In the dynamic realm of IT, where technological evolution sets the pace, the demand for professionals adept at securing digital landscapes has surged exponentially. Consider this: according to recent industry reports, cyberattacks have increased by 67% in the past year alone, underscoring the critical need for robust security practices. It is within this context that the world of DevSecOps comes to the forefront. In this post, we’ll not only explore the dynamic opportunities within DevSecOps but also decipher why this field stands as a formidable fortress against the rising tide of cyber threats.
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Understanding DevSecOps
DevSecOps, a portmanteau of Development, Security, and Operations, represents a paradigm shift in how organizations approach software development. Unlike traditional methodologies where security was often an afterthought, DevSecOps integrates security practices seamlessly into the development and operational processes. This proactive approach ensures that security is ingrained in every phase of the software development lifecycle, fostering a more resilient and secure product.
1. Addressing Growing Cybersecurity Concerns: Firstly, in the face of growing cybersecurity concerns, organizations are placing greater emphasis on securing their applications and infrastructure. DevSecOps professionals play a crucial role in fortifying systems against vulnerabilities and mitigating risks before they escalate.
2. Navigating Regulatory Compliance: Secondly, with the implementation of stringent data protection regulations globally, businesses are compelled to adhere to compliance standards. DevSecOps, with its focus on continuous security, aids organizations in meeting regulatory requirements, making it an indispensable part of the development process.
3. Cloud Services Integration: Moreover, the increased adoption of cloud services has necessitated a shift in security practices. DevSecOps professionals are instrumental in designing and implementing security measures specific to cloud environments, ensuring the safety of data and applications in the cloud.
4. Promoting Collaboration and Integration: Additionally, DevSecOps promotes collaboration among development, security, and operations teams, fostering a culture of shared responsibility. This holistic approach accelerates the development lifecycle while maintaining a robust security posture.
If you want to know more about DevSecOps job opportunities, don’t miss our DevSecOps Engineer job description. You will find a detailed list of the main tasks and responsibilities, education and salary expectation of this professional.
1. Cultivate a Diverse Skill Set: To begin with, equip yourself with a diverse skill set that includes expertise in software development, security protocols, and operations. Certifications such as Certified DevSecOps Engineer can enhance your credibility.
2. Stay Informed Amidst Dynamism: Furthermore, the IT landscape is dynamic, with new technologies and tools emerging regularly. Stay abreast of industry trends, attend webinars, and participate in relevant forums to stay informed and enhance your knowledge.
3. Network, Network, Network: Lastly, networking is key in the IT industry. Attend industry events, join online communities, and connect with professionals in the DevSecOps space. Building a robust professional network can open doors to exciting job opportunities.
In the fast-paced world of IT, DevSecOps emerges as a beacon of opportunity for those seeking a challenging and rewarding career. As businesses prioritize security in their development processes, the demand for skilled DevSecOps professionals continues to grow. By staying informed, acquiring the right skills, and building a strong network, you can position yourself to seize the abundant DevSecOps job opportunities available in the ever-expanding IT job market. So, embark on this exciting journey, and unlock the doors to a fulfilling career in DevSecOps.
Dive into our latest infographic for an illuminating visual journey through the key statistics and benefits of adopting DevSecOps practices.
One must often showcase a specialized skill set through certifications to stay ahead of the curve in the dynamic realm of DevSecOps. Here is a guide to the most in-demand certifications that can not only strengthen your skills, but also open doors to exciting career opportunities.
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Certified DevSecOps Professional (CDP)
Firstly, the CDP certification is a comprehensive program covering key DevSecOps principles, automation, and security practices. It also validates your ability to integrate security into the entire software development lifecycle.
Benefits:Enhances your credibility as a well-rounded DevSecOps professional, showcasing your proficiency in securing applications from inception to deployment.
Then, offered by Amazon Web Services, this certification focuses on the integration of security practices into DevOps workflows within the AWS environment.
Benefits:Demonstrates your expertise in managing and implementing secure DevOps practices on the AWS platform, making you a valuable asset for organizations utilizing cloud services.
Certified Kubernetes Security Specialist (CKS)
Moreover, as Kubernetes becomes a staple in container orchestration, the CKS certification validates your knowledge of securing containerized applications in a Kubernetes environment.
Benefits:Positions you as a specialist in Kubernetes security, a critical skill as more organizations adopt containerization for their applications.
(ISC)² Certified Cloud Security Professional (CCSP)
While not DevSecOps-specific, the CCSP certification is highly relevant. This is because it focuses on cloud security, an essential aspect of securing modern DevOps pipelines.
Benefits: Establishes your expertise in cloud security, showcasing your ability to secure cloud environments integral to contemporary DevSecOps practices.
Docker Certified Security Associate (DCSA)
Last but not least, Docker is widely used in DevOps for containerization. Moreover, the DCSA certification focuses on securing Docker containers and the Docker Enterprise platform.
Benefits: Validates your proficiency in securing containerized applications using Docker, making you a sought-after candidate for organizations leveraging container technology.
Certainly, DevSecOps certifications have emerged as powerful catalysts, propelling individuals into the forefront of the evolving tech landscape. Beyond serving as mere credentials, these certifications act as gateways to enhanced skill sets, elevated credibility, and a world of opportunities.
In this exploration, we unravel the transformative impact of these certifications.
Enhanced Skill Set
Acquiring DevSecOps certifications is not just about adding acronyms to your resume; it’s a testament to your dedication to continuous learning and the mastery of cutting-edge practices. Also, these certifications equip you with in-depth knowledge, hands-on experience, and a skill set that evolves with the dynamic landscape of DevSecOps.
Credibility and Recognition
Certifications from reputable organizations serve as a badge of honor, elevating your professional credibility in the eyes of employers. Then, they provide tangible evidence of your proficiency in DevSecOps. This reassuring hiring managers that you possess a standardized level of expertise. Also, in a crowded job market, these certifications act as a recognized stamp of approval, instilling confidence in potential employers and reinforcing your position as a top-tier candidate.
Access to Opportunities
In addition, the demand for DevSecOps professionals is on the rise, and certified individuals are often at the top of recruiters’ lists. Many organizations actively seek candidates with recognized certifications, viewing them as ready-made contributors to their DevSecOps initiatives. By holding these credentials, you increase your visibility and desirability to employers.
Global Recognition
Also, DevSecOps certifications have global recognition, transcending geographical boundaries. This opens up opportunities to collaborate with diverse teams, contribute to international projects, and engage with a broad spectrum of professionals. Whether you aspire to work with Silicon Valley startups, European enterprises, or Asian tech giants, these certifications provide a universally understood language of expertise, facilitating your integration into global tech ecosystems.
Career Advancement
In an era where security is paramount in the development process, certified DevSecOps professionals stand out as leaders. These certifications serve as a springboard for career advancement. Propelling you into positions where you can influence and shape the security practices of entire DevSecOps teams. This contributing to the success and resilience of the organizations you serve.
In conclusion, investing in these certifications is not just about earning a credential; it’s about positioning yourself as a security-conscious, forward-thinking IT professional ready to meet the challenges of the evolving tech landscape. As you embark on this certification journey, remember that continuous learning is key to staying relevant and thriving in the exciting field of DevSecOps.
Dive into our latest infographic for an illuminating visual journey through the key statistics and benefits of adopting DevSecOps practices.
The tech industry is constantly evolving, and staying ahead of the game requires having the right in-demand tech skills in your arsenal.
In this article, we will explore the top 10 in-demand tech skills that will set you up for success.
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Top 10 In-Demand Tech Skills
From cutting-edge technologies like quantum computing to essential skills in data privacy. Let’s dive into the in-demand tech skills you need to thrive in the tech industry.
1 Mastering Quantum Computing
Quantum computing is revolutionizing the tech industry, and having expertise in this field it is highly valuable. Skills in quantum algorithms, programming languages, and circuit design are crucial. This because they help solving complex problems in areas like cryptography, drug discovery, and optimization.
Quantum algorithms are different from classical algorithms. Understanding their principles and applications is essential for leveraging the power of quantum computing. Additionally, proficiency in programming languages specific to quantum computing, such as Qiskit and Cirq, is in high demand. These languages allow developers to create and optimize quantum circuits, and they are critical for programming quantum computers.
Another in-demand skill in quantum computing is circuit design. Quantum circuits are the building blocks of quantum algorithms. Mastering circuit design techniques and tools are high demand. This is because businesses and governments seek to harness the full potential of quantum computing.
2 Immersive Experiences with AR/VR
Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) technologies are transforming industries like gaming, healthcare, and education. Having skills in AR/VR development, 3D modeling, and user experience (UX) design are in high demand. This because businesses seek to create immersive and interactive experiences for their customers.
AR and VR offer unique opportunities in industries like healthcare. There they are useful for training, simulations, and patient care. For example, AR can overlay virtual information onto real-world environments. Thus allowing surgeons to visualize complex procedures or medical professionals to provide remote assistance. VR can create realistic simulations for medical training, providing a safe and controlled environment for learning.
Then, in the education sector, AR and VR can revolutionize the way students learn by providing immersive and interactive experiences. Imagine exploring ancient civilizations through virtual field trips, or conducting virtual science experiments in a safe and controlled environment. The potential of AR and VR in enhancing learning experiences increases the demand for skilled professionals in AR/VR development, 3D modeling, and UX design.
The entertainment industry has also seen a significant impact from AR and VR technologies. VR gaming has gained traction, providing gamers with truly immersive and interactive experiences. Gaming for mobile apps use AI to allow players to interact with virtual objects in the real world.
Blockchain technologyis gaining traction across industries. Professionals with skills in blockchain development, smart contracts, and cryptography are a very profitable profile. As businesses explore the potential of blockchain for secure transactions, supply chain management, and digital identity verification, expertise in this field are invaluable.
In addition to the opportunities in blockchain development, there are also emerging roles in blockchain consulting, project management, and regulation. As governments and organizations grapple with the regulatory and legal implications of blockchain technology, professionals with an understanding of the technology and its potential impact can provide valuable guidance. Furthermore, blockchain is still a relatively new field. Ongoing research and development in areas such as scalability and interoperability will continue to create demand. As the use cases for blockchain technology continue to expand, blockchain professionals is among the growing in-demand tech skills.
4 Natural Language Processing (NLP) and Conversational AI
NLP and conversational AI technologies are driving advancements in chatbots, virtual assistants, and voice recognition systems. Skills in NLP, machine learning, and conversational AI development are in high demand as businesses look to create intelligent and interactive customer experiences.
The use of NLP and conversational AI technologies goes beyond customer service applications. There are many other use cases for these technologies, such as in healthcare, education, and finance. In healthcare, for example, conversational AI can collect patient data, provide medical advice, and even assist in surgical procedures. In education, NLP it can create personalized learning experiences for students. Then, in finance, conversational AI can provide investment advice or assist in fraud detection. As these technologies continue to evolve and improve, the potential applications are limitless. Creating new and exciting career opportunities for those with the necessary skills.
5 Essential Cybersecurity Skills
With the increasing number of cyber threats, cybersecurity skills will continue to be in high demand. Expertise in threat detection, incident response, risk management, and securing cloud and IoT environments are crucial. This is because businesses prioritize safeguarding their digital assets and data.
As the digital landscape continues to expand, cybersecurity threats are becoming more sophisticated and complex. In response, businesses are increasingly investing in cybersecurity measures to protect themselves from cyber attacks, data breaches, and other threats. This has created a need for cybersecurity professionals who can develop and implement effective security strategies, conduct thorough risk assessments, and respond quickly and efficiently to incidents. In addition, as more organizations move their operations to cloud and IoT environments, there is a growing demand for professionals who can secure these environments and protect against cyber threats. With the continued growth of the digital economy, cybersecurity skills will remain in high demand tech skills for the foreseeable future.
6 Securing Communication with Quantum Cryptography
The increasing development of quantum computing technology is leading to the emergence of quantum cryptography as a potential solution for secure communication. Skills in quantum cryptography algorithms, protocols, and key distribution are in high demand, as businesses and governments seek to safeguard their sensitive information from quantum-based attacks.
Moreover, the potential for quantum computing to perform complex calculations at unprecedented speeds is making it an area of growing interest and investment. This has resulted in a growing demand for professionals with expertise in various aspects of quantum computing, including software development, algorithm design, and hardware engineering. To stay ahead of the curve in this rapidly evolving field, professionals must develop new and innovative applications for quantum computing. Therefore, the demand for quantum computing and cryptography experts will continue to grow in the years to come.
7 Embracing Cloud-Native Development
Cloud-native development offers several advantages, including faster deployment times, improved scalability, and increased reliability. By leveraging containerization and microservices, cloud-native applications can be broken down into smaller, more manageable components that can be updated and deployed independently. This approach enables businesses to be more agile and responsive to changing market conditions, while also reducing costs and increasing efficiency.
As more businesses adopt cloud-native strategies, the demand for professionals with skills in cloud-native architecture, containerization, and microservices will increase. In addition, expertise in cloud-native technologies such as Kubernetes, Docker, and serverless computing are highly valued as these tools become essential components of the cloud-native stack. The market for cloud-native development skills is expected to remain strong.
With the increasing focus on data privacy regulations, professionals with skills in data privacy and compliance are in high demand. Expertise in data protection, privacy laws, and compliance frameworks is critical. As businesses strive to maintain compliance and protect sensitive information.
Data privacy and compliance professionals play a critical role in helping businesses navigate the complex landscape of data protection laws. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), are examples of it. These professionals are responsible for developing and implementing data privacy policies, procedures, and best practices. This to ensure that data is collected, processed, and stored in compliance with applicable laws and regulations.
In addition, professionals in this field need to possess expertise in data protection techniques. Encryption, tokenization, and data masking are examples to ensure that sensitive information is adequately protected from unauthorized access and breaches.
Businesses are under pressure to comply with data privacy regulations to protect their customers’ privacy and maintain their trust. Non-compliance can result in significant financial penalties, reputational damage, and legal liabilities. Therefore, the demand for professionals with skills in data privacy and compliance will continue to rise in the future.
Edge computing is revolutionizing the way data is processed and analyzed in the era of the Internet of Things (IoT). Thus, businesses strive to capitalize on the benefits of processing data closer to the source for faster and more efficient operations.
Edge computing involves moving data processing and analytics closer to the devices or sensors that generate the data, instead of relying on centralized cloud servers. This approach reduces the latency or delay in processing data. Thus enabling real-time decision-making and faster response times. This is critical for applications that require quick and efficient data processing, such as autonomous vehicles, smart cities, and industrial automation.
Professionals with expertise in edge computing architecture have a high value. They are responsible for designing and implementing edge computing solutions that are scalable, secure, and efficient. This involves developing edge computing architectures that optimize data processing, storage, and networking capabilities at the edge. Moreover, integrating edge computing with cloud computing to create hybrid edge-cloud solutions.Professionals with expertise in edge computing architecture have a high value.Professionals with skills in edge computing architecture are highly sought after. They are responsible for designing and implementing edge computing solutions that are scalable, secure, and efficient. This involves developing edge computing architectures that optimize data processing, storage, and networking capabilities at the edge. Moreover, integrating edge computing with cloud computing to create hybrid edge-cloud solutions.
10 Natural Language Processing (NLP) and Conversational AI
Natural Language Processing (NLP) and Conversational AI are rapidly transforming the way businesses interact with their customers. Skills in NLP and conversational AI development are in high demand as businesses seek to create intelligent and interactive customer experiences. This through natural language interfaces, personalized recommendations, and sentiment analysis for improved customer engagement.
NLP is a field of artificial intelligence (AI) that focuses on enabling machines to understand, interpret, and respond to human language. Skills in NLP involve techniques such as text analysis, sentiment analysis, entity recognition, and language generation. These skills are essential to develop chatbots, virtual assistants, and voice recognition systems to provide personalized and intuitive interactions with customers.
Conversational AI, on the other hand, involves the development of AI-powered systems that can carry out conversations with users in a manner that mimics human-like conversations. This includes techniques such as natural language understanding (NLU), dialogue management, and natural language generation (NLG). Skills in conversational AI development are crucial for businesses looking to create sophisticated chatbots. Also, virtual assistants, and voice-based customer service systems that can understand and respond to user queries. They can also provide recommendations, and engage in interactive conversations.
Machine learning also plays a significant role in NLP and conversational AI. Skills in machine learning, including supervised and unsupervised learning, deep learning, and reinforcement learning, are vital for building effective NLP and conversational AI models. Machine learning algorithms can be used to train NLP models for tasks such as sentiment analysis, entity recognition, and language generation, and to train conversational AI models to learn from user interactions and improve their responses over time.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the technology sector is evolving at an incredible pace, and staying abreast of the latest technology skills required is essential for professionals who want to stand out.
Mastering Quantum Computing is critical for professionals looking to leverage the power of quantum mechanics for solving complex problems in various domains. AR/VR Development skills are in high demand as businesses seek to create immersive and interactive experiences in gaming, healthcare, and education. Data Privacy and Compliance expertise is crucial to navigate the increasing focus on data privacy regulations and protect sensitive information. Edge Computing skills is in high demand as businesses adopt strategies to process data in real-time, making it ideal for IoT applications. Lastly, NLP and Conversational AI skills is pivotal in creating intelligent and interactive customer experiences through natural language interfaces, personalized recommendations, and sentiment analysis.
As the tech landscape continues to evolve, professionals with these in-demand tech skills are and are highly sought after. Embracing these in-demand tech skills will open up new opportunities, enhance career prospects, and contribute to the exciting advancements in the tech industry.
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To maximize the time spent in front of the keyboard, it is best to learn useful keyboard shortcuts that can help you code faster.
Keyboard shortcuts are a powerful and underutilized tool that can help you save time and improve your productivity when using your computer. Whether you’re working on a document, browsing the web, or performing other tasks, keyboard shortcuts can help you perform actions more quickly and efficiently than using a mouse or touchpad.
Keyboard shortcuts: code efficiently, code faster
As a developer, you spend most of your day in front of the computer, and most of that time you spend in your favorite editor/IDE. Therefore, it is essential to be as efficient as possible with our favorite editor.
This is where keyboard shortcuts come in. Knowing the correct keyboard shortcuts for each situation will save you time and make programming more enjoyable.
Shortcuts are the most productive resource you can add to your developer repertoire and will help you over the course of your career.
Learning how to use the system and tools will improve your productivity and generally make it easier to manage all your windows and applications.
In addition to the time-saving benefits, keyboard shortcuts can also be beneficial for reducing strain on your hands and wrists. Instead of clicking through menus and using a mouse or touchpad, you can perform many actions using keyboard shortcuts, which can help reduce the risk of repetitive strain injuries.
But when and where did the first shortcuts appear?
Also read our article about How To Code Well. Peter Fisher, freelance web developer and host of the popular “How To Code Well” podcast, discusses why he started teaching coding and some of the best career advice he has given.
First keyboard shortcuts
The first keyboard shortcuts appeared at Xerox in the 1970s and included functions such as cut, copy and paste.
However, David Bradley, an IBM engineer, was the creator of the iconic Control-Alt-Delete shortcut, which occurred in the early 1980s.
Bradley said it required only five minutes to devise the iconic combination, which became a hit among IBM employees and was then programmed into the original company PC.
How to determine keyboard shortcuts?
Behind every keyboard shortcut is a story, the purpose of which is always the same: to solve a problem or facilitate the execution of a function.
Therefore, the challenge for engineers is:
Make the shortcuts easy to remember
Make sure they make sense with existing keyboards
Develop combinations that do not trigger other shortcuts.
They must also take into account how often a shortcut is used. More frequently used shortcuts tend to include simpler key combinations (e.g., copy and paste). On the other hand, less frequently used shortcuts tend to include more keys (e.g., forced exit from an application).
Modern apps are initiating a new era of shortcuts
The use of shortcuts is one of the biggest trends in productivity software. Companies such as Notion, Superhuman , and Figma have created their own shortcuts to help users save time by dropping the mouse.
For those who are more of a do-it-yourselfer, you can always grab your keyboard. Both Mac OS and Windows allow users to create their own shortcuts.
Overall, keyboard shortcuts are an essential tool for anyone looking to work more efficiently and effectively on their computer. By taking the time to learn and use them, you can streamline your workflow, reduce the risk of injury, and improve your overall productivity. So next time you’re working on your computer, give some of these shortcuts a try and see how they can help you work smarter, not harder.
We have chosen to divide the keyboard shortcuts by type of task:
Basic Editing
Cursor Movements
Debug
Display
Editor Management
File Management
Generic Windows Shortcuts
IDE Shortcuts (VSCode)
Integrated Terminal
Multi-Cursor and Selection
Rich Languages Editing
Search and Replace
This way it is easier for you to check which shortcuts save you time based on your needs.
2024 has already started, and it’s time to take new resolutions to start the year off right. Have you already made your freelancers resolutions for the new year 2024?
If you haven’t already, don’t panic! We offer you 10 good resolutions for freelancers to increase your productivity in 2024. Because productive days are a first step towards the success and development of your activity as an independent consultant.
1. Train yourself to stay competitive and productive
The tools, techniques, software and needs of your customers are constantly evolving. In addition, every day, new productivity tools are emerging: CRM, planning management applications, databases, corporate social networks … The start of the year is therefore the ideal opportunity to start investing in your training. To stay competitive and stay ahead of your freelance competitors, but also to work better on a daily basis, invest in your training! As a freelance, training ultimately means investing in the most valuable resource in your business: yourself! To do this, there are free and certifying courses, online or at university, workshops, webinars, online moocs or offered by organizations or major schools …
2. Resolutions for freelancers: declutter your workspace
The change of year is the perfect time to clean up! Now is the time to free your workspace from all the clutter. Sort and file invoices, letters and other papers from the past year. Also remove anything that is unnecessary on your desk or that may distract you: figurines, keys, books, smartphones … Also sort your emails and digital files on your computer to see more clearly. Then make sure to keep your workspace clean, tidy and organized to have a clear mind and boost your productivity.
3. Anticipate your peaks of activity
In this new year, choose to plan ahead. In 2023, what were the periods of strong activity? Analyze your previous year to prepare in advance and anticipate the highlights of your business. The more prepared you are, and the more you anticipate, the more productive you will be! Also consider hiring other freelancers to help you out in these tense times. For example, you can delegate your tasks with low added value. In 2024, consider outsourcing the assignments that take your time, you will easily find other freelancers ready to take on these assignments for you. This resolution will undoubtedly increase your productivity!
4. Take breaks
Whatever your freelance activity and your workload, you need to take care of yourself: physically, mentally and emotionally. This is important for having a fulfilling and productive freelance life. Sedentary lifestyle at work by sitting at your desk every day can lead to many health problems, as well as reduced motivation. In 2024, you need to somehow add exercise to your daily routine. For example, you can go out every two hours to get some fresh air, walk, do some stretching exercises, and relax. You will find that by the time you get back to your desk, you will be more productive!
5. Resolutions for freelancers: work on your adaptability
With the health crisis, we have all learned more or less about adaptation. As a freelancer, your adaptability has been greatly strained, for example you may work at home one day and the next day be required to work in your client’s offices. Faced with this constantly changing environment, you need to be flexible and adaptable more than ever. In addition, your activity as a self-employed person requires a lot of flexibility. Particularly because you are required to practice in sometimes diametrically opposed worlds, which require a strong capacity for adaptation in order to meet the needs of your clients.
But how do you work on your ability to adapt? First, learn to step out of your comfort zone. Dare to respond to missions that go beyond your usual field. By going on new paths you will be able to evolve and grow your business more easily. Plus, remember, it’s never too late to improve your adaptability.
6. Set goals for the year
To get the year off to a good start, you need to think about what goals you want to set and achieve in 2024. Among the resolutions for freelancers, start to ask yourself the following questions:
Is it a certain number of missions to be carried out?
A certain number of clients to prospect?
A turnover to achieve?
Having personal goals will allow you to track your progress throughout the year. They should be seen as stages to be crossed in order to reach your final objective: the success of your activity.
To define a realistic action plan, use the SMART method (Simple, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Time).
Starting 2024 with clear and precise goals will give you a long-term vision. It is also a good source of motivation to boost yourself in times of blur or low motivation.
7. Check your emails and social networks less and better
As a freelancer, you have no boss and are free to organize your working days as you wish. But it also means that no one is there to control your productivity during working hours. However, we all know that distractions can quickly mar the day. By distractions we mean social networks and emails.
Although this is your work mailbox, stop checking it every 5 minutes. The same goes for your social media accounts, even if they are your work social networks.
Among the good resolutions of freelancers, choose to schedule a time during the day to check your social networks and emails. For example, choose a time slot in the morning before you start your work day, a time slot at noon after your lunch, and one in the evening before shutting down your computer.
8. Take care of your online reputation and develop your network
When you’re a freelancer, it’s almost impossible not to have an online presence. This is all the more important in these times of pandemic when all conventions and meeting places are closed. To increase your bottom line, you need to convince other customers to trust you. The best way to do this is to take care of your online reputation. Be sure to showcase an authentic image that looks like you. Develop your profile on LinkedIn, and ensure a quality presence on social networks by posting your own articles relevant to your activity which will highlight your skills. Also refine your presence on freelance recruitment platforms like Mindquest.io, with a fully completed profile, if you find it necessary, you can also create your website. Finally, for a perfect e-reputation, take care of your current customers! There is no better ambassador than a satisfied customer.
In addition to taking care of your e-reputation, maintain your network! Because that’s one of the most important things about being a freelancer. It is with word of mouth and your ability to bond with others that you will be able to land new assignments. You can join different groups on social media to interact with other freelancers and there are many events online that will allow you to meet new people.
9. Resolutions for freelancers: choose the missions that interest you
One of the main advantages of being self-employed is being able to choose your projects and missions. So why work on missions you don’t like?
For this New Year, only take on missions that are truly valuable to you. The more you like what you do, the more you will want to invest in it and the more productive you will be.
On the other hand, if you’re used to working with clients who always ask for more (without paying more), who don’t showcase your skills and stress you out, it’s time to change them. It is important that you find customers whose values are close to yours.
10. Learn to invest
Sometimes you have to spend some money to make more money! It may seem paradoxical, but have you ever counted the time lost on tasks that you do not master, such as web writing, community management, accounting, graphics, administrative management…? In some cases, calling on another more competent service provider and delegating the mission to them leaves you more time to devote to your customers or to the search for prospects.
Investing in your equipment is also part of the good resolutions of freelancers. If your hardware is failing and slowing you down, invest in better performing hardware. Sure, it’s a cost, but it will save you productivity in the short term. And more productivity means more profits.
In conclusion, stick to all the resolutions for freelancers we have put forward to you to ensure a much more productive year 2024!
Remote work is becoming increasingly common amongst IT pros. Here’s how you can benefit from this trend a from the comfort of your home or personal office.
Remote work is becoming increasingly common amongst IT pros. The way in which tech experts look for jobs and carry out missions was already changing before Covid-19 hit. IT freelancing was on the rise; With higher levels of remote work; slowly becoming an industry standard and the figure of the digital nomad gaining acceptance.
Now that digital transformation efforts have accelerated and companies have had to adapt their hiring strategies to a world in lockdown; remote work across countries and time zones is out in the mainstream. Regardless of country reopenings and a slow return to the office, remote work is here to stay. Here’s how you can benefit from this trend and what you should keep in mind when pursuing a new gig from the comfort of your home or personal office.
First of all, you need to pinpoint your target company type. The kind of company you will be applying for jobs at and that you will turn to support your remote work lifestyle. Whether that is as a freelancer or as a full-time employee.
For that, you need to make sure you are aiming for industries and organisations that have friendly policies towards remote hiring and working. Most big tech companies have fully shifted to remote work after the start of the outbreak. So they will be open to receiving applications and collaborating with fully remote employees. Other sectors of activity will be less prone to hire remote employees due to a lack of organisational readiness or the nature of the job to be done; jobs relating to IT infrastructure and cybersecurity tend to involve an on-site component because of its confidential and hands-on nature.
IT remote work: Make sure your environment and tools are ready
This one sounds rather obvious. But you would be surprised to learn how many IT projects encounter roadblocks along the way. Due to unforeseen technical limitations on the remote worker’s side of things. And we are not talking here about a stable internet connection.
Make sure you have analysed the project requirements and spoken with company stakeholders to understand the technical needs of the project. And also see if you should ask for extra equipment or services – think of cloud processing resources, networking equipment, etc.
The social component
Working remotely can make collaboration with other team members more difficult and requires you to put in some extra effort. The social component of remote working should not be overlooked, but you can follow a few easy steps to ensure you are properly connected with project stakeholders.
First and foremost, make sure you are conducting a proper onboarding. As with most things in life, setting a robust foundation is key. If the employer doesn’t have a fully fleshed out onboarding process, be proactive and put together all the questions you will need clarification on. Make sure you get acquainted with the rest of the team. Even if that means proposing quick one-on-one virtual chats to get to know them a bit.
Secondly, set up follow-ups and regular check-ins with your colleagues to keep track of the progress and let them know you are there and on top of things.
Maybe looking for a job remotely sounds good, but you would rather work on-site at least some of the time. Or maybe you are looking for a job remotely as a way of moving to another country. No problem. The IT jobs market has never been better for that.
Just make sure you are considering everything first, like immigration regulations and demands (visas, health insurance, etc.). Sometimes, working with a recruitment partner who has experience relocating IT experts is the best choice. They will help you figure out all the details so you can get started with your new life as soon and as easily as possible.
This IT job hunting guide will provide you with a review of everything you will need to consider in your journey towards your next professional milestone.
These are prime days for IT job hunting. As industries like commercial aviation are going through the darkest days of their history, tech-related businesses are thriving. From entertainment platforms and social networks to online retail and videoconferencing services. Some companies are simply very well-positioned to take advantage of our society’s sudden change of habits.
Enterprise cloud companies have stepped up recruiting to meet the increased global demand for cloud services. Meantime retailers are hiring in mass to meet the demand for online shopping and home deliveries. It is a golden age for technology professionals, and you should take all the advantage you can of it.
This IT job hunting guide will provide you with a review of everything you will need to consider in your journey towards your next professional milestone.
IT job hunting in today’s jobs market
The IT skills gap is rapidly widening as new technologies emerge at an increasing rate and change the way firms operate. For this reason, most recruiters, predictably, name a skills shortage as their top challenge. The scarcity of skilled individuals raises salaries and empowers those with the most in-demand abilities. And so, new skill niches are continuously emerging. Consequently, IT professionals need to stay up to date with new developments if they want to remain relevant.
Certainly, outlining the greatest professional route for you based on your requirements and objectives is an art, and like any other kind of art, you must first learn the fundamentals.
Firstly, you’ll have to decide what kind of assignments you wish to do and pick the right firm and industry. Then you should describe your skillset and position yourself in relation to the tasks you wish to pursue. Finally, you will need to present a clean and consistent image.
As an IT professional, you must always lookout for new top IT skills to stay current and grow your career. However, with the ongoing growth of IT tools and the changing business climate brought on by the pandemic, deciding where to spend your upskilling efforts might be tough.
Technical knowledge must be updated on a regular basis to keep with current business trends, while softer skills like communication and time management are lifetime assets. The development of data science, the introduction of artificial intelligence, and the strong momentum of cloud computing are all having an impact on the most in-demand IT professionals.
The solution? To familiarise yourself with today’s top IT skills.
The art of CV writing
Once your professional profile and skills are all set up and running, it’s time to make them all come together in a well-rounded CV.
The CV is an essential component of every job seeker’s arsenal, particularly in today’s ultra-competitive IT employment market. These IT professional CV writing ideas can help you stand out from the crowd and land interviews with the finest organizations and positions in the field.
An excellent resume is a succinct and clear summary of your work history, personality, and goals. Because this is the recruiter’s or employer’s first impression of you, you should make it count
First impressions are essential in the online job-hunting environment, just as they are in face-to-face conversations.
After a company or recruiter first identifies a candidate who might be a good fit for the position; they will conduct a thorough review of their digital footprint. Any inconsistencies and red flags found will be taken into account before moving onto the next stage of the process. On the other hand, an insufficient online presence might prevent a candidate from being found in the first place.
Skills, check, CV, check. Now it’s time to go out and hunt for a job.
There is no single way of looking for a job. No single platform you should prioritise or sole strategy you should follow. It all depends on your profile, the kind of job you are targeting, and your personal style. Only one thing is true across the board: you have to be smart about it.
You will need to do some research; figure out where your desired employers get their talent from; approach the right people within the industry or organisation and use the right language.
Any job hunting guide that wants to stay relevant in a post-world should cover remote hiring and working.
Remote work is becoming increasingly common amongst IT pros. The way in which tech experts look for jobs and carry out missions was already changing before Covid-19 hit. IT freelancing was on the rise; With higher levels of remote work; slowly becoming an industry standard and the figure of the digital nomad gaining acceptance.
Remote employment across nations and time zones has become the norm now that digital transformation initiatives have advanced and organizations have been forced to adapt their hiring tactics to a world in lockdown. Remote employment is here to stay, regardless of country reopenings and a delayed return to the workplace.
But remote working and remote job hunting require a slightly different set of skills of involve different priorities and best practices.
Interviews are the final show of the job hunting world. And often the part of the process that most anxiety and self-doubt generates. The rise of remote hiring and the subsequent normalisation of online interviews makes this step particularly challenging; as traditional recommendations regarding non-verbal communication no longer apply to the likes of Zoom.
Selection procedures may be intimidating, especially when it comes to first interviews. Even if you’re a seasoned pro who believes you’ve got interviewing all under contol; it never hurts to take a second look at how you handle these pivotal moments and see where you can improve. Common sense, like in the case of so many other things in life, can be quite beneficial.
Congrats! You have gotten the job. The company or client that hired you is clearly excited about what you have to bring to the team. But do not let yourself think that the journey is over yet.
Onboarding is a crucial step in securing your job position and can well determine the impact and effectiveness of your work within this new environment. From properly getting to know your colleagues and your team’s structure to identifying internal workflows and collaboration tools. Therefore, what you learn in those first two weeks is key to ensuring you can give the best you have to offer and remain aligned with business objectives.
This often requires proactiveness on your part. Sometimes, your new employer will not have the time or resources to properly provide you with a welcome package right away. In these cases, you should take the lead and ask for everything you need in order to do a good job. Don’t be shy. Your employer or client will thank you, and it will show initiative, professionalism and commitment.
Working with a recruitment partner like Mindquest can be of great advantage in difficult onboarding situations. As expert recruiters tend to have good knowledge of the project you have been hiring for and know the company well. They will then be able to orient you through the process with minimum effort on your part.
Interested in hearing about onboarding tips from an IT professional who just recently started a new job? Then, check out our interview with Olena Drugalya to discuss her experiences at her first developer job.
Life-long learning
This is something you should do even if you are not looking for a job at the moment. Since technology is continuously evolving, your success as an IT pro depends in great part on your ability to keep up with the most in-demand skills – both technical and other, softer skills.
Therefore, you need to take advantage of the many free online IT courses out there. Here are five courses to get you started that touch upon some of today’s core AI skills. Develop new skills, challenge yourself. Include your new certifications in your CV and LinkedIn profiles. It will show employers you’re not just standing there, idle, that you are also ambitious and in constant motion.
While it is frequent for technology experts to be overwhelmed by generic offers from recruiters who do not understand their area of technological focus and personal idiosyncrasies. There are great recruiters out there.
To conclude, specialized IT recruiters can become a life-long career partner for technology professionals looking for a steady income of work and guidance to navigate an ever-changing and fast-evolving job market. Consider working with a partner like Mindquest to easily take your career to the next level, saving time and at no cost to you.
Find more about our recruitment and career services here.
A Career in Data Science: Unlocking The Power of Data with AI
We chat with Ton Badal, machine learning engineer at London-based DataOps start-up Synthesized; about pursuing a career in data science and the challenges of working with data.
How did you get started in tech, what made you go for data science career and machine learning in particular?
Since school, I have had an engineering mentality, I’ve always had this problem-solving way of thinking. I’ve always enjoyed math and solving problems. In university, I studied telecommunications engineering and specialised in audiovisual systems, so the processing of audio, images, video and other audiovisual systems from a technical perspective.
There I started doing research in machine learning, AI and data science. I started discovering this super interesting world. After that, I was sure that I wanted to do a data science career. So I went for a master’s in AI. And that’s how I discovered this very, very interesting and challenging world.
What did you find to be the most challenging part of this process of learning data science as career and becoming a machine learning engineer?
When I started university, it was not a clear path yet. Eighteen or fifteen years ago, you couldn’t see the path of a data scientist from start to end. Data science sits between computer science and math. And, throughout my career, I’ve been closer to computer science than to math. But the challenge is that you have to know as much as possible from both worlds. But at the same time combine them as well as possible. So I think it’s been quite challenging to be able to unify both worlds.
What’s the best career advice you have ever been given?
This is not really a piece of advice that someone has given me, but rather something that I’ve seen people do. I’ve realised that, when I was starting to look for jobs and was looking for a career, I was kind of looking for anything. I felt like I was the only one selling myself. But at some point, you realise that it’s important that the company also sells itself to you. The company also has to be interested in the person who’s applying. It’s not just top-down, but also bottom-up. There has to be this mutual understanding. When I started looking for jobs, I didn’t care that much about that. But after a while, I realised that it’s really important to feel confident and be in a good environment. It’s crucial for your career development and for example a data science career.
So, I would recommend to everyone to not just get the first job and be very selective about what they want and what they seek to accomplish. Also, the people who interview you: you have to look at them and ask as many questions as you can about the company. It’s not only about selling yourself, but also about understanding the company and making sure that the step you’re going to take is the best one for you because that’s going to influence the rest of your career.
What’s your advice for those who want to learn data science?
If you want to learn something, the best way to learn it is to get hands-on, to find a project that you’re interested in. There are a lot of open source projects that require some help. For example, at Synthesized, we’re now going to open source a fairness package. If you’re interested in this field, you can collaborate on many, many different projects. The best way to learn computer science and data science is to get a project, get a data set. Sign up for a Kaggle Competition, for example, and try to solve it and get as close as you can to the top of the ranking.
What are the biggest issues with working with data these days?
First of all, there is the problem of ending up with a poor signal-to-noise ratio. The amount of data that you can find nowadays is huge. But, many times, this data contains a lot of noise. And, if you are not careful, you are just going to end up with just a lot of noise that renders it useless.
The second big issue is compliance, so GDPR, HIPAA, etc. If you have data that is not privacy-compliant or that is discriminating against some groups, that’s going to be not only useless, but it’s also going to be illegal to use. So you need to work closely with compliance teams. You need to spend time with the legal team to make sure that you make proper use of your data.
Finally, there’s the problem of data sets becoming data silos. More and more, to access data, you need a data engineer, a data scientist or a machine learning engineer — someone who can do the magic with the data. It’s getting more and more complex to access the data because doing so requires the knowledge of a data engineer or a test engineer.
How is Synthesized helping to solve these problems?
Synthesized has a core engine that is able to solve these problems by enabling users to easily access their data products in many different ways. So, for example, let’s take one of the problems that I was mentioning before: working with compliance and privacy. Our engine is able to generate data that is representative of the original data but is free from privacy issues and from even biases.
Another of the problems is related to infrastructure, to data silos. Current approaches are data warehouses and data lakes. There are some problems with these approaches, for example, the signal-to-noise ratio in the case of data lakes. There’s a lot of data in there, but it’s very difficult to use. But, the infrastructure problem is also there because the data is very centralised and you need a data engineering team to get to it. So what we’re working on is a new infrastructure called data mesh that aims to decentralise data access. It tries to decentralise all these data products so that each team can access the data independently. Both for internal and for external collaboration.
Can you tell us a bit more about your role at the company?
I’m very lucky to have been a very early employee of the company. I joined at a very early stage, and this meant that, although my official title is machine learning engineer, I’ve been able to touch a bit of everything.
However, my main role as a machine learning engineer is making sure that the core technology is as good as possible. But that also involves a lot of what a pre-sales person would do. So, going to the clients, asking them for requirements, and making sure that the product works well for them and is as tailored as possible to their requirements. But about also improving the product.
And there is also some marketing work involved, like developer relationships. We need to push into that direction because we’re a small company with very new technology and we need to make sure that we sell bottom-up, not top-to-bottom. We approach customers as machine learning engineers, as the nerds who sell to other developers, not as the marketing guys who are trying to sell something to them. Otherwise,+j the message doesn’t get through that well.
What’s next for data? Where do you see data science in, let’s say, five years from now?
I think that, right now, we’re in a very crucial moment for data. We are having all these privacy issues, fairness problems, and the users are more and more aware of this. So, we have to make sure that we have the best practices in place, that we make the best that we can with our data but still respect users. It’s going to be a very challenging time.
At Synthesize, we mainly work with structured data, but I think it’s worth mentioning unstructured data. What’s happening with OpenAI, GPT-3 or other generative models — what’s being done is amazing. It’s a very exciting time. I’m very, very excited to see what the next new thing is going to be.
You’ve been based in London for a while. What do you like the most about the London tech scene?
What I like the most about it is that there are a lot of people working on the same topic, and you can very easily meet people doing really interesting things. And that’s one of the most powerful things when you are doing research or trying to improve your product. Just talking to people, understanding their problems and just having a conversation about something that probably you don’t understand and you don’t even know about.
Discussing new tech trends with people at other companies, that can really help. You discover new things and go out of your usual boundaries. London is great for that because there are a lot of meetups. Well, there were before corona. But yeah, you can talk to and meet a lot of people. There’s this big ecosystem where a lot of things are happening and there’s so much to learn. I’m really happy to be living here.
Peter Fisher, host of the popular How To Code Well podcast, discusses why he started teaching coding and some of the best career advice he has given.
Peter Fisher; freelance web developer and host of the popular “How To Code Well” podcast; discusses why he started teaching coding and some of the best career advice he has given.
I never actually wanted to be a programmer. I actually started off from an arts background. So I did a lot of graphics design and a lot of 3D animation. We did a lot of flash animation and action script coding, so the coding came alongside the multimedia stuff.
When I was at school, I was building small little websites for myself and friends just to post images on. And I found it interesting that one could build something with really small feedback loops. All you had to do was write some HTML code and refresh the page and you had something.
And then when I got my first job in a web development agency, I discovered very quickly that I wasn’t actually a graphics designer as more of a coder. So, I was able to transfer my passion for design to a passion for designing and architecture.
You are the host and teacher of How To Code Well. A podcast and learning hub around web development and pursuing a web developer career. How did this adventure start?
I never started How To Cope Well with the intention of building a business from it or being a creator. It was a purely accidental thing that I got into. I always started blogging when I started learning because that was my way of keeping note. But I was writing to myself rather than to others.
After I finished university, I was in this ocean of developers who’ve just come out of university, and they were all looking for the same jobs. I was speaking to a lot of recruitment agents, and one of them, off the cuff, said “I wish there was a way I could show our clients how well you can code.” This was like 2006-2007, so YouTube was just coming out. And I thought: “You know, that’s something people is starting to use more, so I will video myself doing some code.” It was a very selfish decision. It was never intended to teach anyone how to code, it was just to show how I coded, so I could have called it How Well I Code rather than How To Code Well.
But then you decided to focus on helping others. What changed?
At first, I did about four videos and posted the links up onto my CV, but I very much doubted that anybody would actually see those videos from a job perspective. So, I forgot about it for a few years and didn’t bother logging back into YouTube.
Then one of my family members wanted to post or share a video for other family members. And I just thought “Oh yeah, I’ve got this YouTube account.” So, I logged in and, after several years of it being dormant, I noticed that there was a ton of comments and questions and feedback which were all very positive. I thought this was something I could run with, and it went from the very selfish decision of promoting myself to helping people out. People on YouTube were asking if I knew how to do other things, how to use other programming languages, where the next part of the course was. The funny thing is that I never thought it was a course when I did it. The driving force of How To Code Well is its community.
What was the most challenging part of starting to produce educational content on a regular basis?
I was a junior dev working a full-time job with freelance work on the side, and I was now teaching people to code, so time was and is a thing that is against me.
I’ve got a very strict rule of not doing it during working hours, so it’s evenings and weekends, and over several years I’ve managed to keep that going. But there’s a lot of sacrifices one has to make. For instance, if I live code on YouTube on Tuesdays after work, my working day is prolonged, and my downtime is shorter. If I live code on Twitch on Sundays, my Sunday afternoons are out of the water. And there’s a lot of preparation that you have to do before you do that. You need to think about what it is that you’re going to code and talk about.
What about impostor syndrome. Do you experience it yourself? How do you address it?
Impostor syndrome is something that is definitely real, and with the podcast that came through accident as well. I started doing long-form content where I was touching upon subjects that I didn’t know much about. It got to a point where I was getting to the limits of my knowledge, and I just decided to bring people on the show to learn from them. It’s always a learning journey, always knowing where my limitations are.
With every course I build, I think that I’ve done the wrong thing, if I’ve said the wrong technical thing. You know, if I’ve pronounced an acronym wrong. You’re constantly doubting yourself. It does get easier because you get used to that feeling and you can have a little word with yourself and say “It’s fine. It’s okay, you can publish it.”
You’ll never truly know how the audience is going to react until you publish it. So, every doubt that you’ve got in your mind is just your doubts. It’s not the doubts of others. I think that’s how I get through it.
Speaking to people on the podcast who know about the subject matter, I do come away feeling like I know nothing. I know what they’ve said because I’ve understood what they said, but it just makes me aware of how little I know of web development, which is another reason why web development is so good, because there is so much to know and so much to learn, it’s endless. You’ll never learn everything.
In your experience, what makes a good web developer versus a great one?
From a technical standpoint, a good web developer knows the syntax and the processes. But a great developer understands the technical consequences of those processes and decisions, and they can lean upon past experiences.
Also, a great developer is highly professional. They know when to say no and they have justifications of why they’re going to say no. They have testing, they know how long things are going to take, they have some experience behind what they’re doing. They’ve seen it from inception to deployment, and they’ve gone through the whole bug fixing cycle. But really, I think what boils it down is experience. You can’t just learn to be a great developer, you must embrace it and experience it.
Based on what you have seen through your courses, what are most developers struggling with these days?
Not understanding core programming concepts is something that I see a lot, so knowing the framework but not understanding the core principles of the programming language behind that. Learning the concepts of programming is a transferable skill. I’m not just talking about learning JavaScript or learning PHP or Python. It’s learning the operators, the logical flows, learning what a function is versus what a class is. All of those things you can take with you to the next programming language.
What I see a lot is people diving into frameworks and then getting stuck when they move to another position or another job, or when that framework changes. They are comfortable in that world, but they’re not comfortable in the world outside of that framework.
What’s the best web developer career advice you have given?
First of all
Take breaks. Take more breaks than you think you need to. Your brain works offline, so even if you’re not physically at your machine, you’re thinking about the work. I think about the work when I wake up and when I go to bed. I never switch off in terms of thinking about the bugs that I need to fix or the logical flows, but because I’m not staring at a screen, I’m not getting stressed about it. I’m processing this information in my brain in the background. And, when you come back to the code, it’s easier to identify the issue that you are in.
The second one
The second one is to keep asking questions. Web development is super hard and it’s going to get harder. You think you know it now, but, in two years’ time, you’ll know two years’ worth of it, and then you’ll discover another two years that you don’t know. There’s more stuff in web development that I don’t know than there is that I do know, and I’ve been in it for a long, long time. Don’t beat yourself up and if you don’t understand what you’re trying to achieve, then ask someone. And, if you don’t understand what that person is saying, ask someone else, because perhaps that person hasn’t talked about the answer in a way that you can absorb. Maybe you are more of a visual learner. Maybe they can show you on a whiteboard or take you through the process. Throwing acronyms at someone isn’t a very useful thing, is it?
Lastly
Lastly, technology comes and goes. At university, I studied visual basic and action script. Well, action script is for Flash. Flash is never used. And visual basic, I just wouldn’t even know. I did well in that course, but I’ve never used it. What I’m trying to say is that technology comes and goes, and whatever you learn now probably won’t be the thing that you will be learning in 10 years’ time or doing in 10 years’ time. So, what you need to do is accept that and embrace change, but don’t embrace change every five minutes.
And the only thing would add is to just enjoy it. Don’t get too stressed with it all. It’s a very challenging thing, and I find that, the more I get stressed, the more I dislike it. So, once you find that you’re actually getting stressed and frustrated with something, take a breather, take a couple of hours. The code will still be there tomorrow, so take an evening off.
How To Code Well is a video podcast which is live on YouTube every Thursday at 20:00 BST. The audio version is released every Friday and is a week behind the live show. You can find it on iTunes, Spotify and most other podcast platforms.
You can follow How To Code Well through its website, on YouTube (Live every Tuesday @ 17:30 BST and Thursday @ 20:00 BST for the podcast) and on Twitch (live every Sunday @ 14:30 BST).
The CV is an indispensable part of any job hunter’s toolkit, especially in the ultra-competitive IT job market of today. These CV writing tips for IT professionals will help you make your profile stand out from the pile and open the doors to the best jobs and companies in the industry.
A good resume is a clear and concise showcase of your experiences, personality and aspirations. Since it is the first impression that the recruiter or employer will have of you, you better make it count. Here is how to do it.
Need advice on how to start or develop your freelance consulting business in tech or IT? Need to start a new permanent or freelance assignment? Join Mindquest and get support from our team of experts.
CV writing tips: Choose a positioning strategy for your profile
Due to the constant evolution of work culture and business processes; more and more IT experts are more and more looking for a job that is part of a well-defined project. To do so, you need to be strategic. You can use the header or the first part of your CV to describe your professional profile and aspirations using the keywords that your target employer is more likely to be searching for.
This ‘seduction’ phase, if you will, requires a solid business and marketing strategy. Adapt your speech as much as possible by offering services that are in line with what expected of the position and industry. If you are a developer, look for a cv profile example for software engineers; the Internet is teeming with good ones. You can also ask a colleague or mentor for theirs.
Make your CV clear and enjoyable to read
Content over looks, but do not neglect the visual aspect. Without falling into an excess of originality, make sure that all the elements are easily readable and prioritize the information. Remember that your resume is like your advertising booklet. It should invite reading and also contain all the necessary information.
Describe in a few lines or preferably bullet points what your duties and accomplishments were during previous projects. Indicate the type of companies you have worked for and the specific sectors you are familiar with. You can also specify the technical context and team configuration for different positions. As this will help attract employers who are looking for a specific level of expertise or experience.
Highlight key information for maximum impact
Single-page resumes are for people at the start of their careers. Opt for a multi-page CV that highlights your past experiences in relation to the type of mission you are aiming for.
In order to make your CV more impactful and attract the attention of the recruiter, you should highlight certain elements of your CV based on your strengths and the target position. If you have already done several similar gigs in the past and have some big wins to display, put the emphasis there.
You should also bring up some of your soft skills and passions to help you stand out among other candidates. Perhaps you have a rock band on the side or are a great climber – figure out a way to squeeze that in there. It will make you more relatable and help recruiters remember you more easily when weighing on their various choices.
Complement your CV with a portfolio
Chances are you already have a great deal of experience under your wing. You’ve worked for interesting companies, played a key role in noteworthy projects, helped bring to light successful products.
Beyond including all that experience in your CV, putting together a short portfolio can help potential employers get a better picture of your skills and strengths. It doesn’t need to be a portfolio as polished as, let’s say, that of a designer or a graphic artist – a simple explanation of every one of your best projects will suffice. If you’re after a programming job, put together some of your best code.
Make sure your CV is aligned with your online presence
Last but not least, keep in mind that one of the key CV writing tips for IT professionals does not have much to do with the CV itself, but rather with presenting a coherent online presence when compared to your CV.
After a company or recruiter first identifies a candidate who might be a good fit for the position, they will conduct a thorough review of their digital footprint. Any inconsistencies and red flags found will be taken into account before moving onto the next stage of the process. On the other hand, an insufficient online presence might prevent a candidate from being found in the first place.
Make sure that you are presenting a cohesive profile across all platforms and services. Is the image you are projecting in your CV consistent with your LinkedIn or Twitter profile? Are your past job titles the same on the different job boards you are present in? Do the start and end dates of previous projects match?
