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    • 138 Shares109 Views

      in Talent Acquisition

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

      by

      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

    • 125 Shares169 Views

      in Talent Acquisition

      Tech Candidate Spotlight – Ahmed El Bialy, Intermediate Software Developer

      by

      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 Clio

      Clio is the leader in cloud-based legal technology offering practice management, CRM, and client intake software. Clio is transforming the practice of law in a permanent and meaningful way that’s bettering the lives of legal professionals while increasing access to justice for all. Founded in 2007, Clio has 501-1,000 employees and is headquartered in Vancouver.

      Tech Stack

      Ruby on Rails, Ruby, JavaScript, TypeScript, React, Node.JS

      Benefits

      Health/dental/vision/life/disability insurance, paid holidays, flexible working hours, maternity/paternity benefits, tuition reimbursement, and more. More

    • 138 Shares169 Views

      in Talent Acquisition

      Tech Candidate Spotlight – Simon Fisoye-Kings, Software Engineer in the UK

      by

      Can you share a little bit about your educational background and what opportunities impacted your tech career?

      I studied Computer Science, which can be seen as the traditional course. I actually did not do any coding before university.

      The best thing I did in my career was participating in a year-long placement. High-quality experience on my CV before graduating made me stand out from other candidates. In addition, completing it at a top software company in SAP allowed me to use my technical knowledge in a corporate environment. The skills you learn at university are beneficial but using them in a working setting is very different.

      What would you like to learn more about?

      I want to explore cloud and machine learning further. I believe this is the biggest thing in technology currently. I’m interested in learning more about how machine learning can be used in various areas of our lives. For example, the technology around Amazon Echo and Google Dot devices is fascinating, and I would love to learn more about how they work.

      Related: How to Become a Machine Learning Engineer

      What led you to pursue a career in tech?

      I started with an interest in gaming at a young age and was curious about the technology behind the scenes. Then, I went into web and mobile applications. I was curious about how apps worked and intrigued by how easy it was to create your own. I believe the main reason for my early passion for tech was its ability for users to be creative and express themselves with it. From age 12, I remember working on a mobile application where users could view comedic images and videos in secondary school. I always enjoyed making people laugh and technology brought that to life.

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

      Over time I have become more confident and excellent in my coding ability. I started Computer Science with a general interest in technology but became more interested in the programming side.

      Do you specialise in one area?

      Yes, I specialise in back-end development. I realised I was interested in algorithms and how systems work behind the scenes, making this area the best fit for me.

      Is your new role different from previous ones?

      I left a high-profile bank for an internet publishing/insurance company. My previous role was old-fashioned, less flexible, and had little room for progression. My new role is flexible and offers a transparent route for progression.

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

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

      I’m thrilled about the opportunity to learn from a range of different people. I’m looking forward to the chance to grow and develop myself on a personal level too.

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

      It was slow-paced and challenging to navigate. There were many unknowns and it was difficult to communicate with employers. I always felt out of the loop and did not know whether I would hear back.

      What would you tell someone curious about Hired?

      I would recommend it to anyone looking for a new role. With Hired, you will feel confident speaking to companies as they approach you first.

      Related: Want More Interviews and Better Matches? 5 Key Tips!

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

      The best thing I would say is to know your worth. If you are confident in your abilities, don’t settle for anything less than your expectations. Remember, the employer has to impress you as well. A job is a transaction, not a favour. 

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

      About Compare The Market

      Compare The Market is a price comparison website and provides customers with an easy way to make the right choice on a wide range of products including motor, home, life and energy. Founded in 2005, Compare the Market has between 501-1000  employees and is headquartered in London.

      Tech Stack

      JavaScript, Node.js, MongoDB, AWS, C#, .NET, iOS, Android, Docker, Git, HTML, CSS, Scala, Java, Kafka, Kubernetes, Python, React, Redux, Big Data

      Benefits

      Life/disability insurance, work-from-home flexibility, volunteer time off, flexible working hours, employee discount programs, and more. More

    • 150 Shares199 Views

      in Talent Acquisition

      Engineering Manager or IC? Which Tech Career is Best for Me? (Video)

      by

      Have you ever wondered whether to follow an Individual Contributor (IC) path or an Engineering Manager (EM)? According to the Hired State of Software Engineers report, one-third of engineers report they want to advance to become managers, while the remainder says they want to continue being ICs.

      What are the pros and cons of the Engineering Manager career path versus the Individual Contributor one? Let’s find out!

      Hired, along with our partner Exponent, recently completed a video series to explore engineering career advice. The series featured three of our talented engineers: Nico Thiebaut, Prakash Patel, and Dan Baker, discussing subjects such as:

      In this article, we recap Exponent’s conversation with Prakash Patel. Prakash is an Engineering Manager at Hired, a tech marketplace that matches talent with employers for roles around the world. He followed his passion for data engineering and solving complex data problems, spending two years as an Individual Contributor and one year as an Engineering Manager. 

      Although Engineering Managers currently command the highest salaries across all technology roles on Hired’s platform conventional wisdom says, 

      You should not become an Engineering Manager if you… 

      Want dedicated time to work on specific projects or hone in on programming skills Are uncomfortable managing team dynamics  Prefer to own your own code   Want to quickly build new technical skills Would rather your success be measured by your individual contributions.

      Here’s a quick summary of the conversation between Prakash Patel and Lucas from Exponent. To watch or listen to the full interview, scroll down to the bottom of the article.

      Engineering Managers often don’t get dedicated time to work on a specific project or hone their programming skills. What is your experience with the flip side of this: being focused on supporting your team and making them successful?

      Based on my time as an IC, I understand the pain points and problems my team faces and will face since I have already experienced it. Engineering Managers are responsible for the smooth execution of projects while minimizing the concerns that arise. 

      There are different phases of projects but every phase has a challenge. As an Engineering Manager, I support my team to succeed while minimizing all those concerns. I enjoy focusing on the vision of the company and blending it with the personal and professional growth of ICs.

      As an Engineering Manager, you’re working with an entire team’s dynamics, meaning you need to resolve conflicts when they arise. What do you think the upside is to managing the dynamics of a team?

      Conflicts are inevitable and as an EM, the more you handle them the better you’ll get. One upside is you help all Individual Contributors on the team succeed. Another upside is eventually you get better at saying no.

      There will be so many things to control as an EM. By managing these dynamics, I see I am helpIng my engineers wholly – both in their technical competence and project management abilities. 

      As an Individual Contributor, your code contributed to the codebase and you could point to what you owned. In your role as a manager, how does your involvement with the codebase change, and how does this impact your team’s work?

      Well, as an EM I don’t get a lot of opportunities to actively maintain the codebase but I do participate in the code reviews. I can always suggest ways to improve the tech stack and that’s where I help my team adjust the roadmap. WhIle I am not maintaining the codebase, I am motivating my team to participate in constructive code-based reviews to help make them better engineers. 

      Insight from Exponent 

      Your experience as an Individual Contributor helps here as you’ve developed the technical know-how and understand how to grow from progress from a junior to senior engineer in terms of coding ability.

      Related: Curious about tech salary trends? Check out the data in this review.

      As an EM, you’ll develop tech skills more slowly. You’ll be focused more on macro than learning new languages or libraries. What kind of skills do you build as an Engineering Manager?

      As an EM I developed a “think big” and “make it happen” attitude. On top of that, I learned to give constructive feedback and how to negotiate.

      When you’re an Engineering Manager, your team’s success determines your success. It can take longer to ship products and code. How is success measured as an EM, and what do you find fulfilling about it?

      My success is measured by the performance of my team and my individual reports. My goal is to develop technical excellence across the company as an EM. I enjoy driving project execution but I make sure my individual reports receive exciting, diverse responsibilities in a way that infuses the company’s culture with our team. 

      If you’re not sure whether to pursue an IC path or transition into an EM, here’s my advice: if you’re even a little interested in becoming an EM, talk about it with your manager. Ask them to provide more responsibilities that will help you become an EM. 

      From there, you can evaluate whether you enjoy the work and if that role feels like the right fit. If so, request more tasks. If you progress, you can eventually transition into an Engineering Manager role.

      Ultimately, the two paths are very different experiences so it’s all about what you enjoy. 

      How to use Hired to find Engineering Management roles

      Hired is completely free for jobseekers and it takes just minutes to create a profile. Once you upload your information, you’ll get interview requests from companies seeking talented candidates like you! Learn more about creating your Hired profile. 

      Already have a profile on Hired? Here are 5 Key Tips to Get Better Matches & More Interviews.

      Should you switch to an Engineering Manager role internally or seek out an EM role when looking for a new job?

      Transitioning within a company is a better and easier decision, especially since you are already familiar with your team. On the other hand, if you are an Individual Contributor seeking a job as an EM at a different company and you do not have that proven experience, it’s harder to make the jump.

      Eager to pursue a role as an Individual Contributor or Engineering Manager? Learn how Hired works for jobseekers!

      Click below to watch the full interview: 

      [embedded content] More

    • 150 Shares199 Views

      in Talent Acquisition

      What Does Your Tech Salary Look Like? A Review of Salary Trends

      by

      When thinking about how your tech salary stacks up in this current hiring environment you’d consider factors like your job title, years of experience, and company size. 

      In this article we dive into these characteristics in relation to tech salaries based on data from Hired’s 2022 State of Tech Salaries. 

      Related: Should I Stay or Should I Go? Workers Explore Relocation to Improve Quality of Life, Pay

      So, What Do You Do?

      If you’re an Engineering Manager, you are paid more than other tech roles across the US, UK, and Canada. The US pays the highest for this role with an average of $196,000 (remote salaries reach $198,000!).

      The runner up for highest salaries in 2022 is US Software Engineers with average salaries of $160,469. US Product Managers take third place with average salaries of $157,602.

      For those who are not in Engineering roles (Design, Data Analytics, and Quality Assurance), the good news is these positions saw the highest salary increases from 2021 to 2022.

      In 2022, salaries for:

      Design roles in the US increased by about 8% to an average salary of $153,005 USD. The same roles in Canada increased nearly 20% to $121,773 CAD.Quality Assurance (QA) roles in the UK rose almost 10% to £68,215 GBP.Data Analytics remote salaries in the US increased about 8% to $142,565 USD.

      How Long Have You Been On the Job? 

      Years of experience will certainly sway your pay. Generally, working in tech longer correlates with a higher salary.

      It may not be surprising that those with more than 2 years of experience saw major salary growth in the US and Canada. 

      Mid-level (4-6 years of experience) US candidates, in particular, had the greatest salary jump – a $8,000 increase from 2021 to 2022. 

      Again, excluding very junior level roles (0-2 years of experience), remote salaries across all experience levels also saw increased growth between this year and last at $7-8,000 USD.

      Junior candidate salaries (1-2 years of experience) remained steady with little changes compared to 2021 in the US. However, they increased in the UK and for remote roles but decreased in Canada. We might attribute the salary decline to the increase of junior level  jobseekers on the platform.

      How Big Is Your Company? 

      It’s easy to assume the largest companies are associated with the highest salaries. 

      Contrary to popular belief, our data this year found that mid-market sized companies (300-1,000 employees) offer the highest average salaries in the US ($163,623) and UK (£85,312). That means they are passing up SMB (75-300), eSMB (0-75), and even the enterprise ENT (1000+) sized companies.

      However, in Canada enterprise-sized companies did pay the highest salaries. While this conforms to that conventional notion, note the pay was only slightly higher.

      How Does Your Salary Compare? 

      Use Hired’s Salary Calculator to see how companies value your experience. The calculator determines salary benchmarks based on real interview requests to help jobseekers like you know your worth. 

      Say you’re a Software Engineer with 5 years of experience. You’re based in Boston and skilled at Java. Here’s what the output would look like: 

      Give the calculator a try and see what you could be making with a company on Hired!

      We’ve reviewed some common parameters that contribute to how tech earnings might look. Framing what you earn around these trends may lend some insight into how your salary compares in this current hiring environment. 

      There are a lot more factors to explore including location, benefits, and being remote versus local. Check out the new State of Tech Salaries Report for all of the insights into tech salary trends and some more resources to help you navigate the market.  More

    • 113 Shares149 Views

      in Employer

      Attracting Talent to a Tech Company with French Roots

      by

      This tech company with French roots has a unique way of framing its EVP—or, as Talend says, its JNSQ, or “je ne sais quoi.”“
      Talend was on a mission to put words to what were necessarily undefinable qualities of its brand and culture. What its people marketing team, led by Global People Marketing Manager Jonathan Hehir, uncovered was the importance of culture, diversity, and company-wide EVP stewardship.
      Why Culture Is Key
      “It’s tough for candidates to truly understand what their next business looks like and the type of culture they’re interested in,” Hehir says. “I can understand why candidates when they’re looking at their job search, are behaving more like consumers. Everyone’s edging for that little bit of attention.”
      According to Hehir, the people of Talend are close collaborators and united by love for their field. To succeed, Hehir’s team has to demonstrate that supportive culture to the rest of the tech world.
      What Makes a Unique Workplace
      Like many companies, the pandemic spurred the company to revisit its commitment to diversity and its employer brand. Led by its new CEO Christal Bemont, Talend sought out new ways to own its core values (agility, integrity, passion, and team spirit) and reexamined its “je ne sais quoi” (or JNSQ, as the team says).
      Among the many positive results of this self-reflection was a recommitment to making Talend an inclusive workplace: “An environment where people feel safe and feel a sense of belonging; a place where they can be themselves, even if they may not be visiting offices or their coworkers,” in Hehir’s words. Public reception was positive as well. According to Hehir, “People enjoyed the idea that we were celebrating people’s differences from the outset.”
      Revisit Your Culture’s Roots
      This sense of shared stewardship of the EVP, or JNSQ, has had a major impact on the success of Talend’s employer brand activation efforts.
      “Remember where your culture stems from,” Hehir advises fellow employer brand leaders. Remembering the people behind the brand, he says, is what gets him excited to tell Talend’s story—and welcome new faces into it.

      To follow Jonathan Hehir’s work in employer brand, connect with him on LinkedIn. For help with your own EVP, get in touch. We help you identify the values and culture you want to create in your company.
      Share this post: More

    • 200 Shares189 Views

      in Talent Acquisition

      Should I Stay or Should I Go? Workers Explore Relocation to Improve Quality of Life, Pay

      by

      Despite tech salary increases this year, many employees feel their pay does not reflect increased costs of living. According to Hired’s 2022 State of Tech Salaries report, 42.3% of remote respondents and 29.1% of local respondents surveyed feel their salaries have not matched the pace of rising inflation and living costs. Many have explored relocation already. So, if you’re a tech professional, should you stay or should you go?

      How Far Does Your Salary Take You?

      Let’s say you’re a software engineer living in the San Francisco Bay Area and earning an average tech salary of $176,000. Seems solid, right? Then you take into account the cost of living (COL) there and things take a turn.  

      Note: “Average tech salary” includes multiple roles on the Hired platform, including software engineers, engineering managers, devops, designers, analysts, and more.

      After adjusting average salaries on the Cost of Living Index, we find earning that same salary in San Francisco is equal to making $223,729 in Atlanta. Relocation becomes an attractive option when it is clear earning power is different across markets. If you move to Atlanta, it’s like getting a $47,729 raise! 

      Perhaps you’ll consider Texas, where there are the second and third highest average salary markets in 2022, after adjustment for COL. Your San Francisco salary is the equivalent of making $216,000 in Austin and $211,000 in Dallas. 

      In contrast, if you consider relocating from the West Coast to the East Coast in a big move to New York, your San Francisco salary won’t take you as far. New York City had the highest COL in US markets. This means your San Francisco salary would be the same as earning $153K in the Big Apple – or over $23,000 less. 

      Should You Consider Relocation?

      So, will you stay or will you go? 

      If you’re considering settling in a traditional tech hub like New York or San Francisco, know your earning power will go farther in smaller, second tier cities. 

      Thanks to remote work, tech jobseekers are increasingly based in lower cost of living cities, such as Denver, Austin, Chicago, Dallas, and Atlanta. Jobseekers from these cities rose by almost 8% from 2020 to 2022. Conversely, tech jobseekers in higher cost of living cities, such as New York, San Francisco, and Boston declined. This points to an exodus from major tech hubs. 

      Tech workers are increasingly distributed across the country thanks to remote work. A recent study from Brookings Institute found tech “superstars” like Seattle and San Francisco metropolises are seeing slower employment growth compared to “rising stars” like Atlanta and Dallas. As for “the rest,” or the other 83 metro locations studied, these areas saw tech employment grow faster in 2020 throughout the pandemic. 

      Inflation Grows No Matter Where You Relocate

      In addition to the cost of living, many feel their salaries fall behind with inflation too. 64.5% of remote employees and 82% of local employees surveyed feel their salary is not in line with inflation. 

      Since the pandemic dramatically increased the ability to work from home (or anywhere) tech workers moved away from higher cost of living areas. In some cases it was practical. There was no longer a need to live in a higher cost of living area or they wanted a larger home to accommodate sometimes multiple home office spaces. Others moved to be closer to family, or simply because they were free to live in places they’d always wanted to. 

      It’s little surprise then, that most candidates still prefer pay based on their role. Only 20.2% strongly agree that pay should be determined by location or local cost of living. 

      Between growing costs of living and higher inflation rates, tech professionals may want to explore relocation. Shedding light on how far salaries can take you across locations does offer some guidance in knowing whether you should stay or go.   More

    • 125 Shares169 Views

      in Talent Acquisition

      Tech Candidate Spotlight – Rodrigo Mejia Sanchez, Senior Software Engineer

      by

      We’re excited to learn about your story, Rodrigo! Can you start by sharing a little bit about your educational background?

      I have a Bachelor’s in Computer Science from Georgia Tech. I had a bit of experience in programming before, but for all intents and purposes, I essentially started from scratch my freshman year of college. I have done online courses on sites such as Pluralsight, but I don’t have any certifications and would consider most of my education to come from school and on-the-job experience.

      Related: Check out our partners who offer upskilling and certification opportunities.

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

      Definitely my formal education. It gave me a structured learning environment with lots of resources to advance my career. I also gained many non-technical soft skills, understood how to go about engaging potential employers, and learned the “how” and “why” behind common software engineering processes.

      What would you like to learn more about?

      I would like to learn more about hardware. I personally enjoy tinkering with small microcontrollers and bare-bones computers such as Raspberry Pis and Arduinos. I’m also currently enamored by the maker movement and am trying to expand my 3D modeling/printing skills, and eventually pick up some woodworking skills too.

      What led you to pursue a career in tech?

      I went to a programming summer camp in middle school. I learned to make video games through a drag-and-drop game engine and fell in love with it. I didn’t touch it much again until college, but that summer made me certain tech was what I wanted to study and pursue.

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

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

      Initially, my skillset centered around a lot of theoretical knowledge and I had a focus on making “clever” code. Over time, I’ve learned that readable and easily changeable code is much more valuable. It’s easy to write new code but it’s hard to refactor and maintain it. I have also broadened my skillset with lots of Linux knowledge and that has been really valuable for debugging difficult production issues.

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

      I haven’t decided to specialize, but automation is a common theme in my job roles. I particularly like it because it’s often about scaling up an existing process and understanding how many different systems come together to solve a problem. Plus, it’s needed in almost all industries, so the diversity of problems keeps me engaged.

      Is your new role different from previous ones?

      I went from a large corporate financial firm, Goldman Sachs, to a small insurance tech startup called Owl.co. My title is roughly the same, but my current team/company feels much more focused. I enjoy that the work we do is directly related to the core business model, and I enjoy that the smaller size allows for more flexibility when coming up with solutions to engineering challenges.

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

      The opportunity to work within a smaller and more focused organization is a major aspect that excited me. Additionally, the prospect of being able to contribute to making an industry slightly less biased and more consumer-friendly is another plus. I had a goal in mind when seeking my next role. I wanted to work somewhere I could be proud of the product and the impact it had on people.

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

      It mainly consisted of LinkedIn recruiters reaching out to me and me applying on my own to companies I thought would be interesting. I had many traditional financial roles that recruiters reached out to me for. It was difficult to peel away from the perception that because I worked at a large financial firm, I was mainly interested in finance. I was actually more interested in working for places with an exciting product or interesting engineering problems. I wanted to turn away from finance to avoid being pigeonholed into a certain skill set or role.

      Related: Build Confidence and Take Control of Your Tech Job Search Series

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

      Contrary to the “spray and pray” approach on other platforms such as LinkedIn, it makes more sense to focus on roles that actually seem interesting. I noticed that companies reaching out on Hired actually had a substantial interest already. So, it was less about casting a wide net to identify leads, and more about deciding if I could actually see myself working at the companies that contacted me. Also, being really responsive on the platform was key. I felt more eager to proceed with interviews when a company reached out on Hired as opposed to another platform.

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

      Try it out! There’s no cost and creating a profile is really easy so you have nothing to lose. I had a really positive experience with companies and with Hired employees as they assisted me through my job search. Also, know that you can conveniently pause your profile if you find yourself with many ongoing interviews.

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

      Don’t be discouraged by many rejections. The technical interview is not a good measure of how good of an engineer you may be. It is simply a tool used during the recruiting process. Focus more on finding the right company for what you are looking for and you may be surprised at what you find in places you weren’t originally looking.

      Related: Get more practice with technical interviews through events like coding challenges.

      About Owl.co

      Owl.co is an enterprise software company leading a change in how insurers verify the legitimacy of claims by replacing a bias-prone and labor-intensive process with a data-driven one. Founded in 2018, Owl.co has between 51-200 employees and is headquartered in Vancouver.

      Tech Stack

      TypeScript, Clojure, Python, TensorFlow, AWS

      Benefits

      Health/dental/vision/life/disability insurance, performance bonus, 401K matching, paid time off, mentorship opportunities, flexible working hours, and more. More