Margaret Black

Is this normal? I’ve received a fair few rejections whilst interviewing for entry level programming roles since graduating from Northcoders, which is to be expected. I didn’t graduate with a Computer Science degree, and I haven’t got the 2+ years commercial experience that most companies are looking for. Fair enough. For these rejections a handful of companies have given personalized feedback, which is much appreciated. The majority have sent automated rejection emails, which isn’t ideal but makes sense. This week is the first time (after a second stage interview and considerable preparation/stress) that a company has not contacted me in any way, and simply changed my application on their career site from ‘In progress’ to ‘Rejected’. If I hadn’t logged in and checked (which I wasn’t told would be necessary) I would still be under the impression that I might have finally secured an entry level position. Ignorance is bliss, apparently. Genuinely interested if people think this is an acceptable or standard hiring procedure, at this stage of the game it’s hard to know what to expect 😂

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This is incredibly interesting and undoubtably what the market needs - what goes up must inevitably come down to level out in way in which the market can accommodate. Now Software Developers what do you think? Does this impact the way you're looking at your career and your next move? #developmentrecruitment #salariesaredecreasing #acallforsomeinsight

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Would you reject a job offer with no remote working option? I have just come across this article on a study done in Ireland on jobseekers. Almost 50% of jobseekers would turn down an otherwise attractive job if it did not include remote working! This is compared to a global average of 29%. 20% of jobseekers would refuse an offer if the company did not have environmental or sustainability initiatives in place. A good work life balance is the top preference for Irish jobseekers! Is any of this surprising? Keen to hear other peoples thoughts. 🌍

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Software Devs ‼️ Wondering if you're being paid a fair wage against your responsibilities? Earlier this year we wrote a blog all about it, I'll link it below! 🤩 In the blog you'll find info on… ✨ Generic Software Developers ✨ Full Stack Developers ✨ Mobile Developers ✨ Embedded Developers ✨ Software Development Engineer in Test (SDET) Click on the image below ⬇️ #SoftwareDevelopment #FullStack #EmbeddedSystems #SDET #SoftwareEngineering

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Cracking the interview code isn't just about the answers-it's about making an impression.🌟 Interviews can be daunting, but the secret to standing out is more straightforward than you might think. First, it's all about preparation. Research the company thoroughly - not just what they do, but their culture, mission, and recent milestones. Knowledge is power, after all. 💡 Next, hone in on your unique selling points. What can you bring to the table that others can't? Reflect on past experiences, distinct skills, and apply them to potential scenarios at the new job. It's not just what you've done; it's how it applies to what you'll do next. Then, communication - it's key. Clearly articulate your thoughts in a way that's both confident and genuine. Remember, it's a conversation, not an interrogation. Engage, ask thoughtful questions, and show your enthusiasm. Lastly, the follow-up - it matters more than you think. A tailored thank-you note can reaffirm your interest and keep you top of mind. It's these subtle touches that can set you apart from the rest. Stand firm, be yourself, and let your passion shine through. That's how you leave a mark. ✨ In search of your next opportunity? Get in touch!! #InterviewTips #CareerGrowth #JobSuccess

Feeling the same way? Recruitment today mirrors the challenges of software engineering in the past. We're flooded with messages from talented individuals seeking jobs, yet we can't always respond immediately due to the sheer volume. This echoes the experience of software engineers who once faced a similar inbox overload but lacked the time or interest to reply to all. #Hiring #JobSearch #LinkedIn Let's remember to exercise patience and understanding. While our intention is to reply promptly, sometimes it may take a little longer. As we navigate through these messages, let's maintain a friendly and respectful approach. In the bustling world of hiring, kindness is just as important as efficiency!

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As a MacBook Pro user myself, I highly recommend them. It's fantastic bit of kit, and when I switched from Windows to Mac a year ago, it made me enjoy using a computer again. But if you're using them in your business, one of the challenges can be getting proper IT support for them. If you ask several IT support companies whether they support Apple devices, their sales person or account manager will likely just say yes, and then quickly try to move on to talking about something else. And it's because many of them aren't really supporting Macs. Not properly. Sure, they may be able to help out with the odd ad-hoc issue - but why should your Apple computers not get looked after with proper managed IT support like Windows computers do? And before anyone says, "but Mac's don't need any IT support!", I'm just going to say that we have a number of customers that are 100% Mac and I can tell you - it ain't true. They are just as complex as any other computer, and in order for you to get the best from them they need to be configured correctly, secure from cyber threats, patched and supported. At m3 we're Apple IT support specialists, and we use professional tools that allow us to do all of the IT support stuff for your Apple devices that we do for Windows. Here's a list of important features you should look for when choosing an IT company to support your Apple devices: 🍏 𝗥𝗮𝗽𝗶𝗱 𝗱𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝗽𝗹𝗼𝘆𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 - means we get your new team members onboarded securely, in under 5 minutes. 🍏 𝗠𝗼𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗮𝘂𝘁𝗼𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 - your devices are constantly monitored in realtime. 🍏 𝗦𝗲𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆 & 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 - enforce compliance from the minute the box opens and align with standards, such as NIST Cybersecurity Framework. 🍏 𝗦𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺 𝘂𝗽𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀 - deployed on day 1 of Apple's release cycle. 🍏 𝗦𝗼𝗳𝘁𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝗽𝗹𝗼𝘆𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 - push-out latest versions of apps, or distribute custom apps to all devices quickly. If you're using Apple for your business please reach out and let's have a chat about how we can better serve you.

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A bit of CV advice for today!! I watched a video of recruiters saying don't highlight your hobbies and interests a few weeks back. Well, in my opinion, that's rubbish. Hundreds of developers are applying for roles, and if you have similar experience to another developer applying, then your personality will be the difference in you getting offered the role. If you are looking for some advice, please reach out to me and I'll happily book in a call to help you. *Love the frame for this video 🤣 #django #python #cvadvice #resumeadvice

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WE HAVE YOUR DREAM JOB 😉 We've got some great roles varying from SVPs to Java Engineers on at the moment. Make sure you reach out to the team regularly to check open positions as we don't advertise them all. If you need CV help or any market insights, please don't hesitate in reaching out to any of us. Tag a friend who is looking. Mark Standen | James Thomson 🤖 | Joe Slaymaker | Kristian Kurbalija #technology #techroles #opentowork #technologyrecruitment

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What’s the optimal timeframe to hire a Software Engineer? There isn’t one. 👀 One of Bounce Digital clients for the same role… 🎯Software Engineer 1; CV > Offer = 6 Days 🎯Software Engineer 2; CV > Offer = 44 Days It all comes down to what suits both parties. 🤝 Some people need/want time. 🐌 Others need/want to hurry things up. 🏃 No two processes are the same. No two candidates are the same. Flexibility and an agile approach are what matter most. 🔀 The most successful companies don’t stay too rigid when hiring. ✅ What do others think? #softwareengineer #interviewprocess #engineeringmanager

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QUESTION; Companies that write in their tech job adverts things like 'we don't care what tech background you've got, we hire for problem solvers' or 'don't worry if you don't hit all the requirements, we're interested in you as a person'... ...Do you ACTUALLY do what you say? I have been recruiting for 12 years now and never have I once had a company say the above to me and genuinely follow through with it. There's always an "err, well, they don't really have any experience with the tech we use so we can't consider them". #recruitmentquestion #recruitment #careers #hiring #rebelrecruiters

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"𝐉𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐒𝐞𝐧𝐝 𝐎𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐂𝐕" 🤒 We hear it way to often...😵 Tech leaders roles' are busy enough, I get it. Add recruitment into it, well this can cause workload chaos...🤯 I fully understand there are a lot of recruiters that talk a lot of s*** and spending endless 20 mins here, 30 mins there on a call may seem draining and pointless... but we aren't all bad? 🤗 While it might seem like a convenient way to handle your hiring needs, this approach can significantly hinder your ability to find the right talent ⛔ 🚫 Missing the Mark: Job descriptions are just the tip of the iceberg. Without a detailed discussion about your needs, recruiters might send CVs that don’t quite fit the bill, wasting valuable time for everyone involved. 📉 Underutilizing Expertise: Recruiters are more than just CV collectors. We bring insights into market trends, candidate expectations, and strategic advice. Skipping a quick 20-30 minute call means you miss out on these valuable insights. ⏳ Inefficiency: Sifting through stacks of CVs is not only time-consuming but often unproductive. A focused search based on detailed criteria saves time and ensures you get quality candidates from the start. 👥 Candidate Experience: A robust hiring process reflects positively on your brand. A scattershot approach can leave candidates feeling undervalued and frustrated, potentially tarnishing your company’s reputation. 🎯 Cultural Fit: CVs don’t tell the whole story. A conversation helps us understand your company’s culture and values, ensuring we recommend candidates who will thrive in your environment. Instead of requesting a bulk drop of CVs, let’s have a detailed conversation about your needs. This way, we can target the best candidates who are not only qualified but also a great fit for your team. 🤝 #recruitment #techrecruitment #employerbranding #techtalent #stockfordrecruitment #tech

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Looking for a new role within the London Tech sector at the moment, and struggling? Here’s a list of tips that recruiters would use to make you get that extra interview and hopefully give you that offer! 🗑 Your CV is probably rubbish 🗑 It should be 2 pages in length, each role should be roughly 7 bullet points. Each one following this format (Worked on this project, using these tools, achieving X) – Everything should be quantitative here. Show your new potential employer why they should hire you by highlighting your value to a company. You’re a valuable commodity, prove it. 🛠 Create your own job 🛠 Sign up for a Crunchbase account (you don’t need to pay), look up funded start-ups/scale-ups in your area. Message the CTO/CDO, ask about hiring plans for the quarter and what you could offer to those plans. To put it bluntly, to advertise a role on most job boards, it’ll cost that company around £400+ (Already make them a saving) by making them negate that cost. 📞 Numbers are Key (as are relationships) 📞 Put your updated CV on every job board and submit it to every recruitment agency in your field imaginable. If you’re having a minimum of 3 conversations with recruiters a day, that’s 15 a week, 60 a month. Roughly speaking, one recruiter might be working 2 roles, they might not all be perfect for you but that’s 120 roles you might be considered for. All of these aren’t rocket science and I’ve knocked this together on my lunch but I dread to think of people leaving their professions because the market isn’t there currently. It will be! You've all got this! And who knows, I might be messaging you in the future for roles at SM! Cheers, Ross

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Meet Alex, a highly skilled IT professional who had been struggling to land a job despite his impressive resume and technical expertise. He often found himself nervous and unprepared during interviews, leading to missed opportunities. Feeling frustrated, Alex turned to Direct Talent for help. We suggested a series of mock interviews to help Alex build confidence and refine his responses. During these sessions, we simulated real interview scenarios, asked common and challenging questions, and provided constructive feedback. At first, Alex was hesitant, but he quickly saw the benefits. We noticed he had a habit of giving overly technical answers without connecting them to practical outcomes. We worked with him to use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to structure his answers and make them more compelling. After several sessions, Alex's confidence grew. He became more articulate and started to connect his technical skills with real-world applications. His answers were now clear, concise, and impactful. Armed with his newfound skills, Alex went into his next interview feeling prepared and confident. He was able to effectively communicate his experiences and showcase his problem-solving abilities. The interviewer was impressed with his polished responses and practical examples. A week later, Alex received a job offer from the company. They specifically mentioned his strong interview performance and ability to clearly explain his technical expertise. Alex's story highlights how mock interview sessions can be a game changer. By practicing and refining your interview skills, you can turn nerves into confidence and missed opportunities into job offers. So, take the time to prepare with mock interviews and see the difference it can make!

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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?    

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After this post last week & some thought, I've decided to put together a series of posts with tips around writing resume's for SRE roles, which I will eventually collate into a document to leave on my page for people. The first tip is a bit more generic for anyone looking for a role. The big thing that most resume’s miss in general and something I deem important is a good structure. It’s easy to write things like automated (insert cloud provider) infrastructure build using Terraform, however it’s important to think about 3 core things; Why are you doing this project/responsibility? (What’s the problem space) How you went about it? (The Action you took to solve the problem)  The impact it had? (Outcome on your customers or business) This is similar to the STAR method people use in interviews. If you use this template, I believe it gives a good insight into the role you’ve done in your jobs, the projects and technology you’ve worked with and the outcome it had on your customers. (Be it customers of the product or the engineers your working with) #Recruitment #TechRecruitment #ResumeWriting #SiteReliabilityEngineering #SREMelbourne

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When recruiting for roles within Software Engineering it can be hard to find the necessary skills due to their availability... however, there are a few programming languages that make that search even harder 👀 Go, C & R can be the bane of your life when they are a requirement 🥵 I'd always recommend to Go Engineers that they put "Golang" in their CV over Go as it's an easily searchable phrase via a boolean. When it comes to C & R - I don't have a clue how you can make yourself more visible on searches when it comes to recruiters finding your CV. So until I find that solution, the below will be my reaction to seeing a C & R requirement come through the inbox 🤣 Any tips? #recruitment #C #R #software #Go #Golang

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With the Tesla layoffs affecting over 14,000 employees, many of us remember the wave of IT redundancies that hit the industry. While the headlines may have faded, are we truly past its impact? Here's a thought: Is there a lingering sense of uncertainty among IT professionals? ·      Are companies hesitant to invest in long-term IT talent, opting for short-term fixes? ·      Are IT workers less likely to take risks and push boundaries for fear of job security? This could hinder innovation and slow down the industry's growth. I want to put together a white paper study for Clients and Candidates on how best to create sustained growth in IT and how to navigate and thrive in an uncertain market. ·      Have you experienced the aftereffects of the redundancies? ·      How can companies foster a culture of security and growth for their IT teams? ·      Are there ways to build a more resilient IT workforce? Share your thoughts in the comments! #ITJobs #WorkforceResilience #FutureofIT

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🤔 How many stages should an interview process be? I know this one is subjective and depends on seniority/company/industy, however I’m keen to learn what people think is a reasonable interview process for a perm senior JavaScript engineer. Comment your thoughts below👇 #JavaScript #InterviewProcess #WaveTalent

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