A look at the role of the Android Developer. Learn all about the required skills, background, and main duties of this position in our job description.
Use our template to create a compelling and comprehensive Android Developer job description to attract top talent.
Mobile technology is growing exponentially in our society, which is why the profession of the Android Developer keeps attracting growing interest.
A competitor to Apple’s iOS, Android is Google’s mobile operating system and can be found in a multitude of smartphones, tablets and other connected objects. Many developers, therefore, choose to work on Android.
But what are the qualities and skills required to position for these booming job offers? How can one become an Android Developer? And also, what level of compensation can you expect from this type of work? Find the answers in our job description.
The role of the Android Developer is to develop applications for all devices that run on this mobile operating system. As can be done with iOS and the Swift Developer.
Drafting of the specifications
The first step in the job is to analyse the client’s specifications and define the most appropriate technical solution. This is an essential part of starting a project, as it makes it possible to understand the objectives of the project and determine the development plan to be put in place.
Application development and testing phases
Then comes the stage of programming the application in accordance with the rules and constraints of the specifications. It is also in this second part of the process that the developer will carry out series of tests to verify that the functionalities meet the specifications and that they will meet the needs of the end-user.
Application submission and technical monitoring
In the event that the project consists of developing an application; once the programming is complete; the Android Developer is required to submit their project to Google Play; Google’s application store; and to correct any bugs that the application can run into afterwards. They must also ensure that they document their work to ensure proper transmission of information to other members of the IT team.
Required Skills
Have a solid knowledge of the mobile environment
Before even talking about the skills specific to the Google operating system, the developer must know all the challenges of the mobile web. They must know how to use the programming languages live Java and Kotlin. But also have knowledge of other languages such as C ++ and the Native Development Kit.
Being in the know regarding Android developments
A good Android Developer must always be up-to-date on the evolution of mobile technologies. And more particularly on the updates of the Android operating system to maintain their level of performance and to always the best solutions.
Mastery of English
Fluency in English is often required and allows the developer to understand different programming languages. As these are based on the English language.
Salary of the Android Developer
The average daily rate for an Android Developer is generally between 300 and 800 euros. It varies greatly depending on the level of experience and technical expertise.
Training and education of the Android Developer
There is no traditional training to becoming an Android Developer. A computer science university degree is often useful to acquire the basics of programming. However, it is possible to become an Android Developer on a self-taught basis.
How does one grow as a front-end developer? We chat with Vasilika Klimova, senior front-end developer at Avaloq and founder of the SkillUp School.
How does one grow as a front-end developer? We chat with Vasilika Klimova, senior front-end developer at Avaloq and founder of the SkillUp School in Luxembourg, about why soft skills and not over-engineering are key to advancing as a front-end devand in your web developer carer.
Why did you decide to go into web development? What’s your web developer career story?
Actually, web development wasn’t my first choice at all. I have been playing video games since I was three years old, and, at first, my idea was to become a game developer. I studied C and C++ at university. You can get into this industry through OpenGL and all this stuff but, in Tver, my city of origin in Russia, we didn’t have any jobs for students in this area. So, I found some web development vacancies and decided to try it, and by the fourth year of university I got my first job as a web developer as a Webmaster. So, I started from scratch.
After working there for several years, I finished my university degree and moved Moscow. Then I had to decide if I wanted to go for back-end or front-end, as before I was full-stack. I was doing server code, business logic, all requests to the servers and database stuff, but also user interface. I did all of it. In Moscow there are bigger companies, and these usually have different web development teams, teams for front-end and teams for back-end. So, at this point I needed to decide: do I go as a back-end PHP developer, or as a JavaScript front-end developer? And I went for front-end because I’m a visual person. I need to see what I’m doing, and, when you work with a server, you usually look at the terminal and you see just code and not a lot of interfaces.
And what came next? You now live in Luxembourg. Why the change? What are you up to these days?
I’m actually in Luxembourg because of my previous job. I was a Front-End Team Lead at Artec 3D, a company that has offices in Moscow, Luxembourg, China and California, doing user interfaces and 3D-related tasks. After five years, I decided to switch and was approached by Avaloq’s HR department. They do banking software; it’s quite common to work in the banking industry in Luxembourg.
Avaloq is a much bigger company, and banking quite a regulated industry. Did you notice any differences as a front-end dev?
So, I went from a 200-people company to a 2,500 thousand one with 30 offices around the world. And some processes are not as fast.
Before, when I needed to ask someone within the company for something, I just went directly to them and asked them. But Avaloq has around 800 people at its main office in Switzerland. If you need some information, there are a lot of different teams, and you really need to investigate. For example, sometimes you are working on a project, and you need to find the people who wrote the code in the first place. And often, the only way to know who did this code is to look at who committed it. Coders and managers change, and the only way to find the author of the code is through the commit.
And besides your job, you also work on some web projects, do consulting and give private lessons for adults and children. You are also the founder of SkillUp School, a school that teaches technical skills and how to advance your front-end web developer career. Tell us a bit more.
Yes. I started being a teacher and mentor for front-end development in 2015. I taught at schools in Russia, both online and offline. And after I had settled in Luxembourg and finally had some time in my hands, I decided to create SkillUp School, as I hadn’t seen that many schools like this in the country.
What we give to our students is this absolutely modern way of looking at front-end technologies, because as professional front-end developers, we are using them every day. We started in 2019. We don’t have too many students, and our main idea is to be very flexible for our students. People who want to change their career usually already have a job and not that much time to invest in their development. We only have two or three teams per year, so not big groups, and we are very flexible. It helps us take an individual approach to each student, and I often become even friends with them. After the course, I keep helping them grow and with any questions they have.
In your experience, what makes a good vs. a great web developer?
I think I started to think more about this when I became a team leader. Good developers can think from a technical standpoint, but a great developer, in addition to the technical aspect, knows how to take more of a business perspective. The main idea behind our job is to deliver something that makes our clients happy. You need to think about the business requirements, why you have these requirements, if there may be a more efficient way to create a feature that meets them and not overengineer. You need to ask yourself “Why?” several times.
I know some genius developers, but sometimes they end up over-engineering because they want to make something ideal, something perfect. But the business doesn’t need that. You need something now, for this and for that purpose. And you always need to keep timing in mind. If development takes more time, then you can run into problems. It’s more of the developer’s time, which results in more money. Don’t over-engineer. Relax and just keep it simple.
As a senior developer, how can more junior specialists grow as front-end developers?
To work on their soft skills, on how to learn, how to behave, work in teams, etc. If one day you’d like to become a team leader, it’s important to work on your team skills, on how to negotiate with web designers. Often developers have issues with designers because we materialise their design and they are not happy with what we created. You really need to have a grasp of some psychology basics for this.
What do you enjoy doing in your free time?
I like scuba diving. I already have more than 100 dives on my back and am a rescue diver, so I could rescue someone from the water, I hope. It’s so calming and beautiful under the surface. But I don’t have enough money to do it too many times a year. Usually maximum twice per year, unfortunately. Covid-19 has made it particularly hard too.
I also like playing board games and having a nice time with friends. I still play computer and video games sometimes. Not to compete, but it’s just something that helps me relax. I am partial to games with and interesting and breath-taking plot.
In the ultra-competitive IT job market of today, finding the right job is not as straightforward as one would wish. Understanding how it works is a must.
In the ultra-competitive IT jobs market, finding the right IT job is not as straightforward as one would wish. Things move fast, with top skills and technologies changing every few months and a constant stream of qualified IT candidates making it difficult to secure the best jobs out there.
But today’s complex environment is also one ripe with opportunities. Understanding how it works will help you achieve both your professional and personal goals.
Also, 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.
The growing IT talent gap
Technological advancement has its adverse consequences – skill obsolescence is a well-known side effect of progress. However, with new technologies emerging at a growing pace and changing the way businesses operate, the IT talent skills gap is rapidly widening.
Not surprisingly, most recruiters cite skills shortage as their top challenge. The lack of qualified candidates drives salaries up and empowers those professionals who possess the most desired skills. These candidates become increasingly hard to attract and retain, which, in turn, perpetuates the vicious cycle. That’s good news for tech experts.
Ironically, the same evolutionary speed that often makes IT professionals so valuable and sought-after can be their downfall if nothing is done in response. More so than in other professions, technology experts have the implicit duty to constantly renew themselves in order to remain competitive and grow their careers.
Emerging skills and niches
New technological and business breakthroughs are constantly updating the list of most desired skills and capabilities. While softer skills like communication and time management are life-long partners of success; technical knowledge needs to be periodically revisited and updated to keep up with enterprise trends. The rise of data science, the AI boom and the strong momentum of cloud computing are all setting the agenda for the most in-demand IT skills.
In addition, the pandemic has put the focus on business-related skills. With companies increasingly looking to hire IT professionals who also understand the business side of things and can coordinate better with the rest of the organisation.
The change of focus makes sense. As higher-level business and management skills can help a great deal in navigating change and identifying new opportunities. For IT professionals and technical profiles, making a lateral career move to become more business-savvy can prove very beneficial.
Discover the missions, skills, training and salary of the VoIP Engineer in our job description with Mission Control Center by Mindquest
Use our template to create a compelling and comprehensive VoIP Engineer job description to attract top talent.
Discover the missions, skills, training and salary of the VoIP Engineer in our job description.
VoIP (Voice Over Internet Protocol) is a technology that allows voice to be transmitted over IP compatible networks. For example, this is the technology used by the Skype communication service or which enables millions of people to make calls through Whatsapp every day.
VoIP, therefore, represents an alternative to traditional telephony and has many advantages; which is why more and more companies are turning to this technology. Consequently, the role of a VoIP Engineer is to manage its deployment within the organisation.
At the cutting edge of network technology, the VoIP Engineer’s main role is, thus, to manage voice calls over wired or non-wired IP networks, private or public, and over the Internet.
Inventory and analysis
The first mission of is to make an inventory followed by an analysis of the network already existing within the organization. To then present an analysis of the impact of integrating new networks that will allow data convergence and voice gateways.
Configuration and optimisation
The second part of the job is to start configuring and optimizing VoIP. In order to enable call centers, conference rooms and other mobility issues.
Monitoring and troubleshooting VoIP network gateways
The VoIP Engineer operates a permanent monitoring of the voice over IP network gateways in order to intervene on any breakdowns or malfunctions. To ensure the quality and safety of the network, rigorous monitoring and regular audits are very important parts of its function.
Technical knowledge specific to VoIP telecom support
For the VoIP Engineers to successfully complete the project; it is essential to be familiar with SIP protocol and codecs. They must also have a good knowledge of SIP environments (Proxu / Registrar / SBC); operators (Centrex / Trunk); Patton footbridge; BroadWorks and FreeSwitch, in addition to production tools.
Rigour and organization
Faced with the complexity of this function, the position requires rigour and exemplary organization in the application of protocols. Within a company, VoIP deployment is also an important project which requires a perfectly controlled configuration.
Curiosity and a talent for teaching
Moreover, the VoIP Engineers must systematically be at the forefront of their profession to follow the most recent developments and apply them to his projects. They must also be teachers with the rest of the teams because of the technical nature of their work.
Salary for a VoIP Engineer
The average daily rate for a VoIP Engineer is generally between €500 and €1,000.
Training
Becoming a VoIP Engineer usually requires getting a university degree in the field of networks and telecommunications with a specialisation in information systems security and network architecture.
Are you looking for IT mission opportunities in the Tech and IT sectors on a freelance or permanent basis? Mindquest can help you find your next IT mission opportunity. Find your next mission by browsing our freelance and permanent vacancies available on our digital recruitment platform.
An interview with Microsoft Azure MVP Karel De Winter to discuss his trajectory in IT and how to advance your cloud career.
Karel de Winter is a Belgian cloud solutions architect working at Azure Expert managed cloud services provider DexMach. He is passionate about helping others in the cloud community grow and develop their expertise. Whether it is on Twitter, on his blog, or at an industry event, Karel is constantly sharing news and resources that will help you make the most of the power of cloud.
Interview with Karel De Winter from Azure: How did you get started in technology?
I was about seven when I started to play around with some old computers.
The first things you learn are the basic commands like DIR and CD. And, from
that moment on, I just wanted to learn more about computers in general and what
you could do with them. So, getting into IT was all about doing what I love to
do and the things that I was playing around with. The hardware that was given
to me by family, by neighbours; I was looking to improve that hardware, making
all those things work together.
Then the Internet came and became this living thing. And a lot of things happened from there. I joined some local communities in Belgium and learned about a lot more besides computers. I learned a little bit of programming, I learned to build websites. It was just the beginning of the web, so it was all about playing around, building websites and making music and then putting the music on those websites.
That is how it all started. And now I have around 14 years of experience in IT. I have always worked with Microsoft partners, and every company I worked with had the possibility to try out the Microsoft products, to try new things, to test them, and then implement them together with customers.
Interview with Karel De Winter:What about Azure?
The same thing happened with Azure. The platform is about 10- or 11-years old right now, so I started to play with Azure in the very beginning. I got interested at a local community event. Somebody was showing something from Azure Storage; you could put your files on a storage account or you could run your SQL environments and servers on Azure.
I was curious about all those things and how they worked together. So, I got involved with the Azure community in Belgium and attended several sessions. And I immediately saw the benefit of cloud products. But I must say that, ten years ago, Azure was not the Microsoft Azure platform that we now know. A lot has changed since then. So, it was a lot of exploration and investigating what was possible, always learning new things through the process. That is how, throughout my career, I went from being a systems engineer to making cloud architectures and other related things.
Interview with Karel De Winter from Azure: And what are you up to these days?
My main focus so far has been on Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS). But, since I started working at DexMach as a solutions architect, a lot of things have changed. Now I am focusing more on the Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) side of things and everything around governance, making sure that we have a good landing zone and keep security in mind. Those are the things I now focus on.
Now I am designing architectures, but also doing a bit of pre-sales. Together with our team, we help to make proposals for customers so that they are having a clear understanding of the cost and architecture of the Azure environment. Aside from that, I’m also a competence lead, which means that I am responsible for all platform related projects and guidelines related to Azure. So, I am looking at, for example; how we can use Azure Stack HCI as a hybrid solution for our customers, or how we can standardize platform-as-a-service in Azure with Azure Functions, Logic Apps or Web Apps. Even Kubernetes comes into play when a customer wants to keep full control. I am making sure that everything is secure, that everyone who works in the team is on the same page (we have standards that we need to implement with every customer).
What is your advice for more junior Azure experts?
My number one piece of advice for junior Azure experts would be that
learning is important. It is so important that you have to do it for the rest
of your life. Especially because a lot is changing in cloud. It is going very,
very quickly. So, if you are not learning day by day, six months later you are behind
your competitors. You need to keep on learning and keep doing new things.
If you want to start with Azure, just go with Microsoft Learn. That’s a very good starting point. You have different paths you can follow. So, if you are a junior and you don’t know which area or which track you should go for, this is the way to go. You have the ability to sign up for free and have a complete Azure environment in a sandbox and see what is working for you. You can see if you are doing a lot of development things, or enjoying the web development part, or if you are an infrastructure guy like me. Or are maybe more into VMs, more into Kubernetes and managing all those things, networking, storage, etc. Just have a look at that.
What about official certifications, what would you recommend focusing on?
You can’t learn everything in these times of digital revolution, there is just too much information. But when preparing for an official Microsoft you should start by looking at the PDF that’s on the page of the exam. There you will find the exam skills outline. All the topics covered in the exam are listed with some percentage at the end. And you should aim to learn by that percentage. The skills measured with the highest percentage must be also your highest learning priority and the biggest investment in time. That’s something I always do. My main focus will be on the biggest parts, and then, if I have time to go into a really deep dive, I will look into the other parts.
What’s the best career advice you have been given?
Networking is important because, for example, if you are going for a job
interview and they have two people with a very similar resume (same
certificates and experience) but the one person knows somebody within the
company or knows somebody that knows somebody — you know, they will be picked
instead of the other one. I think networking is very important in every job.
But not only in it. If you want to work at another place or you want to take a
career step, it is very important that you know people and that you do some
extra networking as well. Yeah.
Secondly, as you are becoming an expert, you need to share your
knowledge and not just keep it to yourself. Sharing your expertise with people
in your company or even online is very important because you show that you are
doing things. You get on the radar of other people and other people. Create a
blog or do a podcast or make a YouTube video. Just explain something simple. Get
started sharing something you’ve learned, something you worked on, a project.
And the last thing: try to get involved in as many projects as you can.
And don’t be shy to do some complex projects. Mostly you will be working in
teams, so you will learn from other team members, from other people. Cloud is
still very new, so nobody has 20 or 25 years of experience with it, as it
happens with other technologies. Everybody is kind of new to the job. It is by
doing that you will learn a lot. Making sure you have complex projects in which
to get involved. That has worked very well for me in my career.
What would you do if you were not in IT?
That’s a good question. I think I would have a small company that gave mountain biking lessons because I love mountain biking. I imagine this little village in the mountains, where I would have a little shop full of mountain bikes. And I would give lessons, or give some tours. Yeah, that would be nice.
A look at the role of the C/C++ Developer. Mindquest's IT's Who is Who is a directory of all IT functions. Find the perfect career for you.
Use our template to create a compelling and comprehensive C/C++ Developer job description to attract top talent.
The C/C++ Developer is an expert in these essential computer languages: C and its C++ heir. Widely used in the industry, these programming languages are a skill highly sought after by companies.
C is a general-purpose language from the 1970s, and still in use in systems programming and robotics. C++ was born in the 1980s. It is the language of choice for those looking for performance, as it can execute complex code very fast. For example, for the design of mobile applications, for the programming of operating systems or video games, as well as in the creation of certain military programs.
The missions of a C/C++ Developer revolve around there main areas:
Drafting specifications
The first step in the work of a C/C ++ Developer is that of writing the specifications. Indispensable to the start of any IT project, this step is done in agreement with the internal or external customer. These specifications include the specific needs of the project, the available resources, the budget, the feasibility and many other criteria intended to ensure the smooth running of the project.
This construction is done after an analysis of the customer’s expectations and the needs of the users of the future product.
Architectural design
Once the specifications have been drawn up, it is time to start building the architecture. This involves starting to program the software through lines of computer code.
This part of the job can also be done on the basis of existing code, usually to incorporate new features.
Test and maintenance phase
The third step in the work of the C/C ++ Developer is to monitor the work done so far, through many phases of testing. The objective is to measure the proper functioning of the program or application and to anticipate possible failures.
To facilitate understanding of their work and facilitate a potential handover, the developer must provide a technical installation manual and a user guide that they will have written at the end of the project. They often also have to provide maintenance to respond to any bugs.
Required skills of the C/C++ Developer
Perfect knowledge of programming tools and languages
The C/C ++ Developer must have a perfect knowledge of programming languages, and more particularly C / C ++ languages, essential for the exercise of this profession. They must also be proficient in English to be able to fully develop their technical skills.
Autonomous and particularly rigorous
Watchdogs of their own work, C/C ++ Developers must be rigorous. Not only to stay abreast of updates to the computer languages they use but also to manage the progress of their projects. They must organise themselves in such a way as to respect the deadlines, the budget and all the other conditions of the project.
Available and attentive to its customers
The C/C ++ Developer doesn’t sit behind a screen all day writing lines of code. They meet various interlocutors. This is why a great sense of listening and of pedagogy are also key skills for this function.
The salary of the C/C++ Developer
The average daily rate of a C/C++ Developer ranges between €300 and €700 depending on the level of seniority.
In conclusion, to become a C/C++ Developer a specialised degree is required. Although some are self-taught, most developers in this function have a university-level diploma in computer science or programming.
Continuing IT education is everything, and you should keep that in mind throughout your entire professional career to make the most of it
IT experts know this well; no matter how unattainable a technology or problem can seem at first glance; things look much prettier once you are out of the woods and the project is over. And that is because one thing has changed: you. Now you have the experience, the knowledge. You have learnt something. Continuing IT education is everything, and it should keep on being exactly that for your entire life.
Especially in the world of technology, where the difference between the good and the great often comes down to the ability to adapt to the ever-changing nature of information systems. But do not forget you can learn many other non-IT-related topics that will also help you a great deal throughout your career.
Continuing IT education: Skills obsolescence
Renew or die is a motto that can be applied to many things in this world. IT careers are no exception. One unfortunate side effect of digital transformation is the rapid rate at which the value of one’s current skills declines.
One day, your resume has everything top employers seem to be looking for on it, the next, you are scrolling through Internet forums trying to figure out what language or framework you should master in order to get that promotion you feel you deserve. Whether it is Python, Docker or cloud security skills, keeping an eye on the top tech skills of the moment is a bullet-proof plan against skills obsolescence.
But an on-going approach to education has other benefits too. Countering the tedious effects of devoting too much of one’s time to a single activity or line of focus is one of them. We have all experienced that imaginary brick wall that rises in between us and our goals when we have been doing the same thing for too long.
Forcing yourself to step out of your comfort zone and learn something new will solve that problem. It will give you an energy boost and a renewed sense of purpose. Do not ever underestimate what a properly motivated mind can achieve.
Becoming a better professional
Thirdly, educating yourself can have a very positive effect on your current performance and capabilities. Whether it is something directly related to your line of work or something as detached as Middle Eastern history, there is always room to connect what you learn to your present endeavours.
Serendipity, or finding value in things you were not originally looking for, is a marvellous phenomenon. Capitalise on it to connect the dots and bring new perspectives into your everyday activity. Become a better professional by becoming a more knowledgeable person.
Continuing IT education: Mentoring
Finally, a life-long educational spirit will also make you, incidentally, a better teacher. The more you understand what someone learning something new needs of in terms of direction and resources, the better mentor and manager you will become. The best teachers tend to be great students.
That’s not to say you will naturally develop excellent teaching abilities without no effort on your part. Mastery requires experience. But you will, however, develop a certain sensibility and empathy that will make you a much more effective communicator and educator.
A look at the role of the Linux Systems Engineer and how to become one. Top skills, education and an overview of this increasingly popular function.
Use our template to create a compelling and comprehensive Linux Systems Engineer job description to attract top talent.
Unlike Windows or macOS, Linux is an open-source operating system that is free and accessible to all. That is, any user can run, modify, and share Linux code. Its open-source nature is a big advantage over traditional operating systems which are locked down, proprietary, and unmodifiable. Linux also has the advantage of being more secure and having fewer security holes than traditional systems.
More and more, large companies are using computers running Linux. Accordingly, the Linux System Engineer function is on the rise. The Linux System Engineer is an essential link within companies that ensures the proper functioning of a Linux network. The engineer helps coordinate the IT team, optimises network operations and ensures communication between the various information systems.
The Linux Systems Engineer is primarily in charge of what are called project or “build” activities. That is to say everything related to technical advice, expertise and innovation. The role is to advise CIOs on the use and configuration of technical solutions in Linux.
This professional is also responsible for supporting the implementation of new solutions under this operating system. They also contribute to the technical validation phase and must implement means to guarantee the high quality and availability of the service. This professional must also keep an eye on all new developments regarding Linux to optimise system resources and continuously improve the operating system.
“Run” production activities
The Linux System Engineer is also responsible for intervening in production activities, which is called the “run”. That is to say the maintenance of the operating system, administrating it and maintaining it operational. The engineer must ensure that the entire system is functional and usable. They must also take care of the day-to-day administration as well as measure and optimise system performance. But they also provide preventive, corrective and evolutionary maintenance of the Linux systems of the company. To finish, they are responsible for managing incidents by ensuring the diagnosis and repair of any malfunctions. The Linux Systems Engineer is also responsible for testing the system, ensuring its security and reliability, and managing the user support side of things.
Linux Systems E can specialise in either project activities or in production activities. But, generally, these professionals work in both types of activities. A good Linux Systems engineer will be able to work on both project and production activities.
The Linux Systems Engineer should have very good knowledge of the Linux operating system and expertise in technical infrastructure software. They must have an in-depth knowledge of Linux system layers as well as a good knowledge of Linux installation processes. They must also often master programming languages, including Python, and also know Scripting (Patch or PowerShell). The Linux Systems Engineer should also have good knowledge of databases and security standards.
Solid professional skills
The Linux Systems Engineer must be rigorous, organised and methodical, as their missions require compliance with quality processes and rules. They must have great capacity for anticipation, initiative, technical curiosity and adaptability to ensure effective technical monitoring and adapt quickly to new technological developments. It is also important that this professional has good analytical skills, resistance to stress and reactivity. So they can deal with breakdowns or technical incidents. They also need to be versatile and have good interpersonal skills to maintain good relationships with other stakeholders.
Salary of the Linux Systems Engineer
The average daily rate a Linux Systems Engineer ranges between €200 and €600. Their median salary sits between 30K and 60K per year.
Training of the Linux Systems Engineer
To become a Linux Systems Engineer a university-level degree is required. That is to say, you generally need to have an engineering degree or a master’s degree specializing in computer science.
Several universities offer specialisations in operating systems. Engineering schools often offer specialties at the end of the course or have specialized courses. You can also take a Masters in computer science specialising in networks and systems ; or an engineering degree specialising in computer science.
And is often a key part of the career plan of an IT freelancer. So what length of mission to choose between Short or Long Assignments for IT Freelancer?
One of the big advantages of working as a freelancer is flexibility. Flexibility in the choice of your schedule and yourplace of work. But also in the choice of your projects and the duration of your missions. Before to learn how to ensure a constant stream of work and how to advance your career, it’s necessary to know which assignments is the best for you. Short or long, the duration of an assignment is a determining factor in the choice of an assignment. And is often a key part of the career plan of an IT freelancer. So what length of mission to choose between Short or Long Assignments for IT Freelancer? What is a short or a long mission? What are the advantages and disadvantages of long and short assignments when you are an SAP consultant, a freelance web developer, or even a cybersecurity consultant?
Short or Long Assignments for IT Freelancer? Choosing a short assignment when you’re an IT freelancer
What is a short mission?
In the world of freelancing, we commonly call “short assignment” all assignments ranging from one day to 3 months of activity. However, in the field of technology and IT; where missions are on average longer than in other types of trades. We tend to consider as short missions all missions which duration is less than 6 months.
Particularly suited to professionals who have decided to go freelance; short assignments represent the ideal opportunity for a “beginner” freelancer to put their technical skills into practice. But also to expand their references and develop a significant capacity for adaptation.
What are the advantages of doing a short assignment for IT freelancer?
Short assignments are the opportunity for IT freelancers to string together different assignments for several clients in various industries. This heterogeneity of experiences is often favourable to the development of soft or interpersonal skills. And generally offers a rich educational environment.
For teleworking enthusiasts? Be aware that customers are more likely to offer you the opportunity to work remotely for short assignments.
In tech and IT, the duration of the assignment often depends on the area of expertise. And always falls within the time frame of the company’s needs. A consultant who participates in a two-year SAP migration project will a priori be more likely to be offered a long assignment. While a cybersecurity expert may intervene in the context of short assignments if it is to resolve temporary problems – although a holistic approach is often necessary and will result in longer assignments.
On the remuneration side, short assignments can be advantageous. Why? Quite simply because they often imply an urgent character. This will give you a better chance of getting a high ADR (Average Daily Rate). But who says short mission says more missions. You must be able to easily find projects or clients to avoid too long or too frequent intermission periods.
What are the downsides of short missions?
The main drawback of short assignments is the constant challenge of constantly having to look for a new assignment, thus requiring the regular renewal of your client portfolio.
This also translates into a very variable turnover. You must therefore expect to have to manage particularly irregular income.
Also note that short assignments do not favour integration into a team. If you have a strong need to belong to a group, chaining down short assignments can create loneliness and dissatisfaction in your day-to-day as an IT freelancer.
Short or Long Assignments for IT Freelancer? Choosing a long assignment
What is a long mission?
More and more companies are hiring freelancers for long IT projects. These long assignments last more than 6 months and can reach 24 months of activity with contract renewals.
Long assignments are generally entrusted to freelance consultants who have broad enough shoulders for hefty work.
Why favour long missions?
First of all, carrying out a long assignment ensures the IT freelancer has regular remuneration and medium-term visibility into their finances. Enough to take a weight off your shoulders.
In addition to this financial stability, this type of mission offers satisfaction to workers who favour work from A to Z on a project and who want full integration into an IT team – while retaining the freedom inherent to the freelance status.
Finally, long assignments can also be an opportunity to discover the work within an organization, to measure the possibility of a longer-term collaboration with permanent contract.
What are the limits of long missions for IT freelancer?
Long assignments anchor the independent consultant in a certain routine which can be compared to the status of a permanent employee.
The experience obtained on a long mission is also often less rich and diverse than that resulting from a multitude of longer missions. But they allow you to go deeper into projects and develop other types of skills.
So, what should you choose when you are an IT freelancer?
There is no one mission duration that is better than another. The duration of the assignment is an adjustable variable which depends on the motivations and personality of each IT freelancer.
Depending on your preferences in terms of types of projects, your ability to easily find assignments, and your appetite for a team configuration, you will prefer short or long assignments. And remember: nothing prevents you from alternating long and short missions.
Enter Edna's Garden Chapter 2. How an 8-year-old girl with a passion for nature turns the world upside down with her data experiments. By Horizon 2050.
Edna’s Garden: An 8-year-old girl with a passion for nature will turn the world upside down with her data experiments
“Edna?” an old voice croaked from above. From beneath the pile of dead leaves she had fallen on, Edna could hear the man struggling to breathe. Wheezes and sudden bursts of dry cough formed a rhythmic pattern that spoke of one-too-many cigarette puffs while walking the dog. “For the love of Christ, Edna! Where are you? Where do you think you are going?” The man’s voice was full of urgency and rage, his British accent more noticeable than usual. Edna could not remember the last time she had seen him this mad. Maybe she simply had not.
“Edna!” In her leafy igloo, Edna could hear his steps coming down the hill as he fought his way through the dense vegetation. She held her breath. “Of all the days you could have lost your mind… It had to be today, ah? Of course it had to be today!” Just a few feet away from Edna’s face, a loose branch broke into a dozen pieces under the furious step of a muddy leather shoe. Edna held onto her precious cargo in a protective embrace. It was still warm, much like the pulsating heat that had started emanating from her ankle. She must have sprinkled it upon touching the ground. A stinging pain stabbed her leg in agreement. Great.
“I am losing my patience, little lady. Come out of wherever you are hiding. Now!” The man’s voice was now further away. It was clear that he had assumed that Edna was no longer there and was venturing deeper into the thicket. No, she would not come out! She was tired of all the stupid rules and impositions. And all because of Her. “One last time, lady! Do you want me to tell your father? Is that what you want?” No, he would not tell Dad. He never did. He loved her way too much to want her any harm. “I am going to count to three, Edna. And then, I am going to pick up my phone and call your father.” Nice try, buddy. “One…” Just a ruse. “Two… Picking up the phone, Edna!” “Peter, no!” Darn it.
Edna had just a few seconds to hide her hunting prize in one of the inner pockets of her navy blue trench coat before a hand started digging into the pile of leaves. An angry pair of tired eyes peeped through a hole in the leafy dome. There stood Peter Kahn, the family’s butler. He was soaked in sweat and covered with dirt. He was holding Edna’s Totoro backpack in one hand and a cellphone on the other.
More hurt, than angry, Edna stared back at the man with a defiant expression. “Where is it.” said the butler. “Where did you put it?” Nothing. He proceeded to unlock his phone. “I lost it while running, ok?” said Edna. “Are you happy now?” The man directed her a suspicious look. “Peter,” said Edna pointing at the swollen ankle. “I can’t walk.”
All things considered, Edna was having a great time. She was really trying to keep herself from smiling as passerby directed inquisitive and confused looks at the man dressed in dirty, eccentric butler clothes carrying in his arms a little girl with even dirtier clothes across Central Park on a Tuesday afternoon. She could have easily piggybacked her way through the park and made it a bit less awkward, but Peter was too much of a gentleman to allow that to happen.
Edna looked at the face of the sixty-year-old butler for a moment. His eyes were focused in the winding path ahead, his face as stoic as straight was his posture. He had not spoken a single word since discovering her under the leafage. Neither was Edna expecting him to do so. She knew that look very well after spending most of her life under the care of the man. He would briskly carry her all the way across the park until reaching The Pond, where he would slow down so Edna could mentally annotate the number of swimming ducks at the time and what they were doing.
It was her dad that had introduced her to nature when she was a little kid, before everything changed. She had been studying The Pond’s ecosystem for over a year now. She had built a database and tracking computer program where she carefully registered all the data in hopes that one day her research might be of use to the cool scientists at the American Museum of Natural History. Over the months, the data she collected was enough to start building a model that simulated the little natural environment she so loved. And that was only the beginning.
But this time, Peter did not slow down. Trying to get a quick glimpse of the water over the butler’s shoulders, Edna considered for a moment dropping her precious cargo where it belonged. No. It was too vital to her project’s success.
The outlandish butler and his broken princess did not look any more fitting while crossing Grand Army Plaza. Peter even had to stop for a couple of minutes in order to explain to a concerned police officer that they were neither part of an anticapitalist street performance nor had they been involved in a limousine crash.
Edna felt sorry for Peter. The gallantry had always been there, but his new attire was simply too much. It did not use to be that way. Not until she broke into their lives and proclaimed that “elegance and taste had to be conquered one outfit at a time.” Peter, like most modern-day family butlers, used to wear what adults called “business casual” clothes.
Edna knew this from the few occasions in which she had been invited – and forced to go – to a classmate’s birthday party. She hated those kids. They were always talking about either cars or horses, summer houses and the coolest technological gadget of the season. It seemed as though their only goal in life was to copy the nearsighted lives of their parents, the superfluous, clean, organized and ultimately sombre lives of wealthy New Yorkers.
She thought for a moment of Tom Collins, that little spoiled brat. She could picture him at the school gates, leaving for home on his ridiculous hoverboard after making fun at the fact that Edna still had to be walked home by “the nanny.” She had heard those things could catch on fire. And she certainly hoped so.
Distant church bells chimed way too many times. They were pretty late. She would be furious, thought Edna with satisfaction. She had been planning this for weeks, yet another fake jewel on her crown of shiny ego.
It all started when Dad announced over dinner that he had decided to invest some money in the new restaurant of a famous art critic he recently met at a fundraising event. The guy’s name was Jeremy Talbot, and, apparently, he was as enthusiastic as Dad about saving the endangered populations of North Pacific short-tailed albatross. “So, how short is its tail compared to that of a normal albatross?” had jumped an excited Edna when her dad mentioned that fact.
But, before she could ask more about that majestic-yet-not-too-majestic-sounding bird, Bianca Salazar – Her – had come up with the brilliant idea. “That’s it, darling. We are having a dinner party!” For a moment, Edna had thought the veins on the woman’s neck would burst out of pure elation. Of course – She had been desperately waiting for such an occasion. Bianca Salazar was tall, thin and evil; her beauty extraordinary enough to make everyone else oblivious to the latter.
She had shown up at their 57th Street penthouse three years after Mom’s death. Edna was only one year old when her mother finally succumbed to the cancer. It was impossible for Edna to recall a single thing about her. She simply had this feeling, a foggy impression of having had a mother a long time ago. Somehow, she knew she came from somewhere – or rather from someone – as opposed to just having been summoned into this world by pure chance. That was definitely what it felt like with her.
Bianca Salazar had simply come along with fake smiles and pretended she had always been there. It did not work that well with Edna. She would not go as far as calling it hate at first sight – Edna was simply too young in the beginning to understand what was going on. It had been more of an awakening. By the age of four, Edna reckoned, she had had enough interactions with well-meaning human beings to recognize one without a soul when she saw it.
Dad was probably the golden standard when it came to evaluating a person’s qualities. He had taught Edna everything cool she knew or cared about, from zoology and astronomy to The Beatles and good adventure stories – The NeverEnding Story was one of her favourites.
Then there was Peter, of course. He had taught her substantially different things, the kind of things Edna wished no one cared about: how to properly eat at the table, how a lady should introduce herself to a stranger, the list of words she was not supposed to use. Well, no – That was unfair.
With her father travelling so much and the witch being, well, a witch, Peter provided Edna and her siblings with the valuable concepts of reliability and selfless generosity.
Edna looked at the butler’s face as they crossed Fifth Avenue on a red light. Peter was an honourable man. The most honourable. Edna wished they had known each other as kids. They would have been really good friends.
