Posts by "Roxana"

Employer

7 Characteristics You Need In a New Software Developer

September 17, 2019 Comments Off Roxana read

For your company to succeed in today’s world, an excellent software engineer is crucial. While many are focusing on the coding abilities by using software and tests, they still need to pay attention to the more traditional qualities. If your candidate has passed all the coding assessments, don’t forget to keep an eye out for the following 7 traits.

Passion

This can be said about any job, but a programmer who isn’t passionate about software and codes is not going to be very effective. They need to be in this job for more than just the money if you want outstanding results. Many programmers see programming as part of who they are, a hobby as well as a job. They are constantly stepping out of their comfort zones and excited about exploring new technology. They do this because they want to, not because it is part of their job description.

Pay attention

A good programmer needs to show great passion for the IT industry, but they also need to know when to reign the passion in and stay focused. This focus has to be on the short-term and long-term objectives. Everybody wants the best from their developers but not with risks. Those who aren’t focused may try to insert the most modern idea into a program where it is completely unnecessary. This puts his or her personal interest above the main focus of the team’s.

A quick, independent learner

The IT industry moves at a pace like no other. New ideas, concepts, and technologies are constantly coming into play and your hire needs to be able to keep up with all of this without constant reminders from you. It is important they are able to learn new programming skills without additional support or lessons from other members of staff. If your programmer can’t keep up with the latest innovations, nor will your company.

(Sub-) Domain expert

Companies have moved away from hiring what are known as ‘generalists’. They have a general knowledge of computer science and many different types of technologies, with probably one favorite. A generalist web developer will have a good grasp of front and back-end development but they won’t be up to date with the best techniques for either. With the speed of this industry, it is almost impossible to keep up with all that is new in every area. So it is more common for companies to seek specialized talent but also with a solid knowledge of the fundamentals and their domain. An ideal candidate will have expert knowledge of the sub-domain required of them. For this reason, you need to consider specific testing for the skills the job will require.

Team player

It is highly unlikely that you will find two developers that will come up with the same solution for a problem. They are very individual in their own style. Nevertheless, they need to be able to adjust their individuality to suit the dynamics of the whole team. The code that one developer writes will have to be worked on by others in the team, so their style can be unique as long as it is logical. The documentation they write should also be understandable to others in the team. Being part of a team is also about handling feedback in an appropriate manner. This is not something you can spot in an interview, so keep an eye out for this trait early on.

Problem Solving

Essentially, problem-solving is the job of a programmer. It’s not just about solving the problem, engineers need to be able to first identify the problem. Finally, they need to be able to solve the problem with eagerness and speed. For some employers, there is nothing worse than someone who complains about problems. Problems that might have to be faced include bugs, scalability, or handling the increased demand.

Craftsman

As a carpenter would marvel his handmade wardrobe, a programmer should be proud of his/her work. Each code must be well-considered and tested with a huge amount of effort gone into the details. A good craftsman will consider the deadline without sacrificing quality. One thing is having the skill, another thing is having creativity.

It can be challenging finding your perfect developer, especially if you are feeling the pressure of time. Staffing partners like StaffAugmentation have years of experience finding quality cultural and technical fits for a variety of companies. Our recruiters are trained to acquire talented and qualified employees to ensure the most effective staffing solutions for you. Posting and advertising the position, background checks, employment verification, testing, and screening, checking references, —all these tasks will be taken care of the staffing agency, freeing you up to focus on more important day-to-day company operations. By taking the appropriate steps to align work goals, performance, and character, there is a greater employer/employee satisfaction and therefore better retention.

Employer

6 Tips For Getting the Most Out of Using a Staffing Agency

September 12, 2019 Comments Off Roxana read

The recruitment process is a long one and costly, even more so if you make a bad hire. More people are turning to staffing agencies to achieve their objectives. Staffing agencies help you find ideal candidates for specific positions with their access to large talent pools.

Small and large businesses are able to get more from using a staffing agency. Small companies going through an agency will have the same access to highly skilled candidates as large companies. Small companies often don’t have a recruitment team or HR department and can’t dedicate as much time to recruitment, so a staffing agency will provide additional support.

For bigger companies, a staffing agency can save time and money with its networks of skilled talent. A company may have to sift through hundreds of CVs and interviews in order to find their candidate, whereas a staffing agency has these candidates on hand.

You may feel like a staffing agency is an unnecessary expense. On the contrary, not only are you saving time and money, you will be able to invest your time in other areas and you reduce the risk of a bad hire.

Building long-term relationships

Aside from easing your recruitment and offering wise advice to improve your process, you are beginning a long-term relationship for recruitment and hiring with a company that knows and understands your needs and the type of candidate you are looking for.

When looking for temporary or seasonal hires, staffing agencies are the go-to solution, as many companies don’t want to hire full-time employees. It is also a popular way to cover permanent staff that is on medical leave, or when you need additional staff for a new project or busy period.

Most assume that staffing agencies only deal with short-term placements. In some cases, a short-term arrangement may begin with the potential to lead to long-term. While an employee is working on a short-term agreement, the employer gets the opportunity to see exactly how a person works, gaining insight as to whether they are a good fit, both in terms of skill and cultural fit.

Regardless of why you have chosen to use a staffing agency, apply the strategies below in order to maximize the benefits:

Be direct about your needs

Where possible, let the staffing agency come and see your workplace. This will provide them with the clearest idea of how you work. Be honest about exactly what you need, including your timeframe for new hires.

When the staging agency knows what you require, they will be more able to advise you on whether to choose temporary, part-time, or full-time employees. Some staffing agencies will be able to provide information about flexible staffing strategies, allowing you to hire experts when only when you need them.

Look for insider expertise

You should find a staffing agency that has hands-on experience in your field. If you are running an academy, who better to assist you in finding qualified staff then someone who has worked in the industry. Their knowledge will make it easier for you to find employees, as they know the qualities to look for in a good teacher. Candidates from a specialized staffing agency will often do a job faster, to a better standard and for a lower price than those from a general staffing agency.

Improving your hiring process

Staffing agencies have numerous networks and contacts. This large reach of talent means you have the possibility of finding a highly qualified employee that may never have seen your job posting.

Not only this, but they are also responsible for aspects of the hiring process that take up a lot of your time. A staffing agency will carry out interviews, background checks, and skills testing. Because they do this day in day out, they will be able to do it far quicker than you would, mainly because you have many more responsibilities than just recruiting.

Keep in touch

Communication with a staffing agency shouldn’t end when you have hired a new employee. You should stay in touch in order to keep the staffing agency informed of the success of the employee and to update them with any changes in your requirements. If you can provide feedback, the staffing agency will be better prepared to assist your company when you next need it.

If things aren’t going the way you had hoped, do something

Staffing agencies have often worked with a candidate before, so they are aware of their abilities and personality. This helps them to match the most suitable candidate for your job opening. Not everything always goes the way we want it to and sometimes your candidate won’t work out. Before you do anything, decide if it was the candidate that wasn’t a good fit, or the agency you used.

If you feel that the staffing agency doesn’t handle a bad fit well, it might be time to seek out a new one.

Use the agency resources

You will be paying for the staffing agency service, so you need to make the most of everything they have to offer. If an agency has training resources, use them. If you are too busy or feel that a staff member will benefit more, encourage them to use the training. Learning new skills is an excellent way to motivate staff and keep your team up to date in their field.

A new hire will often have new or different ideas that can be shared with your team. Take advantage of this. It doesn’t mean your team isn’t skilled. It is just a fresh look or new solutions. If you have used a staffing agency to hire the most qualified candidate possible, you want to make sure you are tapping into al of their knowledge.

There are a number of benefits to using a staffing agency but to maximize them all, start off by building a solid relationship with your person of contact. Ensure they know exactly what you need so that they can save you time and money while providing you with the ideal candidate.

Employer

Temporary Staffing Solutions: Productivity with Affordability

September 10, 2019 Comments Off Roxana read

It is normal for certain job vacancies to remain available for weeks as the hiring manager goes through resumes, conducts interviews and accesses the strengths and weakness of every applicant. However, unless you have employees who can add more workload and maintain maximum efficiency, those empty seats can result in productivity loss. Partnering with a staffing agency can sustain you and likely produce stable staffing solutions while you are searching for a permanent professional to employ during this period of time.

Here are some different situations where provisionary employees can be a crucial component of your firm’s overall recruiting techniques:

A permanent replacement is not needed

In a situation where a staff resigns at a crucial period and cannot be permanently replaced immediately, great firms turn to staffing agencies to hire a temporary worker who is suitable for that vacancy to pick up from where the previous employee left off. The replacement skills and experience are thoroughly accessed to ensure perfect work continuation. The temporary worker works efficiently but can effortlessly be terminated when their services are not further required.

You need help, but you are not ready for a full-time employee

Let us imagine another scenario where, after conducting a series of evaluation of your firm, results show staff shortage that needs to be solved immediately. Permanent staff recruitment seems paramount; however, you are a little apprehensive about permanent recruitment. You can engage temporary professionals on a temp-to-hire basis in order to reinforce the workforce while taking the time to evaluate their abilities as interim workers before committing totally.

Likewise, a good staffing agency will aver to the performance satisfactory of every worker sent ensuring a money-back guarantee that protects the firm in case the professional is not a right fit and also protect the firm from the potential cost of hiring, training and dismissing a permanent worker.

You need a specialist for a short-term project

Another scenario could come in which you are presented with a very vital opportunity that you cannot allow passing. However, it is possible that you do not a worker who has the requisite skill set to efficiently execute the task. What then do you do in this case?

The dynamic employment system of today has ensured that temporary staffing is more probable instead of employing a full-time professional just for completion of a certain project. Bringing in a project specialist with a target experience required will shield the firm from potential expenses of employing, training and dismissing a permanent employee. From relatively brief interludes as vacancies are being filled to long-term projects that require professionals with special skills, a highly rated staffing agency can help meet all your needs.

Conclusion

Obviously, the most important things to consider when hiring to fill a vacancy on a temporary basis are the productivity and affordability of the staff being hired. The advantages of getting in touch with a partnering agency are numerous and it is very certain that you stand to benefit a great deal from doing so.

Employer

The Negative Effects of Under-Staffing on Your Business

September 5, 2019 Comments Off Roxana read

The success of a team or organization boils down to the strength of its leader, whether that is the owner or a manager. Regardless, there are some situations where even with strong management, the business seems to be failing.

More often than not, this is due to senior staff members forgetting to add a human element to their business. Employees start to become treated like another statistic rather than a person. This, as well as other factors, leads to a business being understaffed.

Here are some of the ways understaffing can negatively affect your business:

Damage to your company brand

Your brand image goes further than a logo. It is all about each interaction a client has with your business. It includes everything from your logo to the after-sale customer service your company provides. Your company brand will take time, money and hard work.

Unfortunately, all of your investment, both time and money, can be ruined by one unsatisfied client. Poor customer service can lead to somebody posting a tweet, or a negative review on business pages. With so many people checking the quality of a business or service online beforehand, it is crucial that every comment about your business is positive.

Employees that are burned out

At first glance, cutting back on your staff will save you costs. Your bank balance will likely look better on paper but there is a stronger possibility of your employees becoming tired and overworked as they take on the excess work.

Not only will your staff be under excessive pressure, but they will also get sick more often as the stress plays a part in their overall health. Millions of working days are lost per year and this results in billions of lost revenue.

The idea of saving money is very appealing in the beginning but as you can see, it will cost you in the long-run. Another thing to consider, even if your staff aren’t completely burned-out, they will not be working at their full capacity, neither will they be happy in their work.

Recruiting becomes a nightmare

For many managers and business owners, the thought of beginning the recruitment process is not a pleasant one. It takes time away from other jobs you could be doing and it can interrupt the productivity in your location.

Exhausted staff who do not feel like their work is appreciated are going to seek employment elsewhere. The worst-case scenario is that your negative staff have been talking amongst themselves and your staff start to leave in the masses.

When things like this start to happen, you run the risk of gaining the reputation of being a bad employer. And so the recruitment wheel of death begins. You will find it harder to recruit new staff.

One solution to reduce the risk of these potential dangers is to hire temporary staff. They are a good way to hire qualified staff quickly and keep your costs down. It will also keep your current staff from bearing the extra workload, in turn maintaining a happy working environment.

Employer

Hiring Full-Stack Developers Based On Data

September 3, 2019 Comments Off Roxana read

Full-stack developers are one of the most sought after developers in today’s market, and one of the fastest-growing jobs in the world. It’s no wonder when you consider their knowledge spans across all layers of a tech stack. More often than not, a full-stack developer can create a product without the need to hire other developers. We are going to take a deep look at what a full-stack developer does, as well as where to find them and how to evaluate them.

Who are full-stack developers?

It’s a common misconception that developers all have degrees. While 59.6% have a bachelor’s degree,10% have some university experience and 4.6% only have secondary education. 23% of all software developers are full-stack. At the moment, 27.4% are looking for work. A massive 89% have looked for a new job within the last 3 years. The largest group of full-stack developers are at a senior level (43.7%), followed by junior developers (35.4%).

Where are full-stack developers located?

In terms of country, here are some of the countries with the most full-stack developers:

The United States
The United Kingdom
India
Russia
Australia
Mexico
Indonesia
Brazil
Italy
Argentina

More specifically, 68% of full-stack developers work in companies with less than 1000 employees. Public project sites such as GitHub and Gitlab are the best places to find full-stack developers. 75% of all developers have active accounts on sites like these. Meanwhile, 82% of full-stack developers use these platforms to display their work, and 68% of those people have uploaded work samples within the last 12 months. These sites are great to find potential talent, but they are not recruitment sites, so be careful not to abuse them.

A full-stack developer’s knowledge

JavaScript is the best-known language among full-stack developers, closely followed by SQL, Java, and C. Angular JS is by far the most popular framework React, Express JS, and Spring are also well-known.

Our general impression of developers is that they spend the majority of their time coding and fixing bugs. This is true, but full-stack developers have to split their time between more daily tasks:

Coding
Fixing bugs
Brainstorming
Testing
Documentation
Admin
Interviews

What is important to a full-stack developer?

A high salary is no longer what necessarily attracts a full-stack developer. The first priority is the ability to learn and grow within their career. They are incredibly keen to learn. Nearly 40% want to learn the programming language Go. Kotlin, Python, and Typescript are also high up on the learning list. React, Vue.js, and Danjo are some of the frameworks full-stackers wish to learn.

Secondly, they value work-life balance and thirdly it’s the compensation. This is actually the same for all developers. Unlike others, full-stack developers value flexibility over interesting problems to solve.

Currently, 35% of full-stack developers are able to work one day a week from home. 60% of full-stack developers would like the possibility to work from home 2 days a week or more.

How to evaluate a full-stack developer

It is safe to say that the interview process is more complicated for developers than for most other jobs. For example, 56% of full-stack developers is interviewed by three or more people. It’s slightly scary to think that 10% is interviewed by 10 or more people.

There are also multiple techniques to carry out the interview. 24.7% prefer an online coding challenge, while 19.9% prefer a project that they can take home. Pair programming and whiteboard interviews are less common but still significant at 14.5% and 14.4% respectively.

There are certain things that put full-stack developers off during the hiring process. They aren’t overly pleased by a lack of clarity about the role they are expected to fill, nr do they like slow follow-ups or not fitting in with the culture in the office.

Things to keep in mind when hiring full-stack developers

It is incredibly difficult to incorporate diversity

Just over 90% of full-stack developers are male, 84% have a degree or higher. With Educated men are the norm in this career and it is difficult for others to make their mark on the industry, it will also be more difficult for you to find hires that are not within this group.

We are quickly learning that having a diverse team is more and more valuable, so it is well worth making an effort to look for diverse hires. This might mean you need to think outside the box when it comes to recruitment, in particular, you will have to actively seek candidates rather than rely on those that approach you. As we mentioned, Sites like GitHub have incredible amounts of activity and definitely a good place to have a look. You will be able to samples of their work. Be respectful! They are sites for developers, not recruiters.

Be open to more flexibility

With so many full-stack developers wanting to be able to work from home for at least 2 days a week, you might find that you need to adjust to the idea of not having them in the office 5 days a week. Also, bear in mind that this is not some kind of bonus for them, it is the norm!

Communicate with your developers

Hiring people is called a process, but nobody wants to be considered just part of a process. If you receive a large volume of applicants it is difficult to spend as much time with each one as you would like to. But, keeping in touch with your candidates and developers is crucial.

All communication must be clear and open. One of the biggest frustrations among full-stack developers (and in fact all developers) is miscommunication. If you have difficulty explaining the techy stuff, ask one of your team members to get involved, don’t bluff your way through it.

Finally, never underestimate the power of word of mouth. When candidates have a positive experience with your company, they will speak highly of you. As a result, your good reputation will be heard by more developers. The same can be said for negative experiences, so no matter the outcome of the interview, your candidate must leave with a smile on their face.

Employer

How to Hire a Mobile App Developer in 9 Steps

August 27, 2019 Comments Off Roxana read

It is natural that one day you are going to need a mobile app developer considering just how many apps there are today. While there are plenty of developers you can hire, it is important for you to hire one that suits your needs. We are going to provide 9 simple steps to help you make the right choice. We will also give a little more information on how much it could cost to hire the right developer.

Step 1. 20 key things to consider before you start

Is your app for iPhones or Androids?
Are you looking for someone who can programme on both platforms?
What languages does your programmer need to know? Java, Objective C, Swift?
Will C++ knowledge be an advantage?
Do you prefer that the developer can work with cross-platform development?
What kind of apps will the developers be working on?
Do you already have a desktop version/web-based software?
Will you integrate GPS or similar mobile technology?
Do you just need someone who can create a mobile version of a website?
What sort of work will your developer have to carry out?
Is there a particular tech stack you would like them to use?
What field will the developer be working in? Should they be familiar with finance, education, etc?
What is your budget?
Is your budget realistic? Have you looked at the income of various developers?
Do you have a deadline for your project?
Do you know when you want to hire the candidate?
Do you have other requirements, for example, testing abilities, experience with certain libraries, Android’s open-source ecosystem or continuous integration?
Which version of Android does your developer need to know?
Does your developer need experience with certain platforms like Apple Watch or Apple TV?
Are you going to publish the app on Google Play or the App Store?

Mobile app development isn’t the same as app development for other devices. Each wave of new apps provides users with improved features. Candidates should be familiar with UX (user experience) and UI (user interface). Whether it’s for Android or Apple, there will be guidelines that must be followed.

A huge part of your success boils down to the correct UX/UI. Apps today have to be more than just good code. With millions of apps on the market, yours needs to stand out in order to get people to download it. Not only does it have to look great, but it also has to function well. When somebody uses your app you want them to have an amazing experience, rather than just uninstalling it.

Basically, you need a developer who can create a fast, attractive, easy to use app, and within your budget.

Step 2. Writing the job description for a mobile app developer

Your job description needs to be appealing in terms of work and your company. Expectations must be clear with no room for misinterpretation. You only want to include what is necessary. It is a good idea to describe the ‘must-haves’ and ‘nice-to-haves’. This is the first impression potential candidates see of your business, so it has to be error-free and accurate. We suggest your tech team or engineers review the advert to make sure you have included all the necessary requisites. Including things that aren’t true or incorrect will only cost you in the recruitment process.

Step 3. Choosing the right place to put your job advert

You want your post to be in as many places as possible in order to reach the maximum number of potential candidates. We have a few options below but this is not by any means the only way to source mobile app developers:

Referrals

You never know unless you ask!! Speak to friends and family to let them know you have a position available. Ask them if they can share it on their social media sites. The same goes for your development team. They may know of a fellow developer that is looking for work.

Recruitment marketing

There are Facebook groups and LinkedIn profiles that you can look for, even job boards such as Angel.co and workinstartsups.com are worth checking out. Conferences, hackathons and meetups are becoming more and more popular. If there are any local to you, you can visit them.

Mobile developer communities

There are various specialized online directories (They Make Apps) and job boards (Get Apps Done) that will help you find app developers. Also, some of the best places to look are on forums. For iOS developers, try iPhoneDevSDK or MacRumors. If you are looking for an Android developer, look on Android Forums or AndroidPit.

App stores and GitHub

If you are ready to take it to the next level, look at similar apps to yours and contact the developer directly. You could also enter GitHub or GitLab and search for keywords related to your app. You may find codes from developers who could be ideal candidates.

Step 4: Understanding the developer’s salary

There will be quite a difference in salaries depending on the skills and qualifications.

There is only a slight difference in the pays between iOS developers and Android developers. The problem is, there are a lot more Android first developers than iOS first developers, in fact, around twice as many. Therefore they will be more difficult to find.

That being said, if you are making an app for the Apple Market, you need an iOS developer. And if you are making an app for Android, it is only logical that your search for an Android developer.

Step 5. Create a standardized coding skills test

Ask one of your team members to create a test for candidates based on similar skills that are required for the job. The test will filter out candidates with the specific skills needed for your position.

If there isn’t anyone available to create a test, there is a range of software that can help you build a test depending on the level of difficulty and the time you allow. Some software will also calculate results for you to easily read.

Step 6. Analyzing your applicants

This is where the fun begins. You start receiving CVs and so it is time to begin reviewing and narrowing down your options. A mistake in this step can cost you thousands (with no exaggeration), so it is crucial to get it right.

When looking at CV’s, make sure you only focus on those who have the skill sets you require (unless you see an extraordinary potential candidate) and experience. For developers, what is more important than a CV, is a portfolio. A portfolio allows you to see actual examples of the developer’s work. Telephone or video interviews are an excellent way to reduce overheads while getting to know more about your candidates.

Aside from skills, you need to ensure your candidate is a fast learner. It would help if they are keen on learning new skills because of the speed at which the software development industry moves. Communication and the ability to work in a team is also essential.

Step 7. Technical screening

As we have mentioned before, it is necessary for you to implement some form of coding test in the interview process. You might receive hundreds of applications and there is no time to interview each one.

A pre-screening test gives you the chance to see that a candidate’s CV matches their actual skill.

You may also want to prepare a set of questions to ask in the interview. The questions, like the coding test, have to be relevant to the job and with the same degree of difficulty. If you are not familiar with software development, ask a team member for their input.

Step 8. Non-technical screening

While we put a lot of energy into looking for the right skill set, we often don’t put enough importance on soft-skills. You need to learn about a candidate’s experiences and behavior. Generally, you want to get a feel for the type of person they are and whether they are a good cultural fit for the office.

You might ask a candidate to describe a situation to you or the last time they were part of a significant team project success story. You could ask about their tutoring experience or the project they are most proud of.

Step 9. Technical interviews

This is when your tech team should be more hands-on. It makes sense that one of them perform this part of the interview because they will probably have more knowledge than you.

In the interview, you will want to ask questions like “Can you explain the similarities and differences between Swift and Objective-C?”, “Which iOS technologies will be used in the future?. You could also ask them why they prefer one platform to another or one language to another.

At times, it’s demanding for several organizations to find qualified candidates or develop their recruiting effectiveness with in-house recruiting processes. By partnering with an IT Staffing company, you will be able to eliminate operational costs and still see an increase in efficiency as your staffing agency will help you onboard your new members so you can reduce the costly downtime that leaves your recruit stagnate.

Employer

How Much Does It Really Cost When You Hire the Wrong Developer

August 22, 2019 Comments Off Roxana read

Some will be looking at this figure through squinted eyes, but it costs an average of $22,750 to complete the whole hiring process of a developer. Costs include advertising, as well as the time it takes to review curriculums, carry out phone/tech screening and hold interviews. Before you start panicking, think about the return on investment. An excellent developer will increase your production, provide the team with innovating ideas and become a key part of the overall achievement of goals. We are going to take a very realistic look at the costs incurred when a new developer doesn’t turn out the way you had hoped, not just financially, but on the team morale.

Calculating the mistake

In can take anywhere from 6 months to a whole year for a new hire to reach their full productivity. We will e optimistic and use 6 months in our example. A good hire will show an output multiplier (the number used to calculate employee profit) of between 1.875 and 2.5. This works out to mean a new developer earning $80,000/year will make a return of between $150K to $200K in profit.

A bad hire will have an output multiplier of 1 (or less if they are terrible!). This implies that in the 6 months that you have had them on your team they will have cost you $40,000 in salary, in addition, you have to consider the half a year of profits you have missed out on., $75,000 and the $22,750 it cost you in the first place to recruit them. The total figure is around $138,750. But it gets worse.

The Butterfly Effect

When it is time to get rid of a bad hire, it has a negative effect on each and every department. HR needs to start the lengthy recruitment process again, which may involve everyone from engineers to managers. Accountants have to rework budgets to include potential legal fees and severance packages.

Leave the financial cost to one side, and think about what it does to the overall atmosphere in the office. Starting over adds work to various departments which means people aren’t spending time on their tasks, productivity falls and it becomes somewhat difficult to achieve company objectives. Now stakeholders are shifting their opinions of your company. The bad butterfly that flapped its wings may have an effect on the business plan for up to 5 years.

Thinking on the positive

It’s harsh, it really is. But you are the drive behind your business and people will follow your example. The bad hire is gone and it is time to focus on not just a good hire, but now an outstanding developer. The trick is to make sure the whole team ais feeling as positive as you are. You really don’t want your excellent potential developer picking up on negative vibes because your recruitment team is bored with the thought of starting again. Follow hiring advice to the T, that way your new hire may be able to recuperate some of the money previously lost.

Recruitment agencies can help you find and shortlist high-quality candidates. Using a staffing agency will improve the quality of candidates in your recruitment process. As we already mentioned, recruitment agencies keep a pool of experienced candidates who are ready for a career move at a moment’s notice. It means that you will only deal with candidates who are carefully assessed and vetted.

Employer

How to Get Better at the Difficult Task of Hiring Programmers

August 20, 2019 Comments Off Roxana read

Software developers are now a crucial part of most businesses. To maximize your productivity, you must hire an amazing programmer. A weak programmer won’t only prevent productivity, but it can also slow it down. Other staff members, such as engineers, will need to spend their valuable time training and pick up the slack of the weak developer.

Making sure your programming hire is fantastic will enable your team to continue moving forward and the necessary pace. A programmer needs to be able to learn the ropes quickly, pushing the momentum forward. Since the hiring process will inevitably delay your productivity, there is no time for others, Here are some of the ways the hiring process can have a negative effect on your productivity:

A massive number of applicants creates a massive number of candidate reviews
A continuous flow of interviews can distract your team
Interviews that are not up to scratch will take up valuable time from your engineers
If different people are performing the interviews there will be a level of inconsistency, creating unreliable outcomes
No doubt you will have to reschedule various other things in order to hire new people. To line up one’s diaries, you may also need to delay interviews

Code assessment, while nothing new, is a practical way to filter out inappropriate candidates and therefore improving the efficiency of your hiring process. Companies like Google use code screening as part of their technical screening. It gives employers the chance to see real-world programming skills or the opportunity to witness a candidate’s thought process. Another option is assessment software, using automated code assessments and pair-programming tools. Assessment software is one of the best ways to spot talented hires, and quickly.

Consider these areas for implementing code assessments:

Pre-Screens

Before your candidates sit down to talk with the engineers, give them a quick coding test. If a candidate can’t handle a fundamental coding task, there is no point in wasting your time, or theirs. You also don’t need your technical team’s input for this, so they can remain focused on their work. It is better for them to be involved once you filtered the potential.

The most important thing is that automated coding assessments allow for consistent pre-screening. It provides standard coding tasks to assess candidates’ skills by automated scores. They can be performed under the supervision f your recruitment team rather than needing your engineers.

In-Depth Assignments

Once your candidate has passed the pre-screening stage, you can raise the bar and give out an in-depth assignment. This assignment can be completed in their own time but it will give them a chance to demonstrate a wider variety of skills and at a higher level. Again, it will be a standard assignment for each candidate, so your results will be consistent.

One option for this type of review is a home-based project. You provide the candidate with a list of requirements for them to finish a project. It is a great method to see how a person handles a real-world code sample. There are some potential downsides. A good candidate might be put off by the time investment they have to make at the interview stage. Also, your development team is going to spend a significant amount of time reviewing the project. This type of project should be used selectively as not to exhaust the interviewer, or scare away good candidates. Those conducting the interview should know the solution. It is also wise to set up a system for everybody involved to track the results.

Alternatively, you can give candidates another automated assessment. It wouldn’t be an entire project, rather, various more in-depth coding assessments. At this stage, you can set targeted challenges to test certain areas that are necessary for your business. From your point of view, this is a way to filter candidates with little effort or time from you.

A comfortable environment is necessary so that your candidates are able to produce the best results they can. From the results, you should be able to see potential talent from just a glance.

Pair-Programming Interviews

By now, you will have used pre-screening and in-depth assessments to narrow your talent pool to the very best. But you probably still need to narrow it down further. It is also probably the stage where your development role needs to step in and add their input.

It is so tempting to try and cut corners in the hiring process in order to save time but each phase is crucial. Some companies even carry out phone screens before interviewees come into the office. This type of screening won’t provide as much information but they are cost-effective. Pair programming while phone screening is an ideal way to examine coding skills without increasing costs. In some cases, they can work so well, you use it instead of an on-site interview.

Pair-programming interviews are real-time live interviews. It is a chance for an engineer to code together with the candidate, working through coding assessments or whiteboarding problems. It is the ideal way for developers to see exactly how a candidate tackles problems.

The Summary

Pre-screening is a great way for companies to filter large numbers of applicants down to quality candidates. From there, in-depth assessments can provide real-world coding assessments and the chance to get a more detailed view of the candidate’s skills. If you want to save time and money, you can try working with a staffing agency. Staffing agencies are an extension of your current HR department. Contracting a staffing agency allows your HR team to focus on the current needs of the department and not have to worry about sifting through hundreds of resumes, updating listings, and scheduling interviews.

Employer

A Review Of The Staffing Industry

August 13, 2019 Comments Off Roxana read

Research Report: Predicting the Future

Forward planning is a major part of any business. If management has the skill to foresee the future of the business, there is a significantly higher chance of success in the long-term. In addition, as staffing agencies expand into other countries, the estimates for the market size of staffing markets will be more important. You need to have a precise figure for the scale of your potential market, this is such an important part of effective management. Staffing Industry Analysts published a report that will help managers and owners understand more.

SIA produces a ‘Global Staffing Industry Market Estimates and Forecast’ twice a year. The report includes estimates and forecasts for the staffing industries based on revenue. The data refers to regional and historical data. There is also a list of the 17 biggest countries per staffing industry revenue.

This report can be used by staffing agencies to rank their performance against others. Investors might also find the report useful in their decision-making process. SIA Corporate and CWS Council members can gain access to the complete report.

The staffing agency industry generated worldwide revenue of 409€ billion, $461 billion, in 2017. This was a 7% increase from the previous year. In order to calculate the statistics, staffing was divided into two categories; the temporary staffing service and the place and search service (direct hire). Out of the 409€ billion, 81% was generated from temporary staffing services. Regarding countries, the US, Japan, and the UK were the three countries that generated the most revenue. Germany, France, and the Netherlands were also countries that contributed significantly to the revenue but not nearly as much as the leading three.

How does this help our understanding of the future? 2018 continued on a similar path as 2017. There was an increase in the staffing agency services of 7%. Unless we witness a huge global economic downturn, we can safely assume that the figures will continue to rise. This will be helped along by a set of programs that will expand the workforce into more countries.

Europe has seen an increase in the staffing markets overall. Unfortunately, the Brexit has created a cloud of doubt over the UK and the same growth hasn’t been seen. Only a 2% increase is expected for the UK staffing market in 2019.

This strong growth in the staffing market can be put down to a healthy economic backdrop. IMF estimates a 3.9% increase in GDP. Working conditions have to be mentioned. Germany has tightened labor regulations while Italy has seen a labor reform. There are also a number of countries that have a low penetration rate. They have the space to grow and are ready to do so as soon as there is an increase in the staffing market.

One problem we are facing generally in the staffing agency market is the lack of talent. This is not to say that hires from a staffing agency are not capable of doing the job, quite the opposite. But the imbalance in demand and supply can cause a bigger problem. When the labor market is tight, companies turn to staffing agencies to fill their vacancies. The more we use staffing agencies, the quicker the highly skilled agency workers are being snapped up. New talent is hard to find.

The world is getting more complicated and things will become more difficult to predict. The Brexit and trade wars between China and the US are going to have major knock-on effects on the world’s economy. It will be a case of watch this space closely! As for now, remain focused on the high growth in the staffing market, add this into your management strategy so allow company growth in the future.

Employer

Keeping Up with the Trends: Hiring Smart!

August 8, 2019 Comments Off Roxana read

Traditionally, companies used to seek a temporary replacement for permanent employees who were either on leave, ill or on vacation. However, due to a change in the economy, they now need temporary employees whose demand is dependent on production needs. Agencies usually take up the responsibility of availing the employees as required.

The concept of regular shrinking and expansion of the workforce is now trending. The use of such a contingent workforce has its pros and cons. The advantages are as listed below:

Burdens

Employee vacation, sick leave, maternity leave and health insurance are costs that can be burdensome to the employer. Agencies take up these costs together with those of a hiring process.

Savings

This kind of set up enables an organization to adjust to workload fluctuations, market demands, and production requirements speedily and effectively, thus saving a lot of money, resources and time.

Retention

During peak seasons, the temporary employees are a relief to core staff as they will not have to overwork and burn out. Absenteeism worker’s compensation claims also reduce.

Time

Agencies send you an employee who meets all your qualifications and saves you the time spent on training new staff. These temporary employees can be used to find out if you have enough work to keep a full-time employee.

Less dependency on contractors

Segmenting your business and assigning different independent contractors to handle each segment costs you more. You also cannot directly supervise the work. Working with a temp is better since they are cheaper and can be directly supervised.

Possibility of hiring good temps permanently.

When a temp is working well, you can consider them for permanent hire without having to put them on a probation period.

Temporary employees are utilized during the peak season to maximize profits and relieved during recess to save on costs. The result is increased company profit growth, increased economic spending and more economic stimulation.