are a new company - established in 2006 by a small group of experienced BI and Finance people. The founders had a shared belief that Australia and New Zealand did not have a focus point for the thousands of active BI professionals.
Our Western European and North American colleagues have many ways to meet, discuss, share knowledge and learn from their peers. We asked ourselves the simple question: "Why not here?"
We couldn't think of a good reason why not, and so the CORTEX was borne.
What is your mission statement?
Do we need one?
Well, what we are trying to do is to:- Provide a neutral (vendor-independent) place where fellow BI professionals can:
- Discuss issues and events with our peers (Forums)
- Find information about the BI industry (Intel500)
- Find work (Marketplace).
- Raise the level of discussion about BI.
- Encourage better use of BI concepts and technologies in end-user organisations.
What does BIG earn by placing a contract or job?
We have created the CORTEX Marketplace for a few of reasons:- The BI community needs a new way for employers and contractors to find each other.
- It is a natural part of the CORTEX community. Most of us in BI regularly want new work. Wouldn't it be great to have the CORTEX community helping your job search?
- With a community behind me, I don't see why I should pay hundreds or dollars a day to agents. We are unabashedly cheaper than 'traditional search and recruitment firms.
- With a community behind me, I don't see why my employer should pay hundreds or dollars a day to agents. We are unabashedly cheaper than 'traditional search and recruitment firms.
The bottom line is that we earn a flat 9% fee on your contract. Alternatively, if it is a permanent position or your employer likes you enough to offer you a permanent role, then the employer pays a flat 9% on the annual salary package offered. That's it. Simple, and significantly cheaper than other commercial agent rates typically paid.
This means that more of the employer's budget is going straight into your pockets and not into ours. Not good for us, but very good for you and the employer! A happy worker is a productive worker?
How does BIG protect my privacy?
In two ways.
Firstly, your CORTEX Profile is confidential and only generic information is displayed to potential employers. For example, only the following information is displayed when other people view your online profile:
- Master Category
- 1 Line Summary
- 50 word summary
- Desired Daily Rate
- Will Consider:
- Short-term engagements Y/N
- Long-term contracts Y/N
- Permanent Employment Y/N
- Notice Period
For example, your public profile might look like:
| Master Category | Business Objects Consultant |
| 1 Line Summary | Experienced Business Objects XI universe and report developer |
| 50 word summary | I have 2 years solid BOBJ XI developer experience plus over 5 years building BOBJ and Microsoft reporting solutions for Financial Services organisations. I prefer contract work but am happy to consider full time work if the challenge is interesting and the employer a good fit. |
| Indicative Daily Rate | 500 |
| Will Consider: | |
| Short-term engagements | yes |
| Long-term contracts | yes |
| Permanent Employment | no |
| Notice Period | Short Notice |
So, although employers can search your detailed profile listing your skills, industries and experiences, they can't identify you by specific employer, name, address, or anything else.
The second way we protect your privacy is by only releasing your contact details to prospective employers when you tell us to.
It's that simple.