Posts by "Roxana"

Developer Employer

How to Create Fair Salary Ranges for Developer Jobs

November 28, 2018 Comments Off Roxana read

With the changes in the times and business models, companies often adjust their salary structures with each major shift in the organization structure or remarkable increase/decrease in profits.

Creating fair salary ranges for developers, however, slightly takes a more practical approach. Employers will have to research what developers earn in the local market as well as what they earn as employees of similar organizations.

What companies consider

While the market value greatly influences the compensation ranges in an organization, other pressing issues like what the company can afford and how important that role ordinarily takes precedence. Even with these in mind, organizations still have to develop an edge to compete to get and retain talented developers into their employ.

Facebook and other popular companies use a structured pay structure that is simple and offers the same pay for a level of employment. For example, employees who come into the organization have the same pay across the board. If for example a programmer is set to take home an annual salary of $164,000, then there is no much room for negotiation upwards.

Curbing pay discrepancies

In a similar fashion, the firm will also not pay employees based on their previous salary. This happens to be sustainable and objective in the sense that companies end up paying for value added and not based on negotiation skills. It also curbs the discrepancies in the pay structure that may lead to dissatisfaction among members of staff.

Other companies have their salaries based on a formula for each level. However, they add onto the salary based on that individual’s work experience or potential value of what they could bring into that organization.

Value-based remuneration

The need for a formulaic salary was arrived upon due to discrepancies in the pay between the two genders. For a long time, female developers have been paid much less than their male counterparts. With the changes in legislation and activism for equality, companies developed sensitive salary ranges based more on value than gender.

Employee salary history

Companies often fall into the trap of inquiring about the salaries their potential staffers earned while in their last job. In the US, this has been abolished in nine states. Employers in these states, therefore, offer salaries based on the original allocation of that particular position.

Left open, some employers would generally ask developers what they used to earn in their last job and add a few bucks onto that as a bargaining chip. These employers would then box these staffers into thinking they are getting a better deal. However, this may backfire at some point.

Just like employers, developers too research a company’s pay structure before they apply for a job there. If they find out in the course of the discussion that they are not getting paid according to the anticipated standards, they could leave at the earliest opportunity.

Finding a standard salary range for developers may be an arduous task. This s occasioned by the fact that all organizations have what they can afford to pay staff based on how important the role is to the firm. The other factor that comes into question is the size of the firm and its profitability.

Employer

Common Misconceptions About Coding Boot Camp Graduates

November 23, 2018 Comments Off Roxana read

In many cases and situations, people make assumptions that are not based on facts or truths. One of such cases is the perception of coding boot camp graduates. Although these coders have over the years, proven themselves to be of high values to engineering teams, there are still erroneous ideas about things involving them.

Do you happen to also believe certain things about coding boot camp graduates, that cannot be well confirmed as the truth? Then, prepare to have your misconceptions debunked, as we carefully look and help you know the actual truth about them.

#1 Coding Boot Camp Graduates are Maths or Science Experts

When you hear the word, ‘coder’, are the next words that come to mind, “Maths, science, geek”? This need not be, as just about anyone can learn how to program by attending a coding boot camp, without necessarily having high technical skills.

#2 They don’t easily or quickly get Jobs

It is, of course, true that a boot camp won’t provide you with a job. However, you must recognize that their duty and responsibility is to teach and help you learn in order to hone enough coding skills to get a decent job.

#3 They are unaware of Industry Standards

Know that boot camps have the flexibility and adaptability to change tactics and approaches much quicker than traditional education (which is more rigid in structure). Thus, students get to be updated on recent trends and standards and get equipped with very relevant tools for thriving in their field.

#4 They have no original Ideas

If you think all boot camp graduates do is reproduce pieces of stuff other people have already done, then you’re misinformed. At the latter phases of a coding boot camp, students are given projects to be built from the scratch and several groups have rigorous milestones, technical endorsements and are able to effectively function in environments that require them to be proactive – just as they would need to be in the real world.

#5 They attend Boot Camps only to change Careers

Coding is a very interesting skill that some people just take up to supplement their present jobs and not necessarily as a main career.

#6 They have no experience as Professional Developers

You need to realize that not everyone who attends a coding boot camp is new to the field. Some are well experienced in certain aspects of coding but just want to upgrade their skills and add to their knowledge.

#7 They pay too much for too little benefit

By understanding the value and future benefits that learning coding at boot camps add to students, you will be able to recognize that the monetary price paid to gain the knowledge is not too expensive.

So, for recruiters or employers in need of the services of Coders and developers, you need not to discard the idea of employing boot camp graduates, as they just might be some of the best hands you can get for hiring. And for those unsure of whether to learn coding at a boot camp or not, be rest assured that enrolling in a coding boot camp is one right choice to make in order to hone your desired coding skills.

Employer

Should You Start Planning Your 2019 Tech Recruitment Budget?

November 20, 2018 Comments Off Roxana read

As the year 2018 is gradually approaching its end, it is only ideal that people, companies, and organizations make plans for the succeeding year – 2019. This is done in order to ensure that things get better than they are. But then, for every plan to materialize, there has to be a cost. It is therefore important that a budget is made for every plan, so as to know whether the capability to handle them is available.

Among those faced with the question of whether to begin to make plans and allocate resources to hire new professionals ahead for the coming year are organizations who employ the services of Technology Experts. Are you or is your company one of those who do? Then you’ve come across just the right post to provide helpful suggestions to enlighten and help you make the right decision.

Take stock of your Current Fiscal Year

The first thing to do before making further plans is to take stock of the company’s fiscal year and note the factors influencing the gain or loss in profit for the company. This will help you as a recruiter, to understand the exact areas where new staff need to be brought in and how helpful Tech experts will be to your company’s advancement.

Recognize if Recruiting will support the Organization’s Long-Term Vision

It is very important that as a talent acquisition manager or recruiter of Tech professionals, you have a proper understanding of the company’s vision and future plans, in order to bring in the right set of qualified candidates who will help advance the company’s course. By taking this factor into consideration, it will be possible to rightly assess any expenses made in hiring new tech staff and know if it will yield long-term benefits.

Identify the type of Developers you need

Knowing that the areas of expertise of Tech professionals vary, you need to be very specific about the particular ones you’ll be needing to achieve your goals. This will bring clarity as to how soon they need to be hired, taking into consideration their particular functions in the company.

Analyze the Cost of Recruiting

It is vital that you set and understand budget expectations. Expenses (which include; Job boards and advertising, Employer branding events, Candidate assessment, Recruitment Agencies and salary of the hiring team), will be made through the recruiting process and you need to be able to rightly and effectively allocate funds for each of the involved expenses.

Maximize your Recruiting Budget

It is important that you are able to reduce recruiting cost where necessary and possible and fully optimize the budget for the entire recruitment process. Among ways to achieve this are;

Pre-assessing qualifications to know best-fit candidates
Allocating funds effectively
Optimizing Technology to Reduce Cost.

By taking all the mentioned suggestions into consideration, and putting them to practice, you will be able to rightly decide whether to begin to plan the Tech Budget for the coming year 2019 or to wait till some later time.

Employer

Benefits of Hiring an Artificial Intelligence Developer

November 14, 2018 Comments Off Roxana read

One fast evolving aspect in the area of technology is Artificial Intelligence (AI). It is the intelligence demonstrated by machines (composed of complex mathematical algorithms, software programs, and specialized hardware), enabling them with functions such as learning and problem-solving. In recent years, there has been a continuous increase in the application of AI, as it is making previous impossibilities in many fields now possible. This trend is even bound to exponentially increase in the coming years and with the rise in its use is a corresponding increase in the demand for those who can develop this technology.

Artificial Intelligence developers are those who design, develop and structure AI software in order to achieve specific objectives. Thus, in order for AI to be useful to anyone, these developers need to be available to play their roles.

Before we delve into the specific benefits you or your organization will obtain by hiring these professionals, it is important that we highlight the areas of everyday life where AI is impacting. These areas include:

Healthcare
Agriculture
Aviation
Education
Finance
Business Management
Transportation
Marketing and Sales Management
Geography and Ecology
Human Resources and Recruiting
Media and E-commerce
Music
News, publishing, and writing
Telecommunications maintenance
Defense and Security

Also, there are typical problems to which AI methods are applied. They include;

Handwriting recognition
Optical character recognition
Speech recognition
Face recognition
Artificial creativity
Computer vision, virtual reality, and image processing
Game theory and strategic planning
Photo and video manipulation
Natural language processing, Translation, and Chatterbots.
Nonlinear control and Robotics

Artificial Intelligence methods are also implemented in fields such as; Automated reasoning, concept mining, data mining, semantic web, hybrid intelligent systems, and litigation.

Having considered the aspects of life influenced by Artificial Intelligence and the problems to which it is applied, we now look into the specific benefits of hiring its developers. These benefits include;

Improvement in business efficiency, productivity, and quality.
Increase in sales as a result of focused and targeted marketing of the products for reaching the desired customers.
Exploration and implementation of hidden opportunities for the business.
Acceleration of slow business process through AI automation to save time and other resources.
Making insight based decision on the business processes to create greater competitive advantages.
Improvement in customer experience through AI based customer support.
Improved ROI (Return On Investment) and a decrease in operational costs.
Effective detection and deterring of security intrusions.
Resolution of user’s technology problems.
Gauging of internal compliance in using approved technology vendors.
Monitoring of social media comments to determine overall brand affinity and issues.

With popular AI-based applications like; cogito, Siri PA, Tesla Car, and NetFlix really having a constant increase in customer base, you should consider hiring an AI developer for relevant purposes in order to get these benefits and many more.

Developer

List of Java Application Developer Responsibilities and Skills

November 14, 2018 Comments Off Roxana read

Java is a very powerful general-purpose computer programming language that lets application developers “write once, run anywhere” (meaning once they code in Java, they can run the applications on almost any platform). It is a very versatile software and one of the most popular in use, particularly for client-server web applications, with a reported 9 million developers. The wide use of this software has thus, necessitated a high demand in the services of Java Application Developers.

Java application developers are programmers who design, develop and integrate Java into business applications, websites, and softwares. These are the people who make Java Programming Services possible. Mentioned below are a few of these Programming Services:

Custom Applications
Mobile Applications
Interactive Websites
Android Applications
Software Tools
E-commerce Applications
Enterprise Applications
Cloud Applications

Responsibilities of Java Application Developers

The roles and responsibilities of Java Application Developers are very crucial in the companies and organizations where they work and therefore it is essential that they are made specific and clear. Among these responsibilities are;

Writing well designed, testable and efficient Java applications.
Ensuring designs are in compliance with specifications.
Developing a technical layout and design for the software applications.
Preparing and producing releases of Software components.
Identifying the application issues both in production and non-production ecosystems.
Participating in Software and Architectural development activities.
Recommending changes to improve established Java application processes.
Conducting software analysis, programming, testing and debugging.
Managing Java application development framework and environments.
Investigating alternatives and technologies.

Essential Skills needed by Java Application Developers

In order to successfully and efficiently perform their required roles and duties, it is necessary that Java App developers be very knowledgeable about the use of the following software development tools:

Oracle database SQL and JDBC

They should have adequate knowledge of Oracle SQL, relational, and ORM.

Java XML Parsing, Coding

They should be strong at Java XML parsing and coding.

Enterprise Java Bean (EJB)

They should have a strong knowledge of the Enterprise Java Bean environment.

J2EE Framework

They should have a strong command over Java J2EE framework.

I Text for RTF Generation

They should have a comprehensive understanding of the use of I Text for RTF generation.

Java-based web services

They should be well knowledgeable about web services based on Java technology.

Java Servlet Technology

They should have deep knowledge of Java Servlet and Applets.

Object Oriented Analysis and Design

They should have adequate knowledge of object-oriented programming (OOP).

Perl and Python

They should properly understand the use of Python, Perl, JavaScript and other platforms as an added advantage.

Linux/Unix Windows Platform and Solaris

They should have essential knowledge of Linux, Sun Solar System, Windows, and other operating systems.

In addition to all these skills, it is necessary that a Java developer possess certain qualities that will enable him/her to tackle the challenges of this job, which include learning new programming languages and effective problem-solving.

Employer

Companies using Gamification for Recruiting IT Talent

November 8, 2018 Comments Off Roxana read

Recent years have witnessed huge advancement in Information Technology and with this rise is the corresponding increase in the demand for IT experts. In a bid to get more talents for hire, companies now use gaming to attract, develop and motivate candidates, increase their own prominence and create workplace reward and recognition.

The use of gamification in recruiting is the application of typical elements of game playing to contribute to workforce development, by introducing fun, creativity, competition, and rewards into areas where they didn’t earlier exist. Understanding its diversity and effectiveness, a number of companies now use gamification to recruit experts in the field of Information Technology. Contained in this article are some of these companies that have taken advantage of the assistance gamification renders in recruiting IT talent.

Google

Google, a very innovative and creative InfoTech based company is definitely one to be on this list. For over a decade now, the company has been organizing a Google Code Jam software-writing competition to attract fresh and new talent. Monetary prizes up to $50,000 can be won as a big motivation to potential employees. However, the main aim of Google is to attract potential hires who have the appropriate skills that meet up with the company’s requirement.

Umbel

This big-data startup created a gaming challenge called Umbelmania. Via this platform, amateur and professional coders code their movements to earn points in the first-person fighter-style game. Competing head-to-head, gamers accumulate points to progress in the interviewing process with the company. Through this, coders are able to measure their coding abilities in relation to that of other contestants, improve on them, and know how suited they are for the job at the Startup.

AXA Group

Through a tool called Knack, this global insurance brand has implemented gamification in its hiring process. This tool builds various types of assessment games to identify the abilities, struggles and personality traits of candidates that might not be obvious in an interview or on a resume. Among the games that serve this intended purpose are, Wasabi Waiter and Balloon Brigade. These games collect several megabytes of data on potential hires to measure against successful employees already within the company.

Domino’s Pizza

Through an interactive software called Domino’s Pizza Mogul, this company is able to build a brand awareness with a particular appeal to young people in search of exciting jobs in a fun and innovative work environment. This game allows users to personally create and name Pizza ideas and Toppings and then market it. The users also earn monetary rewards for every Pizza sold.

Formapost

This French postal service was constantly faced with the challenge of retaining new hires. They were losing a quarter of their new recruits and this was costing a lot in their recruiting and hiring budgets. In a bit to resolve this challenge, they wielded the tool of gamification.

Having launched a gaming platform called Jeu Facteur Academy, they are now able to walk candidates through a routine day as a postal carrier and get them familiar with the job. By using this platform to prepare potential employees for the job, they were able to cut down the dropout rates from 25% to 8%.

Considering these companies, it is obvious that gamification is a reliable tool that you can use to achieve your company’s recruitment goals, attract people with the right skills set and increase your chances of keeping them for a long time.

Employer

How will Artificial Intelligence Impact the Future of Recruiting

November 6, 2018 Comments Off Roxana read

The field of Artificial Intelligence is a fast-evolving one, gaining influence in many spheres of human existence. It is the intelligence demonstrated by machines which have over time, proved its accuracy and dependability. This intelligence includes; decision making, visual and vocal recognition, and translation, – among other things. One aspect that is being influenced by Artificial Intelligence is that of recruiting people for jobs.

The reason behind the incorporation of A.I. into this field is not far-fetched, as it helps to reduce the workload of employees by making the mundane tasks of hiring and recruiting easier. It is expected to be a faster and more efficient alternative for companies to employ as a part of their Human Resource (HR) efforts. Contained in this article are some expected impacts of Artificial Intelligence in the future of recruiting.

Improved Efficiency and Experience

By optimizing AI, companies will be able to scan resumes, schedule interviews, and send routine emails, ultimately improving their efficiency and effectiveness. Also, via AI, candidate experience will be improved by making it more personalized and sincere and enabling the formation of real relationships between candidates and companies.

Faster and Smarter Hiring Process

As we all know, computers are built to perform tasks faster and more accurately. With the ability of bots to scan and identify the top resumes in a batch of applicants, the process of scheduling will be automated and predictive analytics will be able to capture quantitative and qualitative data to ensure a suitable and appropriate match.

Ability to predict employee success

AI is able to establish the past achievements of successful employees and search for candidates with similar backgrounds to those of such workers. This way, it can predict the success rate of potential incoming employees.

Minimization of Biases in Hiring

By developing algorithms that are fair and ethical for use in the hiring process, biases such as; gender, age, and race can be well minimized.

Interview Automation

By capitalizing on the automation AI offers via its facial recognition tool that can record and determine emotion from facial expressions, companies will be able to handle screening processes without the physical presence of humans.

Ease and Speed of scheduling meetings with candidates

With the availability of AI software that can automate appointment setting by performing simple tasks such as; looking at your calendar, asking a few basic questions and offering viable options to the candidate, recruiters will be able to quickly and easily schedule meetings with them.

Clarification of Expectations

AI is built with an objective algorithm which will give very clear and precise expectation. By using it, time and resources will be saved and one can be quite assured of accuracy. We must, however, keep in mind that AI only simplifies the process, leaving the completion and verification to we humans.

Inability to identify the most suitable person for the job

Understanding that Artificial Intelligence at its best, works based on computer programs written by humans, we should realize that it cannot identify the best person fit for a job.

Human behavior varies across different individuals, and AI might be making logical decisions where intuitions by humans are required.

Employer

Soft Skills Your Software Developers Need to Survive in e-Commerce

November 1, 2018 Comments Off Roxana read

Ability to efficiently structure codes using programming languages understand algorithms and data structures, master a development platform, source control or debug are all technical skills that will make a software developer relevant enough to be hired. But what will keep the developer in the company and help advance his career is the soft skills he possesses.

Soft skills are a combination of people, social and communication skills, character traits, attitudes and emotional intelligence quotients among others that enable people to navigate their environment, effectively work with others and achieve their goals with complementing technical skills. They are must-haves for any developer who intends to remain and continuously advance in his field for a long time.

Contained in this article are some helpful suggestions on the essential soft skills that a software developer needs in order to not only survive but as well thrive in the e-commerce industry.

Excellent and Effective Communication skills

Communication involves listening, clarifying, empathy and conflict-resolution in order for information to be well exchanged between people. It is a vital people skill that will enable software developers to work effectively and be able to easily collaborate with others in the organization. Along with the need for verbal skills is also the need for a software developer to be able to write well because this is needed right from the inception of a project to its completion.

Flexibility and Adaptability

Software developers will definitely encounter a lot of new challenges requiring solutions. Solving these problems will largely depend on their ability to think creatively, innovatively and improvise. When they are able to adapt and incorporate new ideas, then they’ll be able to solve almost all challenges pertaining to their job.

Life-long learning

The IT industry is a fast-evolving one with new ideas becoming quickly obsolete. Thus, developers must be open to continuous learning and updating of their skills in order to remain relevant and valuable to your company.

Integrity and Promptness

These are exceptional virtues required of every worker in any field. When software developers finish up your jobs before deadlines and do they say, they become more trustworthy and reliable in the company.

Taking Initiative

Learning to make sound decisions in the company and to function as a project manager, team leader and team member will help fast-track the progress of any software developer. Also, developers should learn to offer help, support, and mentorship to their co-workers when they have the ability and skills to do so.

Humility

The ability of a software developer to set aside ego, take criticism and learn from mistakes is very essential in enabling them to work in teams and continuously improve at their job.

Hard Work, Persistence and Meticulousness

Hard work and persistence are the basis for achieving anything worthwhile in life. Jobs in an IT company will come with their various challenges, but by applying focus, dedication, and intensity to them, developers can be assured of success in the long run. Also, by being meticulous and paying intent attention to detail, developers will stand out for excellence.

Employer

The Recruiters Guide to Front-End Developers

October 31, 2018 Comments Off Roxana read

Today, we live in a world where technology is being incorporated into almost every aspect of living. With the increase in the use of technology is also a corresponding increase in the demand for talents in the field. Among these well-sought IT talents are front-end developers.

Front-End developers are those software developers who work mainly on the Graphical User Interface (GUI) of an application or website. Their job is to ensure that the website or app has a readable layout that anyone can see and easily interact with at any time.

Understanding how important the role of the front-end developers is, to the overall success of the app or website, it is vital that only those with the adequate skills are brought-in for hire. How then are recruiters to know and be certain of the quality of front-end developers they are hiring? Contained in this article are helpful tips to provide adequate answers to this question.

Check for their Technical Skills

A front-end developer should be well conversant with programming languages and frameworks including; HTML/HTML 5, CSS/CSS3, JavaScript, AJAX, XML and have Responsive design. Also, you should look out for certain terms such as;

UX (User Experience) and UI (User Interface) which both play an increasingly vital role in the development of any application
Visual (including; Visual Studio, Visual C++, and Visual C#)
API (Application Programming Interface) which indicates the specific purpose of an application as well as the platform on which it will operate (e.g. mobile phone, desktop computer or tablet)

Ability to effectively work with these tools will increase his/her chances of doing excellent jobs.

Creativity

As the one responsible for the graphical interface through which users of an app or website can explore its content, the front-end developer should be creative enough to plan the visual and aesthetic side of web/app development. He/she must be able to make the interface interesting and attractive and at the same time, keep it simple enough for easy understanding and navigation.

Be aware of the Challenges they face

After understanding the responsibilities of front-end developers which include; ensuring the website is well accessible on all devices and browsers, looks good on all devices, loads quickly and works well, it is equally important to know the challenges they encounter. These challenges may include; Relearning CSS the right way, what to test, how to test and how to use Bootstrap. Understanding these will help you to be able to better gauge your expectations from them and know the assistance they need per time.

Know what makes them Enthusiastic about Work

Front-End developers want to work for someone who values the aesthetics of a website or application as much as they do and gives them opportunities to dive deeper into web 2.0 concepts which include carousels, fly-outs, overlays, and drop-downs. By understanding this and providing the necessary opportunities, you increase your chances of getting them for hire.

By considering and putting the given suggestions to practice, recruiters can be better assured of hiring the appropriate and well-qualified front-end developers needed for their IT jobs.

Employer

Tactics for Recruiting IT Talent in a Tight Job Market

October 25, 2018 Comments Off Roxana read

One cannot deny the fact that the IT talent market today, is under great strain. Demand is increasing while supply is static at best. This fact is well captured in a statement made by Michael Kohlman, infrastructure Systems manager for a global life sciences company, Cook Group Inc.; “The talent market is tightening up. It’s getting back to the point where IT professionals with good backgrounds can more easily find a job.” The demand for IT talent is strong because shifting economic cycles often generate strategy changes inside companies that can lead to the creation of new jobs.

If your company is racing to uncover hard to find IT talent, you’ll need to possess the right recruiting tools – tools that leave no stone unturned. Your first sourcing priority is to find candidates conversant in both business and technology. Below are some important and helpful suggestions on how to possess and use the right tools and tactics for getting and recruiting your desired number of IT workers.

Promote your IT Organization

It is important that you put in much effort in promoting the reputation of your company. This will make recruiting easier, as the potential employees and candidates will become already aware of the culture of your company and more readily open to your job offers.

Recruit from Colleges

Participating in career day activities at career day activities at colleges to drum up interest in IT jobs helps increase the number of potential employees in the field, hence more candidates for hire. Likewise, building relationships with computer science professors who can recommend students for internships and entry-level positions.

Use networks and your employees’ networks

Referrals are ranked as the leading source for new hires. They produce candidates who have already been vetted to some degree and who tend to be a more desired match for organizations than unknown candidates.

Use Contractors

Many IT organizations maintain large pools of contractors that allow them to scale up their resources when business demand for IT is high. Making use of the services of contractors is one way to get tested people into your organization. However, you have to be careful because self-employed contractors tend to have a different mindset from individuals who prefer to be tied to a company.

Optimize Social Media

This age of social media is one that provides companies with a very wide range of reach, with very limited cost. It is more efficient than other online job boards and enhances good response and quality candidates.

Act promptly

Time is of great essence in getting IT talents (who are limited in number in the job market). It is very essential that you guard against slow and disorganized recruiting functions in order to quickly get the attention of the IT candidates.

So, are you a CIO constantly faced with the challenge of getting and recruiting IT talents in the job market? Consider the above-mentioned tactics, put them to effective use and this challenge will become a thing of the past.