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    How to Create a Strong Personal Brand: The Key to Beginning a Networking Relationship (VIDEO)

    A strong brand is not only relevant for businesses. It’s important for individuals too, especially those navigating the job search. A strong personal brand that speaks to your skills, values, and expertise is crucial for networking and your overall career. 

    It’s your identity. What should people think about when they hear your name during conversations or in the media? What populates when hiring managers or recruiters search for you online? 

    Watch this on-demand webinar to hear experts from Get Hired: Future-Proof Your Career in Tech discuss what it takes to make your personal online brand effective and how it can lead to a new career and networking opportunities.

    You’ll hear from:

    Revenue & Product Marketing Manager, Multiply, Lee Brooks

    Senior Platform Engineer, RVU, Suraj Narwade 

    Lead Talent Acquisition, GTM, International, Sonatype, Heidi King-Underwood

    Founder & CEO, Hustle Crew, Abadesi Osunsade

    Read an excerpt of the conversation here and scroll down to access the full webinar. 

    When it comes to seeking talent, what do you want to learn about someone from their personal brand?

    Suraj 

    When it comes to hiring someone from a personal brand perspective, the first thing to call out here is that you obviously see a resume. But I think in today’s world, LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube, etc. act as a resume together. From a personal brand perspective, I will look at how they are presenting themselves and how they are showcasing their knowledge on any of the platforms. 

    Lee 

    For me, one of the most important things is: Are they fit for the role I’m hiring for? Does their personal brand give me confidence they have expertise in the areas I’m recruiting for? Sometimes it’s easy to tell from someone’s personal brand. Sometimes it’s more difficult, but if I was looking for someone who was good at creating content or social media, I hope I’d be able to get that from their online profile. 

    Another one that’s really important to me is cultural fit. How would someone’s personality, values, and work style fit? At Multiply, we’re all remote workers. It’s quite important that you have someone who can fit into that culture and thrive. 

    The third one is passion and drive. Are they enthusiastic when they’re talking online? This leads to culture a little bit but do they really show passion and drive for their work? I think you can tell through the content, achievements, and overall approach to their career.

    Heidi 

    The cheat is we are bundle searching. We’re looking for keywords. Make your LinkedIn profile as full as possible, like you would a CV… Talk about everything you were doing and everything you’re looking to do. 

    On LinkedIn these days, you can actually put how to pronounce your name. Make things as easy as possible for the recruiter. What are your pronouns? Let’s make sure I don’t insult you by presuming… 

    Talk about the tech stack you’re utilizing. If you present yourself on a third-party site, put the link there. Make it available so I can actually forward it to my hiring teams. I might send over that link and say, ‘What do you think about what they’re putting out or their content?’ It shows… you’re using your own recreational time to highlight you’re really passionate about this. Include stand-out elements like volunteering… If you have certain skills or have done a workshop on LinkedIn learning around diversity and inclusion, that goes with cultural fit.

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

    It shows passion and drive around the fact that you’ve gone off and taken on that skill and you recognize it as a skill. There are so many different elements but the more words you put on your professional site, CV, and personal sites, [you increase chances that] we will find that by doing boolean searching. The more content you have and the more authentic you are about yourself, the easier it will be for me to find you. Put your contact information out there too if you want to be contacted. That’s really important.

    Watch the full collaborative panel discussion to learn:  More

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    Tech Candidate Spotlight – Fred Campbell, Software Engineer in the UK

    Can you share a little bit about your educational background?

    I earned a traditional degree in Experimental Psychology. I later trained in my late twenties as a Software Engineer through Makers Academy bootcamp.

    It was great and I learned a lot from this practical, hands-on experience. Joining a small startup after that provided a lot of educational benefits. I was able to try my hand in lots of different areas.

    What would you like to learn more about?

    Tech related: I’d like to skill up as a front-end developer. I only have back-end experience so far and feel I’m missing out a bit! Non-tech related: Gardening as ours is a mess!

    What led you to pursue a career in tech?

    I previously coded HTML sites in Notepad in the early 2000s and drifted away from it. I felt dissatisfied with my career in Education many years later. 

    I then decided to take up coding again since I enjoyed it so much. Needless to say, things have changed since the turn of the millennium!

    How has your skillset evolved over the course of your career?

    Developing soft skills has been important alongside technical skills. Good listening and communication skills are so crucial but often overlooked in favour of blunt technical output. Working to become a well-rounded developer rather than just technically proficient is essential.

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

    I ended up moving into back-end through circumstance rather than choice. However, I’ve always had an interest in design and would like to pivot more into front-end if I have the opportunity.

    Is your new role different from previous ones? 

    It’s in a very different industry. I’m moving from fintech into hospitality. Sometimes it can feel daunting dropping all that domain knowledge and ‘starting again’ within a new industry.

    What are some of the things you’re most excited about in your new role or company?

    A highly-skilled and friendly team, a great product with clear direction, and a collaborative working environment. I am also looking forward to learning new technologies I have not worked with previously.

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

    I spoke to a few recruiters but nothing felt particularly targeted and nothing fit my overall experience level. I found the process much more frustrating than it needed to be. There was so much noise and it was hard to find a good match.

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

    Be responsive and get back to recruiters regardless of whether the job is one you’re interested in. When you do find something that seems to be a good fit, it’s important to be clear about what you’re looking for and the skill set you can provide.

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

    Go for it! The process was so smooth and straightforward, and the companies on the platform are very high quality.

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

    Take a break from your screen every once in a while. Don’t work into the evening. Focus on developing core tech skills rather than chasing the latest trends.

    Congrats on the job, Fred! Interested in landing a great role in the UK like Fred did? Complete your free profile on Hired today!

    About Triptease

    Triptease is a SaaS startup building software to help the hotel industry increase their direct bookings. Their industry-leading products bring the right guests straight to the right hotel so they can get the best price direct. Founded in 2013, Triptease has 51-200 employees and is headquartered in London.

    Tech Stack

    TypeScript, Node.JS, Python, HTML, CSS, React, Redux, Jest, Google Cloud Platform, Docker, Kubernetes, PostgreSQL, Redis, Airflow, Jupyter, Continuous Deployment, CircleCI, Test Driven Development (TDD), Pair Programming, Looker, BigQuery, Behavior-driven Development (BDD)

    Benefits

    Stock options, paid time off, maternity/paternity benefits, tuition reimbursement, career growth, diversity program, job training, and more. More

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    Common FAQs from Jobseekers: The Importance of Upskilling for Tech Talent (VIDEO)

    In the current tech talent pool, candidates are searching for ways to upskill for that competitive edge. Upskilling is the process of continuous learning and an excellent way to stand out as a candidate. But with all the resources available, where do you start?

    Hint: with this blog! 

    We shared answers to common questions about upskilling in our AMA-style discussion (now on-demand!). Keep reading for an inside look into what the experts had to say. 

    You’ll hear from these Hired team members:

    Sophia Koehl, Partnerships

    Simon Mackie, Publishing Manager, SitePoint 

    Nate Becker, Candidate Experience

    Read the beginning of the conversation here and scroll down to access the full webinar. 

    How does upskilling apply to my career path?

    Nate

    Your field is always growing. It’s always changing and evolving. In your role and your company, there might always be new opportunities and if you look at your own role you can look at where it is now versus where it was when you started. You can get an idea that companies want you to specialize your skills and employers are always specialized in your role. You can see the importance of it even looking at your growth in your one role. 

    On Hired, employers put these skills directly in the job descriptions. On your candidate profile, you’re going to put these skills directly on there and that’s how we match you – according to this tech stack and these hard skills. It’s important in how you get matched and how you get seen. 

    Simon

    One of the great things about tech careers as a whole is you don’t necessarily need to go back to school to improve your skills, to upskill, or to transition roles. Once you’ve mastered those programming skills, development skills, and engineering skills, you can then shift your focus to look at learning frameworks and libraries, and keep moving on a path forward.

    When you’re looking at a career path as a whole, you definitely need to be upskilling to reach the end goal. Upskilling tends to involve projects. When you’re looking at the projects you’ll be working on, you need to identify the skills you need to be learning for your employer to achieve those project goals. Working on those projects is a great way to learn new skills and learn what you’re interested in to see where your career path could go in the future. 

    People in tech have a bunch of different skills they need to learn at different times. You could be a developer who needs to learn some Scrum skills. In the future, if you’re interested, it could lead to a career as a Scrum master or a product owner in Scrum. Upskilling is vital to you figuring out how you navigate your career path going forward. 

    Sophia

    I like what you said: you might just figure out what you’re interested in. That’s an important call out, especially in a tech role where the career path might not be as linear as another domain. You need to be in tune with your interests and when you upskill and you experience new skills, you might find something that you really like. That might help you carve out your career path. Hired partners with organizations like SitePoint, that provide workshops and upskilling opportunities. There are a lot of organizations out there wanting to support you through this. 

    Other key topics from the conversation include: 

    Upskilling vs reskilling

    Why now is a good time to upskill

    How to ask your company for upskilling opportunities  

    The best technical skills to upskill for 

    And more! 

    An inside look into SitePoint’s toolkit

    What technical skills should I upskill for? 

    Simon’s picks:

    There is so much to learn. How do I prioritize which skills to learn? 

    Simon’s picks include developer surveys like: More

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

    A top resource for jobseekers looking for Tech & Sales roles  

    A positive candidate experience is an essential part of a successful hiring process, so we have a team dedicated to supporting jobseekers on the Hired platform. 

    Get to know the Candidate Experience Team

    The Candidate Experience (CX) Team currently consists of six members whose responsibilities include: 

    Profile polishing at the onboarding stageCareer coaching and providing resources for navigating the job searchInterview check-ins and interview requests (IVRs) helpGeneral support using the Hired platform

    While the CX team is available to Hired jobseekers at any stage, we typically assign a dedicated CX team member after a jobseeker accepts their first IVR to ensure smooth sailing during the interview process. 

    CX helps bridge the gap between candidates and employers to create a streamlined process. For instance, if a candidate has not heard back from a company, CX can work with the organization’s account manager to get them back in touch with the candidate. The team advocates for transparency on both ends and encourages jobseekers to maintain clear communication with potential employers too.

    If candidates receive an offer, CX checks in again to congratulate them of course, and see if they can provide further support. This could be advice for an offer negotiation or to act as a sounding board to weigh opportunities. From coaching to even some much-needed encouragement (the job search is tough!), CX is here for candidates. 

    Here to help every candidate have a great experience

    First, the Candidate Experience Team is a resource for you. They’re here to help and they work hard behind the scenes too, constantly collaborating with every team across Hired to find ways to improve the candidate experience and help you land your dream job. 

    Second, are you subscribed to The Hired Download email newsletter? They’re the folks sending it! Third, have you attended a How Hired Helps: Ask Me Anything Webinar to get your job search questions answered? They help make those events happen too! 

    Speaking of Hired resources for candidates, we asked team members to share their favorite items to support jobseekers. Here’s what they recommend: 

    “My experience with Hired was great! I landed a job interview offer almost immediately and at the end of the day managed to land a new job via Hired! I also had some great assistance in both the form of website popups as well as regular emails from the team. I would be happy to use Hired again if I need to change my job.”

    Mykola Y., Hired User

    5 of the CX Team’s top tips to find new tech & sales roles on Hired

    Respond to interview requests quickly! Even if you aren’t available to interview for several weeks, you can always accept the interview request and schedule the interview in advance. Being responsive shows you’re interested and proactive. Employers respond well to quick communication.Be courteous when interviewing. Likewise, send thank you notes after interviews and follow up if you haven’t heard back from a company. Displaying a genuine interest in the opportunity and putting your best foot forward in the interview process is as important as any other skill you bring to the table!Be transparent and keep your profile and resume up-to-date. Include all relevant experience and make sure the information on your resume aligns with your profile and LinkedIn – employers check for consistency.Make sure to polish your profile so employers have all the information they need – any extra information is always a bonus! Use the “Must-Have,” “Nice To Have,” & “Do not Want” sections of your profile. Employers also love it when they’re able to get a glimpse of your personality through your profile. It helps them understand if you like working in specific environments, like pair programming. It also helps them personalize their IVRs to you if something in your profile (even interests and hobbies!) aligns with their team. Another reason is if they feel certain benefits or projects would resonate with you.Focus on hard skills when completing the “Primary Area of Expertise” section. Using skills as keywords helps us match you for available roles. Plus, most recruiters search this way using keywords as filters.

    Related: Get more guidance in this blog featuring a video presentation: Want More Interviews and Better Matches? 5 Key Tips! 

    Why the Candidate Experience Team loves what they do

    We’ve shared lots of reasons for you to love the CX Team so let’s wrap up with what the team loves about working with jobseekers: 

    “The CX role is a rewarding one. Navigating a candidate to a destination ‘dream job’ is what we do best!”“It’s an extremely rewarding experience helping people get jobs they’re excited about! A lot goes into the interview process and it can be tiring, so seeing candidates overcome that tall task to get a role they love makes it all worth it!”“It’s brilliant speaking to candidates daily to ensure they’re doing well on the platform and helping them where they need it. I think it really helps to have someone on the platform solely to support them and to assist where needed! It’s a great moment (and truly rewarding) when they secure a role and are thrilled about their new venture. That’s what Hired is all about: connecting great candidates to great employers!”

    A note from the team: We welcome feedback about our candidates’ experiences using Hired. That includes what works and what doesn’t. We encourage you to share your experience with us! We appreciate it and use it to continuously improve the platform.

    Get personalized job search support

    To conclude, the CX Team is ready to partner with you, so use them to navigate the job search process. In addition, Hired partners with organizations to support jobseekers with resume enhancement, technical interview prep, upskilling, and more. Discover organizations to fit your career advancement needs. Plus, many offer discounts on their services to Hired platform candidates!

    The Hired Summit

    Lastly, mark your calendar for April 26th, 2023, for Hired’s Summit. It’s a free one-day virtual event to share job search tips and tricks and connect top talent to companies. The Summit offers tech and sales talent a variety of workshops, panel discussions, networking rooms, and so much more. 

    Discover upcoming events to get job search guidance and connect with top employers. More

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    Thinking About a Career Transition? General Assembly’s 4 Immersive Tech Programs to Help You Pivot

    Have you ever considered a career change? Perhaps, you’ve daydreamed about making a transition into a field entirely different from what you do now. 

    The idea is not so far out of reach and making a bold shift in profession is more common than you may think. Last year, nearly 53% of employed Americans who quit their job switched to a different occupation or field of work. 

    If you are ready to take a leap into tech but feel unprepared, General Assembly specializes in equipping professionals with the in-demand skills they need to pursue a job they truly love. Your career transformation starts here. Keep reading for insights into programs to help you pivot into Software Engineering, Data Science/Analytics, or UI/UX Design. 

    What is General Assembly?

    General Assembly (GA) is a reskilling provider helping professionals at any experience level transition to or upskill in technical roles, enabling them to pursue a path toward higher paying salaries and more engaging work. 

    GA is a sister company of Hired, meaning both companies fall under The Adecco Group – the world’s leading HR solutions company. General Assembly and Hired partnered to create a mutually beneficial relationship supporting graduates of the Immersive Programs and the clients looking to hire them. Since the start of GA and Hired’s partnership, employers on Hired have sent more than 800 interview requests to GA grads.

    GA offers courses to suit the needs of any schedule. The full-time courses, referred to as the “Immersive Programs” or “bootcamps,” are 10-13 week learning experiences. Think of these as a comprehensive career transformation. For part-time professionals looking to learn in-demand skills in their spare time, GA provides evening, weekend, and 1-week accelerated courses. Remote individuals can participate in GA’s full-time and part-time online classes. 

    In this blog, we will take a deeper dive into GA’s Immersive Programs. Since 2011, the digital education pioneer has helped more than 670,000 learners gain the skills they need to be successful in today’s digital economy. It’s safe to say you’d be in good company!

    About GA Immersive Programs 

    General Assembly’s 12-week Immersive programs, built and taught by industry experts, are designed to equip students with job-ready tech skills in UX Design, Software Engineering, and Data. All Immersive programs include career coaching for extra guidance and support. Participants also have access to the expansive alumni network for opportunities to build and grow their own professional networking circles.  

    Now, let’s dig into why thousands of students trust General Assembly and Hired to help them make their next big career move. We’ll explore what students can expect from the different Immersive programs and how Hired supports students in finding their dream job.

    Why should jobseekers participate in a GA program?

    Immersive Programs are a great way to show employers you’ve got what it takes. These programs condense comprehensive learning into 12 to 24 weeks of study. Each course costs $15,950 USD with financing options available. 

    While they are a bigger investment, they take less time than traditional degree programs and come at a lesser cost. They are more hands-on than what you would have access to in school and have the outcomes and career support to help career changers land their first jobs in tech. 

    To ensure job-readiness, GA has systems in place to enroll students who are 100% committed to the challenge of transitioning their careers into the tech sector. The admissions process is thorough as GA produces the most graduates that go to household name tech companies. Although somewhat competitive, GA encourages applicants from non-traditional backgrounds and experiences. The admissions process includes:

    Phone Interview: Once your application is reviewed, the admissions team will interview you to understand your career goals and motivations, and assess course fit.Technical Assessment: You will complete a technical task-based assessment to ensure aptitude. Behavioral Interview: The admissions producer will review your technical project and interview you to further assess your motivation, commitment, and willingness to practice. Pre-Work Assignment: You will receive a pre-work assignment to ensure you are prepared for the Immersive course you choose. 

    All Immersives include:

    Exploration into new concepts and tools through expert-led lectures and discussions.A deep dive into topics and techniques via independent, pair, and group projectsIndividualized feedback and support from your expert instructional team.The opportunity to apply what you’ve learned to homework assignments and unit projects, building out a professional portfolio to show off job-ready skills.

    Let’s review General Assembly’s four Immersive Programs: Software Engineering, Data Analytics, Data Science, and UI/UX Design. 

    The Software Engineering Immersive

    Get a solid base of fundamental programming and computer science knowledge, as well as experience with languages, frameworks, and libraries employers demand.

    Throughout the course you’ll learn to: 

    Explore programming and computer science fundamentals, as well as software engineering best practices.  Create a front-end web application with modern JavaScript frameworks such as Angular or React. Develop and deploy full-stack applications with in-demand technologies such as Ruby on Rails, Python with Django, and Express with Node.js. Build secure full-stack applications by leveraging common design and architectural patterns like model–view–controller (MVC) and Representational State Transfer (REST). Practice version control and collaborative software development with Git and GitHub.Safely model and store data in SQL and NoSQL databases. Consume and integrate third-party application programming interfaces (APIs) in an application. 

    Curious about the student experience? Hear from a General Assembly grad who soon landed a role using Hired after completing the Software Engineering Immersive: 

    “GA was a chance to make a career change. Although [the course] was a lot to take on, it allowed me to learn so much in a short time frame. [GA] really helped prepare me for my current position, giving me the confidence to learn quickly and efficiently.” 

    As for the job search, “Hired was very easy to navigate and use. I particularly enjoyed how it alleviated the grind of sending out many applications. I could see my profile getting views and soon I was invited to interview for several companies… Hired gave us the platform to communicate and made the experience so simple. This process was also relatively quick for me — I got a job offer within two months of finishing the course!”

    The Data Science & Data Analytics Immersives

    Be poised to succeed in a variety of data science and advanced analytics roles, creating predictive models that drive decision-making and strategy throughout organizations of all kinds.

    Throughout the courses you’ll learn to: 

    Collect, extract, query, clean, and aggregate data for analysis. Gather, store and organize data using SQL and Git. Perform visual and statistical analysis on data using Python and its associated libraries and tools. Craft and share compelling narratives through data visualization. Build and implement appropriate machine learning models and algorithms to evaluate data science problems spanning finance, public policy, and more.Compile clear stakeholder reports to communicate the nuances of your analyses. Apply question, modeling, and validation problem-solving processes to data sets from various industries to provide insight into real-world problems and solutions. 

    The UI/UX Design Immersive

    Learn to approach problems with creative and technical acumen and design the next generation of successful apps, websites, and digital products.

    Throughout the course you’ll learn to: 

    Identify and implement the most effective methods of user research to gain a deeper understanding of what users want and need. Use interaction and visual design techniques to craft a dynamic digital product that brings delight and function to users. Conduct usability testing to make product experiences more accessible for diverse user populations and environments. Learn best practices for working within a product team, employing product management techniques and evaluating technical constraints to better collaborate with developers. Produce polished design documentation, including wireframes and prototypes, to articulate design decisions to clients and stakeholders. Touch on the basics of hot topics like service design, design operations, and design leadership. Engage in real client work to execute the UX design process from start to finish with sketches, user research, and prototypes.

    Where does Hired come in? 

    Simplifying the sourcing process

    When a graduate finishes the program, Hired and General Assembly have a specific process to connect companies with talent in the respective Immersive sectors. Here is insight from Outcomes Partnerships Manager, Lupe Colangelo, on the process:

    “When a student is close to graduating, their Career Coach outlines the Hired platform to the class and shares the signup process using materials GA and Hired have collaborated on to make the process easy!

    GA and Hired have created onboarding materials to make the signup process seamless for students. We communicate closely when students have questions and have held quarterly Ask Me Anythings where we walk through the Hired platform and have the Hired team join to answer student questions live.

    We recommend that all of our graduates sign up for Hired so they can take advantage of the platform and showcase their skills in this way.”

    Connecting employers to non-traditional talent

    At Hired, we encourage organizations on our platform to search for and connect with General Assembly graduates. Employers can do this easily by searching, “General Assembly Immersive” in the keyword search. GA students get interview requests from top organizations and these employers take advantage of focusing on skills-based hiring and diversifying their teams with non-traditional talent.

    Caroline Sequeira, HR Coordinator from OpenAsset was impressed by high-quality candidates with unconventional backgrounds:

    “I was blown away by how prepared Nell was overall. Because she comes from a non-traditional background as a former nurse, I was very impressed with her ability to walk me through some of her projects she worked on at GA, the way she talked about different technical skills that she learned at GA and how she used them in her projects. Overall I was impressed by her ability to incorporate her skills and experience in the healthcare industry into being a successful Support Engineer on our team at OpenAsset.

    She came prepared to discuss her background and did a great job talking about her experience as a nurse and her experience at GA, and how both of those experiences have led her to where she is today.

    Nell has been an absolute pleasure to work with and we are very happy to have her. For future opportunities, it is a no brainer I will be reaching out to GA grads on Hired. I really enjoy using the Hired platform – it’s straightforward, organized, and sends reminders for scheduling interviews. Plus, there are definitely a lot of highly intentional candidates on the platform – just like Nell!”

    Empowering companies to build their teams

    Marc Fischer, CEO of Dogtown Media, and General Assembly go way back. He considers access to General Assembly grads on Hired a fundamental part of building his business: 

    “General Assembly has been a fantastic partner since the early days of founding our mobile tech studio, Dogtown Media. In fact our first UX design hire was a graduate of GA’s first ever UX Immersive cohort. We’ve found GA’s emphasis on training UX designers, product, and engineering talent to address real world problems via user-centric technology has been a huge contributor to our team’s success in the mobile app development space. Whenever we have talent needs, our partners at Hired and GA have been there to support us and I’d recommend them to any company looking to supercharge their growth.”  

    Ready to make your career transition?

    As an Immersive student, you’ll receive dedicated support from career coaches who will help you set goals, make a roadmap for success, and stay on track with your job search.

    With a GA course, you’ll:

    Get an inside look at the industry through day-in-the-life talks, hiring panel discussions, guest speakers, and more.Cultivate a competitive candidate mindset, learning to assess your skill set against job descriptions, track progress, and recognize opportunities.Develop your professional brand: Polish your online and in-person presence, and build confidence to set yourself apart in interviews.Tap into an exclusive global network of experts, influencers, and peers, plus learn strategies for leveraging your existing connections, in person and online.Become an active contributor to the General Assembly alumni community.After graduation, you’ll also gain access to resources to help fuel a lifetime of learning. Dive into new topics or continue honing your new skills with discounts on a suite of tools, passes, and packages to premier events, and more.

    Regardless of where you are in your career right now, this is your reminder that it’s not too late to make a change to do the work you love. The Hired and General Assembly partnership was designed to guide professionals like you toward their dream job.

    See a GA Immersive Program you’re interested in? Get more information and see if you’re eligible for a discount. More

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    Tech Candidate Spotlight – Miranda Waters, Software Engineer

    Hi Miranda! Can you start by sharing a little bit about your educational background?

    I have my Bachelors degree in Nutritional Sciences. About 7 years after college, in 2019, I attended a 6-month full stack web development bootcamp. Before attending the bootcamp, I had no previous web development experience or knowledge.

    The bootcamp I attended, which was hosted through my alma mater, had a huge impact on my career. I took the course on a whim, thinking at the very least it would help me land some sort of tech-related job in sales or customer service. I ended up realizing software engineering was something I really enjoyed!

    Related: Coding Bootcamps & Non-Traditional Education for Tech Talent

    What would you like to learn more about?

    I’d like to learn more about cybersecurity. I did some training in my previous job, and it was so interesting to see the common ways systems (and people) are taken advantage of.

    I’ve also been meaning to learn how to play the guitar that’s been gathering dust in my office…I’ll get there eventually!

    What led you to pursue a career in tech?

    I’ve always wanted a career helping people, but I didn’t know where to start. At the same time, I wanted to be challenged and leverage my creative problem solving skills. I realized a career in tech would allow me to potentially change lives on a large scale and offer plenty of room for growth.

    How has your skillset evolved over the course of your career?

    I’m still pretty new to the field, so everyday I’m excited and proud about the things I know today that I didn’t know yesterday. Dev ops/systems architecture is where my skill set has evolved the most, but I still have so much to learn. Coding is only a small part of web development!

    Related: Curious about a Career in DevOps? How to Prep for Strong Interviews

    Do you specialize in any specific area?

    I haven’t chosen to specialize in a specific area yet. Right now, I’m focused on becoming a solid full-stack developer and seeing where that takes me.

    Is your new role different from previous ones and what are you most excited about?

    My new job is in a completely different industry (I moved from FinTech to Travel & Leisure). While my role is the same, and the tech stack I’m working in is very similar, the two positions have their own unique challenges!

    At my new company, Engineers are much more involved in what’s going on in different departments (Customer Service, Design, Marketing, etc.). Looking at problems through these different lenses will really help me grow as an Engineer and hone my leadership skills.

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

    Not fun. There were so many different places to keep track of job postings and where I applied. Plus, all the cover letters…ick!

    There was also a lot of wasted time. I would write up a whole application for a job, go through a few interviews, only to learn their salary offering was way lower than I was looking for or we weren’t on the same page for some reason.

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

    Be specific about what you’re looking for and don’t be shy to ask for it! To me, Hired is about transparency and honesty from both sides. No need to keep all your cards to yourself.

    Also, take advantage of the coding challenges they offer. It’s great practice for interviews!

    Related: Discover upcoming coding challenges and events tailored to help jobseekers

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

    Joining Hired is like having your own personal assistant/interview advocate. They’ve thought of everything! I got multiple interview requests in the first couple days after signing up. The whole process was so smooth and enjoyable. I would absolutely recommend Hired to anybody looking for a job in tech.

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

    My new company told me they like to hire people who should have an ego but don’t. I think a lot of companies share this motto in one way or another. Obviously, your knowledge and skills are important but it’s just as important to show vulnerability, ask questions, and be curious.

    About Harvest Hosts

    Harvest Hosts is a membership program for RVers offering unique overnight stays and over 3,000 community locations all over North America. Harvest Hosts aims to help millions of people live happier lives through road travel, while supporting wonderful small businesses and communities along the way. Founded in 2018, Clio has 51-200 employees and is headquartered in Colorado.

    Tech Stack

    React, React Native, TypeScript, Redux, AWS, Laravel, Jest, Cypress

    Benefits

    Health/dental/vision insurance, 401K plan, performance bonus, paid time off, employee discount programs, career growth, and more. More

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    Recently Laid Off? A Jobseeker’s Guide to Bounce Back Better Than Ever

    About this eBook

    If you’ve ever been laid off you know it’s often an emotional time full of uncertainty – but it doesn’t have to be that way! Learn what to do after a layoff and the steps to take to set yourself up for a successful job search. From getting financially organized to strengthening your network, preparation will build your confidence and put you in control of turning the page on this chapter. 

    What You’ll Learn

    How to process emotions and get your financial house in orderPractices around leveraging your network, informational interviews, and job search preparationWays to confidently approach interviewing and become a top candidate More

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    Tech Candidate Spotlight – Ahmed El Bialy, Senior Software Developer Engineer

    We’re so excited to speak with you, Ahmed! Will start by sharing a little bit about your educational background?

    I have a Bachelor’s degree in Education with a major in Mathematics and a minor in Special Education. I’m a self-taught Software Developer! I specifically taught myself mobile development. I took some Computer Science courses in university. Those got me excited about programming and I grew to really love the Software Development field.

    When it came time to teach myself about programming, I took an online course through Udacity. It taught me Native iOS development using a programming language called Swift. From there, I worked on a few personal projects that eventually propelled me to land a full-time position.

    Which opportunities made the biggest impact on your tech career?

    Teaching myself code through Udacity and going to tech meetups. I had my foundational knowledge in programming from my university education, but the biggest impact came from the self-taught courses and professional experience I gained later on.

    Networking and attending those meetups were also essential. I had the chance to meet great speakers in the tech industry and learn new skills and techniques. It presented me with an opportunity to get my next role and to help others get theirs!

    What would you like to learn more about?

    Backend technologies and how businesses operate. I’m also very interested in language learning — both human and computer languages. I’d like to continue my journey learning Spanish. As for computer languages, I am focusing on JavaScript, TypeScript, Ruby, and Ruby on Rails for backend.

    I would also love to learn more about the cloud and security. My focus on mobile development security is of the utmost importance and there aren’t many professionals who specialize in this area. That’s certainly another field for me to further explore.

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

    What led you to pursue a career in tech?

    When I was a teacher I wanted to work in an industry with the flexibility to work from anywhere. I also wanted to be able to work on my own projects and start my own business or consultancy. I always had a deep passion for technology I wanted to explore more. With the ease of access to technology and powerful computing machines, we can solve, automate and simplify so many problems and impact how we go about our daily lives.

    I was also intrigued by the opportunity to work across industries and with different types of professionals. So far, I have worked in the education, healthcare, media, and legal industries. I have learned a lot from this varied experience! 

    How has your skillset evolved over the course of your career?

    I think my skillset has evolved quite well. I now play more of a mentor and teacher role for younger professionals. I still have a lot to learn from a technical perspective but I’ve had the opportunity to understand how the industry works and what areas of growth I can work on.

    I have become familiar with industry best practices and how to work on a cross-functional team with a variety of backgrounds and problems to solve. My skillset has certainly expanded compared to when I initially started as a mobile developer.

    What area do you specialize in and why?

    I chose to specialize in mobile application development. It’s magical to just pull out my phone and show someone a project I’ve worked on. I really enjoy the hands-on aspect of mobile development and I have the chance to work with the latest and greatest devices. It’s also fun to take on a lot of unique challenges that come with developing mobile applications such as battery life, memory, computing, network connectivity, security, and privacy. Mobile development is full of endless possibilities!

    Is your new role different from previous ones?

    Yes, it is! It is a change in tech stack I’m really excited (and a little nervous!) about. It’ll be a good opportunity for my career growth. My background is in Xamarin and Native mobile development. I really look forward to working in the world of React Native now. I also have the opportunity to work on some backend and infrastructure tasks which are definitely new to me.

    What are some of the things you’re most excited about in your new role and company?

    I’m excited to collaborate with hard working, forward thinking folks and to really make an impact in the industry. I’m also thrilled to work with some cool technologies I did not have much exposure to previously. This technology includes Angular, Ruby on Rails, React Native, and TypeScript. All of these are relatively new to me so it’s exciting and is a different experience than what I’m used to.

    Related: Hired Releases 2022 State of Software Engineers Data Report

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

    It wasn’t as diverse. I had the chance to match with amazing opportunities I would not have known about without Hired. Some of these opportunities were from companies in different industries like real estate and fintech, which I didn’t have access to before. It’s a really nice way to learn more about what’s out in the market.

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

    Always respond and keep in touch with recruiters who reach out to you on Hired. Make connections and never ignore anyone. You never know where your next role might be. Always keep an open mind and take the time to fill out all the necessary information so employers can get to know you better.

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

    Definitely check it out and stick to it. The platform is very effective and I think you will be able to get really interesting opportunities you might not otherwise have access to. Hired is also great if you wish to change careers or roles. Let’s say you want to become a developer and have some previous QA experience, Hired is a great place to find what you’re looking for.

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

    Always be on the lookout for roles a little outside of your comfort zone. You never know where your next best career move will be. Never miss an opportunity that comes knocking on your door. Network, learn, help others, and create the community you wish to see in the future!

    About Thomson Reuters

    Thomson Reuters is the leading provider of news and information-based tools to professionals. They enable professionals in the financial and risk, legal, tax and accounting, and media markets to make the decisions that matter most. Founded in 2008, Thomson Reuters has 5,000+ employees and is headquartered in Toronto.

    Tech Stack

    Java, Cloud, JavaScript, Angular, React, Python, AWS, Azure, C# and many more cool technologies!

    Benefits

    Health/dental/vision/life/disability insurance, pension plan, catered lunches, and more. More