Candidate Spotlight

Can you share a little bit about your educational background?

I have a Master’s degree in computer control systems from 1995. I also completed some postgrad studies in visual programming (one of the fashions of the day). As a junior developer, I pursued various certifications (Java, SQL, HTML, etc). Eventually, my work history became a better certification.

Related: Inside the Coding Challenge: A Hiring Manager’s Perspective

Which educational opportunities made the biggest impact on your tech career?

A computer at home as a teenager. The tinker-friendly nature of 8-bit home computers, their simplicity, and immediate feedback were very inviting. The best analogy today would be to a web browser.

Various books on electronics, computers, and mathematics also made an impact. Plus, a computer club about writing programs, not (only) playing games. Working as a programmer part-time during my university years helped too. It allowed me to more clearly see the questions to which the university courses were providing answers.

What would you like to learn more about?

The human mind and how to best drive it. It’s the principal tool of a knowledge worker. Structures, nature, and behavior of various complex systems, because this is what a software engineer works with every day.

What led you to pursue a career in tech?

It was just naturally exciting. Computer programming is the closest approximation of magic in the real world, complete with cryptic spells 🙂 But, unlike magic, it’s based on logic. And I’m comfortable with logic. Also, a career in tech, unlike a career in academia, helps bring home the bacon much better.

How has your skill set evolved throughout your career?

I’ve tried many things, but soon enough gravitated towards backend development, mostly through work on databases and programming tools. I tried to learn something new all the time in background mode, before the particular technology was in the spotlight: Java, networking, Linux, PHP, Python, Javascript, functional programming, etc.

Usually, it takes 5-6 years between the time I start paying attention to something and the time when this thing becomes important in my work, directly or obliquely. For instance, I never used Haskell in production, but learning it helped me a lot to write better Python and Javascript.

Related: What are the Best Programming Languages to Get a Software Developer Job? (Video)

If you chose to specialize in one area, what was it and why?

Once you become sufficiently good in some areas, it becomes more costly to pivot. I ended up working on backend software. One of the reasons is likely that backends are more often implemented solidly, with requirements less fleeting, even though more demanding. But I always try to have some idea about the areas around me. While I’m not turning into a full-time fronted developer, UX designer, SRE, ML engineer, product manager, etc, I try to try my hand at everything, given a chance. This lets me have a common language with colleagues who work in these areas.

Is your new role different from previous ones?

My new role is an unfamiliar industry that requires quite specific knowledge. Otherwise, it’s pretty similar: design and build software, and communicate with people as a part of it.

Related: How to Maximize Your Job Offer as a Remote Engineer

What are you most excited about in your new role?

It’s a kind of role I understand and like. I also work with great colleagues in a solid engineering culture. What we are building is replacing ancient systems and improving things for a large number of pharmacy workers. Also, the company has a solid and growing business, indicating stability.

Related: Top Employers Winning Tech Talent in 2023

What was your job search experience like before you joined Hired?

Hired landed me a job twice! Plus, several job offers. I have contacts with several recruiters, too. What makes Hired stand out is a clear process and good quality leads. Hired matches my skills and requirements well. It saves a lot of time and effort. Other services tend to overflow my inbox with enticing but often somehow off-the-mark suggestions, which have to be filtered laboriously.

What’s your best advice for jobseekers on the Hired platform? 

Formulate clearly what you want and what you are experienced in. Things requiring soft skills are valuable so mention them. Earn some badges because it shows you can code and know the basics. If you built something interesting, by all means mention it.

What would you tell someone who’s curious about Hired?

If you need a job, Hired is a solid resource. Put in the effort to fill in all the information. It will pay off. If you present yourself as an interesting candidate and have a polished profile, your profile may be featured. That’s a serious boost.

Any general advice you’d like to give other tech professionals?

Keep learning. Stay curious. Find fun bits in and outside of daily work. Look around and try to grasp the bigger picture. The machines are not going to replace us. Instead, they are going to empower us further.

Related: Ready to Start Programming with AI? A Quick Guide for Software Engineers

Thanks for sharing, Dmitry! Looking for a tech or sales role? Complete your free Hired profile today!

Looking for tech talent like Dmitry? Get a customized demo.

About Capital Rx

Capital Rx is reinventing the way pharmacy benefits are priced and evaluated. Founded in 2018, it has 501-1000 employees and is headquartered in New York.

Benefits

401K plan, performance bonus, health/dental/vision/life/disability insurance, unlimited time off, company activities, stock options, and more.

Tech Stack

Python, React, AWS, Redux More

Can you share a little bit about your educational background?

I graduated with a B.S. in Computer Science from Brandeis University. I also worked at the IT Help Desk while at school, and had an engineering internship my junior year summer.

Having a solid foundation during my B.S. Computer Science degree made the biggest impact on my tech career. Since then, I had supportive managers who encouraged learning and attending conferences.

What would you like to learn more about?

Eventually, I want to take on a people manager role and would love to know what that entails. I’m sure there are a lot of things that I don’t yet have experience with.

What led you to pursue a career in tech?

I wasn’t one of those students who always knew I loved coding or computers. But in high school, I took one mandatory Computer Science class. Even then, I didn’t take away much except that it was pretty fun and made a lot of sense to me. Later, when I went to college, I realized CS could be a career.

How has your skill set evolved throughout your career?

At first, I came with a lot of basics and academic part of Computer Science knowledge. I didn’t yet know how I would apply it to real-life projects. But through my internship and personal projects, I saw how a real company runs. Then, in the first few years of my career, I rotated around different teams and projects. I realized what I really loved and that I was passionate about Android Development.

Related: Ready to Start Programming with AI? A Quick Guide for Software Engineers

If you chose to specialize in one area, what was it and why?

I chose to pursue Android Development in depth because something about the platform resonated with me. I personally prefer Androids for my mobile device, but that wasn’t the complete reason. I enjoy that Android development feels like a mix of back-end and front-end engineering, and I like how easily accessible and visible my work can be.

Is your new role different from previous ones?

My new role is completely remote, which is different from my in-office role at my last company. Although my last company transitioned to being remote during the pandemic, I still had a rapport from the in-office days. That kind of connection is harder when you start with a remote company, but I love the culture of flexibility and work-life balance.

Related: How to Maximize your Job Offer as a Remote Engineer

What are you most excited about in your new role?

I’m most excited about getting to know the product space better because it’s not a product that I personally use or have experience with. I’m also excited about working with the native mobile SDK. It’s different from the feature work that I’m used to doing.

What was your job search experience like before you joined Hired?

It was really hard to find the right opportunities for me, and I wasn’t even sure if I was looking in the right places. It was also a lot of legwork on my part to find those opportunities, apply, and then wait indefinitely for somebody to reach back out.

Related: 9 Smart Tips for Jobseekers to Identify & Avoid Job Scams in 2023

What’s your best advice for jobseekers on the Hired platform? 

I think having a solid profile is the most helpful. That way, recruiters can best assess your background and send you the job opportunities that you are best fit for. After that, it’s all about being patient and going back to interview basics.

Related: Get Employers’ Attention: How to Craft an Effective Hired Jobseeker Profile Headline

What would you tell someone who’s curious about Hired?

Hired is a no-brainer to sign up on Hired. It widens your search for a new job and gives you a better fighting chance than a lot of other platforms.

Any general advice you’d like to give other tech professionals?

Going back to interview basics is important no matter where you are in your career. And it’s equally as important to know how to present your valuable experience in a short amount of time in an interview setting.

Thanks for sharing, Christine! Looking for a tech or sales role? Complete your free Hired profile today!

Looking for tech talent like Christine? Get a customized demo.

About DraftKings

DraftKings is an innovative daily fantasy sports contest and sports betting company. Founded in 2012, DraftKings has 1501-5000 employees and is headquartered in Boston.

Benefits

401K plan, tuition reimbursement, health/dental/vision/life/disability insurance, diversity program, flexible working hours, employee groups and committees, and more.

Tech Stack

C#.NET MVC, React, JavaScript, Swift, AWS, MySQL, Bitbucket, JIRA, Datadog, RabbitMQ, Python, Confluence, Single-Page Applications, Redis, AWS Elastic Load Balancing (ELB), Amazon Relational Databases (RDS), .NET, Xamarin, Octopus Deploy, Bamboo, Git, Elastic Stack (ELK), new relic, TypeScript, Redux, Docker, Chef, Powershell, Ubuntu, NGINX, VMWare vSphere, Akamai, Kotlin, Solidity More

Can you share a little bit about your educational background?

I have a Bachelor’s in Computer Engineering and I completed Cooperative Education. I have a traditional degree and many years on various teams in companies ranging from mid-stage startups to Fortune 4 for products in the B2C, B2B, and B2B2C spaces.

Which educational opportunities made the biggest impact on your tech career?

A quality college education teaches you how to learn because you never stop learning. Trusted online collateral, esteemed professional conferences, and open source are the best places to go for continued education in software engineering.

What would you like to learn more about?

On the technical side: data structures and algorithms, programming languages and tech stacks, code complexity and readability, and DevSecOps. On the non-technical side: corporate culture, team dynamics, Conway’s law, and cross-functional communications skills. These are never-ending learning journeys!

What led you to pursue a career in tech?

I realized what I wanted to do while I was in high school. The idea of writing a program (mostly conditionals, looping, and glue code) that (at best) could delight and inform, serve humanity, and make a difference (or anger and obfuscate, betray humanity, and perpetuate the dystopian status quo at worst) seemed magical to me.

How has your skill set evolved throughout your career?

If I could go back in time and describe to my recent college graduate self what programming is like in my present and would be like in the future, then I doubt my younger self would even believe me or recognize what I was describing.

Related: Ready to Start Programming with AI? A Quick Guide for Software Engineers

If you choose to specialize in one area, what was it and why?

I focused on business-oriented systems which, today, is mostly about backend microservice development. I do have some frontend knowledge but mostly web SPA or cross-platform.

Is your new role different from previous ones?

I prefer to serve on teams producing products that help humanity. That hasn’t changed. My previous role was in the domain of medical health and wellness and my new role focuses on financial health.

What are you most excited about in your new role?

The mission is all about helping others rise out of poverty. The people are smart and driven and care about what they are delivering. I have only been there a week but the culture seems to be humble and dedicated to service. The tech stack is pretty cool too.

What was your job search experience like before you joined Hired?

The job search experience before Hired was frustrating. It took time to prepare for each interview and involved making lots of cold applications, which is very much a numbers game. You need to have pretty thick skin and be okay with getting into the mindset of companies who may not even have, in reality, any open positions to fill.

Related: 9 Smart Tips for Jobseekers to Identify & Avoid Job Scams in 2023

What’s your best advice for jobseekers on the Hired platform? 

It’s all about the resume. Think about the kinds of problems the companies you want to work at are facing. How can you present yourself in a way that shows you can help them solve those problems?

Related: Get Employers’ Attention: How to Craft an Effective Hired Jobseeker Profile Headline

What would you tell someone who’s curious about Hired?

I really like Hired’s approach compared to its competitors. The number of companies you end up applying to is smaller. But the fit is better so you end up getting more call-back interviews. It feels a lot more productive and positive.

Any general advice you’d like to give other tech professionals?

Don’t only focus on job security. It’s all about career security and satisfaction. Where are you now? Where do you want to be in the future? What is a satisfying way to get there? The pace of technical innovation never stops. If you dislike learning, you are in the wrong profession. You will burn out so you better start planning that transition now.

Thanks for sharing, Glenn! Looking for a tech or sales role? Complete your free Hired profile today!

Looking for tech talent like Glenn? Get a customized demo customized.

About EarnIn

EarnIn is reimagining the way money moves to empower everyone’s potential. Founded in 2012, EarnIn has 201-500 employees and is headquartered in Palo Alto.

Benefits

401K plan, stock options, health/dental/vision/life/disability insurance, unlimited time off, flexible working hours, mentorship opportunities, and more.

Tech Stack

C#, .NET, Java, Kotlin, Python, Go, Scala, Javascript, Kubernetes, Kafka More

Start by telling us about your educational background!

I went to the Polytechnic University of Bucharest where I studied Automatic Control and Computer Science. Having that Bachelor’s degree when I entered the job market 10+ years ago really helped me get shortlisted as a candidate.

What has made the biggest impact on your tech career?

Almost all that I’ve learned since starting my first job has been through practicing my profession and learning from my colleagues, going to conferences, reading books, and watching free videos online. I recommend people set time away to research highly rated books, interesting videos, etc. Aim for things that you can immediately apply in your work. Sometimes you’ll learn about stuff you didn’t even know you were missing out on.

What would you like to learn more about?

I’ve worked as a tech lead for about two and a half years now and I’m excited to continue improving, and then see what’s next. Aside from that, I’m passionate about making the value delivery loop faster – everything from an idea to a live product that can be evaluated and iterated on.

What led you to pursue a career in tech?

I started studying programming in middle school. I used to hate it. It might have been because we started with C and C++. Those are not the easiest languages for a newbie. My brother led me to pursue a tech career. He inspired me to start building websites in PHP and around my last year of high school/first year of university, I realized I enjoy programming in a more beginner-friendly language.

Related: Dear Developers: Coding Languages That Will Set You Apart in 2023

How has your skill set evolved throughout your career?

I spent the first few years of my career as a full stack PHP developer and moved deeper into the backend stack later on. After I moved to London, I got the opportunity (through Hired) to start working as a Senior Consultant at a leading global technology consultancy. I jumped at that opportunity because the company was technology-agnostic and I was eager to develop my skill set beyond PHP. From there, I started working cross-functionally with Java, JavaScript, IAC, and DB technologies. I also improved my Agile development and communication skills.

Related: Code Your Career: Staying Competitive in the Developer Job Market (VIDEO)

What did you choose to specialize in and why?

I prefer to have a holistic view of a product, domain, or business. The larger picture is more interesting to me. I like understanding how different bits and pieces integrate with or affect each other.

Is your new role different from previous ones?

I’ll work in the same role as before (tech lead). I’m staying in finance but moving from an open banking start-up to one of the oldest traditional banks. I think some things might change.

What are you most excited about in your new role?

I’m excited about working from the office for part of the week. Let’s get one thing straight: I’m not looking forward to the crowded commute! However, I am really looking forward to getting face-to-face time with my team and having a clearer separation between work and personal time.

What was your job search experience like before you joined Hired?

I joined Hired almost six years ago. I loved the platform from the beginning because the candidate experience is far more curated than what I was used to on other platforms at the time. First off, you have the opportunity to speak directly to recruiters from the companies reaching out to you. I prefer that over having to go through headhunters.

Hired Candidate Experience Managers will also reach out to provide help and support. Interviews progress at a more predictable rate on Hired compared to other platforms. Plus, you’ll know what the outcome of your interview is – no more being left in the dark halfway through the interview process. All in all, my conversion rate (if you will) with Hired is on a different level.

What’s your best advice for jobseekers on Hired? 

Follow the tips and advice their website offers. Talk to the Candidate Experience Managers and see how they can help. Some tips from me are to respond to recruiters quickly and pause your profile promotion if you are getting flooded with interview requests.

What would you tell someone curious about Hired?

To try it out! I’ve already recommended Hired to all of my friends in tech. Hired has an official way to refer people too. Guess I’ll start finding more friends!

Related: How to Earn Referral Bonuses on Hired

Any general advice for other tech professionals?

Always allocate some of your personal time to learning things, staying up-to-date with tech, and developing your skills in ways that you can easily showcase. Invest time and effort into writing an eye-catching, clear, and concise CV/resume. Keep up with market trends and what compensation you’ll accept for the value you provide. Don’t let more than two years pass without evaluating your salary against the market.

Related: Try Hired’s Salary Calculator

About JPMorgan

JPMorgan Chase & Co. is a leader in investment banking, commercial banking, financial transaction processing, and asset management. Founded in 1858, JPMorgan has 5000+ employees and is headquartered in New York.

Benefits

401K plan/matching, stock options, health/dental/vision/life/disability insurance, paid time off, flexible working hours, tuition reimbursement, management training, mentorship opportunities, and more.

Tech Stack

JavaScript, Java, Python, MongoDB, Cassandra, Kafka, Hadoop, NoSQL, Access, Microsoft SQL Server, ASP.NET, Spark, C#, jQuery, Splunk, Cloud Foundry, MySQL, Ember.js, Spring, C++, Scala, React, Promtheus, Azure, DB2, Oracle, TensorFlow, SQL, Grafana, Kubernetes, MariaDB, AngularJS, Node.JS, .NET, Swift, Dynatrace, AWS, DevOps, Big Data, Mobile, Natural Language Processing (NLP) More

Can you share a little bit about your educational background? 

I have a Bachelor of Honours Degree in Animation Computerization and also have a certification in Terraform practice from QA Ltd. Additionally, I do self-guided learning via online platforms like Coursera and Pluralsight.

Which has made the biggest impact on your tech career? 

My involvement with a forward-thinking business that invests in personal development offers me exposure to a wide range of industry tools. This experience has not only deepened my interest in the industry but has also allowed me to broaden my skill set significantly.

What would you like to learn more about?

I’m interested in delving further into home server automation. This pursuit aims to establish a local environment to serve as a testing ground for implementing emerging technologies, including concepts like IAD (Intelligent Automation and Digitalization) that are making their way into the industry.

What led you to pursue a career in tech?

With a deep passion for technology and a strong desire to be a part of an ever-expanding industry, my journey in the world of technology has been fueled by an unwavering fascination with the endless possibilities it offers. This profound interest has been the driving force behind my career choices and the catalyst for my continuous growth. From the very beginning, my interest in technology was ignited by its power to transform the way we live, work, and connect with the world. The rapid pace of innovation and the potential to create innovative solutions to complex problems has captivated me.

Related: Adapting and Advancing in a New Era of Tech Careers (VIDEO)

Is your new role different from previous ones? 

In my new position, I work with a different application and use a distinct cloud provider compared to what I encountered in my previous employment. This transition represents an exciting shift in my professional journey, offering new challenges and opportunities for growth.

What are you most excited about in your new role?

I am excited about collaborating with an enthusiastic team, where I can freely exchange innovative ideas and contribute value to a thriving business. This environment provides a unique opportunity for me to enhance and refine my skills, preparing me for future growth and success.

What was your job search experience like before you joined Hired?

The job searching experience was satisfactory. I had frequent notifications about job opportunities. However, it was not consistently reliable in terms of maintaining a steady flow of opportunities.

What would you tell someone who’s curious about Hired?

Hired is a fantastic platform with an enthusiastic and genuinely supportive team that guides you through every phase. It provides an excellent opportunity to showcase your skills and promote yourself effectively. I highly recommend it as a valuable resource for career advancement.

Related: Meet Hired’s Candidate Experience Team: Supporting Jobseekers Every Step of the Way

Any general advice you’d like to give other tech professionals?

I emphasize the importance of continuously expanding your knowledge and skills. By doing so, you open doors to numerous job opportunities that align with your aspirations and capabilities.

About The Access Group

The Access Group is more than just a software provider. They’re redefining what it means to partner with a technology provider. Founded in 1991, The Access Group has 5,001+ employees and is headquartered in Loughborough.

Tech Stack

.NET, C#, ASP.NET, SQL Server, AngularJS, React, Python, Java, VMWare, Hyper-V

Benefits

Paid time off, management/job training, work from home flexibility, maternity benefits, diversity program, and more. More

Can you share a little bit about your educational background? 

For the most part, I’m self-taught. I did join a bootcamp that taught me the basic fundamentals of software development. Shortly after, I found my first job as a software developer through an apprenticeship. 

What has made the biggest impact on your tech career? 

I’d say developing my own app was the most impactful. Not only did I learn a lot along the way, but it also gave me something to showcase when applying for jobs and to speak about when interviewing.

What would you like to learn more about?

At the moment I’m very focused on my iOS career. However, I am interested to see what kind of impact Apple’s Vision Pro will have on the industry. When the first iPhone launched, it didn’t even have an App Store. Now, look at where we are. Maybe this will open up a whole new career path – visionOS engineer. Who knows!

What led you to pursue a career in tech?

I’ve always been interested in anything to do with tech. Like many others, I was the go-to IT guy in the family (really all I did was turn it off and on again!). I didn’t know exactly what career path to go down when I finished college. However, once I started learning about software development, it really interested me and here I am today!

Related: Code Your Career: Staying Competitive in the Developer Job Market (VIDEO)

How has your skill set evolved over the course of your career?

I started out as a software developer working with a bunch of different languages and frameworks. That included JavaScript, Java, C#, and SQL to name a few. I started learning more about app development soon after. That’s when I found my love for Swift. I then decided to create my own app, which led me down the career path as an iOS engineer.

Related: Hired Releases 2023 State of Software Engineers Report

For the past few years, I’ve mainly been focusing on iOS development. I’m really enjoying it. I think it’s amazing to have an app (or work on one) used by people all over the world!

How is your new role different from previous ones? 

The industry has shifted from housing to finance. But the roles are very similar. I’m still doing what I love, which is working on native apps for iOS.

In my previous roles, I’ve worked in small teams. I’m looking forward to working in a larger team at JPMorgan where we can bounce ideas off each other and learn from one another. I’m also excited to work for such a large and well-known company.

What was your job search experience like before you joined Hired?

I used LinkedIn a lot to apply for jobs and even reached out directly to the hiring managers sometimes. I was also in touch with a few recruiters who put me forward for roles. I had the odd interview here and there, but never really had much luck.

What’s your best advice for job seekers registered on the Hired platform? 

Try to fill in as much of your profile with relevant information as you can. This will give you the best possible chance and make you stand out from others. Also, make sure you’re responsive. It will show recruiters you’re active on the platform.

Related: Want More Interviews and Better Matches? 8 Key Tips!

What would you tell someone who’s curious about Hired?

Go for it! I was fortunate in that the first company that got in touch for an interview ended up being the one I joined. If you haven’t had much luck with your job search, give Hired a try. The same could happen to you so what do you have to lose?

Any general advice you’d like to give other tech professionals?

Try not to compare yourself to others. Focus on being the best you can be and always try to improve. At the same time, remember to take a break and enjoy life. 

About JPMorgan

JPMorgan is a leader in investment banking, commercial banking, financial transaction processing, and asset management. Founded in 1858, JPMorgan has 5000+ employees and is headquartered in New York.

Benefits

401K plan/matching, stock options, health/dental/vision/life/disability insurance, paid time off, flexible working hours, tuition reimbursement, management training, mentorship opportunities, and more.

Tech Stack

JavaScript, Java, Python, MongoDB, Cassandra, Kafka, Hadoop, NoSQL, Access, Microsoft SQL Server, ASP.NET, Spark, C#, jQuery, Splunk, Cloud Foundry, MySQL, Ember.js, Spring, C++, Scala, React, Promtheus, Azure, DB2, Oracle, TensorFlow, SQL, Grafana, Kubernetes, MariaDB, AngularJS, Node.JS, .NET, Swift, Dynatrace, AWS, DevOps, Big Data, Mobile, Natural Language Processing (NLP) More