What Software Engineer Recruiters are Really Looking For

What Software Engineer Recruiters are Really Looking For What Software Engineer Recruiters are Really Looking For By the latest estimates, there are currently over 21 million software developers in the world. Yet, 62% of them are open to new job opportunities with another 13% actively looking for a job, according to the annual StackOverflow survey. Whats more, the bewerberinterview process and writing/updating a CV top the list of challenges software developers find most annoying.Source The 2016 Stack Overflow Developer Hiring LandscapeAs an IT staffing agency with 18 years experience in the field, we have organized thousands of interviews helping developers find a perfect job. Thanks to the role we play in the hiring process, we know firsthand the questions CTOs and CEOs ask at the interview and the answers they are looking to hear, specific requirements and the proven tactics to get that offer you are looking for.Which soft skills can help you win the job? How to prepare for the in terview if you are non-native English speaker? In this article we have condensed our knowledge of the sphere to give you actionable insights on how to get the job you deserve.The Basics Qualities that Make a Strong zu nutz und frommenfessional ProfileCommunication skillsThe ability to communicate your thoughts and present your vision is vital aspect of any job. This includes English proficiency (both written and spoken). Most companies wont even consider you as a candidate if you dont speak English or cannot put two words together at the interview. A good addition to your CV would be your own tech-related blog or guest posts for specialized web resources.Case in point Working with clients from the US and the UK as well as the Netherlands, Germany, a few other European countries and Israel, we often get requests for developers with the knowledge of other foreign languages. Outside of English (which is a kind of industry standard), our clients are often looking for developers with kn owledge of German.Ability and willingness to learnOne of the basic requirements in such a dynamic field as software engineering is to stay up to date with the latest technologies and constantly improve the existing skills. The masters degree you received 10 years ago wont impress anyone (although, it is often a must-have), but a constantly growing list of trainings, certifications, and courses in different fields will.Case in point One of the clients was looking for a developer with PhD in software engineering because the rest of the team members had such degrees.Solid portfolioEven if all of the projects you have worked on are under NDA (or if its your first job), you can contribute to open source or create your own pet project. These might also serve as code samples you can show to potential employers. After all, maintaining an active GitHub profile is a must-have. So, make your accomplishments visible.Specific business domain expertiseAside from strong tech skills, companies ofte n prefer developers with relevant domain experience. For example, background in banking or medtech might give you a competitive benefit if the client is looking to build a product in one of these spheres.Case in point Among the most interesting examples of such requests was the job that required a software developer with background in Forex trading.Personal qualities and interestsWhile such requests are not a common practice, some CTOs/CEOs prefer hiring like-minded people. This might include hobbies or sports. Bringing up hobbies can be a great way to connect with your potential employer.Case in point One of our clients was looking for a software developer who can play some musical instrument (this was caused by the specifics of a project).Enthusiasm and networking skillsBeing an active member of the local or global tech community is a great way to profile yourself in a certain sphere. Moreover, meetups, hackathons, developer conferences are a good place to exchange knowledge and n etwork. This can potentially add value to you as a professional. If you participate as a speaker or organize any event, this would be an even bigger advantage.How to Prepare for an Interview?Do the homeworkYour potential employer will appreciate it if you come to the interview prepared. Read the job descriptions carefully and do some research on the company you apply to.Pro tip Prepare several questions that would show your familiarity with the companys history and business model.Be ready to get into detailsRe-read your CV before the interview. Most interviews will include the questions about your previous employment, your responsibilities and accomplishments there, and why you left.Pro tip Dont ever lie in your CV. The chances are your employer will eventually find out which might lead to disastrous consequences.Provide supportive evidenceBesides the CV, you might also need some additional materials, including relevant links, code samples, presentations, references. Thus, you need to review the information and make it easily accessible during the interview.Interviews and Negotiations Doing It RightBe proactiveAsk questions and show that you really care, not just about your responsibilities or salary, but about the clients business as well. The company will appreciate your initiative and attention to details. Once again, strong communication skills might be one of your most powerful weapons at an interview.Refrain from criticismIf there is something that you dont like such as the tech stack or management approaches dont tell your interviewer directly. Ask about the reasons for such a choice and whether they are planning to change anything soon.Forget about simple yes/no answersOne of the specifics of the language is that it heavily relies on context. So, simply answering yes/no to a question might be not enough for an interviewer to understand what you mean. This is especially important to consider if you are non-native English speaker.Better show than tellI f you feel that you might not meet all of the requirements for the job but still believe you can be a right candidate, ask for a test assignment. Tell them youd rather show them what a great specialist you are than talk about it.Be friendly and politeSmile You will be surprised to know how much the first impression you make at the interview will influence the eventual offer. Even if you dont get the job, you can get a valuable personal reference from the company.ConclusionWhile solid programming skills and relevant experience are included in the job descriptions by default, strong communication skills, proactive approach, and positive mindset are also highly valued by the business owners.In this regard it is interesting to consider the developers views on the most important aspects of the candidate assessment process. Namely, communication and ability to get things done top the list of the qualities that business owners should prioritize, according to the StackOverflow survey.Yet, j ob requirements might vary depending on the situation and the priorities might change several times during the evaluation stage. There is no way to cover all aspects of the tech hiring process in one article. But if you are good at your job and love what you are doing, every business will be happy to have you as a part of the team.Valeriya is a marketer atDaxx, a company that connects businesses from all over the world with talented developers. Feel free to connect onLinkedIn.

10 Best Paid Athletes in the World

10 Best Paid Athletes in the World10 Best Paid Athletes in the WorldBeing a professional athlete might not be as easy as you think. It takes years of hard work and sacrifices to get to the top. This is the list of the most successful athletes in terms of money making10.Matt Ryan $43.8MMatt Ryan is NFLs quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons. His huge NFL success started already in his rookie year, where he started all 16 games for the Falcons and led them to the playoffs with an 11-5 season record.9.Rafael Nadal $44.5MThis 28 years old Spanish tennis player is nicknamed The King of Clay. He is ranked No. 5 by the Association of Tennis Professionals.8.Phil Mickelson $53.2MPhil Mickelson is American professional golfer. Hes won 42 events of PGA Tour, including 5x major championships. Hes spent over 700 weeks in the Top 10 Official World Golf Ranking.7.Roger Federer 56.2MSwiss tennis player who is currently ranked No.2 by the Association of Tennis Professionals. He is regarded as the great est tennis player of all time by many.6.Tiger Woods $61.2This 39 years old golfer has been on the highest paid athletes list for a while. He is one of the most successful golfers in history. The last couple of years werent easy for him according to scandals hes been through, but he is working his way back to the top5.Kobe Bryant $61.5The son of former NBA player Joe Bryant was born for basketball. Kobe started playing when he was 3, he entered NBA directly from high school right to LA Lakers, where hes been his whole career.4.Lionell Messi 64.7MThis Argentinas national football gruppe captain is only 1.7m (57) but he is a great player. Currently, he plays for Spanish team FC Barcelona and he is easily the most valuable player they have. His flawless technique and genius football thinking make him truly one of a kind player.3.LeBron James $72.3MLeBron plays for NBAs Cleveland Cavaliers team. He has a cool collection of awards including 4x NBA Most Valuable Player Award, 2x NBA Ro okie of the Year Award, 2x NBA Finals MVP Awards and 2x Olympic gold medals.2.Cristiano Ronaldo $80MPortuguese professional football (soccer) player who currently plays for Real Madrid. Ronaldos earned several prestigious prizes during his career. He was the most expensive football player in the history from 2009 to 2013.1.Floyd Mayweather $105MProfessional boxer, who is currently undefeated. He is five-division world champion, 10x world title winner and the lineal championship in four different weight classes. Long story short hes currently the best boxer around.Do you like this story? Share it with your friends.Share Your Feedback or Ideas in the Comments

5 things you might not have on your resume but should

5 things you might bedrngnis have on your resume but should 5 things you might not have on your resume but should If youre trying to write an effective resume, here are five things you might not be including, but should add.1. A profile at the top of your resume.Profile sections or summaries have replaced objectives at the top of modern-day resumes. This is a quick list of the highlights of your strengths and experience, summing up in just a few sentences or bullet points who you are as a candidate and what you have to offer. A well-written profile or summary can provide an overall framing for your candidacy, setting the hiring manager up to see the rest of your resume through that lens.2. Accomplishments at each job.If youre like most people, your resume lists what you were responsible for at each job you held but doesnt explain what you actually achieved there. Rewriting your resume to focus on accomplishments will make it far more effective, and more likely to catch a hiring mana gers eye. That means getting rid of lines like managed website and replacing them with lines like increased Web traffic by 15% in six months i.e., something that explains how you performed, not just what your job was.3. Volunteer work.Too often, candidates dont mention their volunteer work on their resumes, even when its relevant to the jobs theyre applying for. If you believe that volunteer work doesnt count because you dont get paid for it, think again Employers want to know about all the experience you have that might be relevant, whether you received pay for it or not. Hiring managers have plenty of stories of nearly rejecting a candidate for lack of experience before discovering that the person simply hadnt mentioned their relevant experience because it had been gained as a volunteer.4. Relevant hobbies and side projects.As with volunteering, too many people neglect to mention relevant experience that theyve gained through hobbies or side projects, mistakenly thinking that it doesnt count because its not real work or its just for fun. But to the contrary, it can help flesh out your skills and experience and can demonstrate a passion for the work that paid jobs cant always do. For instance, if youre applying for an I.T. position and you run an online software discussion group in your spare time, mention that Or if youre applying for a teaching job and you review childrens books for your website, thats important to mention too. These types of details help paint a stronger picture of you as a candidate.5. Bullet points.Too many job candidates have resumes that are filled with large blocks of text. Hiring managers will only skim your resume initially, and big blocks of text are difficult to skim (and not to mention, they often make employers eyes glaze over). An employer will absorb more information about you with a quick skim if your information is arranged in bullet points rather than paragraphs. And after all, thats your goal to have your information rea d and processed, not to cram as much in as possible.