FF Focus

In my time recruiting for Franklin Fitch, I’ve largely specialized in server-specific roles. Whether it’s been cloud architects, storage architects, virtualization engineers, or others, I’ve enjoyed learning about the technology. One of the components of the technical discussion that I’ve enjoyed having the most with my candidates is the difference between on-premises and cloud infrastructure systems.

Obviously, there are even hybrid cloud solutions for specialized security measures – these are especially present in healthcare storage solutions. On the whole, I thought it would be an interesting topic to explore and dive into: the differences in these infrastructure types.

On-premises infrastructure refers to a company's IT resources and systems that are hosted and managed in-house, while cloud-based infrastructure refers to a company's IT resources and systems that are hosted and managed off-site, typically by a third-party provider. Both options have their own set of advantages and disadvantages, and the right choice for a company will depend on its specific needs and goals.

One major advantage of on-premises infrastructure is that it gives a company full control over its IT resources and systems. This can be particularly important for companies that handle sensitive data or need to adhere to strict regulatory requirements. With on-premises infrastructure, a company can implement its own security measures and have full visibility into how its systems are being used. Additionally, an on-premises setup can be more predictable in terms of costs, as a company can more accurately budget for hardware, software, and maintenance expenses.

However, on-premises infrastructure also has several disadvantages. For one, it requires a significant upfront investment in hardware and software, which can be expensive. It also requires a dedicated team to manage and maintain the systems, which can add to labor costs. Additionally, on-premises infrastructure can be inflexible, as it is difficult to scale up or down quickly in response to changing business needs. Finally, on-premises systems are vulnerable to physical disasters, such as fires, floods, or power outages, which can disrupt business operations.

Cloud-based infrastructure, on the other hand, offers a number of advantages that make it attractive for many companies. For one, it is typically more scalable and flexible than on-premises infrastructure, as companies can easily add or remove resources as needed. This can be particularly useful for companies with fluctuating workloads or that are growing quickly. Cloud-based infrastructure is also generally more cost-effective than on-premises infrastructure, as companies only pay for the resources they use and do not have to worry about the upfront costs of hardware and software.

In addition, cloud-based infrastructure can be more reliable than on-premises systems, as it is typically backed by robust infrastructure and redundancies. This means that companies can experience fewer outages and downtime, which can be critical for businesses that rely on their systems to operate. Finally, cloud-based infrastructure is generally easier to manage, as it is the responsibility of the third-party provider to maintain and update the systems.

However, cloud-based infrastructure also has its own set of disadvantages. One major concern is security, as companies are entrusting their data to a third party. While reputable cloud providers have robust security measures in place, there is still a risk that data could be accessed or compromised. Additionally, while cloud-based infrastructure is generally more cost-effective than on-premises infrastructure, it can still be expensive, particularly for companies with large or complex workloads. Finally, companies may have less control over their systems with cloud-based infrastructure, as they are relying on the provider to manage and maintain the systems.

In conclusion, both on-premises infrastructure and cloud-based infrastructure have their own set of advantages and disadvantages. The right choice for a company will depend on its specific needs and goals. On-premises infrastructure offers full control and predictability but requires a significant upfront investment and is vulnerable to physical disasters. Cloud-based infrastructure is more scalable, flexible, and cost-effective, but carries security risks and may be less customizable. It will be intriguing to see what the larger trends will be regarding which industries chose to move into the cloud or on-site with the traditional options.

Despite substantial progress toward LGBTQ+ workplace inclusion over the years, the community’s self-reported experiences show that complete employment equality is still a distant dream. 

Nearly half of LGBTQ+ employees in the United States said they are still not out at work, and 75 percent said that they had unpleasant workplace encounters because of their unique identification. So, clearly, the LGBTQ+ community needs support from employees, managers, and C-suite executives. 

Creating equality in the hiring process for the LGBTQ+ community, like any diversity program, begins with taking steps to assist current LGBTQ+ employees and improving workplace inclusion efforts. With that in mind, here are six ways to create an LGBTQ+ community-friendly hiring process.

We've come a long way in accepting individuals from different backgrounds. And the queer community clearly demonstrates this. So let's look at some ways to make sure your hiring procedure doesn't exclude LGBTQ+ applicants by making it LGBTQIA+-friendly:

Recognize that LGBTQ+ involves a wide range of backgrounds and populations

First, ensure that your company understands that the LGBTQ+ community is a diverse group. This group of people is diverse in terms of gender identity and sexual orientation across the board.

Utilizing the label "gay" or even "queer" exclusively could exclude individuals who are transgender, asexual, or intersex. Because your LGBTQ+ candidates will come from a variety of racial, ethnic, gender, and socioeconomic backgrounds, it's crucial to keep this in mind while developing your strategy and to draw inspiration from other elements of your D&I plan to strengthen the work you are doing with LGBTQ+ candidates.

Remove gendered language and coding from your career page and job descriptions in your application process

Making a false assumption when you first meet someone is one of the worst things you can do, and interviews are one of the worst places to do this! So, throughout your hiring process, be careful to utilize terminology that is gender-neutral.

When speaking with candidates face-to-face during your interview meetings, you should utilize gender-neutral terminology. It ought to be extended to textual materials including job postings, application forms, and other hiring requirements.

When creating your job descriptions and recruitment marketing materials, avoid utilizing gendered language or images, either directly or implicitly. Enforcing conventional gender norms in the office, whether through a clothing code, employee photographs, or wording, may reflect a company that is inflexible and intolerant of all forms of gender expression. It is simple to use gender-neutral language like "team members" rather than "men and women at our organization," but you can also use free tools like this one to examine your job descriptions for implicitly gender-coded language.

Provide training on LGBTQIA+ awareness

All businesses need to have standard knowledge, understanding, and acceptance of LGBTQIA+. One of the simplest ways to do this is to provide awareness training. It's crucial that employees' differences are valued and that they aren't solely characterized by their identities. 

During interviews, avoid asking people about what their ‘labels’ are and why they identify in said ways. But on the same note, employees should also not be asked to hide their identities, either.

Through awareness training, these types of situations should be sufficiently manageable. Ensure that the training is offered to other staff and that all managers participate in it (through online or in-person sessions). Everyone will be aware of the proper language, limits, and behavior in this way. You can find training resources here.

Create appropriate LGBTQIA+ policies

You will have rules and procedures in place as an employer that safeguard your employees' welfare, health, and safety. To do this, proper LGBTQIA+ policies must be developed.

You may choose to group your regulations under equality or anti-discrimination laws. Highlight how crucial it is to outlaw discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity. In addition to being reiterated in handbooks and contracts, this should be made explicit during interviews.

You could also elect to include these guidelines in your LGBTQIA+ policy. Keep in mind to be inclusive and refrain from excluding certain groups. Use the abbreviation; that is why it was created. If you are unsure about what policies to include within your company please check out this HR Toolkit here

Take part in LGBTQIA+ charity events and causes

While it's great to see postings about inclusivity, it's critical to remember the past.

People underwent traumatic, challenging experiences that made it possible for us to celebrate openly today. It is crucial to give back by supporting LGBTQIA+ charitable initiatives and events.

You can accomplish this by taking part in fundraising campaigns, local celebrations, or (if you're feeling very courageous) by planning your own event. Participating is a fantastic way to increase your brand's recognition in the LGBTQIA+ community. Therefore, it fosters respect and reduces turnover when candidates perceive your company’s principles in this way. To find out some LGBTQI causes and inaitives for you to support click here.

Make the workplace safe for LGBTQ+ employees

Promoting diversity, equality, and coherence for LGBTQIA+ employees in the workplace is crucial. Everyone can then stand as recognized and valued employees in a workplace. It is crucial to take into account candidates who identify as LGBTQ+ and their safety at work. Studies show that 20% of LGBTQ+ workers have encountered hostility at work. Additionally, we have the ability as corporations to influence societal changes and attitudes. Therefore, it is crucial to take decisive action to stop discrimination in the workplace.

Highlight your organization's LGBTQ+-inclusive policies and benefits, demonstrate how you work with groups that are concerned with LGTBQ+ problems, describe your employee resource groups, and encourage team members who identify as LGBTQ+ to share their personal experiences with others. Individual team members can show their commitment to diversity on a smaller scale by simply using pronouns in email signatures.

Taking breaks and vacations from work is extremely important, both for our health and our well-being. The reduction of burnout and stress through time off can be very meaningful for a person’s overall metal and physical state. But getting back into the rhythm of working and getting organized may not always be so easy…

Especially after the Christmas season and the festivities that it brings, it may seem like a struggle for most to get back behind their desk. Luckily, a little pre-vacation strategic plan can help you prepare yourself more for your first few days back and help you accomplish a smooth exit and re-entry! Here are some tips to help guide you into a relaxed holiday and then right back into the work life.

Pre-Vacation

1. Make a running list of your projects before you leave

Being away from your work causes you to forget and get out of the daily details of tasks and projects. We therefore recommend making 2 lists which you can use upon your return. First, make a list of all the projects you are currently working and their corresponding status level. Second, a list noting down all projects and tasks you want to start at your return. Your priorities might change, but starting a list will give you a good starting point once you return.

2. Delegate the things that cant wait until you return

One project which you are working on, may need to be completed or worked on during your leave. Be sure you are clear on who is covering your urgent tasks and give your co-workers an overview of the deadline and all the information they need to succeed.

3. Set up an out of the office email

Don’t wait until the last second to set up your out-of-office email – Email services allow you to pre-schedule your holiday notice days in advance. Set the expectation whether you will be checking your email while you are away and leave an alternate contact if anything urgent has to be discussed.

4. Clean up before you leave

Organize any files or documents you have lying around your desk and create some order in your workspace! This includes cleaning up your Hard drive on your computer as sorting out your email. This step does not guarantee to come back to perfection, but you will have a better starting point.

5. Give yourself a buffer day

Giving yourself a buffer day between the day you return from holiday and going back to work, you allow yourself to be able to relax and be able to complete all the little tasks without being under pressure. Taking care of small tasks at home and settling in properly can make your re-entry into work much smoother.

Post-Vacation

1. Block time on your calendar for emails

Blocking time out on your first day back to go through your email allows you to identify what has been going since you have been gone. Alongside this, it allows you to prioritize again and determine what projects are important and which ones can be waited on.

2. Make a to-do list

Create a clear to-do list when returning from a longer holiday. This helps you get back into the rhythm of prioritizing and checking off tasks which could range from small to large. Small tasks are good to complete on your first day as it makes you feel accomplished and will give you motivation for the days ahead.

3. Schedule catch-up meetings

Scheduling meetings or catch-ups allows you to not only follow up on the people who covered your work while you were gone, but also allows you to book some time out of your calendar. Talking with your colleagues and team members as well allows you to get back into the rhythm of working and setting your priorities with projects and tasks.

4. Resume your usual routine

To get back into your work routine, it is also significant to get back into your usual routine after work as well. This includes waking up at the same time you usually would, go through your typical morning routine and end your day the way you usually would. Getting back into your typical routine allows you to feel more balanced in your transition.

5. Get lots of sleep

After being on holiday, you might feel a bit of a holiday hangover! In response to this, sleeping and getting a lot of rest can help ease the tress of starting to work again. Don’t work crazy hours to make up for the time you lost while on holiday and keep your sleeping pattern the same as usual.

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Now that you have settled into the working rhythm again, it’s time to plan your next holiday! It’s always nice knowing when you will have another trip or some time off. That anticipation will you keep you driven for weeks, and helps you stay on track at work.

Taking time off to recuperate and enjoy other aspects of life than work such as travel or other activities can have a great impact on your well-being. If you are looking for a new exciting position which allows you to create such a life/work balance, then don’t hesitate to reach out to one of our many specialized consultants for a confidential conversation!

In our world where there is a lot of travel, migration, union, and communication going on, there is no doubt that we are continuing to witness and experience cultural diversity.  It is such an enriching experience, but there is no denying that such diversity can also be also challenging.

Many employers say that their biggest asset is their staff, and what often makes a great team is diversity. Everyone brings something unique and valuable to the table in different ways. Cultural diversity should be embraced, because with it comes a myriad of benefits.

What is cultural diversity?

Culture is considered to be the underlying values that direct how people behave. Cultural diversity in the workplace is a result of the practices, values, traditions, or beliefs of employees based on race, age, ethnicity, religion, or gender.

Economic globalization is one of the driving forces of cultural diversity in the workplace. The modern workforce is made up of people of different genders, ages, ethnicity, religions, and nationalities. Employers have realized that workforce diversity provides both material and intangible benefits. In order for employers to reap the benefits of cultural diversity in the workplace, they must communicate their commitment to addressing the challenges of a diverse workforce. Employers must be seen to be celebrating their employees’ diversity to avoid workplace issues, as awkwardness and hostility.

Why is cultural diversity important?

We’ve touched on the idea of the benefits cultural diversity offers, but equality and diversity are something that hasn’t just received lip service within the media. There’s been extensive research into its positive effects and the importance of business inclusivity.

Studies looking at why cultural diversity is important to give us solid stats to work from when thinking about its benefits. For instance, economically, research shows that the 43 most diverse public corporations were 24% more profitable than the S&P 500. Other studies show that almost 95% of directors agree that diversity brings unique perspectives.

Ultimately, workplace diversity and inclusion allow businesses to build teams that bring different viewpoints and talents to the mix, increasing innovation and driving higher revenues.

Six benefits of cultural diversity in the workplace

1. Cultural diversity helps develop and maximise skillsets  

A culturally diverse workplace empowers people to develop their talents and skills. A range of ideas and expertise enables those to learn from a more diverse collection of colleagues.

It can also boost problem-solving capabilities and increase happiness and productivity. In an environment where all voices are heard, this spirit of innovation and encouragement to contribute can drive business success.

2. Cultural diversity improves the recruitment process

Surveys show that two-thirds of candidates cite diversity as an important consideration during a job hunt. By developing a strategy for cultural diversity, you can broaden your appeal to prospective employees, and reach out to more high-level candidates across the globe.  Research shows that 67% of job seekers advised that a company’s diverse workforce is a key factor when evaluating job offers. These findings demonstrate that diversity is a key aspect when recruiting the best talent. Job seekers are aware of the importance of a diverse workforce and want to be part of a company that will value and appreciates their difference.

3. Cultural diversity can help you to retain talent  

Aside from attracting a broader talent pool in the first place, cultural diversity is the key to building the ideologies of respect between company and employee, and cooperation. In turn, this makes you a more attractive proposition to valuable candidates making you stand out in the marketplace.

4. Cultural diversity improves your team’s creativity

When everyone in a company is from the same background, they’re likely to have similar ideas. In order to remain competitive, companies need new ideas and concepts. A diverse workforce brings unique perspectives on how to solve problems and innovate to gain a competitive edge. A more diverse workforce allows you to bring new ways of thinking into the business that can be applied in many different ways. By listening to each employee's voice and way of thinking, a company will no longer be pigeonholed in one direction.

A company that actively encourages diversity in the workplace will see more perspectives being discussed and more solutions being thought of than ever before. This can inspire employees to perform to the highest of their abilities.

5. Cultural diversity can help increase employee engagement

The best way to learn about other cultures and ethnicities is by talking to someone with that background. Research can only get you so far and has a far less personal touch. By communicating with someone with a different culture or background you not only gain first-hand knowledge, but also connect with someone directly.

Employees who engage with others about their background during lunches or out-of-hours drinks will feel better connected to a company, feel truly listened to, and in turn engage further with their colleagues and the business.

Employee engagement helps build trust, starting from the very top and moving all the way down throughout the company. Engagement is always positive for the company, it can lead to greater motivation, collaboration, and loyalty.

6. Cultural diversity will improve your company’s reputation

A company that employs people from all different types of cultures and backgrounds will be considered a good employer. This reputation amongst employees will elevate a company’s standing and attract more people to come and work there.  A commitment to diversity demonstrates that a company values fairness and equality. These characteristics have a positive effect on its reputation with suppliers and consumers. A company that openly recruits the best candidates for a job, irrespective of which group they are in, will gain customer loyalty and a good reputation.

The importance of cultural diversity in the workplace can’t be understated. Having diverse employees increases the bottom line and also assists in staying on the right side of the law. Companies that have a clear diversity and inclusion policy (and are seen to enforce this policy) benefit from happier and more productive employees and a great reputation.

When you, as an IT leader, are able to foster innovation, it not only benefits IT itself, but the business it serves and you personally. It shows that you are an internal agent of change and a valuable asset. Companies that recognize this build their culture and processes in a way that encourages innovation. You have realized that waiting for prompting is not the right way to move forward.

Put simply, innovation is what your business needs to bridge the gap between where it is now and the future you envision in which it will thrive. So how can you encourage this innovation and drive it forward in the workplace? Below we give you some tips on how to do just that and increase the success of your teams and your company in the innovation process.

1. Define your definition of IT innovation and recognize the opportunities.

First, you need to determine if there is a culture of innovation in your organization. Whether your employees can come to you with new ideas or whether suggestions are perceived as annoying. When employees have the opportunity to innovate and contribute to your organization's mission and goals, their engagement increases. They feel part of a whole and see how their work advances the company. That's a great motivator.

But you can't just go to your employees with a vague idea to innovate. That's too broad a spectrum to give to anyone. You will not feel motivated or encouraged. Asking a team to innovate is like asking an athlete to play better. So if you want your employees to innovate and encourage that culture, you first need to define what IT innovation means for your business. It can be anything: the successful development, implementation, extension, or improvement of a technical process, a business process, or a software or hardware product. It can even revolve around cultural factors that reduce costs, increase productivity, increase the company's competitiveness or bring any other business benefit. As you may be able to tell, the range of IT innovations is very wide. So we encourage you to expand your goal and pitch this idea to your IT teams.

2. Know the difference between project management and research and development.

IT projects are inherently very project management oriented. This means they are clearly defined by deadlines, specific cost estimates, deliverables, and calculated/expected returns on investment. However, with research and development, you cannot plan into your plan that the big discovery and breakthrough will happen on a specific day. Instead, the big breakthrough will come when it does, or possibly not at all. Therefore, it is difficult to calculate the return on investment for this type of project. As an IT executive, you must decide whether the project is worth investing in or whether you want to use project management techniques instead. 

3. Building an innovative/productive pipeline.

Building an innovative culture is not only people-oriented but also process-oriented. You need to develop a formalized process that identifies, collects, evaluates, and implements innovative ideas. Without this process, great ideas and potential innovations die in the bud. It must also be recognized and understood that innovative ideas can come from many directions, e.g. from your employees, internal business partners, customers, suppliers, competitors, or through accidental discoveries. The reason it is important to define the most likely sources of innovative ideas is that you can develop idea-collection processes for each source.

4. Accept the unfair expectations of others of IT.

Any software or service you develop will be compared to purchased software and services. It's not fair, but people do it anyway. Consequently, the evaluation of new processes and software must be done in this unfair sense and expectations must be set accordingly. Incorrect or excessive expectations can damage the IT team's overall reputation and make it difficult for the business to agree to fund the team's innovative ideas.

5. Note form and content.

This doctrine states that all outcomes, no matter how large or small, must have both form and content. Shape means how it looks. The content is what it says or how it works. This applies to documents, systems, processes and everything else that is shared with others. A form with no content is a new system that looks perfect but doesn't do what people want it to do. Content without form shows that the person or group delivering it offers too little and doesn't take pride in their work to make it look good. From the point of view of promoting innovation, all implemented ideas must follow this doctrine, otherwise the new innovations will not be well received by your department and thus jeopardize your entire innovation goal.

6. Create a safe environment when innovation fails.

When you are presented with an innovative idea, good or bad, commend the person's effort, interest, and initiative. When good ideas are presented, they are included in the aforementioned innovation pipeline. Less attractive ideas can become lessons in which you explain to the employee why they won't work and give them hints which ideas are more likely to win. And should you approve an idea and allow the employee to spend time implementing it, and it fails, praise the effort and don't blame the employee, or they may never propose an innovative idea again.

But how do you get your employees to be creative, innovative and risk-taking? And what exactly does it mean to be creative or innovative? These terms are thrown around so often that it can be difficult to keep track. As a result, many leaders don't know how best to encourage their employees to look at problems and processes differently. Here are some tricks to motivate your employees throughout the innovation process.

- Be clear about what you want

- Show employees that it's worth taking the risk

- Celebrate successes and learn from failures

- Provide mentoring and training

- Create a culture where people care about each other.

If you have experience in the IT industry or are new to this field and want to explore possible ideas, you can contact us and have a confidential interview with one of our recruiters! If you are looking for new vacancies, follow the link to the current vacancies page.

A recruitment consultant is an important link between employers and potential employees. Some applicants use their services directly. Others, after submitting an application, discover that the search is being conducted by a recruitment consultant on behalf of a company.

Don't be surprised if a recruiter calls you when you're not looking for a job. The recruitment consultant simply finds that you are suitable for an open position. You also need to remember: an interview is a two-way affair.

But you also have to be sure that the position you were asked about actually suits you. Depending on the questions you ask, the recruiter's answers can provide a lot of important information about the employer and the job. Asking questions before an interview is a win-win: even if you don't like the answers, you've saved yourself time and stress by not proceeding with the application.

There are many reasons why you should ask questions:

- The HR consultant knows the employer

The employer is your recruiter's client – ​​they probably have a good relationship with them and have already referred candidates to them. So remember, you have a fantastic source of inside information to take advantage of.

- Take control of their job search

A recruiter can propose multiple applicants for each vacancy. So don't expect it to automatically provide you with detailed information about every match. But be sure to ask; this shows initiative and interest.

- To see if the position is right for you

A recruitment consultant is usually paid by the employer when they have filled a vacancy. He will make the job offer sound enticing to lure you into the process, but ultimately it is up to you to judge if the job is a good fit for you.

- To make sure you are informed

Preparation is everything when it comes to hiring. Thorough information about the job gives them a very big advantage.

Here are a few examples of questions you might ask a recruiter...

1. What is the organizational culture like?

Different companies have different cultures. The new position will most likely have a different culture than where you have worked before. A job description might list requirements or desired qualifications, but asking this question can reveal more about the job's priorities. Maybe the team is looking for someone to carry out tasks, or someone to work independently and bring new ideas. The HR manager can provide you with information about the corporate culture and ideology. If you ask the hiring manager about the company's culture and policies, you can better assess yourself and find out if you would feel comfortable at the company.

2. Could you explain the interview process?

This question clarifies your expectations of when to expect feedback on the next steps and what to expect in upcoming discussions. The recruiter can provide you with the names or LinkedIn profiles of the people you will be interviewing and how many interviews the process typically involves.

This will also help you determine if the process fits into your schedule. If you are looking for a job that you can start immediately, but the job requires a security clearance that will take several months, this is important information to have.

3. How long has the position been open?

Inquiring about why a company is hiring provides useful information about career opportunities, the company's direction, and the situation you're putting yourself in when you accept a job offer.

The previous person who held the position may have changed position, been fired, or been promoted to a new position. Either way, you'll have a better idea of ​​the dynamics and opportunities in this position. If the position is brand new, ask why the position was created. This will give you a better idea of ​​whether the position is clearly defined or one where flexibility is an advantage. If a job has been advertised for too long, it can be an indication that working conditions are not favorable enough for other job seekers to fit. Or the recruiter has not found a suitable candidate.

4. What is the salary range for this role?

Before you go to the interview, you should compare the salary that the job offers with your salary expectations. Some positions ask a lot of you but are paid little. Once you know what the job entails and what salary you can expect, you can make a decision about whether or not to take the job.

Find out in advance about the typical salary range for a person in this field. Consider your own experience, where you live, and your expectations, and set a range that is appropriate for someone in your position. If a recruiter asks about your salary expectations, you can provide this range. You can also use your past salary as a guide and state your expectations for a salary increase.

If a recruiter doesn't bring up the subject of salary in an interview, ask about it. Even if it feels awkward to talk about salary. Setting expectations ensures you don't feel undersold or feel like you've wasted your time. The recruiter can also ensure that your expectations are compatible with their budget.

In addition, the question of the salary range for the position should not be the first question. This question should only be asked after you understand your role and have detailed information about the job.

5. Is there anything on my resume that would be a corporation?

Perceived gaps in your resume or skillset can be a big problem for the recruiter. Asking the advisor if there is anything in your CV or CV that might be a cause for concern will give you an opportunity to explain the perceived gaps. However, if there are no gaps in your resume, these questions can help you align it with what the company accepts.

6. Would you make any changes to my resume?

If you have the opportunity to speak to an advisor, you can ask him if your CV is good. If he's not too good-looking, he can advise you on how to make your resume stand out and meet the hiring manager's expectations.

Your recruitment consultant should not be perceived as unapproachable. Rather, he should be seen as an ally. This allows you to confidently ask questions that will benefit your job search. Getting these 8 insightful questions right will give you more information you need about a job and help you determine if the job is for you or not!

Even though the split between women and men in the tech industry has become a lot more diverse, there is still an obvious divide. The main cause of this is a lack of diversity, awareness, and unconscious biases. The awareness of the IT profession among students and unconscious biases are just the start of a deep-rooted issue. This issue must be overcome before women's representation in software development teams can improve.  

Discussions about diversity in the IT industry, include the challenges to greater gender diversity, and how having role models, support systems, and building both competence and confidence is vital for women to succeed in the tech industry.  

Role models 

The lack of role models is a key challenge that has to be focused on to increase the number of women in Tech. There are many successful and respected male software developers and men in IT. Seeing the lack of women makes one think, are there even actual career paths for women that will last 20 or 30 years? Especially when you look at company hierarchy, and how the amount of women in positions decreases drastically when moving higher up the cooperate ladder, it is shocking how few women you find. Archana Manjunatha, executive director and head of platform transformation and DBS Bank,  explains that it gets lonelier at the top because there are even fewer women as you climb the corporate ladder. Having more role models means that other females won't feel so lonely and don’t feel that they can’t do it. To some extent, it is hard to become what you cannot see. Because that is how people choose careers and paths – when they see somebody, then it's easier for them to say “I want to become like this person”.  

At the moment, when you think of an engineer or a similar role, most of the time you will think of a male in such positions. This mindset needs to be replaced with more female images so that women entering the industry are not deterred at all. However, even though this backward mindset is still very much present, there are a lot more movements and initiatives today to highlight female role models and encourage women to enter the IT industry.  

Another challenge is an unconscious bias that sets in early, where even primary school children view math and science-related fields as being more suited for men. Through changing education by families and schools, this mindset could be changed. A lot of people also identify the path to a tech career as exciting and sudden. This is because most people don’t think of this field from an early age. If it is implemented properly, it can become an extremely rewarding field for several women.  

Have support systems 

Another challenge for women is to thrive in their career through the different life stages, where they have to juggle bringing up children and work, or even taking some time off for family before re-entering the workforce. Support systems in these instances will help women through these difficult stages. Most of the time, people are also very open to giving you the help and support that you need. Just have the courage to ask for it and you’d be surprised how much help you will be given. This will help you be able to not drop off entirely, but give you the opportunity to make a comeback at a certain point in time.  

Key elements to succeed 

Regardless of gender, it all comes down to competence and confidence. Building competence is extremely important, and with that competence comes confidence. When someone is an expert in a subject matter, the agenda is almost invisible at the table because people are listening to you for your expert opinions and your knowledge in the area. In return, respect will be gained. This means that women still are encouraged to upskill themselves. Technology is constantly evolving. What may have gotten you into technology, will not be there the next day. So one always has to keep themselves up to date. The growth mindset and the ability to want to keep learning are very important in the IT industry.  

To show skills and benchmarks, certification can be completed which will help not only secure a position but also required to show your acquired skills.  

Opportunities  

Through the further integration of women into the tech industry, it is noted that there will not only be a more balanced gender representation in tech teams, but there will also be better delivery of code, products, and technology. We are definitely living in much better times, but there is still a long way to go. If there are only 20% of women are trying to solve the problem, it won't be solved or will take longer. The remaining 80% must become part of the solution. Otherwise, its just women talking about needing equality and not taking any action.  

While challenges exist, many opportunities exist for women in the tech industry. It is understandable that a lot of women feel unsure about getting into the industry due to self-doubt. But instead of asking if you are smart enough, put in the hours, be willing to learn, really try, and give it a go! 

Franklin Fitch is announced as the winner of the Best Recruitment Company to Work For (£5m to £20m) at the Recruiter Awards!

After being shortlisted for three awards, it was a huge honour to walk away with the award for Best Recruitment Company to Work For, especially given that we pride ourselves on being people- focused.

We were pleased to be recognised for our work to address diversity within our industry. We’re proud to run our Inclusive Infrastructure campaign, where we actively promote diversity and inclusion in our interaction with candidates and clients, as well as the way we run our business. We are providing a platform for those working within or interested in IT Infrastructure to share their experiences with us and to come up with possible solutions together.

‘Absolutely delighted to be announced as the winner of the Best Recruitment Company to work for 2022 Recruiter Awards, genuinely surprised and humbled by this accolade’, says David Annable, our Founder and CEO. ‘I'm very proud of our awesome people, it's their dedication that makes this possible. Supporting our community and seeing our values enacted daily, it is a true pleasure to lead Franklin Fitch.’

We have ambitious growth plans for our offices across Europe and the US. If you’re interested in joining the Best Recruitment Company to Work For then check out our opportunities here!

Application tracking systems (ATS) are nowadays being frequently used by companies and recruiters to streamline their hiring process. There are multiple controversies as well as multiple praises to be found online about the system and its success rate. This system does allow recruiters to keep track of candidates throughout the recruiting and hiring process while having the system function on automated administrative tasks.

This means that the scanning and viewing of resumes are taken over by a system rather than the recruiter themselves. One can imagine that this stirs some controversy, as your skills and CVs are being reviewed and judged by technology (which has room for errors), rather than by humans.  

Before identifying the positives and negatives of ATS, and determining whether they are more beneficial or harmful to companies hiring processes, we want to understand how they work. 

4 basic steps to understanding how an ATS works: 

1. A job requisition enters into the ATS. This requisition (CV) includes information about the candidate’s position, desired skills, past experience, etc.  

2. The ATS uses this information to create a profile for the candidate 

3. As applicants submit their CVs, the ATS sorts and rank them based on how well they match the company profile.  

4. Hiring managers then quickly identify the most qualified candidates and move them forward in the hiring process.  

Some key features which ATS operates: 

- Resume parsing: The process of extracting data from resumes (contact information, work history, etc.). 

- Advanced search: enables you to filter applicants by specific keywords. 

- Candidate sourcing: Allows you to actively search for, identify and reach out to potential candidates.  

- Advanced analytics and reporting: This allows you to generate detailed reports on job seekers, hiring trends, and other data.  

- Ability to schedule interviews: By automating interviews, you won't have to waste time rescheduling, sending out reminders, or coordinating multiple calendars.  

- Automation based on certain events and conditions: the ATS will only be triggered to do something if a specific scenario occurs.  

All in all, an ATS seems too good to be true for recruiters. However, A study by Harvard business review revealed that 88 percent of recruiters felt that qualified candidates were ignored by an ATS because they did not match the exact criteria established by the job description. This leads us to question the effectiveness of ATS and whether it is more efficient, or if traditional methods of recruiting show more promising end results. To analyse this we will list the benefits and disadvantages of ATS and create a judgment upon the following statements.  

Benefits  

1. Streamlines the hiring process 

ATS software allows you to automate various tasks of the hiring process can save you a lot of time and free up your recruiting personnel for other high-value tasks. Posting to multiple job boards, tracking candidate applications, notifying candidates individually, and scheduling interview feedback can all be automated. Not only will it speed up the time it takes to do all of those tasks, but it will also increase the overall quality through standardization. 

2. Resume and CV scanning 

With recruiters who have to scan up to hundreds of resumes per role, even just scanning can take a lot of time. ATS software can be used to review applications and filter out candidates according to keywords and key searches based on the available position. Therefore, the number of resumes a recruiter has to review is a lot less, which opens up more time redirected to higher value items of the business.  

3. Speeds up the recruitment cycle 

Having candidates’ information centralized on a single platform gives recruiters access to organized information allowing them to review and compare candidates more easily and quickly, which leads to a lower cost-per-hire. All communications, including notes, interviewer ratings, cases, and more can be stored and viewed in one location, which simplifies and speeds up the evaluation process. 

4. Reduce unconscious bias 

As ATS is automated and runs on information and data rather than human conception, there is definitely a reduction in unconscious bias when starting the hiring process. This makes way for individuals to not be judged on appearances or any other external factors, and have more focus put on their skills and assets.  

5. Enhance reporting and compliance 

Keep management up-to-date on the candidate pipelines for each job and the effectiveness of different job boards. Easily capture track, and report voluntary EEO data, while remaining in compliance with the guidelines set forth by the EEO/OFCCP. 

Disadvantages  

1. Job-Seekers do not like them  

Studies have been conducted, identifying that 75% of clients use ATS, and 94% say that it improves the hiring process. However, this is a stark difference from what candidates are saying. They describe this type of hiring process as frustrating and full of bugs and glitches. On top of this, there is the argument that they aren’t sure their application will ever get reviewed by a human. Alongside this, most ATS also require the candidate to create a new account with the system, upload their resume and cover letter, and then also fill out exhaustive questionnaires that ask for the very same information in the resume. All in all, the user experience proves to be lacking and only aids the client.  

2. Additional cost 

The annual price tag of setting up an ATS isn’t presented as transparent as it can be. Some other costs that most ATS providers include which they don’t tell you about are: 

-Implementation time and cost 

-Integration with other systems which already exist in your company is time-consuming and resource-intensive 

-Recruiters and upper management need to change their workflow to adapt to the new systems. Several times this is not embraced easily and proves to bring in a lot of challenges.  

3. Possibility of filtering out optimal candidates 

Applicant tracking systems use optical character recognition (OCR) to “read” documents like resumes and cover letters. These systems often fail, without you being notified. And when they do work, they look for cookie-cutter resumes that most closely match the wording of your job description. Therefore, recent college graduates, borderline candidates, career-switchers, and even people that just didn’t practice good resume SEO will be at a disadvantage. It will leave extremely qualified people behind and the loss of those candidates may very well offset the positive impact of this function of an ATS.  

4. Prone to manipulation  

It is a known fact that an ATS, just like any other tool, is open to manipulation. Candidates who are well-versed with the filtering technology of the Applicant Tracking Systems can misuse the same and take advantage of the recruitment procedure. Irrespective of whether the candidate is qualified or not, he/she can simply stuff a resume with the right set of keywords to get selected. Such manipulation of the ATS can be extremely detrimental to businesses and deserving candidates. 

5. Use of keywords 

Applicants can be dismissed simply because they don’t have the proper wording on their resume/application or they did not include the preferred industry keyword in their experience description. 

Closing Arguments  

ATSs can make the often-tedious practice of hiring more manageable and efficient. While potential hires may occasionally feel uneasy about the automated process, Applicant Tracking Systems can make it easier for those clients who have learned how to handle the automated system. Of course, as with many technologically based systems, removing some of the human judgment and leaving complex decisions to be made mechanically can result in an error.  

The decision on whether or not to adopt an ATS rests on the specific needs, desires, and demands of the company. For instance, If the company has hundreds of applicants on a regular basis, then implementing an ATS might make sense. But if a company is hiring in a skills shortage, or wants to pay attention to detail when hiring the best talent, then an ATS would not be recommended. Furthermore, attention to detail is vital, which is what ATS is programmed to do, but including human emotional input and judgment when hiring is still an important aspect to have when interacting with candidates and clients.  

If you are currently looking for a new position and do not want to be filtered out by an ATS, get in contact with us and talk directly to one of our recruiters. You can also visit our blog page for more topics on recruitment, IT, inclusive infrastructure, and more.  

Workplace inclusion helps employees of all ethnicities, backgrounds, religions, and sexual orientations thrive and feel safe in the modern workplace, but not only that. The best talent is attracted to and retained by diverse teams because they deliver greater results.

Developing diversity and inclusion initiatives at work is essential if a company wants to succeed in today's business climate. In order to thrive in the corporate world, you must have both because lacking one can create uproar. Diversity and inclusion may help a business in many ways, including attracting and keeping more top talent, fostering creativity, and increasing employee engagement.

Fostering diversity and inclusion strategies can sometimes be easier said than done in certain businesses, especially those that already are suffering from a lack of talent and a diverse workforce. Although having a diverse workforce can enable your business to become more creative and perform better, they can struggle to implement effective strategies that will help them do so.

Below, we look at 10 strategies on how to improve DEI in your workplace.

1. Using inclusive language

If you want to recruit more women into your organisation, you must use inclusive language in your job descriptions. Avoiding gendered language, such as using specific pronouns or masculine terms like dominant and challenging, can deter women and LGBT individuals from applying for your job openings. Not just in job descriptions, but also in other written communications, inclusive language should be used. In emails and letters, for instance, you should make sure to use inclusive language because people in the workplace will want to be addressed in the way they see fit. 

2. Challenging unconscious biases

Being mindful of unconscious biases is a great idea since it will help you realise that even after implementing specific techniques inside your organisation, you will continue to view the world in a particular way. By challenging them and implementing successful tactics inside your organisation, you may help to eliminate any unconscious bias that the company may be experiencing. Unconscious bias in the hiring process is reduced by hiring managers receiving training, gender-neutral job descriptions, anonymized CVs, and a systematic interviewing procedure. 

3. Educating leadership

Educating leadership and management and requiring them to attend diversity and inclusion programmes are both advantageous for a number of reasons. An organization's leadership must give a DEI plan room to grow and be held accountable for its success. The tech business is undoubtedly dominated by white men, and this is considered as one of the least diverse parts of a corporation. Second, leaders have a significant influence on the creation of corporate values and the selection of organisational strategy. Therefore, it is likely that company-wide implementation will be possible if diversity and inclusion goals are established via a top-down strategy. 

4. Mentoring

One of the best diversity and inclusion methods to use is to talk about chances for mentorship that can assist your organisation attract and retain varied talent. Most women and members of underrepresented groups don't feel like they have the chance to advance, and as a result, they quit their jobs in the middle of their careers because they don't feel appreciated or challenged. Therefore, implementing a mentoring programme for people who wish to advance can aid employees in achieving personal growth and delivering success to the company. Having a mentor can aid someone in overcoming obstacles and advancing toward leadership or senior positions. 

5. Cultural events

Retaining varied talent can be facilitated by designating a day to honour each of the ethnic groups that make up your organization's current diversity culture. Additionally, it guarantees that you are fostering inclusivity within your organisation because everyone will cherish and respect one another's nationality. Events like International Women's Day, Gay Pride, and the International Day of Persons with Disabilities should all be observed. By doing this, you may attract more talent by demonstrating to potential employees that your company values and promotes diversity and inclusion. 

6. Diversity training

Giving your staff diversity training will increase their understanding of what makes a diverse and inclusive workplace. It is the ideal technique to show how each person can contribute to the success and growth of the company. Additionally, it teaches your staff that everyone is equal and that they should respect one another regardless of their age, gender, or race. This will not only assist your company in fostering more inclusive and varied tactics, but it may also inspire others to come up with fresh ideas for boosting workplace diversity. 

7. Core company values

As long as your company values represent an inclusive workplace, communicating your fundamental principles can aid in attracting diverse talent to the tech industry. Before determining whether to apply for a job or not, candidates will always want to access and view your company's values. Today's workforce is seeking a great place to work with prospects for advancement and a healthy work-life balance. Therefore, displaying your inclusivity and diversity or showing how you are using diversity and inclusion techniques to advance will help you succeed when applying.

8. Create an environment that is suited to everyone

The leadership team and communication are primarily responsible for fostering a climate that is suitable for everyone. Leadership must be devoted to making sure that everyone in your organisation, at all levels, can operate in an inclusive environment. The working environment will be accommodating for everyone if new diversity and inclusion rules are communicated both internally and internationally and training is offered. Since workplace diversity is inevitable, it's crucial to be inclusive when establishing a welcoming workplace culture. 

9. Listen to employees

One of the most important things a leader in an organisation needs to do is listen to the people. Although leadership roles will need to debate implementing diversity and inclusion policies, it is the employees who will gain or lose from such choices. A fantastic method to collect the opinions of employees on what they would want to see in their company is to create anonymous surveys for them to complete. 

10. Involve employees in the hiring process

One strategy to improve diversity and inclusion within your organisation is to involve some employees in the recruiting process. Employees can provide you a more comprehensive perspective on what new hires might contribute, and they might identify skill sets that you would not. Employees will feel more appreciated and that their opinions matter when making critical decisions for the company if they are included in the hiring process.

Fostering workplace diversity and inclusion doesn’t just happen. You need to have a specific plan and devote the right resources to implementing changes that impact hiring and day-to-day team interactions. Employers can start by surveying existing employees to get a sense of their feelings and what can be done to improve DEI. Putting more effort into cultural programs will not only make the workplace a better environment; it will also improve productivity and add to the bottom line of the company in a positive way. 

If you want to check our Inclusivity Infrastructure at Franklin Fitch then please click here to find out more about what we are doing.

Ransomware is one of the biggest cybersecurity issues on the Internet and one of the biggest forms of cybercrime facing businesses today. It involves the creation of malicious software that encrypts files and documents on a PC up to an entire network and its servers. Those affected are left with few options: They can either pay a ransom to get their encrypted files back, restore the data from their backups or hope that they can decrypt them themselves. 

Ransomware attacks start very quickly, sometimes even with someone in an organization clicking on a seemingly innocuous attachment and then encrypting the system's files. Much larger ransomware campaigns, however, use software exploits and vulnerabilities in software to access files. The attackers secretly scan the network until they can control it as much as possible before encrypting all the data they can. Some attackers also publicly announce that they are holding corporate data hostage. They even publish the data on the Internet until the company pays the ransom to get it back. Because of the simplicity and multitude of these incidents, ransomware is now considered the most immediate cybersecurity threat to businesses and a problem that needs to be taken more seriously. 

How did ransomware evolve? 

Early ransomware was a relatively simple construct, using a simple code that mainly changed the names of files, making it easy to defeat. However, this evolved into a new form of cybercrime that slowly developed into advanced code that targeted corporate networks and ordinary Internet users. One of the most successful types of ransomware at the time was police ransomware, which attempted to extort victims by claiming that the PC had been encrypted by law enforcement. This way, victims were supposed to be tricked into paying the ransom, thinking that it was the police who demanded the ransom. Meanwhile, they were actually criminals who took advantage of innocent people. However, at that time, their systems were not that good, and users could simply restart their computers, after which the message disappeared. However, criminals have learned from this approach, and most ransomware programs now use advanced cryptography to truly lock down a PC or network and the files on it. 

How much will a ransomware attack cost you? 

The immediate costs associated with ransomware depend on the hackers themselves. But after those initial costs, which can run into the millions, money is also lost if the company can't do business. Every day, perhaps even every hour, revenue can be lost if the network is unavailable. If the company decides not to pay a ransom, hiring a security company would also incur additional costs. In some cases, these costs may be even higher than the ransom demand, but companies would rather give their money to security companies than to criminals. There is also a risk that customers will lose trust in the company due to poor cybersecurity and look elsewhere. 

Why are small businesses targeted by ransomware? 

Smaller businesses are more likely to be targeted because they tend to have poorer cybersecurity practices than larger organizations. Many people believe that because they are so small, they are less likely to be targeted. However, for cybercriminals, any money they can capture is good money. 

What do Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies have to do with the rise of ransomware? 

The rise of cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin has increased the activity of cybercriminals, as they can use this type of malware to receive payments secretly. This way, there is no risk of authorities identifying the perpetrators. Many cybercriminal ransomware groups even offer "customer services" to teach victims how to use cryptocurrencies. This is because many victims do not know how to transfer the ransom to the perpetrator. Some companies even hoard some cryptocurrencies in case they get infected and need to pay quickly in Bitcoin to get their files back. 

How can you prevent a ransomware attack? 

Most hackers start by exploiting insecure Internet ports and remote desktop protocols. Therefore, one of the most important measures an organization can take to prevent this is to ensure that ports are not opened to the Internet if they are not necessary. However, if they are necessary, the company should ensure that they are protected with complex credentials. Applying multifactor authentication to these accounts can also serve as a barrier against attacks. Ensuring that the network is updated with the latest security updates should also be done, as hackers will attack commonly known vulnerabilities. Employees should also be trained on how to recognize attacks via email, as many attacks target employees who don't know any better. Antivirus software can also be downloaded to the PC to avoid potentially malicious files. 

Ransomware and the Internet of Things  

As much as the Internet of things improves connectivity, they have a bad reputation when it comes to security. As more and more of this type of technology comes to market, it also creates more attack opportunities for cybercriminals. This can lead to hackers taking your connected home or even your connected car hostage. The shocking thing is that even medical devices can be hacked, putting human lives at direct risk. There are also constant warnings that the growth of smart cities could be tempting for cyber attackers. 

Because ransomware is constantly evolving, it's important that your employees understand the threat it poses and that organizations do everything they can to avoid infection. This is because ransomware can be crippling and decryption is not always possible. 

Today, cyberattacks are attempted every 40 seconds, and the number of ransomware attacks is increasing by 400% annually. That's why it's imperative that companies and businesses take cybersecurity very seriously. But have you checked off all the boxes on the checklist to make sure you are truly secure? Do you know which data assets/systems are most vulnerable, and do you know the potential financial cost of a security breach? These are questions that need to be asked in a business of any size. That's why every company should conduct an IT risk assessment. 

What is an IT risk assessment? 

A risk assessment is about identifying the threats to which your information systems, networks and data are exposed. By assessing the potential consequences a company could face, it is able to prepare in advance in the event of a security breach. These assessments should be conducted on a regular basis, such as annually or when the company experiences a major change.  

Cyber or IT risk can be defined as any risk of financial loss, disruption, or damage to an organization's reputation due to a failure of its information technology systems. Examples include theft of confidential information, hardware damage and resulting data loss, malware and viruses, compromised credentials, corporate website failure, and natural disasters that can damage servers. 

Why do you need to conduct an IT risk assessment? 

Smaller businesses in particular may think that conducting an IT risk assessment would be too big a task. But in reality, it is something that should not be missed. In order to ensure the well-being of a business, it is always good to take extra measures and make sure that it is protected. Some reasons to conduct a risk assessment are: 

- It gives you a detailed list of vulnerabilities that need more attention and resources.  

- It increases productivity because your security team can respond directly to problems, rather than just reacting to random issues that arise. Risk assessments also show you which areas your team should focus more on and which can be completed at a later date.  

- It improves communication across the organization because the security team has to interact more with other employees in different areas. Not only does this foster collaboration, but it also creates an understanding among other employees of the importance of cybersecurity and how they can contribute to security and compliance goals. 

How to conduct an IT risk assessment: a comprehensive overview

To start, you can conduct either a quantitative or qualitative risk assessment. However, it is most effective if you use both to achieve the best results.  

1. Identify and prioritise assets 

First, create a comprehensive list of all the company's information assets. This includes servers, customer data, sensitive documents, trade secrets, etc. As a technician, you must communicate effectively with upper management to determine which assets are important and which are not. After creating a list, gather all the necessary information about software, hardware, data and other relevant information for each asset. This will create a detailed list of all the items to focus on. 

2. Identify threats and vulnerabilities

A threat is something that can cause harm to your organization. There are 3 types of threats: 

- Natural disasters. 

Some natural disasters can destroy data, servers and devices. Pay attention to whether any of these risks apply to your assets and whether they need to be changed to ensure security.  

- Hardware failure 

No matter how large or small your business is, hardware failure should be considered. Make sure all assets are up to date and not at risk of crashing.  

- Malicious behavior 

Disruption, interception and impersonation can target your data and servers. Determine which areas are most at risk from outside malicious behavior. 

3. Analysis of technical and non-technical controls and determination of the probability of an incident. 

Technical controls include encryption, intrusion detection mechanisms, and identification/authentication solutions. Security policies, administrative measures, and physical/environmental mechanisms must also be analyzed and fall under non-technical controls.  These controls must be used to assess the possibility that a vulnerability can be exploited. This can be assessed using simple categories that rank the potential occurrence from high, medium, and low.  

Assessing the impact the threat could have also helps prioritize your security risks across teams. You are now able to delegate which issues require immediate action and which can wait until they are resolved. 

4. Design controls 

Once you have prioritized and detailed all of the potential risks, you can begin to create a plan to mitigate the most pressing risks. Senior management and IT should be heavily involved in this part of the assessment to ensure that the controls address the risks and align with the overall plan and goals of the organization. You may also need to engage professional services to develop a new set of controls. Don't be afraid to enlist the help of IT and security experts! 

5. Document the results 

Risk assessment reports can be very detailed and complex, or they can be a simple overview of risks and recommended controls. Ultimately, your report will reflect both your audience and your organization's information security posture. Documenting all findings and their analysis is intended for senior management to communicate the issues and methods to address them in a clear and concise manner.  

It should also be noted that a risk assessment as such should not be a one-time exercise, but an ongoing process. As your system environment changes, so do the chances for potential security breaches, data loss, etc. 

A personal brand has been a buzzword for some time now. So does that make it an actual ‘thing’?

In reality, it’s just a snazzy word for your reputation. Everyone has a reputation whether online or offline – some people are known for being experts in a particular field, others are known for having a humorous approach to how they communicate and in other cases, it’s a combination of several things. It really is who you are.

Having a solid and respected personal brand is beneficial at the best of times, but in this almost exclusively digital world, it could be the difference between nabbing your dream job and not. Being able to showcase your personality and allowing people to “get to know” before they meet you can be a huge advantage.

Your personal brand could be your biggest tool for ensuring you stand out. If you are an expert in something (and everyone is an expert in their chosen career, right?) or feel passionate about a topic, trend or issue you can use your personal brand to showcase yourself.

On that note, we’re here to give you five tips on how to build a successful personal brand.

Trust

Why and what you do are both explained through your own brand. Developing a personal brand helps others feel more at ease and like they know you. It builds trust with your target audience, staff, future customers, or anybody else you interact with. Additionally, having a personal brand makes it apparent what your true intentions are, which is crucial when establishing trust.

Network

A person's connection with you can be facilitated by personal branding. You can also narrow your focus to those who work in your field. Personal branding has no boundaries. It is not limited to the online world.

As your reputation grows, you will be exposed to more people, which will have a good influence and generate excellent referrals. You are, after all, the finest at what you do. Create a network of people you value and care about, and establish connections with them. They will begin to care about you if they see that you are concerned about them.

When recruiters/hiring managers are looking over job applications, LinkedIn is likely to be one of the first places they’re going to look to verify your level of expertise. Do you claim to be an expert in cloud migration? If you’ve recently written, shared, or engaged with an article about it, that’s a pretty good indication that you know what you’re talking about.  

Doing the above is a great way to virtually network. Given that we can’t network in person yet, engaging with others online and adding value to their conversations is a great way to get your name out there and maximise your connections. You don’t always need to be the conversation starter but you should try and be involved in them. You never know who might have the next job opportunity for you!

Credibility

Personal branding allows you to establish your name as a thought leader or expert in your field. It helps in gaining recognition in your area of specialty and is able to build a lasting impression on those you come into contact with both online and offline. Admiration, respect, and trust will go a long way with a person's name.

This might go without saying, but LinkedIn is the perfect space to be able to show your level of expertise and knowledge. Write articles, make videos, record podcasts, host a virtual workshop, engage with content from others, have an opinion – you get the idea.

If you’re an IT infrastructure professional, make sure your content is focused on this space alone. You don’t want to be known as someone who has an opinion on everything, but you do want to be known as someone who has an opinion on all things IT infrastructure – you want to be that guy. But don’t be robotic, be you, and make sure your personality shines through.

Builds Confidence

As you build your personal brand, you'll become more confident. The strengths and positive traits you share in public will give you confidence. However, it's critical to keep in mind that everyone is a human.

Your network might respond very well to your hardships and difficulties. A strong personal brand will highlight your personal qualities and point you in the direction of how and where to apply them.

Authenticity

This is the big one. A personal brand comes from passion, skills, goals, and values. It will help you grow from something you believe to something you live out day to day. This isn't a chance for you to create something you're not. Nobody wants to meet your fake persona. It's so easy to do when we compare ourselves to others, but people want to meet YOU.

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Do you think you’ve got an awesome personal brand? We’d love to see it! If you need help building your own personal brand, or have any other ideas on ways to do this, feel free to get in touch and speak to one of our consultants here.

A personal brand has been a buzzword for some time now. So does that make it an actual ‘thing’?

In reality, it’s just a snazzy word for your reputation. Everyone has a reputation whether online or offline – some people are known for being experts in a particular field, others are known for having a humorous approach to how they communicate and in other cases, it’s a combination of several things. It really is who you are.

Having a solid and respected personal brand is beneficial at the best of times, but in this almost exclusively digital world, it could be the difference between nabbing your dream job and not. Being able to showcase your personality and allowing people to “get to know” before they meet you can be a huge advantage.

Your personal brand could be your biggest tool for ensuring you stand out. If you are an expert in something (and everyone is an expert in their chosen career, right?) or feel passionate about a topic, trend or issue you can use your personal brand to showcase yourself.

On that note, we’re here to give you five tips on how to build a successful personal brand.

Trust

Why and what you do are both explained through your own brand. Developing a personal brand helps others feel more at ease and like they know you. It builds trust with your target audience, staff, future customers, or anybody else you interact with. Additionally, having a personal brand makes it apparent what your true intentions are, which is crucial when establishing trust.

Network

A person's connection with you can be facilitated by personal branding. You can also narrow your focus to those who work in your field. Personal branding has no boundaries. It is not limited to the online world.

As your reputation grows, you will be exposed to more people, which will have a good influence and generate excellent referrals. You are, after all, the finest at what you do. Create a network of people you value and care about, and establish connections with them. They will begin to care about you if they see that you are concerned about them.

When recruiters/hiring managers are looking over job applications, LinkedIn is likely to be one of the first places they’re going to look to verify your level of expertise. Do you claim to be an expert in cloud migration? If you’ve recently written, shared, or engaged with an article about it, that’s a pretty good indication that you know what you’re talking about.  

Doing the above is a great way to virtually network. Given that we can’t network in person yet, engaging with others online and adding value to their conversations is a great way to get your name out there and maximize your connections. You don’t always need to be the conversation starter but you should try and be involved in them. You never know who might have the next job opportunity for you!

Credibility

Personal branding allows you to establish your name as a thought leader or expert in your field. It helps in gaining recognition in your area of specialty and is able to build a lasting impression on those you come into contact with both online and offline. Admiration, respect, and trust will go a long way with a person's name.

This might go without saying, but LinkedIn is the perfect space to be able to show your level of expertise and knowledge. Write articles, make videos, record podcasts, host a virtual workshop, engage with content from others, have an opinion – you get the idea.

If you’re an IT infrastructure professional, make sure your content is focused on this space alone. You don’t want to be known as someone who has an opinion on everything, but you do want to be known as someone who has an opinion on all things IT infrastructure – you want to be that guy. But don’t be robotic, be you, and make sure your personality shines through.

Builds Confidence

As you build your personal brand, you'll become more confident. The strengths and positive traits you share in public will give you confidence. However, it's critical to keep in mind that everyone is a human.

Your network might respond very well to your hardships and difficulties. A strong personal brand will highlight your personal qualities and point you in the direction of how and where to apply them.

Authenticity

This is the big one. A personal brand comes from passion, skills, goals, and values. It will help you grow from something you believe to something you live out day to day. This isn't a chance for you to create something you're not. Nobody wants to meet your fake persona. It's so easy to do when we compare ourselves to others, but people want to meet YOU.

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Do you think you’ve got an awesome personal brand? We’d love to see it! If you need help building your own personal brand, or have any other ideas on ways to do this, feel free to get in touch and speak to one of our consultants here.

It might be challenging to find the perfect candidate for the job, and many various aspects must be taken into account. Here, we examine the effects that experience, cultural fit, and certification may have on hiring decisions for the technology sector.

Professional Certifications

Professional credentials vary in terms of purpose, educational requirements, rigor, and industry, and those who earn certification typically cite multiple benefits. At the top of the list are relevance and staying current, personal accomplishment, career advancement and marketability, and increased earnings.

Today, a wide range of independent organizations and IT vendors, such as Amazon, Cisco, CompTIA, and Microsoft, provide hundreds of IT certifications. 

Certifications can cost up to several hundred pounds. Taking the CompTIA A+ certification exams (two are required), for example, costs a total of $299 as of June 2022. The Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) costs £$699.

Although an exact relationship between certification and job performance is difficult to measure, surveys show that earning a credential increases certificants’ confidence in critical thinking and professional abilities. According to the Global Knowledge and Tech Republic 2021 IT Skills and Salary Report, employees do view certification as a worthwhile career investment. Two-thirds of respondents who were certified within the previous five years reported they felt efforts to obtain a certification were worth the additional commitment. The report also noted that more than half of the respondents said employers support and recognize the value certifications provide.

Numerous research has been done to support the idea that selecting people with professional certificates will be advantageous for hiring managers. A 2021 CompTIA research study aimed at gaining insight into how IT hiring managers evaluate job candidates and the role of certifications in the hiring process, found credentials, such as IT certifications, are factors in decision-making. 

This preference for certification is largely based on improved effectiveness, as noted in the Global Knowledge 2021 IT Skills and Salary Report, which states that more than half of IT managers surveyed reported their staff was “more effective” or “significantly more effective” on the job after attaining certification.

Despite the points made above, there are still a number of reasons why IT certifications are not a reliable measure of an employee's performance.

The first of these is that the technology sector develops so quickly that, as a result of the market's shifting dynamics, a certification obtained the year before can become all but outdated the following year. Furthermore, since anybody may start a certification firm and issue certificates, the legitimacy of certifications has frequently been questioned.

The professional certification sector has been working hard in recent years to address concerns like test score validation, cheating, and other challenges that raise the question of whether a certification is, in fact, a reflection of the candidate's abilities at all.

Experience

Let's now think about the topic of experience. Without a doubt, while qualifications are helpful, nothing beats actual work experience.

According to a Foote Partners poll, experience far surpasses credentials because non-certified IT employees receive bigger bonuses than their less experienced, more certified peers. A hiring manager might judge a candidate's ability to use skills they have learned in the workplace based on experience.

Highlighting instances from the actual world shows that people can put their technical knowledge to use.

Contrary to what was previously stated, emphasizing experience also has disadvantages. Work experience can help someone get ready to perform certain tasks, but it does not mean they have learned anything.

An IT professional who has merely picked up skills on the job cannot determine whether the procedures learned at a company are "best practice"; they can only perform the task. As a result, people who have learned on the job may not be as valuable as those who have expertise and credentials since they may not be able to see the potential for development, which would lead to greater organisational efficiency.

 For example, when programming an application, the code can be written in many different ways. An IT professional who is strictly learning on the job, can’t tell whether the processes learned at one organization is the ‘best practice’ for another. At the end of the day, their work may create a functioning application, but their approach to coding may be difficult to transfer to other companies.

Experience

Let's now think about the topic of experience. Without a doubt, while qualifications are helpful, nothing beats actual work experience.

According to a Foote Partners poll, experience far surpasses credentials because non-certified IT employees receive bigger bonuses than their less experienced, more certified peers. A hiring manager might judge a candidate's ability to use skills they have learned in the workplace based on experience.

Highlighting instances from the actual world shows that people can put their technical knowledge to use.

Contrary to what was previously stated, emphasizing experience also has disadvantages. Work experience can help someone get ready to perform certain tasks, but it does not mean they have learned anything.

An IT professional who has merely picked up skills on the job cannot determine whether the procedures learned at a company are "best practice"; they can only perform the task. As a result, people who have learned on the job may not be as valuable as those who have expertise and credentials since they may not be able to see the potential for development, which would lead to greater organizational efficiency.

 For example, when programming an application, the code can be written in many different ways. An IT professional who is strictly learning on the job, can’t tell whether the processes learned at one organization is the ‘best practice’ for another. At the end of the day, their work may create a functioning application, but their approach to coding may be difficult to transfer to other companies.

Cultural fit

The last aspect to take into account is cultural fit. After all, the hiring manager is going to spend a lot of time with the employee, therefore it's vital how they interact and come across throughout the interview process. Indeed, others contend that the most crucial element is cultural fit because, unlike talents, personalities cannot be changed.

LinkedIn claims that after three months, most employees are comfortable in their new roles. Personal attributes, on the other hand, are far more deeply embedded and cannot be altered; if they could, it would take more than three months to do so.

Sometimes, a candidate's work ethic, honesty, and openness to learning are valued more highly than any technical expertise they may have. For instance, if a solutions provider needed to add someone to their pre-sales team, would they rather hire a person with a great personality who is outgoing and positive to win business or a pre-sales guru with 15 years of experience who is so bored with the field that he struggles to muster a smile when speaking to potential new clients?

Furthermore, because few tasks are completed entirely in isolation, the formation of teams within organizations can have a huge impact. Teamwork is therefore seen as essential for delivering high levels of customer satisfaction.

Despite this, many argue that using a person's personality to evaluate their suitability for a profession is seriously wrong. Hiring managers typically need a few minutes to form a solid impression of a candidate's personality. Hiring based on selecting candidates who are "like-minded" can have a lot of negative effects. "Good fit" in an organization might become "the same as," which causes recruiting managers to put people on IT teams more for their interpersonal skills than for any technical advantages they might have to offer.

Conclusion

The research seems to indicate that employing people only based on their credentials, backgrounds, or personalities has both advantages and disadvantages. In light of the research done for this post, I think it would be foolish to claim that there is only one "best-fit" hiring strategy.

Depending on a number of variables, a hiring manager may give each of the three dimensions more weight.

1) Keeping the hire's seniority in mind: When evaluating candidates for a junior support position, a hiring manager will give the applicant's personality a lot of weight. They will be looking for someone who is eager to learn, receptive to new ideas, and passionate about technological advancement.

2) The duration of the position: In contrast, the same recruiting manager will give personality much less weight when selecting a temporary senior engineer to implement a certain technology. This time, they will give more weight to the experience the applicant has gained thus far in his or her career.

The fact that many hiring managers in contemporary markets will not even consider candidates for a position if they do not hold specific certifications further complicates the situation. Accordingly, they contend that the two factors mentioned above are completely irrelevant if the candidate does not possess the necessary certification.

At Franklin Fitch all of our consultants are equipped to assist you through the hiring process and assess which role would be best suited for you, check out our opportunities available here, or alternatively speak to one of the consultants here. 

“Mental health” refers to your overall psychological well-being. It includes the way you feel about yourself, the quality of your relationships, and your ability to manage your feelings and deal with difficulties. Anyone can experience mental or emotional health problems — and over a lifetime, many of us will.

You may have noticed that we're making huge strides in destigmatizing mental illness, and that's great. The importance of treating your mental health as you would your physical health is a pretty well-accepted principle. It's becoming less taboo to talk openly about therapy and mental illness

This year, on World Mental Health Day, we've pulled together some of the most impactful and least intimidating ways to take care of your mental health so that it becomes something we do—not just something we talk about.

​There is no health without mental health. To help with day-to-day stress and challenges, we’re offering 8 tips to boost yours.

1. Talk to someone you trust

Talking to someone you trust – whether a friend, a family member or a colleague – can help. You may feel better if you are able to openly share what you are going through with someone who cares about you. If you live in an area where face-to-face interactions are limited, you can still stay connected with your loved ones through a video call, phone call, or messaging app.

2. Look after your physical health

Taking care of your physical health helps improve your mental health and well-being. Be active for at least 30 minutes daily, whether that’s running, walking, yoga, dancing, cycling, or even gardening. Eat a balanced and healthy diet. Make sure to get enough sleep.

3. Do activities that you enjoy

Try to continue doing the activities that you find meaningful and enjoyable, such as cooking for yourself or your loved ones, playing with your pet, walking in the park, reading a book, or watching a film or TV series. Having a regular routine with activities that make you feel happy will help you maintain good mental health.

4. Steer away from harmful substances

Don’t use harmful substances such as drugs, alcohol, or tobacco to cope with what you’re feeling. Though these may seem to help you feel better in the short term, they can make you feel worse in the long run. These substances are also dangerous and can put you and those around you at risk of diseases or injuries.

5. Take two minutes to focus on the world around you

Help free yourself of constantly swirling thoughts by reconnecting yourself with where you are at this moment in time. Follow along with the video below or simply take three slow deep breaths, feel your feet grounded on the floor and ask yourself:

• What are five things I can see?
• What are four things I can hear?
• What can I smell?
• What does it feel like to touch my knees or something else I can reach? How does it feel underneath my fingers?

6. Eat a brain-healthy diet to support strong mental health 

Foods that can support your mood include fatty fish rich in omega-3s, nuts (walnuts, almonds, cashews and peanuts), avocados, beans, leafy greens (spinach, kale, and Brussels sprouts), and fresh fruit such as blueberries.

7. Learn new skills

Research shows that learning new skills can also improve your mental well-being by:

• boosting self-confidence and raising self-esteem
• helping you to build a sense of purpose
• helping you to connect with others

Even if you feel like you do not have enough time, or you may not need to learn new things, there are lots of different ways to bring learning into your life.

8. Seek professional help

If you feel like you cannot cope with the stress that you are facing, seek professional help by calling your local mental health helpline or getting in touch with your counselor or doctor.  Remember you are not alone, and there are things you can do to support your emotional well-being.

Cybersecurity Awareness Month, every October, is a collaboration between the government and private industry to raise awareness about digital security and empower everyone to protect their personal data from digital forms of crime. 

The month is dedicated to creating resources and communications for organizations to talk to their employees and customers about staying safe online. While most of cybersecurity news articles are about massive data breaches and hackers, it can seem overwhelming and feel like you’re powerless against it. But Cybersecurity Awareness Month reminds everyone that there are all kinds of ways to keep your data protected. It can make a huge difference even by practicing the basics of cybersecurity.

93% of company networks are now breachable by hackers, one source notes, and nearly 1 in 3 organizations say they don’t have the funding for proper cyber protection. With that in mind, any month might be a good month to be more cyber aware. 

So here are tips and best practices that everyone can use to feel a little safer online. Here are some simple things you can do to make sure you’re protected:

Choose strong passwords and make use of a password manager rather than re-using passwords on multiple sites.

With so many essential services available through the internet today, passwords may be the only thing standing between your accounts –and the sensitive financial and personal information they contain – and cybercriminals. Because so many passwords have been exposed in data breaches, it’s vital that you don’t employ the same one for multiple accounts. Should someone intercept one account’s password, you don’t want them gaining access to others. A strong password should contain a minimum of twelve characters (though more is better) and should not be easily guessable. Because they’re even longer, passphrases offer additional security.

Consider a password manager such as the free open-source password vault KeePass. With these services, you need to remember only one strong password, which will then give you access to all your others. Keeps stores your account passwords in a strongly encrypted database.

Use two-factor or multi-factor authentication (MFA) on all of your accounts.

Implementing two- or multi-factor authentication adds a layer of protection beyond the passwords that safeguard your accounts. Once it’s set up, users need to present an additional form of identity verification before they’re granted access to accounts or online resources. This additional factor could be evidence that they have a smartphone (proof of receipt of a text message), access to an email account, a unique code or token, a fingerprint, or even a retina scan. With MFA in place, even if you do fall victim to a phishing attack, there’s an extra barrier standing in the way of cyber criminals seeking to make use of compromised credentials.

Educate yourself, your co-workers, and your employees about the latest cybersecurity threats.

When it comes to cybersecurity, knowledge is power. Because attackers are always on the lookout for new ways to hoodwink potential victims, it’s critical to remain aware of the dangers associated with internet use. The better you understand the tactics criminals are currently employing to gain access to user accounts or personal and financial information, the less likely you are to be tricked.

Take phishing as an example. It used to be that these fraudulent email or text messages were rife with grammatical errors and spelling mistakes, but that’s no longer the case. Today’s most sophisticated phishing messages feature pirated logos and other branding that’s nearly impossible to distinguish from the real thing. For this reason, you should never click on a link in an email to visit a banking website. Instead, bookmark a link to what you’re certain is the authentic and trustworthy site. Many banks offer automatic alerting whenever transactions are initiated – an extra layer of protection that it’s worth enabling. In addition, it’s always a good idea to call your financial institution if you notice questionable activity in your account. Be sure to use a known phone number to reach them when you call, not one that arrived by email.

Keep software up to date.

Software vendors frequently update their products and as soon as vulnerabilities are discovered, they issue patches that fix problems that have been discovered. Some of these vulnerabilities are severe, in some cases even enabling malicious third parties to completely control someone’s computer without their knowledge. Cybercriminals are constantly scanning the internet for machines that are running older versions of software that contain vulnerabilities that can be exploited. Enabling automatic software updates is an easy way to protect yourself from these sorts of attacks. It ensures that all new patches will automatically be applied to your computer as soon as they’re released.

Use antivirus software and install a firewall

Antivirus programs and firewalls are designed to prevent malicious code from infecting your computer. This includes malware that’s arrived via infected email attachments, malicious links in email messages, and so-called “drive-by downloads” – automatic downloads initiated by compromised websites. Because antivirus and firewall technologies usually work by blocking known threats, it’s important to ensure that your software will receive automatic updates. This provides protection based on the most recent information and guards against the latest threats.

Today, cyberattacks are attempted every 40 seconds, and the number of ransomware attacks is increasing by 400% annually. That's why it's imperative that companies and businesses take cybersecurity very seriously. But have you checked off all the boxes on the checklist to make sure you are truly secure? Do you know which data assets/systems are most vulnerable, and do you know the potential financial cost of a security breach? These are questions that need to be asked in a business of any size. That's why every company should conduct an IT risk assessment. 

What is an IT risk assessment? 

A risk assessment is about identifying the threats to which your information systems, networks, and data are exposed. By assessing the potential consequences a company could face, it is able to prepare in advance in the event of a security breach. These assessments should be conducted on a regular basis, such as annually or when the company experiences a major change.  

Cyber or IT risk can be defined as any risk of financial loss, disruption, or damage to an organization's reputation due to a failure of its information technology systems. Examples include theft of confidential information, hardware damage and resulting data loss, malware and viruses, compromised credentials, corporate website failure, and natural disasters that can damage servers. 

Why do you need to conduct an IT risk assessment? 

Smaller businesses in particular may think that conducting an IT risk assessment would be too big a task. But in reality, it is something that should not be missed. In order to ensure the well-being of a business, it is always good to take extra measures and make sure that it is protected. Some reasons to conduct a risk assessment are: 

- It gives you a detailed list of vulnerabilities that need more attention and resources.  

- It increases productivity because your security team can respond directly to problems, rather than just reacting to random issues that arise. Risk assessments also show you which areas your team should focus more on and which can be completed at a later date.  

- It improves communication across the organization because the security team has to interact more with other employees in different areas. Not only does this foster collaboration, but it also creates an understanding among other employees of the importance of cybersecurity and how they can contribute to security and compliance goals. 

How to conduct an IT risk assessment: a comprehensive overview

To start, you can conduct either a quantitative or qualitative risk assessment. However, it is most effective if you use both to achieve the best results.  

1. Identify and prioritize assets 

First, create a comprehensive list of all the company's information assets. This includes servers, customer data, sensitive documents, trade secrets, etc. As a technician, you must communicate effectively with upper management to determine which assets are important and which are not. After creating a list, gather all the necessary information about software, hardware, data, and other relevant information for each asset. This will create a detailed list of all the items to focus on. 

2. Identify threats and vulnerabilities

A threat is something that can cause harm to your organization. There are 3 types of threats: 

- Natural disasters. 

Some natural disasters can destroy data, servers, and devices. Pay attention to whether any of these risks apply to your assets and whether they need to be changed to ensure security.  

- Hardware failure 

No matter how large or small your business is, hardware failure should be considered. Make sure all assets are up to date and not at risk of crashing.  

- Malicious behavior 

Disruption, interception, and impersonation can target your data and servers. Determine which areas are most at risk from outside malicious behavior. 

3. Analysis of technical and non-technical controls and determination of the probability of an incident. 

Technical controls include encryption, intrusion detection mechanisms, and identification/authentication solutions. Security policies, administrative measures, and physical/environmental mechanisms must also be analyzed and fall under non-technical controls.  These controls must be used to assess the possibility that a vulnerability can be exploited. This can be assessed using simple categories that rank the potential occurrence from high, medium, and low.  

Assessing the impact the threat could have also helps prioritize your security risks across teams. You are now able to delegate which issues require immediate action and which can wait until they are resolved. 

4. Design controls 

Once you have prioritized and detailed all of the potential risks, you can begin to create a plan to mitigate the most pressing risks. Senior management and IT should be heavily involved in this part of the assessment to ensure that the controls address the risks and align with the overall plan and goals of the organization. You may also need to engage professional services to develop a new set of controls. Don't be afraid to enlist the help of IT and security experts! 

5. Document the results 

Risk assessment reports can be very detailed and complex, or they can be a simple overview of risks and recommended controls. Ultimately, your report will reflect both your audience and your organization's information security posture. Documenting all findings and their analysis is intended for senior management to communicate the issues and methods to address them in a clear and concise manner.  

It should also be noted that a risk assessment as such should not be a one-time exercise, but an ongoing process. As your system environment changes, so do the chances for potential security breaches, data loss, etc. 

The Eisenhower Matrix, also known as the Urgent-Important Matrix, is a tool that can be used to help you prioritize tasks. The framework was designed to help prioritize tasks by first categorizing those items in relation to their urgency and importance.

It matrix was invented by Dwight Eisenhower, the 34^th president of America. He was required to make several tough decisions and achieved a lot in a small space across two terms in the office. This is down to his ability to differentiate urgent from non-urgent and important from unimportant, giving birth to the Eisenhower Matrix which urges the user to separate tasks based on these factors.

The model can be beneficial in multiple job roles, across multiple industries, but implementing this into my daily routine has been a great addition to my recruitment journey. The following four cubes of the Eisenhower Matrix have been a great tool in my transition into recruiting in the USA.

The DO quadrant falls within the urgent and important section of the Eisenhower Matrix. These are time-specific tasks that, when aren’t completed, bear huge consequences and implications. Working across two time zones is more important than ever, only having short windows to speak with candidates. Tasks that I view in this way are confirming interviews, providing interview links, and closing candidates on job offers. A task that you can hold candidates responsible for can include such as deadlining candidates sharing their updated resumes prior to submission.

The SCHEDULE quadrant falls within the important but not urgent. Tasks that fall within this section hold no set deadlines but can be significant in helping achieve long-term goals. Within the world of recruitment tasks that hold similar attributes would be team meetings, social media posts, email outreach, and business development. Business development has an interesting place within this quadrant, as there are no time limits on this outreach, but the longer it takes for an initial interaction to take place, you may miss a key window of opportunity.

The DELEGATE quadrant falls within the not important but urgent section, which creates a perplexing paradox. This would include tasks that are needing to be completed but don’t need your specific skills to be completed. Once again within the world of recruitment, this can include such things as asking an account manager to chase feedback, asking a team member to organize a team meeting, or similarly requesting a training session around a particular area of development.

The DELETE quadrant falls within the not important and not urgent section and can often be viewed as tasks that can have a negative impact on your day. This would include tasks around certain areas such as replying to spam emails, arranging plans outside of hours, or wasting time on tasks that have expired or have no impact on that day’s success.

In conclusion, why use and implement the Eisenhower Matrix?

A 2018 study examined how individuals went about deciding what task is best to pursue when given multiple choices and decisions. A total of five experiments showed that when faced with such options, people are likely to gravitate towards unimportant yet urgent tasks, that don’t hold long-term payoff over tasks that can be seen as important but less urgent, which hold a potentially greater payoff.

This was deemed by researchers to be the “merge-urgency effect” where individuals choose to indulge in tasks that look urgent, over more long-term beneficial tasks that have greater value in terms of time, value, and energy.

The infamous matrix was popularized by Stephen Covey in his best-selling book, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, which brought to light the effective tool. He stated that quadrant 2 is the “Quadrant of Quality”, where time spent completing these tasks increases your overall effectiveness. This is where personal and professional growth meets planning, prevention, and action.

In today’s world of technology, there are several applications out there to help you effectively manage your tasks, several of which adopt this well-known approach. When you’re faced with a set of tasks, how do you decide which to tackle first? Do you select the task that’s going to bring you closer to your long-term goals? Or do you give your attention to the most urgent item on your list?

Use the Eisenhower Matrix to avoid the mere-urgency trap and do more of what's important to you.

In May, Microsoft announced large-scale changes to what has been a staple among service providers reselling Microsoft services. Specifically, we’ll see the end of “Silver” and “Gold” status, to be replaced by the new Microsoft Cloud Partner Program (MCCP), which comes into place on October 3^rd 2022.

This drastic change will impact nearly half a million service providers, the company said, “This deep relationship between Microsoft and our partners spans more than 30 years and, in that time frame, our partners have provided unique solutions across numerous industries, helping countless customers succeed in an ever-changing world. They especially have played a pivotal role in helping businesses adapt amidst the pandemic. As things continue to change and evolve, we are committed to investing in and delivering what partners need to innovate, grow their businesses, and deliver on the promise of digital transformation for customers across organizations and industries.”

The Microsoft Partner Network (MPN), was formed in 2009 and was replaced by the Microsoft Partner Program (MPP), although it has always been changing and upgrading the transition to MCCP is a huge step for all partners, most notably MSPs who have already been reselling Azure and other cloud services.

One of the fastest growing cloud marketplace companies in the world stated how so many companies have begun to rely on Microsoft for this service. Microsoft has since issued this as a response; “we have been preparing for this re-alignment throughout 2022 with a focus on ensuring our partners, who rely on our consolidated billing, automated provisioning, and PSA integrations, can take full advantage of Microsoft’s new approach, with no disruption to operations, and opportunities to attract more customers who are increasingly relying on cloud services.”

Meyer, an ex-senior executive at Microsoft explained that this is about much more than a name change:

“MCCP is a reflection of Microsoft’s vision and investment in cloud services, and their recognition of the overall modernization of IT across the entire digital supply chain,” Meyer said. “Way beyond the end-of-life for MPN Gold and Silver status, the MCPP is truly about driving new proficiencies in a cloud-first world as more discovery, procurement, delivery and management of technology is happening online, through marketplaces like ours.”

The new Microsoft Cloud Partner Program will aim to drive and promote partners' development in six technology areas:

1. Data and AI (Azure)
2. Infrastructure (Azure)
3. Digital and App Innovation (Azure)
4. Business Applications
5. Modern Work
6. Security

This will further impact partners’ license in how they internally use and distribute Microsoft’s products from a ‘’Solutions Partner level’’ to ‘’specializations and expert programs’’.

This is Microsoft’s response to accommodate for the rapidly expanding market, do you think it was the right decision?

Inclusive hiring practices are in the spotlight as they have become increasingly vital to every organization’s success. Inclusive hiring translates to improved employee retention and productivity and a host of other organizational benefits. 

Nowadays, there is so much emphasis on diversity and inclusion in the workplace that recruiters want to make sure that their hiring practices are conducive to meeting their diversity and inclusion goals, which means they need to think about inclusive hiring and determine how that can be incorporated into their daily recruiting practices.

In order to create an environment that celebrates diversity, it's essential for recruiters to adopt inclusive hiring practices that will make it easier to hire talent from underrepresented backgrounds. The following are some strategies that facilitate the process.

What is inclusive hiring?

The inclusive hiring process actively accepts a wide range of traits and viewpoints that candidates offer to the firm. It's not just about filling quotas by hiring persons from underrepresented groups or those with disabilities. Instead, inclusive hiring practices seek to level the playing field for all applicants in order to combat bias in hiring and discrimination in general.

In an inclusive recruiting environment, multiple perspectives, beliefs, and values are considered in order to reach a common goal. Your employees will be forced to think outside their comfort zones and challenge new notions or ideas by having a diverse workforce.

It's difficult to avoid unconscious bias when examining a candidate's job application, even with the greatest of intentions. Organizations that want to improve their team's diversity and attract the greatest talent can't afford to have recruitment practices that unintentionally exclude specific groups of people. Bias can occur at any point of the hiring process, but the talent attraction stage, application Review, and face-to-face interview are the most important to investigate.

Through job ad placements, bad language choices in job descriptions, and bias in the interview stages, your organization may be unwittingly decreasing the number of quality applicants from the very beginning of the recruitment process.

Requirements for the Job

Taking a second look at what you're asking of them is one of the simplest methods to attract more diverse prospects. When you're interviewing candidates for an open position, you'll probably have a list of requirements in mind. While having certain standards can be beneficial, adhering to them too rigidly can actually hinder your chances of finding a quality hire.

Your ideal applicant may have five years of industry-specific expertise, but if you focus solely on this criteria, you'll overlook a multitude of other candidates with diverse backgrounds. While this assures that you select someone with the degree of expertise you require, it also eliminates individuals who may be exactly what you need with only three or four years of experience.

Language Used for Audience

Job descriptions can either entice or repel candidates depending on the language used. A good job description speaks to a wide range of candidates while being explicit about the skillsets required. Leading with sensitive, thoughtful, and inclusive language demonstrates to prospects that you are a diverse workplace that evaluates all applicants regardless of gender, race, disability, or status.

Make sure you get it correctly by removing any terminology that could be interpreted as catering to a specific demographic. When it comes to hiring, use inclusive language, which means avoiding gender-specific vocabulary and words, as well as industry jargon. Begin with a job title that is devoid of any references to gender or industry. Keep things simple and concentrated on the task at hand. Work on removing masculine and feminine words as well from job postings.

Advertising the Role

Consider where you're advertising if you want to create a truly inclusive process and attract applicants from various backgrounds. Elite universities may produce outstanding individuals, but they struggle with diversity, as do many other institutions. Your search may be too restricted if you notice that your candidate pool is made up of people with similar educations, histories, and experience levels. After all, similar individuals prefer to apply for employment through the same routes.

While knowing how to connect with the people you want to apply for your open positions is beneficial, you shouldn't limit your prospect pool too much. Get imaginative about where you post your openings to reopen them and attract more different applications.

Many candidates may be looking for jobs via print ads, contacting and visiting job fairs and boot camps, conducting searches on social media, or using their mobile devices to access job adverts. With this in mind, try looking for new employees in a variety of venues; this increases your chances of recruiting from a more diversified demographic.

Screening and Interviewing

Preventing Exclusion in the CV Review

It's even more important to have an effective screening process in place if you've drawn a larger pool of applications in order to objectively evaluate your candidate pool. This is when bias, whether conscious or unconscious, may creep into decision-making and undermine all of your hard work in attracting diverse candidates.

This problem has two solutions: removing identifying information from CVs or abandoning CVs entirely in favor of another way of candidate screening.

• Blind hiring involves removing any information from resumés that could cause bias, such as age, ethnicity, gender, education, and geographic location. Ideally, only the facts that matter will be left: their skills, experience, and achievements.
• The practice of replacing CVs with skills testing is gaining traction in the recruitment industry. The idea is to hire based on skills rather than the background. Candidates are tested for technical skills (such as coding) and soft skills (like communication), then graded and ranked according to their performance — creating a shortlist of top candidates without any identifying information.

The blind hiring method delays rather than removes bias if your recruitment process includes a face-to-face or video job interview. The key advantage is that you can rest assured that the shortlist of candidates for interviews was generated without bias and that no promising candidate was screened out for incorrect reasons.

 Minimizing Bias in the Job Interview

If you have conducted a blind hiring process up to this stage, the job interview should be the first moment you see the candidate’s ethnicity, age, gender, and appearance. Unconscious bias is therefore unavoidable, but it can be minimized in the following ways:

• Screen questions for exclusive language
• Ask every candidate the same set of standardized questions and stick to the script.
• Use the same assessment criteria and debrief for every candidate.
• Avoid one-on-one interviews. Have a panel of at least three interviewers.
• Make sure your panel is diverse
• Beware of hiring for likeability.
• Don’t make a decision based on the interview alone.

Conduct panel interviews to reduce interview bias and provide a variety of perspectives during the interview process. You can gather feedback, viewpoints, and ideas from people with a variety of requirements and expectations if you have a lot of people following along in the hiring process. That outside of your recruiting and hiring staff should be involved in the hiring process. By reaching out to other departments, team members, and company executives, you can eliminate bias by considering different points of view and using their diverse experiences to build an inclusive workplace for newcomers. 

Onboarding New Hires

The first step is to have an inclusive hiring process. Employees who don't fit a homogeneous mold will be unhappy in their new jobs if you simply focus on developing an inclusive hiring procedure and overlook your company culture.

You need to build an inclusive work atmosphere to persuade them to stay––and actually enjoy their time at your company. Each employee has a unique voice in an inclusive workplace culture, which encourages them to be themselves. Not only are their particular needs met, but they are also encouraged to devote time to personal duties that they consider vital.

To Conclude

There should be a purpose and meaning behind establishing an inclusive workplace and recruitment process, not just another box to check.

There are numerous reasons why having a diverse workforce is advantageous, but it won't happen immediately. As a result, for modern firms, putting in place the proper processes and mechanisms to build an inclusive recruitment team is a step in the right way.

The efforts you take to increase inclusive hiring should be tracked and reviewed on a regular basis, with training being a top emphasis. If you want inclusive hiring to work, you need buy-in and passion for what you're attempting to do.

Recruiters provide vital links between employers and prospective workers. Some job candidates seek out their services directly. Others discover after submitting an application that the hunt is being conducted by a recruiter on behalf of a company.

Don’t be surprised if you even encounter a recruiter when you’re not looking for a job—some make “cold calls” to people they’ve identified as a good possible fit for an open position. Remember: an interview is a two-way street.

Depending on your questions, a recruiter's answers can provide plenty of key information about the employer and the vacancy itself.

Asking questions before an interview is a win-win: even if you don't like the answers, you will have saved yourself time and stress by not proceeding with the application process.

There are several reasons why asking questions ahead of an interview is a good idea:

·         The recruiter will know the employer. The employer is your recruiter’s client – it's likely that they will have a good relationship with them and will have matched candidates with them previously. Therefore, remember that they are a fantastic source of insider information to tap into.

·         To take control of your job search. A recruiter might be putting forward multiple applicants for every vacancy, so don’t expect them to automatically provide detailed information to you about every match. Make sure you ask though; this will demonstrate initiative and interest.

·         To check you have been matched correctly. A recruitment consultant is usually paid by the employer once they have filled a vacancy. They will make the job opportunity sound tempting to draw you into the process but, ultimately, it is up to you to assess whether the job is a good fit.

·         To make sure you are fully informed. Preparation is everything when it comes to recruitment, and smart candidates know that thoroughly researching the position will give them a strong advantage. It is almost a certainty that you will be competing against many other candidates for the same position – and they may well be better qualified and more experienced than you.

Here are examples of questions you can ask a recruiter to gather helpful information:

1. Can you tell me more about the job?

The interviewer has more detail about a job than what is posted online. Asking questions will help you learn more about the job. You do not have to settle for the pieces of information you see on the internet. That is what every other job seeker sees. You might want to know what working in the role entails, the hours you are expected to commit to the work, and if the position allows you to work, learn and advance your career.

2. What are the top skills needed?

To be on the safer side, you can ask the recruiter for the skills required for the role. The recruiter will be happy to provide you with this information. Whatever the needed skills are, it will help you restructure your resume to highlight the skills you have in your previous career path that match the job’s requirements.

Skills and experiences are the essential things a recruiter is looking for in a prospect. So knowing what they want and comparing it with what you have can give you an edge in the recruitment process.

Though a recruiter may not know the details of the team's day-to-day operations, this question can reveal important information on the organization’s culture, work hours, and work-life balance. They may also have some information on specific programs or projects you’ll be working on and enlighten you on who you’ll be working with.

3. What is the company culture?

Different companies have different cultures. What is obtainable where you used to work might be different from what your new job wants. A job description might list requirements or desired qualifications, but this question can open up the answer to revealing more about the role’s priorities. The team might be looking for somebody who will execute tasks or a self-starter who will bring fresh ideas to the table. The recruiter can provide you with the company’s culture and ideology. Asking the recruiter about the company culture and policies will help you assess yourself and see if you can thrive in the company.

4. What is the salary range for this role?

Before going further into the job interview, comparing the salary the job offers with the compensation you expect is reasonable. Some jobs require a lot from you but end up paying little. Knowing what the job entails and your take-home salary helps you make an informed decision about whether to take the job or not. 

Do some research ahead of time to see the typical salary range for a person in this role. Factor in your own experience, location, and expectations and come up with a range that is fair for somebody in your position. If a recruiter asks what your desired salary is, you can provide this range. You might also use your previous salary as a reference point and lay out expectations for an increase. 

If a recruiter doesn’t bring up compensation in the interview, ask about it. Though discussing salary might feel awkward, establishing expectations ensures you won’t feel undersold or that you wasted your time if you receive a low offer. The recruiter can also make sure your expectations are within their budget.

Also, asking for the salary range for the role should not be the first question. Instead, the question should come after you must have understood your role and have detailed information about the job.

5. Can you tell me about the interview process and timeline?

This question clarifies expectations around when you can expect to hear back about the next steps and what you should anticipate in interviews to come. The recruiter may share the names or LinkedIn profiles of the people you will be interviewing and lay out how many interviews the process typically includes. 

This can also help determine if the process will fit into your timeline. If you’re looking for a job to start immediately, but the position requires you to go through security clearance which will take several months, this will be crucial information to have.

6. How long has the job been open?

Asking why an organization is hiring for a role can give you useful information about career progression opportunities, the organization’s direction, and what situation you’ll be walking into should you accept a job offer.

The previous person in the role may have moved on to a different job, been fired, or been promoted to a new position. In any case, you’ll have a better idea of the dynamics and opportunities in that role. If the position is entirely new, ask why the position was created. You’ll have better insight into whether you’ll be filling a role with clear definitions or one where flexibility will be an asset. If a job post has been up for too long, it might indicate that the working condition is not so favorable, so other jobseekers pass. Or the recruiter has not found a suitable candidate.

A similar question you can ask is, “Can you tell me about the interview process and timeline?”

When you want to apply for a job, it would be great to be aware of the recruitment timeline. The answer to these questions helps you know if the job’s timeline can fit into your schedule. 

7. Is there anything in my resume or background that could be a concern?

Perceived gaps in your work history or skill set can be a significant concern to the recruiter. Asking the recruiter if there is anything in your resume or background that could be of concern will give you the opportunity to explain the perceived gaps. However, if there is no gap in your work history, asking these questions will help you streamline your resume to suit what is acceptable in the organization.

8. Would you recommend any changes to my resume or cover letter?

When you have the opportunity to speak with a recruiter, you are free to ask if your CV is good. If it does not look too good, the recruiter can advise on making your resume stand out and meet the recruitment expectations of the hiring manager.

In conclusion

Your recruiter should not be perceived as unapproachable. Rather they should be seen as an ally. This way, you would be confident while asking questions that favor your job search. Asking these eight insightful questions correctly will provide more necessary information about a job and help you determine if the job is good for you or not.

To say that cloud adoption has been accelerating might be an understatement. Enterprises want the speed, agility, simplicity, and lower costs that the cloud offers. The days of running a costly data center are long gone.

Despite IT managers appreciating the benefits of the cloud, surveys reveal that a genuine concern for many businesses is vendor lock-in—being forced to stay with a vendor who no longer meets their needs. And with each passing year, this anxiety increases, preventing you from moving with the agility and quickness you need to succeed.

What is the greatest method to alleviate these concerns?  Implementing a multi-cloud approach.

Businesses used a variety of database providers even before the cloud was established. This approach is nothing new; we are simply transferring it to the cloud.

There's a good chance that your company already employs cloud computing for IT infrastructure updates, automation, cybersecurity, and other functions. However, you are not required to choose a certain cloud server or provider. In fact, you can use multi-cloud solutions for your business and benefit from them for years to come.

Nevertheless, implementing and optimizing many clouds can be challenging, especially if you don't have a strategy beforehand. Let's examine a straightforward yet efficient three-step process for moving to several clouds today to avoid severe issues.

Step One: Map Your Cloud Zoning Policy

Create a map of your cloud zoning strategy and plan as your first significant step. In a word, the cloud zoning decisions you make can affect your obligations, expenses, and even how well the multi-cloud configuration will ultimately work.

The processes and apps that will operate on each specific cloud server or provider are mapped out as part of your cloud architecture. In essence, you choose what must run on numerous clouds at once, what data must be transferred between clouds, and what applications are locked into one cloud.

Want an example? A cloud zoning policy may specify whether you should maintain your data analytics and web browsing on the same cloud servers or with different cloud providers.

Regardless of whether you put everything up yourself or use a service, you should outline your cloud zoning rules. In the latter situation, providing a read-to-go zoning map will facilitate the service's work and reduce the likelihood of errors and/or hiccups.

How to Determine Optimal Cloud Zoning

It can be challenging to determine how to best utilize cloud zoning. Identifying your specific areas of focus is the most effective approach to do this. Instead, think about how your multi-cloud approach will benefit your company.

Say you want to ensure that your service is always available for your customers or visitors, even in the event of a service interruption or a data breach. In this situation, you can configure your cloud zoning strategy to distribute the data load evenly among several clouds at once.

Or, say you want to guarantee that your users are accessible worldwide, 365 days a year. In that situation, you can configure your cloud zoning regulations to ensure that users can access your information or websites whenever they want from any location in the world.

In essence, decide what is most important to your business and what you want from multi-cloud optimization, then zone your cloud apps and rules in accordance.

Step Two: Architect the Multi-Cloud Environment

The multi-cloud environment's architecture is the next crucial step. This entails taking a close look at the environment's high-level design and building a solid base for multi-cloud servers.

At this point, you should at least have a rough understanding of how your company will expand and how the multi-cloud architecture will help it meet its resource requirements. You must be aware of:

• The locations where your apps for data science and machine learning should be

• The market that your product application targets

• The location of your data warehousing

• Location of the cloud security server

• How each of those processes develops in conjunction with the others

Cloud-agnostic projects and apps don't need to be portable; instead, they can rely on managed services or proprietary IT infrastructure from your company. You need to identify these projects and apps during the architecture phase of a multi-cloud setup.

How to Set Up an Ideal Multi-Cloud Environment

You should adopt a flexible and containerized approach to get the most out of a multi-cloud environment. This not only saves money but also enables you to configure your multi-cloud system as adaptable as possible.

You may collaborate with almost any infrastructure-as-a-service (IaaS) provider if you construct or plan your multi-cloud architecture so that it is flexible and containerized. As a result, you are free to choose between different cloud hosts or service providers as needed, depending on your budget or other considerations.

Make sure you conduct extensive forecasting to achieve this. You need to determine how much data storage you'll need for computing, how many databases use your business will need, how many computer nodes you'll probably need, and so on.

Additionally, containerization in a multi-cloud setup makes it less likely for other servers or processes to fail as a result of a ripple effect if one goes down.

Step Three: Prep for Contracts and Forecast Costs

Taking care of the financial side of the multi-cloud transition for your company is the final phase. Along with projecting expenditures, you need to get ready for contracts and commitments. Forecasting is essential during this stage because you'll be choosing different cloud services and getting ready for contracts.

As a result, you need to be aware of how flexible your budget is in comparison to your infrastructure needs. You must specifically match the costs to each multi-cloud forecast and create a budget for your total resource and financial consumption. You should be aware of:

• How much you’ll likely spend on multi-cloud processing and services
• Whether you need specific features, such as website monitoring tools
• Whether your budget can take that forecasted strain

If your response to the third question is "no," you might need to choose a more reasonably priced option or change the design and zoning rules of your multi-cloud system. You won't encounter a crisis scenario where you already have your multi-caught environment up and operating but can't pay for it, requiring you to scurry as a result, if you project costs in advance.

Minimize Commitment Risk

Fortunately, there are strategies to reduce commitment risk and prevent financial catastrophes. You can, for instance, use variable commitment alternatives like those offered by AWS or commitment buy-back guarantees. These include computer savings schemes, which have relatively low savings rates and use cloud resources globally.

Of course, you can and should also exercise very rigorous budgeting and accounting. You'll have a better idea of how much money and other resources you need once you make sure that your commitment costs and savings are attributed to the correct services, server resources, applications, etc. This will help you avoid overcommitting to a provider who is too expensive and giving them an unreasonable amount of money.

When you carefully arrange your application migrations between various providers, you can further reduce the risk of commitment. Budgetary expenditures may rise sharply if moving programs and data between providers takes longer than expected or encounters unforeseen difficulties. As a result, you must ensure that your migrations are simple and rapid, or that a cloud service provider gives assistance during this time (possibly as part of a deal to get you to sign with them in the first place).

Wrapping Up

As you can see, switching your business to many clouds just takes a few months. Even if you flawlessly execute the aforementioned processes, keep in mind that your commitments, performance, and prices won't be optimized to their fullest extent. However, with the correct planning and preparation, you can position your business for long-term success and the advantages of using several clouds.

You will receive more help and support throughout this process from the correct cloud services provider, and you will be able to utilize the extra resources swiftly and simply from a multi-cloud configuration.

It might be difficult to get rejected for a job, especially if you're trying to break into a competitive marketplace. You may feel discouraged and frustrated as a result, lose your motivation, and stop interviewing for new job opportunities. We are aware of that and have also felt similar disappointment in the course of our careers.

It's crucial not to let a job rejection discourage you from looking for other positions. So, this week, we've compiled some of our top tips on how to handle job rejection while still using it to better yourself and your prospects for the future.

Don't take it personally

It’s not about you and it’s not the end of the world. It’s about the qualifications and criteria that did not land you the job. Accept that there are wins and losses in every situation, just like in good sportsmanship, and that you were not the winner this time. It’s normal. It’s part of the process. However, remember that nothing is wrong with you or your ability. Do not hold the company or the interviewer responsible. They struggled with choosing which applicant to hire as well. Keep your relationships intact because you never know when you might find another position with this firm or run into them again.

Keep a positive attitude

Despite obstacles, keep a positive attitude. Even so, you ought to show appreciation to the interviewer for the chance and be respectful. Avoid thinking negatively about the business or yourself, and try to control your frustration. You still have to be confident and demonstrate maturity as a person. Smiling, consider it an opportunity to grow from the rejection. Genuinely being positive can make a favorable impression on people. In contrast, if you have a negative attitude, you are merely providing the employer another excuse for not hiring you.

Focus on your strengths 

You’ve come this far in your application. It means there is something about you that caught the hiring manager’s attention. It’s just not enough to land you the job. So reflect on your application journey and find out what went wrong. Focusing on your abilities is one way to maintain confidence and self-esteem. Develop your strengths and improve on your weaknesses if there are any. In this way, you can level up and be ready for your next job application.

Ask for detailed feedback 

After receiving a rejection, it's important to reflect on what happened and what you can take away from it. The most beneficial action you can do in the event of a job rejection is to ask for and pay attention to feedback. Self-reflection alone won't reveal all of the reasons why you weren't the proper fit for the position. Therefore, your first step should be to get as much input as you can from the recruiter and through them, the employer. Ask for a more thorough evaluation if the response seems a bit general or shallow. After all, you invested a lot of time and effort into the process, therefore you have a right to some useful information.

Don't be afraid to try again

When applying for your next job, remember not to let rejections get you down. Don't let one company's "no" deter you from trying again. There are plenty of additional businesses that are hiring. You just need to keep applying and never give up. If you've already experienced a number of rejections, don't give up. Never forget that if you give up now, you might miss an opportunity tomorrow.

Refine your search

Even while it's frustrating to be rejected, the interview and/or feedback process might occasionally let you realize that the role wasn't quite the right fit for you either.
Look again over the job criteria and ask yourself if you could actually imagine yourself in that role on a day-to-day basis. The interviewer might have been able to tell if there were elements of the role that didn't thrill you.

To improve your future job searches, use your experience as a guide. Perhaps the phrases you're looking at don't exactly align with your goals and desires. Did the job title's accompanying role fall short of your expectations? Did the interview make you realize that this is not quite the right sort of job for you? And if not, then what is?

Come back stronger 

It's difficult to apply for employment, especially if you've recently been rejected for a position. You will return stronger and more inspired to get going if you have taken the time to process your emotions, work on your weaknesses, and learn to highlight your strengths.

Consider each setback as an opportunity to improve your self-awareness and your capacity to overcome disappointment. Your chances of getting the ideal job will increase if you can overcome difficulties on your career path. Make it a point to remain positive and do everything you can to learn from the situation so that you will be better prepared for the next opportunity. Since everyone occasionally receives a job rejection letter, the most crucial thing is what you learn from the experience.

Professionals in the field of cyber security are continually defending computer systems from numerous cyber threats. Every day cyberattacks target businesses and private systems, and the diversity of attacks has expanded quickly.

Numerous factors can lead to a cyberattack. The first one is financial. An online hacker can deactivate a system and demand money to reactivate it. More advanced than ever, ransomware is a sort of software that demands payment in exchange for the return of services.

Individuals are also targets of cyber-attacks, owing to the fact that they store sensitive information on their mobile phones and use insecure public networks. 

In order to strengthen cyber security, it is essential to keep track of how cyberattacks are evolving and growing. Earning an online cyber security master's degree can be very advantageous for cyber security professionals who want to increase their understanding of threats and cyber security information.

What Is the Definition of a Cybersecurity Threat? 

A cyber security threat is any potentially hostile attack that aims to destroy data, obstruct online transactions, or access data unauthorizedly. Potential cyber risks include corporate spies, hacktivists, terrorist groups, hostile nation-states, criminal gangs, lone hackers, and dissatisfied workers.

Sensitive data was exposed by several high-profile cyberattacks in recent years.

Cyber attackers can use sensitive data from an individual or a business to steal information or gain access to financial accounts, among other potentially harmful acts, which is why cyber security professionals are essential for protecting private data. 

Here are the top five most common cyber threats:

1. Malware and viruses 

Computer programs known as viruses attack and replicate on host systems. Infections, viruses, worms, trojans, rootkits, and other similar words are also used to refer to malware. Any application that does not belong to the user is considered malicious software. A virus is often a harmful piece of code that can harm your system if it is not removed. Your security measures ought to lessen malware attacks.

2. Theft of Identity 

When someone gains unauthorized access to sensitive information, such as financial data, intellectual property, medical records, trade secrets, customer lists, or employee information, they are said to have committed data theft. Data thieves utilize social engineering techniques to con people into exposing passwords, private keys, login information, credit card numbers, and other sensitive data. The prevention of data theft mainly depends on user knowledge and education.

3. Website Hacking

Web hacking is the term for the unauthorized use of equipment and methods to attack networks or websites. Websites, software, and network infrastructure all have vulnerabilities that hackers are continuously searching for. These assaults can range from straightforward website vandalism to full server takeovers.

4. Social Engineering

Social engineering is the practice of persuading others to take actions they otherwise would not. Social engineering methods are often used by cybercriminals, ranging from simple phishing scams to more intricate plans involving malware. When engaging with unknown parties online, users should use caution, and they should never click on links without first checking their validity.

5. Cryptocurrency Mining 

The process of employing computers to carry out repeated calculations (known as hashes) to validate transactions on the blockchain, which records cryptocurrency balances and transfers, is known as cryptocurrency mining. In return for processing transactions and defending the network, miners receive fresh money. In addition to maintaining the security of the network, miners also give cryptocurrency exchanges liquidity.

The lack of women in technology is a controversial subject that is difficult to solve. There are many reports of bias, unequal pay, and restricted opportunity. The tech sector is still having trouble locating, hiring, and retaining women despite data that shows a strong link between having more women in leadership positions and higher returns on invested capital and sales. With only 19% of the tech sector in the UK being female, women continue to be underrepresented. Only 26% of positions in the US's tech sector are held by women, and only 16% of those are at senior ranks.

As well as attracting more women into tech roles, companies also need to work harder at retaining female tech talent. Women leave the tech industry at a rate that is 45% greater than that of men, claims Forbes. According to a study done by Indeed, a lack of professional advancement is the main cause of this, closely followed by inadequate management and slow salary increases. Only 50% of the women polled in the analysis believed they had the same possibilities to hold senior leadership positions as their male colleagues, according to the report.

If the UK's industry is to continue to develop and stay ahead of competitors, gender parity in the tech sector must be achieved. According to the McKinsey Delivering through Diversity report, businesses were 21% more likely to achieve above-average profitability when comparing those in the top quartile for gender diversity on their executive teams to those in the bottom quartile.

What can businesses do, then, to recruit and keep women in the tech industry?

There are some practical steps you can take if you wish to increase diversity and benefit from the creative input of the other half of the human race. Here are some recommendations for tech companies looking to attract and retain outstanding female talent.

1. Actively Seek out and Employ Women

The first step to adding more women to your team is as easy as it sounds: actively seeking out additional female applicants. You should let people know that you wish to hire women for tech roles from both inside and outside of your networks.

2. Give women a voice

Creating mentorship programs and employee resource groups exclusively for women is one of the best methods to support and retain emerging female IT talent and enhance long-term engagement in a career. Although hiring more women for tech jobs is imperative, the only way to truly support and inspire women is to give them platforms. Examples of such platforms include inviting women to panel discussions, allowing them to share their experiences with various outlets, and simply giving credit where it is due internally. Their perspectives contribute to both the ongoing and upcoming conversations within our industry.

3. Competitive and fair salary

At the beginning of their careers and throughout, women in technology prioritize their salaries. Since the implementation of the gender pay gap reports, businesses must disclose their gender pay gap. Equal compensation for equal work is obviously of utmost importance. Therefore, implementing transparent pay practices ensure that women enter into companies on fair pay and do not undersell themselves at the interview stage.

4. Promotions

A key strategy for attracting and retaining female IT talent is representation. It is possible to improve a company's reputation and set a good example by openly advocating and championing equality. Recruitment and retention are strongly related; for instance, if a female candidate observes women working for the company in high roles, it may inspire her to pursue a similar position. In the computer sector, 39% of women and only 8% of men see gender bias as a barrier to advancement. Giving women equal opportunities for advancement and highlighting their achievements is crucial for attracting and retaining women in tech roles.

5. Gender-neutral recruitment process

Tech organizations must develop a flexible recruiting strategy that considers the unique needs and goals of women in order to strive toward achieving a gender-balanced workforce. The hiring process can be improved by making little modifications, such as utilizing gender-neutral wording in job descriptions. According to research, job descriptions that deliberately discourage women from applying for positions—particularly in the computer industry—are skewed toward men. According to a study by LinkedIn, women believe they must satisfy all requirements before applying for a job, whereas men often do so after satisfying approximately 60% of them.

Blind hiring practices are another strategy to recruit female employees. These can include pre-employment tests, gender-neutral CVs, blind candidate screening, and even requirements that shortlists have an equal number of men and women.

6. Inclusive work culture

It goes without saying that if a company or place of employment develops a reputation for having a hostile atmosphere for women, it will deter female candidates and make it more difficult to keep women in the workforce. Companies must regularly review their workplace policies to support new diversity and inclusion initiatives.

Sending surveys to the workforce is one approach to accomplish this, allowing the workers to offer a candid opinions on concerns pertaining to culture and solutions. Introducing minimum standards can also contribute to a more inclusive workplace. For instance, businesses could mandate the presence of at least one female worker on internal committees that make decisions about dress codes, partnerships, and diversity initiatives.

One of the biggest issues facing the tech sector is still finding qualified and appropriately skilled workers. Nearly half of tech recruiters say they are having trouble finding qualified applicants, according to research released by CodinGame and CoderPad. To attract the top personnel in a candidate-driven market, IT recruiters will prioritize candidate experience during the hiring process in 2022, according to the same survey. Expanding the talent pool and considering how neurodiverse people could succeed in tech professions are two ways to address the present hiring problems in the industry.

Though many modern digital companies are getting better at ensuring that their workforces are diverse, it's important to note that a company is six times more likely to exhibit enhanced innovation and agility if it has an inclusive culture. How neurodiversity is managed at work is one sign of an inclusive culture. Fortunately, our understanding of how the human brain functions are improving. People are therefore better able to receive a diagnosis, therapy, medication, etc.

Implementing systemic support, however, is equally essential. Many business executives are unaware that neurodiverse people frequently do better in computer occupations. This is a strong argument in favor of embracing neurodiversity in the workplace, particularly in IT roles.

Neurodiverse Workers: An Untapped Talent Pool

While technology is transforming the way we work at an ever-increasing pace, there’s one seemingly intractable problem holding it back: the tech talent crisis.

• Recent studies indicate that the lack of tech talent is at its worst point since 2008.

• According to 65% of companies, hiring difficulties are affecting the tech sector.

• Data analytics, cyber security, artificial intelligence, and transformational skills are particularly hard to come by; if nothing is done, a 3 million-person worldwide tech job shortfall is predicted by 2030.

On the other extreme, neurodivergent people are more likely to be unemployed or underemployed, underpaid, and poorly supported. What’s more, many autistic workers are feeling unable to disclose that in their workplaces.

• More than 15% of the world's population, or one in seven people, has a neurodivergent condition, which is a catch-all phrase for those with autism, ADHD, dyspraxia, and other neurodevelopmental disorders.

• Around 85% of people who are neurodivergent are jobless or working lowly jobs that are much below their ability and testing level.

• Only 16% of autistic adults in the UK have a full-time paid job, while only 32% of autistic adults work for pay.

• Of autistic adults without jobs, 77% said they wanted a job.

Although the digital talent gap is a growing issue, there is a sizable population with the necessary abilities that has been completely ignored by the industry up to this point: people who are neurodiverse, particularly those who have autism.

Why Neurodiverse Workforces Matter

What are some of the most popular soft talents when looking for strong candidates for IT roles? Most frequently, job postings call for applicants who actively strategize novel approaches, think creatively, and so on. People with neurodiversity frequently excel at these talents. Of course, it's important to consider the benefits of having a neurodiverse workforce.

Benefits of a Neurodiverse Workforce

Gaining a Competitive Advantage in the Market

While neurodivergent people frequently struggle with social interaction, communication, and some cognitive functions, they are also more likely to show intense focus and subject knowledge because of their particular interests. In addition to possessing specialized knowledge or technical proficiency, neurodiverse people thrive in repeated jobs. In other words, they have the expertise that is currently particularly needed in the IT industry, where the digital revolution is compelling businesses to embrace more cutting-edge technology in order to satisfy client needs more quickly.

Tackling Skills Gap and Labour Shortages

Across the board, there is a severe talent shortage in technology. The sector's fastest-growing skill cluster, data analysis, is predicted to rise by 33% over the next five years, according to the most recent reports. Meanwhile, the biggest skills gaps in the UK's tech sector are in big data, data analysis, and architecture, as well as cybersecurity.

The population's neurodiversity may be able to address the main problem facing the sector: closing the IT skills gap. This underrepresented group of applicants has a wealth of talent and skill to offer. Despite this, among all handicap categories, those with autism have the startlingly highest unemployment rates.

Bringing Innovation into the Game

The term "neurodiversity" describes the various ways in which people's brains function and process information. Employees who are neurodivergent give fresh insights that can foster innovation, from coming up with answers to difficult problems to creating creative strategies and products.

Industry leaders are fast realizing the great benefit neurodiverse teams can provide to organizations that strive for excellence and innovation.

Fostering a Culture of Inclusion

Employing neurodivergent individuals fosters an inclusive culture that benefits the entire workforce. Remarkable changes can be made to a workplace's culture by neurodiversity in teams, or the collaborative impact of working with individuals who have different cognitive ideologies. For example, communication becomes more effective and clearer, teamwork picks up steam, and employees feel appreciated for their distinctive individuality. Promoting both innovation and empathy within the organization, is a fantastic thing to accommodate individual requirements from which everyone may gain.

How to Promote Neurodiversity in Tech Jobs

Supporting neurodiversity in the workplace frequently begins with the hiring process. A thorough hiring procedure is required for many tech positions to make sure that candidates possess the hard, soft, and social skills needed to succeed at work.

It's time to widen the hiring pool, though. Start by thinking about your recruitment strategy.

Many neurodiverse job candidates are looking for positions that will help them and offer the infrastructure they need to thrive and perform well. Everyone struggles in situations that seem to be working against them, and nobody wants to hide who they are at work.

Start by re-examining the terminology you employ during the hiring process. Do you actually provide accommodations for individuals with neurodiversity? Are open conversations between neurodiverse people permitted at work? Do you allow neurodiverse people to make adjustments and changes that suit them, which is even more crucial?

Educating hiring managers

Educating your hiring managers, recruitment teams, or business partners is also crucial. Numerous neurodivergent people find it difficult to maintain eye contact or are reluctant to shake hands. There is no justification for discriminating against individuals based on these "atypical" behaviors during job interviews.

Refresh, renew, and customize the candidate recruiting process. The interview process is increasingly being co-created by some businesses and employees. Some people prefer to meet you in person, while others prefer to communicate with you via video call.

Embracing Neurodiversity in the Workplace

Your business will be able to develop the most innovative concepts, novel tactics, and successful plans by actively seeking out varied individuals.

Everyone benefits from building support mechanisms for a neurodiverse workforce. While gaining tangible business advantages like higher productivity, revenue, etc., you are promoting the humanity of your employees.

You have successfully applied and are now just one step away from your dream job. The interview is a great opportunity to show what you can do. Unfortunately, there are also some traps lurking here that you can fall into. We have summarized 6 tips for your next job interview and tell you the most common mistakes so that you can fully concentrate on the interview.

Do Research

If you prepare and do your research, you can score points in the interview. Be aware of the products and services offered, the company values and philosophy, and the turnover of the company. Also, find out about the competitors and the target group. With your in-depth knowledge, you can show HR management that you are interested in the company and have prepared yourself well.

Plan your Journey

The journey is the first hurdle on the way to the interview and should therefore be planned carefully. Find out about the route, make sure you plan enough time, and, if in doubt, leave yourself a buffer. This way you are relaxed and can fully concentrate on the conversation. The following applies to video interviews: test the technology and find a quiet place with an attractive background.

Choosing the Right Outfit

Choosing what to wear for an interview isn't easy: you don't want to be overdressed or overdressed. We can advise you to dress according to the industry, but you should not disguise yourself and slip into another role. You should feel comfortable in your skin and radiate this to the outside world. Clean clothes should be a requirement no matter where you applied. In a large corporation or a bank, you should appear serious, in a medium-sized company or a start-up a shirt, blouse and jeans are usually sufficient.

Appearance in the Company & Self-Confidence

Body language provides constant information about our emotional state and our behavior. These signals are picked up and evaluated by the people around us, especially in a professional context. Gestures, facial expressions, eye contact, posture, and way of speaking are the important points. When we feel tense or nervous, it can hurt our body language - for example, when we don't make eye contact. A posture that is too tense can quickly be perceived as unsympathetic or aggressive.

A good method is to mirror the interlocutor. This creates trust and sympathy in the subconscious. However, you shouldn't delve into every move made by the recruiter. Spending more time observing the movements instead of paying attention to the questions is suboptimal. But if you know the basic principle, you can apply it in a targeted manner and build sympathy.

Be Authentic and Honest

Authenticity pays off - always! Your potential employer wants to get to know you and nobody else. So, let your personality shine and be honest. Little lies might seem like a good idea at first, but they aren't. The truth is always the best choice, avoiding unpleasant surprises or even losing your job.

Answer the Questions Specifically

You should express yourself clearly and precisely when answering questions in the interview and not beat too many words around the bush. Please take a moment before you answer. Do it discreetly by taking a sip of water and then responding to the question. Filter out the core of the question and formulate the appropriate answer. Make sure to create a casual atmosphere by smiling or even giving some humorous answers. Also, keep in mind that talking bad about the job or even the department head is by no means well received. So think about good answers to unpleasant topics and try to create positive parallels to your current professional situation.

Conclusion

The interview is a great opportunity to show what you can do. Unfortunately, some pitfalls are lurking here that you should avoid. With these 6 tips, you are guaranteed to make a great impression and get the job! We keep our fingers crossed for your next job interview! As recruiting experts, we have a direct line to employers from a wide variety of industries and are happy to support you in getting a little closer to your dream job.

One of the biggest issues that organizations today must deal with is cyber risk. The Global Risks Report 2022 from the World Economic Forum demonstrates how rising digital dependence and digital transformation have increased cyber threats. However, according to the survey, cybersecurity failure is still seen as a serious short-term risk, and high-value organizations frequently experience breaches that have a major negative impact on their performance.

According to a recent Acronis report, 80% of businesses experienced a cybersecurity breach in the past year, up from 68% the year before. The high levels of danger now exist are demonstrated by the fact that 9% of businesses experienced at least one cyberattack every hour. This shows that businesses are becoming more open to cyber-attacks, yet most are not prepared to defend themselves in a way that keeps up with the more sophisticated attackers.

In the upcoming years, it is anticipated that the number of cyber threats to businesses will continue to increase. Today, cybersecurity is an essential part of an organization's business plan to guarantee data privacy and prevent the expense of reacting to a cyber-attack.

Even though IT security is a vital part of a security strategy, employees are one of any organization's most vulnerable areas. Employees are on the front lines of the battle against cyber risks as a result of the focus of many cyber criminals on assaulting individuals through malware, phishing, and other scam activities.

Fostering a cybersecurity culture can outlast individual turnover and isolated occurrences and can provide a stronger front against cyber threats than any one policy or process. By integrating cybersecurity into organizational processes and practices and keeping an open conversation, you may develop a cybersecurity culture.

Be honest

Analyze the culture and determine the current state of organizational security. Recognize the strategy for dealing with audit results, the top technology and security priorities, and any metrics in place for tracking the development. Additionally, be aware of behaviors that could increase risk, like as BYOD rules, international travel, unencrypted communication (such as instant messaging), data storage on personal devices, unconventional computer setups, and usage of unapproved software.

Outline the mission

Establish what constitutes security and technological achievement before settling on specifics. To make it easier to communicate, turn the mission into an "elevator pitch." When the company succeeds, it should be celebrated to reinforce the importance of security and to solidify the culture.

Win employee support

Headline-making breaches may not feel applicable to all departments. Earn employee support with department-level conversations about the impact of cyber threats to ensure staff realize the value of security and aren’t tempted to circumvent processes. 

Define roles and expectations

Remove uncertainty with a thorough plan that outlines roles, objectives, and duties for departments in the event of a cyber-attack. By adding other departments, you can broaden the scope of who is responsible for promoting security outside the IT security team. Build trust that, in the event of a mistake, firm security professionals will come up with solutions, provide assistance, and avoid taking responsibility.

Invest in training

Expect the IT department to regularly train personnel on attacks and the resulting areas to watch. Clearly express all cybersecurity policies and guidelines. A consistent onboarding program for new hires should also be in place. These issues, ought to be on the agenda:

- Password management

- Encryption and digital signing, if applicable

- Phishing attacks

- Backing up work

- Sending personal or sensitive information

- Account Access

- Authentication

- Policies and best practices

- Lean on an outside party to handle training if internal resources aren’t available

Create a conversation

Similar to any culture, the story is frequently its basis. Discuss cybersecurity constantly, draw lessons from news about the topic, and keep staff members up to date on best practices. Regular training sessions, forums, or newsletters can all offer regular forums for cybersecurity discussion. Encourage a question-friendly climate, and make sure staff members are aware of whom to ask. Equally crucial: check to see if the response contains a lot of jargon.

Employees with the skills and knowledge to take action will embrace personal responsibility for supporting security in an organization with a strong cybersecurity culture. Employees may even actively defend the company as they become more aware of cybersecurity procedures thanks to this collective approach, which transforms them from risk factors to security advocates. A preventative approach will undoubtedly pay off for both individuals and corporations given the escalating costs of cybercrime.

Asking for a salary increase is something that everyone is likely to do at some point in their career. However, having to have ‘that conversation’ can feel unnatural and the experience can be intimidating and awkward, even if you have a good relationship with your manager.

If you’re struggling to pluck up the courage to broach the topic of a pay rise, try following our tips below:

Have a Realistic Figure in Mind

When you’re working out how to get a higher salary, it’s important to know your worth so that you have a realistic figure in mind when you begin negotiations.

Do your research to find out if your salary is in line with the market average, establishing what the range of pay is for both newly trained and experienced staff in the role. 

Do this by:

• Using a salary checker – the big recruitment websites such as Totaljobs, Indeed, and Reed all have online tools that will show what the average salary is for your sector
• Speaking to a recruiter
• Looking at jobs boards to see what salaries are being offered
• Asking other professionals in similar roles to give you an idea of their earnings
• Check if the market rate for your salary differs depending on where you live in the country.

If you’re offered a smaller pay rise than you hoped for, try compromising by asking about a bonus scheme (if you don’t already have one in place) to increase your earnings based on performance or professional training courses to increase your knowledge and skills.

Build your Case

Gather evidence and prepare examples of your achievements that you can confidently summarise, for example:

• Initiatives you have implemented and their impact on company results
• Extra responsibilities you have taken on
• Innovation you have introduced that is reliant on your skills for success
• Training and qualifications you have gained 
• Your job milestones – top salesperson of the year, say, or winner of a recognition award, or securing the account of a leading client
• How you have developed other team members
• Lack of disciplinary action

The more evidence you can gather to back up your proposed pay rise, the better. Discuss market factors that justify your pay rises, such as a skills shortage in your sector and high demand for your skills or qualifications.

Ensure you Ask in the Right Way

When asking for a pay rise, keep it professional at all times. Don’t be demanding and don’t speak negatively of anyone else within the business. Start by talking about why you enjoy working for the company and summarise your recent progress. For instance, you should avoid saying things like:

“I work harder than XX and I know that he’s on more money than me.”

This comes across as bitter and you don’t want to be seen as gossiping about your colleagues’ salaries. Speak calmly, and reasonably and present your case.

“Thanks for meeting with me today. I’ve enjoyed being part of the [XX] team. I’ve been working here for [X] years and I’m proud of the contribution I’ve made. As you know, my targets were to [XXX]. I’m excited to share my results with you and discuss my salary.”

Conclude by getting to the point. “Given my dedication to the company’s success over the past 12 months and my achievements, I’d like a review of my salary. Based on my research of salaries in my sector, my experience, and skills, an X% increase is appropriate.”

Timing is Everything

Think carefully about when to ask for a pay rise. Don’t broach the subject publicly as it will put your manager on the spot (and will appear unprofessional); an appraisal, review, or other formal meeting is the ideal setting for this conversation. Find out if you are allowed to discuss a rise outside any performance review; if not, you will have to wait. 

If possible, don’t choose a time when your boss is under pressure, or the company is in financial difficulty. More positively, and where you can, plan your meeting for the end of a big project, say, or after you have received an award, passed exams, or achieved another milestone. Request your meeting at least a week in advance and be clear about your objective so they have time to plan too.

Be Prepared to Negotiate

This is a negotiation, so be ready to answer questions, provide further evidence, or receive a counteroffer from your boss. This is where your research and preparation are worth their weight in gold. If you are told that the figure you have requested isn’t possible, summarise why it is reasonable and in line with the market, and ask for an explanation.

Be ready to compromise. Threatening to quit if you don’t get what you want is a risky strategy.  

Instead, find out if there is a package of benefits that the company could offer you to accompany a lower pay rise.

The onset of the pandemic accelerated global firms’ plans to redefine how their businesses operated, in particular how they managed their wide area networks (WANs), with software-defined WANs flourishing and secure access service edge (SASE) emerging.

Software-defined WANs deliver clear benefits and have reached a maturity level that warrants consideration for customers with branch offices. However, enterprises must also weigh the challenges and have accurate anticipation of SD-WAN advantages and disadvantages before they decide to adopt this technology.

Advantages of SD-WAN

Cost

Users always enjoy long-term cost savings when using SD-WAN. Compared to an MPLS deployment, SD-WAN allows cost savings of almost 50%. Except for critical data, all the low-priority tasks can be assigned to expensive links. And for important tasks, expensive connectivity links can be used.

Performance

Whatever application is used in SD-WAN, it can improve its performance. Each of the network traffic works differently. All the traffic those are critical and in real time can be automatically routed to links with higher bandwidth. This ensures that there are fewer latency issues and packet loss which eventually leads to improved application performance.

Complexity

Most of the networks are subjected to additional layers through the process of digital transformation. This often leads to poor network performance. SD-WAN can reduce this concept by simplifying the infrastructure. Moreover, it is necessary to consider looking for the right SD-WAN service provider with less capacity.

Reliability

SD-WAN comes with various transport mediums all of which can provide alternate paths. For example, if the SD-WAN is two or more mediums. Imagine Fiber, DSL, and LTE. In case of failure, SD-WAN can use the other two mediums. 

Remote Access

One of the reasons why many companies prefer adopting SD-WAN is its cloud access. Even if a branch is located remote, the employees can still access cloud applications. This too with improved application performance. When there are business-critical applications, the traffic can be directed through the data center. 

Disadvantages of SD-WAN

Security

SD-WAN lacks when it comes to on-site security features. Although SD-WANs are equipped with some standards and methods for security, still it is not adequate. Therefore, a data breach in one single machine could affect the entire organization.

Adaptation

Businesses have a problem adapting to SD-WAN solutions. The existing staff may find it difficult to understand this technology which rises the need to have skilled staff. Now, this can be expensive for companies with low budgets. This is one of the reasons why businesses are still depending on old connections.

Interference

Not all the SD-WAN solutions can support WAN routers. If an SD-WAN configuration is used in a WAN router, its ethernet connection will probably interfere with WAN architecture. For preventing this, it is advisable to use methods like time-division multiplexing.

Errors

All the units and connections are centralized in SD-WAN. As a result, having an SD-WAN always creates new errors. In some instances, small errors resulting from incorrect configuration can cause major errors. Besides that, SD-WANs also experience jitters and packet loss.

Technical Issues

By default, routers are equipped with the functionality to work without updates. But for routers, those with SD-WAN configuration require regular firmware updates. 

If the updates are not provided, the routers may eventually experience failures or even stop working. These updates make sure that the routers are bug-free and their functions are fastened.

When it comes to efficiently recruit prospects, you need some hard data. You can spend all the time you want writing an excellent job description. A candidate's decision to apply for a job may or may not depend on some of this information. Is the position in a place they are willing to relocate to or work at? Does it have any particular experience needs that most people don't meet?  

The location and type of role are both necessary information, but some of this data may be more optional than others. We are specifically discussing the salary range.  

The underlying question is: Should salaries be mentioned in job descriptions to attract top people with high potential? The inclusion of a wage can attract interest in your position in the current, fiercely competitive employment market where businesses are vying for skilled candidates. 

When looking for a new career, money may not be everything, but it is undoubtedly significant. When looking at job listings, candidates prioritize the job's details above salary information, although 61 percent of candidates still expect to see compensation information among the top three things. Many businesses still choose not to disclose compensation information in job postings, frequently out of concern that doing so would put them at a competitive disadvantage or fuel employee animosity.  

However, there is a rising global movement to turn salary transparency into the law, not just a new standard. The reason for this is that a growing body of research demonstrates that employers who are open about their pay scales may draw better, more diverse talent, making compensation transparency a realistic means of promoting an equitable workplace.  

A salary range in your job descriptions can be beneficial, but it can also be harmful. It has been said that having a salary lessens the other's advantage in the market and bargaining position. On the other hand, some businesses feel that disclosing their salaries to applicants enables them to be open and honest (building trust). Knowing the advantages and disadvantages of both sides can help you decide whether or not you want to list it.  

It’s a hot-button topic right now and you’re looking for answers so read below to find out.

Reasons against including a Salary in Job Descriptions 

Concerns over how Existing Employees will React 

Existing employees will pay attention to companies that post new job listings. The ability for other employees to see a new hire's wage is another drawback of putting it in job postings; when this happens, morale and workplace cohesion may suffer. They might check the ad to see the qualifications that their employer is seeking. They may feel underpaid and slighted if they learn that the starting salary is higher than their own. Employees may then start looking for other positions or requesting raises as a result. This may raise personnel turnover and wage costs in the short run. 

Competitive Advantage 

Businesses that operate in competitive industries compete for the best talent to fill open positions. The claim is that if a company mentions a salary in a job advertisement, a rival may notice it and offer more money (and/or benefits) to entice that person, diminishing competitive advantage.  

Higher Paid Positions Assume Salary Negotiations 

The compensation negotiation procedure is expected of applicants for senior, management, and director level positions. Candidates at this level typically assign value to their knowledge, experience, network, etc. As a result, they are more inclined to disclose to the employer their desired compensation in their application (through a CV, cover letter, or other means) and to discuss it once the position has been extended to them.  

Provides More Negotiating Power 

If a job is advertised without pay, the employer has the negotiating position. Some companies believe that giving candidates the upper hand when negotiating a compensation package is to include a salary rate in their job descriptions. This allows businesses to raise salaries for preferred candidates who may have turned down the salary listed, and, on the other hand, to cut salaries for those candidates who aren't as desirable. 

Salary Shouldn't be the Deciding Factor 

Employers are seeking experts and skilled individuals that will not only be qualified but also fit into their business. Candidates are more inclined to focus on income when it is included in job ads and either ignore other benefits of working for the company (if it is too low) or become ignorant of the fact that the company culture is not a good fit for them. According to this reasoning, it discourages applicants who are "money-focused" and draws in those who think they are qualified for the position and the company. Reasons for including a salary in job descriptions 

Reasons for Including a Salary in Job Descriptions 

Transparency 

Candidates seeking a new position want to work for a company that values its employees and is open and honest with them. For the majority of these applicants, it all begins with the job advert. Even though their corporate culture and ethics mention it, organizations risk giving the impression they are not open and honest with their employees by omitting the compensation.  

Company and Candidate Time Saved

The role, location, and compensation are the first three main considerations for candidates while looking for a potential new job or career opportunity. The candidate can concentrate more on the business and the job description if the compensation is disclosed.  As a result, businesses may devote more time to reviewing applications and less time to attracting candidates. You can use a salary rate as a screening method to filter out applicants you wouldn't be able to afford or who might not have the qualifications for the position. 

The Focus is more on the Candidate and the Role 

A candidate who has responded to a job advert with a salary has accepted the salary on offer. Therefore, this gives companies more time to explore the candidate’s experience, abilities, qualifications, etc; thus, making a more informed hiring decision. 

According to a report published by Dell Technologies and authored by the Institute For The Future (IFTF) and a panel of 20 tech, business, and academic experts from around the world, states that 85 percent of the jobs will exist in 2030 haven't even been invented yet.

"The pace of change will be so rapid that people will learn 'at the moment using new technologies such as augmented reality and virtual reality. The ability to gain new knowledge will be more valuable than the knowledge itself," Dell Technologies said in the report Given the rapid pace of change in the workplace, particularly when we consider all of the things that have changed over the last ten years, such as social media, artificial intelligence, and automation, it, it doesn’t seem an unlikely statistic.

The work human beings do will continue to shift as some jobs become obsolete and new jobs emerge as technological advancement will replace outdated positions and produce new ones that combine human and machine collaboration. Moreover, the expertise and skill set we'll require in the future varies greatly from those we currently require. Soft skills will grow in importance as the demand for things machines can’t do continues to increase. However, the ability to understand and work confidently with technology will still be critical.

With that in mind, here are four digital skills you need to cultivate to thrive in the new world of work:

Digital Literacy

Digital Literally refers to the abilities required to learn, function, and get around in an increasingly digital world. We are able to interact with technology effortlessly and confidently when we possess digital literacy skills. This entails abilities like:

● Keeping on top of emerging new technologies

● Understanding what tech is available and how it can be used

● Using digital devices, software, and applications – at work, in educational settings, and in our everyday lives

● Communicating, collaborating, and sharing information with other people using digital tools

● Staying safe and secure in a digital environment

Data Literacy

The fourth industrial revolution, which is presently underway, is characterised by numerous waves of new technologies that merge the digital and physical worlds. Consider the abundance of "smart" everyday items like watches and internet-connected thermostats that are available on the market.

Data literacy is one of the crucial talents we'll need in the future because all of that new technology is based on data.

A fundamental understanding of the significance of data and how to transform it into insights and value is known as data literacy. You'll need to be able to access the right data, work with it, interpret the results, share your findings with others, and, if required, challenge the data in a business setting.

Technical Skills

Today, "technical talents" encompasses a wide range of abilities; future employers won't just require IT and engineering expertise. A wide range of technical abilities remain of utmost value even as the nature of work changes and processes become more automated.

Technical skills are essentially the practical or physical abilities required to do a task successfully. Although it is true that coding, AI, data science, and IT skills are in high demand, there is a far wider market for these skills. Being a plumber requires technical expertise. The same is true for truck drivers, nurses, carpenters, and project managers.

As new technologies emerge, we will require increasingly specialised technical skills in every business. As a result, you should be ready to constantly learn and concentrate on your professional development through a combination of formal education, training, and on-the-job training.

Digital Threat Awareness

The world is becoming increasingly digital, and cybercriminals are becoming more sophisticated and smarter  This implies brand-new dangers that could significantly affect both our personal and professional lives.

Digital threat awareness refers to being aware of the risks associated with utilising digital devices and the internet, as well as having the tools necessary to protect your company and yourself.

Our digital fingerprints are bigger than ever since so many of our activities—from scheduling doctor visits to placing takeaway orders on Friday nights—take place online.

Digital threat awareness means understanding the biggest threats in our everyday lives, including:

● Digital addiction

● Online privacy and protecting your data

● Password protection

● Cyberbullying

● Digital impersonation

● Phishing

● Data breaches

● Malware, ransomware, and IoT attacks

In order to reduce the dangers posed by these cybersecurity threats, we should all strive to have healthy relationships with technology and educate people on how to get the most of technology without letting it take over our lives.

While diversity, equity, and inclusion have come a long way, there is still a long way to go before women's professional achievements are valued equally with those of males. How can we enable women to achieve workplace gender equality?  

According to the World Economic Forum, it will take 132 years to close the gender gap at the current rate. The pay difference between men and women over the world is about 57%. In some circumstances, this is because men and women perform the same jobs but are paid differently. 

It's not always that easy, though. According to a survey from the World Economic Forum, women are more likely than males to work in professions that pay less. In highly compensated industries like finance and technology, men still predominate. Only 22% of managerial roles are now held by women globally. This occurs frequently because the current system penalizes women who leave their careers to have children.  

Women are given more career control when they are empowered in the workplace. You may secure their professional growth, which is crucial for developing long-term employees, by investing in training, mentoring, equality programs, educational grants, and promotion into senior-level jobs. 

Why empower women in the workplace? 

Why is female empowerment so important? Why do we even need to bother? The quick response is that female empowerment gives women the resources they need to be in charge of their own life. As a result, women can realise their full potential, which benefits the entire planet. This implies that people can support economies, offer their skills to the workforce, and assist establish more stable job markets. Not to mention that having women on boards gives organisations access to a wider range of perspectives and ideas.  

Amplify Women’s Voices 

One of the most important methods to empower women is to guarantee that their views are heard in meetings and that they are given credit for their ideas. Start by giving women a seat at the table and a voice. If a woman has an excellent idea, support her and see to it that she receives credit rather than allowing another person to do so. This occurs most frequently in industries like technology where males have the majority of the authority and women are underrepresented.  

Other workers need to make sure that women have a legitimate platform and devoted airtime to prevent these scenarios. There are strategies everyone can apply to avoid stealing ideas from women in group discussions. For instance, give credit to the author of the concept whenever you discuss it (even if it inspired a new idea of your own). Ensuring that everyone’s voice is amplified is a team effort and requires always having each other’s backs even if you don’t agree with everything that is said. 

Remind Women that they are Valued 

Women frequently feel scared to express their thoughts in environments where men predominate, for fear of coming out as overly frank. The inverse is also true when they might attempt to pass for "one of the guys" to have their opinions heard.  

Reminding women that they are valued for who they are and that you recruited them because of their special viewpoint, talents, commitment, and hard work ethic is crucial. Even while it might seem apparent to you, until you are in someone else's position, you cannot truly understand how they are feeling. You don't know how a coworker inwardly responds to situations or what they have personally experienced, even if you are also a female employee. So, do your best to be compassionate and honest with how you feel about every woman’s performance. 

There are numerous ways that your company can put these values into practice. Training in bias awareness is the initial stage because until you address your actions, you won't know what you're doing incorrectly. The next step is to encourage a secure environment where everyone feels free to express their issues and challenges and knows where to find support. Promote specific training or activities for women, such as focus/support groups, public speaking competitions, and negotiations. All minorities should ideally be given access to these changes so that everyone can feel free to succeed at work as an expression of who they are. 

Create Equal Pay 

Even after the Equal Pay Act was passed in 1970, equal pay remains one of the largest problems with gender disparity. According to this law, all employees are entitled to equal pay for equally valuable work. However, the UN estimated that as of 2020, women continue to earn about 84 per cent of what males do. The gender wage gap is still a problem because this figure is considerably lower for women of colour, women who are immigrants, and women who are mothers.  

Equal pay for equal work is not only the law, but it also has advantages for your company. Women who receive equal pay are more likely to believe that their work is appreciated equally to that of their male coworkers. This may also inspire female workers, boosting production and efficiency for your company.  

Employers must make sure that men and women performing the same positions are putting in the same amount of labour to guarantee true pay equality. Because women are frequently held to greater standards than males, wages may not be equal. This is because women may prove themselves by completing twice as much labour for the same pay. Pay equity audits are one easy method businesses can fix this. Keep an eye out for differences in pay rates. Then, regardless of an employee's gender or ethnicity, make sure that all employees with comparable experience in a similar function are paid equally to their counterparts.  

Encourage Networking 

Anyone who wants to build enduring relationships and move up the corporate ladder must be extremely adept at networking. However, for many women, networking can be crucial for surviving and moving up the corporate ladder. A vital, encouraging environment can be created by establishing a network where women can communicate with one another. This can make women feel comfortable talking about problems like equality and gender difficulties at work.  

Women can share ideas and advice on how to advance in their careers through professional networks. Additionally, it can assist women in locating qualified mentors in their areas who can aid them in developing their skills. Male allies have the chance to propose qualified female coworkers or friends for positions by networking. As a result, when you post job openings, more women might apply, giving you a bigger pool of prospects to pick from.  

Utilise Mentorship Schemes 

Similar to networking, mentorship programmes help women develop the skills necessary for career advancement. Through a female mentor, women can be assisted in developing their knowledge and experience, which can boost both the mentor and mentee's confidence. Women may relate to female mentors more readily than they would a male mentor. Due to the likelihood that their experiences will be similar, female mentors can serve as more effective role models for women.  

Mentorship programmes can not only provide role models but also assist women in realising their value. Speaking with other women about their goals might help dispel stereotypes that many women have been subjected to since they were young, such as the notion that being strong and outspoken at work makes one angry and unpleasant.  

Many businesses all over the world provide mentorship programmes and other initiatives to aid in the advancement of women in the creative industries. Examples include Chicks in Advertising, Animated Women UK, SheSays, and Code First Girls. You may give your female employees a sense of empowerment and skill development by involving them in programmes like this.  

Stand up Against Discrimination 

The most crucial step toward empowering women in the workplace is undoubtedly speaking out against discrimination. Women shouldn't have to worry about discrimination at work, but it's also crucial for them to know that if it does occur, it will be reported. What would you do if you overheard a blatantly sexist remark or noticed that a woman was required to put in more effort than a man in the same position? Always speaking up against this discrimination should be the response to this question.  

Standing up for women who face discrimination at work will make them feel appreciated and valued. Although it won't solve the problem, how prejudice is handled in the workplace says a lot. When you do speak out against discrimination, make sure to do so respectfully and safely. Make sure you have management's backing if you need it.  

Every employee needs to know how to deal with offensive language and prejudice. This entails following the appropriate processes as well as discussing things out (and knowing when to do which). 

Searching for candidates with the ideal mix of qualities, including a solid education, relevant work experience, and the appropriate technical skill sets and expertise, is a crucial component of an efficient hiring strategy. Another factor to consider is culture fit, which is equally vital, if not more so.

Hiring for culture fit is about bringing employees into the mix whose beliefs, behaviours, and values align with those of your organization. This is not the same as hiring people who merely share similar backgrounds and experiences. It’s essential to include diversity while hiring for culture fit because different perspectives and experiences will help your company improve and scale.

Finding someone who shares the same outlook and attitude as his or her possible co-workers is a key component of determining whether a candidate is a good cultural match while conducting an interview.

Why Does Company Culture Matter?

Establishing a solid culture that you can promote to candidates right away provides potential employees an idea of what it's like to work for your company. Before wasting any more of either party's time, they can search elsewhere if they don't think they would perform well in that environment.

A applicant who isn't a good fit might end up going through the full process and being hired if your hiring procedure doesn't take your culture into consideration, simply because neither party was aware of the mismatch. A strong business culture that can be effectively articulated to candidates should be an essential component of your hiring strategy given the high cost of staff turnover.

Your company culture not only aids in bringing in new talent but also aids in keeping the talent you already have happy and working for you rather than leaving for the competition. One of the primary causes of job satisfaction and employee engagement is a happy, healthy workplace, which is why your hiring strategy should include a focus on cultural fit.

The best talent may be attracted by fantastic salary and benefits, but it takes much more to keep them for the long run. Your staff members will be more devoted and enthusiastic about supporting the accomplishment of your corporate objectives when they perceive that they matter to you and are genuinely invested in your company.

Why Culture Fit Should Be Included in Your Hiring Strategy

Here are some of the most important reasons your company can benefit from emphasising culture fit in your hiring approach.

Increased Employee Satisfaction

Employee happiness increases productivity, engagement, and drive for achievement.. That's a critical combination in any industry, where employees are entrusted with your company's health. In an ideal world, who wouldn't want to enjoy going to work every day?

High-Level Performance

Workers are eager to take on new challenges and responsibilities when they feel like they belong. Their willingness to go above and above helps the entire team. The result? High-level performance from your employees.

Decreased Turnover    

Employee turnover is expensive. People remain in positions they enjoy. Happy workers are 12 percent more productive at work and have a stronger sense of ownership over the long-term success of the business. They want to remain and continue to fulfil their roles.

Lower Stress Levels

Lack of a cultural fit for a job is a major contributor to workplace stress, which can be reduced by aligning the values of the organisation with the employees. Stress can damage relationships between coworkers and prevents employees from performing their jobs effectively. Be aware of how new recruits will affect (and be affected by) existing dynamics because cohesive teams produce more.

Employee Loyalty 

Everyday participation at work shouldn't make employees dread it. Employees identify with the company's success and contribute to the broader purpose and goals of the firm if they perceive themselves as valuable team members. If they feel accountable to both their company and their coworkers, they are less likely to leave. Excellent hires infuse their teams with fresh energy, inspiring creativity and innovation and igniting motivation.

The Wrong Cultural Fit in the Workplace is Bad for Business   

Customer care suffers when you hire someone who doesn't fit your culture; this effect extends beyond management and other employees. An entire office's morale can be negatively impacted by one employee, which increases the risk of poor performance.

Maintaining the good name of your business depends on hiring for cultural fit. Dissatisfied cultural fits frequently become disengaged at work. You can save money in the long run by weeding out candidates who don't fit your culture throughout the recruitment process.

The culture and objectives of your organisation cannot be taught to someone. However, you may ensure the success of your company and the pillar of your fundamental values by hiring the best applicant.

It is obvious that finding the correct cultural fit for your company can have a good influence in a variety of ways.

How To Hire For Culture Fit

After learning how crucial company culture is and how a poor match can damage your entire organisation, you may be asking yourself, "How can I prevent these issues? How am I meant to determine whether a candidate will fit into my culture before they have even started working for me?

There are a few things you may do to gain some understanding before making a further investment, even if there is no perfect way to ascertain a candidate's genuine attitude and personality before you contact with them on a daily basis. Although it's not impossible, it does require a little more time and money up front, but in the long term, it will be well worth it. Pay attention to these pointers while hiring for culture fit:

Clearly Define your Company Culture and Values

Clearly defining your vision and values is the first step in making sure a prospective hiring is compatible with your company culture. Obtain buy-in from the entire organisation and document your corporate culture in your employee handbook so that it is constantly accessible.

Reference your Company Culture and Values in Job Description

Make sure your job postings mention your culture and utilise language consistent with company values right from the start. Candidates should know after reading your job description whether they would fit in with your workplace and should apply or not.

During the interview process, talk about these principles and what it really means to be a member of your company's culture.

Be open and honest about the environment that exists at work every day. Inform potential hires about any cultural efforts your team members can take part in and how they help to create a positive, healthy work environment. Examples include a business wellness programme or regular social outings.

Ask Culture Fit interview Questions 

To find out if their responses are consistent with your values, ask candidates "How would you manage yourself if presented with XYZ ethical challenge" or "How would you treat a fellow employee in XYZ situation" during interviews in order to identify if their mindset would align with the businesses.

Get to know Potential Candidates on a more Personal Level

In a formal interview situation, it might be challenging to evaluate someone's personality and moral character. Before spending money on hiring a top prospect, take them out for lunch, coffee, or to a company-wide social function to evaluate how they get along with other team members.

Focus on Company Culture During Onboarding

While onboarding should go over processes and daily job duties, it is also the perfect opportunity to discuss your corporate culture. Don't assume that your new hires are aware of your company's principles or how you expect them to conduct themselves and treat others; instead, be sure to clarify everything to them before they begin working in their new position.

Check-in with New Hires

To make sure your new hires feel like they are integrating into your culture and are at ease in your workplace environment, check in with them at the end of their first day, week, and month. If there is an issue, it may ideally be dealt with immediately this way rather than escalating or spreading.

An important factor in determining a company's success is its culture. It is essential for enhancing productivity, performance, and employee engagement. Employees that feel more a part of their workplace are happier, have higher levels of job satisfaction, are more devoted, work more, and are more likely to stick with their organisation. Cultural compatibility is crucial for this reason.

According to Gartner, Inc., enterprise IT spending on public cloud computing will surpass investment in traditional IT in various market segments in 2025. 

Only those enterprise IT categories within the markets for application software, infrastructure software, business process services, and system infrastructure are included in Gartner's "cloud shift" research. By 2025, traditional solutions will account for only 41% of IT investment in these four areas, while 51% will have moved to the public cloud. In 2025, cloud technologies will account for over two-thirds (65.9%) of application software investment, up from 57.7% in 2022.

As organizations adjusted to a new business and social dynamic during the past two years, the transition to the cloud has further intensified as a result of COVID-19. The risk of technology and service providers becoming obsolete or, at best, being relegated to low-growth areas is increasing, according to Michael Warrilow, Research Vice President at Gartner. 

Traditional products will make up 58.7% of the addressable revenue in 2022, but their growth rate will be substantially slower than that of the cloud. Long-term digital transformation and modernization activities will be accelerated until 2022, which will further accelerate the migration to the cloud due to the demand for integration capabilities, agile work processes, and composable architecture. Technology product managers should use the cloud shift as a measure of market opportunity.

According to Gartner, the migration to the cloud will affect enterprise IT investment of more than US$ 1.3 trillion in 2022 and approximately US$ 1.8 trillion in 2025. The development of new technologies, such as distributed cloud, will amplify the ongoing disruption of the IT industry by cloud. The distinction between traditional and cloud products will increasingly become hazy. 
Enterprise adoption of distributed cloud has the potential to hasten the cloud transition since it expands the addressable market by bringing public cloud services into traditionally non-cloud domains. Due to its capacity to satisfy location-specific needs including data sovereignty, low latency, and network bandwidth, organizations are examining it.

Gartner advises technology and service providers to actively target market segments where the move to the cloud is occurring in addition to looking for new, high-growth cloud possibilities to benefit from it. Infrastructure-related categories, for instance, are likely to grow more quickly than enterprise applications, a segment that has a high level of cloud penetration. With their go-to-market strategies, providers should also focus on certain personas, adoption profiles, and use cases. 

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has become an important aspect of the future. These days, it seems to be a topic that everyone is thinking about. Although this significant trend in technological advancement has been known to us for some time, we have recently noted that AI is becoming one of the most sought-after specialties among job seekers.

A decade ago, AI technology appeared like something out of science fiction; today, we unknowingly employ it in everyday activities like automation, facial and speech recognition, and intelligence research. According to data, during the past four years, the use of AI in several commercial areas has increased by 270 %.

The demand for artificial intelligence is being driven by the expansion of automation, 5G, databases, cloud computing, and a number of other factors. It is projected that AI's inclusion into cybersecurity services would be driven by its capacity to detect cyber risks.

But what will AI mean for the future of work? As computers and technology have evolved, this has been one of the most pressing questions.

Before we delve into the specific ways that AI will affect the future of employment, it's critical to define AI simply. Artificial intelligence is simply "the ability of a digital computer or computer-controlled robot to accomplish tasks often associated with intelligent beings," according to a simple definition. The word "AI" has evolved to refer to any developments in computing, systems, and technology that enable computer programmes to carry out activities or address issues that call for the kind of reasoning we associate with human intelligence, even picking up from prior experiences.

The Impact of AI in Information Technology

Many fundamental problems in the IT business are now being solved and optimised by new developments brought about by the digital transformation and the adoption of AI technology by many industries. Almost all technological applications, including information technology, are centred on artificial intelligence (AI). The load on developers has been lessened by the integration of AI systems by increasing productivity, increasing efficiency, and guaranteeing quality. Previously nearly impossible, the development and deployment of IT systems on a broad scale is now feasible thanks to AI's creation of sophisticated algorithmic functions.

More Secure Systems

When it comes to protecting confidential data of any kind, including financial and personal information, data security is crucial. Large volumes of consumer and strategic data are kept in storage by both public and commercial enterprises, and they must always be kept secure. Artificial intelligence can offer the necessary level of security to build a high-security layer inside all of these systems by utilising cutting-edge algorithms and machine learning. AI will assist in identifying potential risks and data breaches while also offering the necessary precautions and solutions to prevent any system flaws.

Enhanced Coding Productivity

In addition, artificial intelligence employs a number of algorithms that can directly assist programmers in finding and fixing software issues as well as in the authoring of code. In order to help engineers write clean, bug-free code, several forms of artificial intelligence have been developed to make suggestions. This has increased efficiency and productivity. The AI system will be able to make helpful suggestions by analysing the structure of the code, which will increase productivity overall and reduce downtime during production.

Increased Automation

The fact that much of the "legwork" can be completed with little to no human involvement is one of the main advantages of automation. IT organisations can greatly reduce the number of human hours spent on backend procedures by automating them with deep learning applications, which can provide significant cost benefits. The effectiveness of many AI-enabled techniques will also increase over time as their algorithms learn from their blunders.

Fraud Detection

Fraud detection has become considerably simpler for businesses thanks to modern technology. However, it has also increased the number of methods that fraudsters are committing fraud at the same time. For the majority of firms, identifying fraud will require a multi-layered strategy that often includes statistical data analysis and AI. Several Artificial intelligence tools are employed in the detection of fraud. One of these is machine learning, which is significantly more efficient than people at processing massive volumes of data.

Additionally, it may be made to improve over time in terms of speed and precision. By examining past data that featured comparable conditions, machine learning techniques will be able to spot patterns of fraudulent behaviour. The IT department will then use the synthesized data to take the appropriate action against these cyber criminals as well as build more effective preventive measures for the future.

Improved Quality Assurance

Using the appropriate tools during the development cycle is a key component of quality assurance. To put it another way, AI techniques can assist software engineers in using the appropriate tools to resolve various application defects and difficulties and automatically modify them throughout the development cycle.

Better Server Optimization

The hosting server is frequently inundated with millions of requests every day. When this occurs, the server must load any requested web pages from users. Some servers may become unresponsive and eventually slow down due to the constant barrage of requests. AI can assist with host service optimization to raise overall operations and customer satisfaction. AI will be employed more and more as IT needs grow, helping to meet workforce needs and facilitating a smoother transition between present business and technical operations.

Should Companies Implement AI?

Organizations can incorporate artificial intelligence into their processes in a variety of ways. To optimise the business's procedures is one of the most popular justifications. Let's take the example of using AI to automatically remind teams, clients, and departments. In addition to handling a wide range of tedious and repetitive duties that would otherwise take up a lot of people's time, it may also be used to monitor network traffic. They will then have more time and energy to devote to the more important facets of the company as a result of this.

The tailored customer experience that AI has to offer is another bonus for businesses looking to utilise it. This will cover everything from making recommendations to responding to inquiries, guiding customers toward items, and more. Businesses can also utilise AI to combine massive amounts of data, which can result in the discovery of strategic insights and business intelligence that might not have been made otherwise.

Will AI Replace IT?

One of the main reasons some businesses are hesitant to use artificial intelligence technology is that they worry that it will render a lot of employment outdated and irrelevant. These expressed worries that "robots" will replace people are not entirely unwarranted because some tasks are better performed by cutting-edge AI, especially when they call for the processing of large amounts of data.

However, when it comes to some particular tasks that require human intelligence and emotion, AI will not perform better than humans, contrary to what some people may believe. The backing of artificial intelligence by information technology is crucial for this reason. AI benefits the IT department in a variety of ways, not by replacing it.

In many areas of information technology, human input is necessary and cannot be substituted by artificial intelligence. Instead, businesses should concentrate on how IT specialists can use AI to increase their organization's overall effectiveness.

You’re in the interview and they ask you, “why are you applying for this position?”… or “why did you apply for this job?”…

Are you prepared with what you want to say?

It's one of the most straightforward interview questions, and how you respond could determine whether you get the job or not.

The employer will be able to see from your response how excited you are about the chance and what made you want the position. There are two main reasons why employers ask candidates such questions as "why did you apply for this job?" or "why are you interested in this position?" They'll check to see first if you've done your homework and are aware of what their job entails. Second, they want to know if you have considered your career and know what you want.

Focus on the position for which you are interviewing when responding to this question. Instead of expressing reservations about your current work or employer, try to focus your conversation on the prospects you see with the new employment. Confidence and professionalism will be communicated by positively structuring the dialogue.

There are a few general measures you may take while you get ready for the interview, though you should definitely develop an answer to this question that highlights your distinctive abilities and traits in relation to the position:

1. The Position

By preparing for this question prior to the interview, you'll be able to respond to the hiring manager's question quickly and professionally. You must first comprehend the position's responsibilities in order to formulate a response. It is a good idea to read the job description in its entirety before the interview. Will you be interacting with customers? Are you going to be in charge of accounting-related duties? This information is crucial for understanding which of your qualifications are most pertinent to the position and for effectively expressing your reasons for applying for it.

2. Research the Company

Be careful you read the job description and research the firm before the interview. You might express a specific interest in the position to the interviewer by demonstrating that you did your research on the organisation and its business strategy.

• The company website: Begin with the “About Us” page, and look for company press releases, blogs or social media profiles.
• Outside media coverage: Find recent news stories or press releases related to the organization.
• Personal networks: Consider reaching out to your own connections to learn about the company culture and inner workings.

3. Structure your Answer

Condense and organise your response after researching the company and the job description in relation to your background. Even while writing down your response can help, you get better at it, you should be ready to speak out even if you don't have the information in front of you. Instead of memorising it, keep in mind a few important points you wish to make.

Consider including the following three pieces of information in your response while preparing your response:

How would this job help you improve professionally?

How does the job fit in with your long-term objectives?

What makes this job unique?

What about you makes you a particularly good fit for this organisation or job?

Your response should demonstrate that you read the job description in its entirety and thoughtfully considered if the employment was actually a suitable fit for you both now and in the future. Finally, it shows that you are more interested in that particular position than other comparable roles.

4. End your answer with a question

Ending your response with a pertinent question for the interviewer is a great strategy to differentiate yourself from other job candidates. The interview becomes more conversational when you conclude your statement with a question. Additionally, it demonstrates that you're not afraid to seek clarification when necessary.

Pride Month is all about celebrating LGBTQ+ communities across the globe and being proud of who you are no matter who you love.

The suggestion to call the movement 'Pride' came from L. Craig Schoonmaker who in 2015 said:

"A lot of people were very repressed, they were conflicted internally, and didn't know how to come out and be proud. That's how the movement was most useful, because they thought, maybe I should be proud."

Pride is celebrated in the month of June across the world in honor of the 1969 Stonewall Uprising in Manhattan; a pivotal point in the Gay Liberation Movement. On June 28th, 1969, NYC police raided the Stonewall Inn, a gay pub located in Greenwich Village.

The raid sparked riots when police roughly hauled employees and patrons out of the bar, which lead to 6 days of protests and violent clashes with law enforcement outside the bar on Christopher Street and in the neighbouring streets and parks. These riots served as a catalyst for the gay rights movement around the world.

Here is a round-up of some of the most influential and notable people in the tech industry who identify as LGBTQ+.

Name: Tim Cook
Role: CEO of Apple

Tim Cook isn't only one of the most powerful LGBTQ+ people in tech, but one of the most powerful people in tech EVER. Cook was Apple's CIO, prior to becoming the CEO in the summer of 2011.

Cook came out publicly as gay in 2014 in personal essay he wrote for Bloomberg Businessweek. He mentioned that whilst he wanted to keep his private life private, he felt it was his duty to come out in a way to help the gay community. In the essay, Cook said:

"It has been tough and uncomfortable at times, but it has given me the confidence to be myself, to follow my own path, and to rise above adversity and bigotry. It's also given me the skin of a rhinoceros, which comes in handy when you're the CEO of Apple."

Name: Arlan Hamilton
Role: Co-Founder & CEO of Backstage Capital

Hamilton is a managing partner at Backstage Capital, a VC firm she started in 2015 when she was homeless. Backstage invest in companies which are led by underrepresented founders, such as women, people of colour and LGBTQ+ individuals.

In a September 2018 cover story, Fast Company said Hamilton was "the only black, queer woman to have ever built a venture capital firm from scratch".

Name: Joel Simkhai
Role: Founder of Grindr

In 2009, Joel Simkhai founded Grindr, a dating app for men in the LGBTQ+ community. Simkhai told Business Insider that the app stemmed from his "selfish desire" to meet more gay men, which now has almost 4 million daily users.

Simkhai remained the CEO of Grindr until 2018, when the app was sold for more than $150 million to a Chinese gaming company.

Name: Leanne Pittsford
Role: Founder & CTO of Lesbians Who Tech

In her time, Leanne Pittsford has founded three tech-centric diversity initiatives:
- Lesbians Who Tech
- include.io
- Tech Jobs Tour

Since 2012, Lesbians Who Tech has offered opportunities to give visibility and equality to LGBTQ+ women and non-binary individuals in the tech sector. Her other two initiatives are aimed at mentoring and recruiting underrepresented groups in the tech industry.

Pittsford got married in June 2017 to political consultant Pia Carusone.

Name: Megan Smith

Role: Former chief technology officer of the United States

Megan is an award-winning entrepreneur, engineer and tech evangelist. She was appointed in 2014 under President Obama as the first-ever female US CTO Prior to this, she aided with the launch of some fantastic initiatives such as Women Tech-makers and SolveForX during her time as VP at Google. To add, she was also the former CEO of PlanetOut – a leader of the online LGBT community back in the very first few years of the Internet.

After leaving the White House in 2017, Smith helped the Tech Jobs Tour to bring diverse talent into the tech sector. Smith is also the founder and CEO of shift7, a collective focused on bringing together figures in tech and public service.

Name: Leanne Pittsford

Role: Founder and CEO of Lesbians Who Tech

Pittsford has founded three tech-centric diversity initiatives: Lesbians Who Tech, include.io, and Tech Jobs Tour.

She defines herself as “an entrepreneur, investor and thought leader at the intersection of technology and economic opportunity for All Americans and believes that economic power is a driving force for cultural and societal change! Lesbians Who Tech is the largest LGBTQ community of technologists in the world – with over 40,000 members to boast and more than 5,000 attending the annual summit every year!

It offers programming and opportunities to give visibility and opportunity to LGBTQ+ women and non-binary individuals in the tech sector. The other two initiatives are aimed at mentoring and recruiting underrepresented groups in tech.

High-profile cyberattacks, data breaches, and ransomware attacks have dominated the headlines over the past year or so, causing organizations all around the world to review their cybersecurity strategies. For organisations that do not regard cybersecurity as a business investment, the destructive effects of cyberattacks on a company's ability to operate will increase in the future.

The Gartner Security & Risk Management Summit, June 20-21 in Sydney, Australia, delivered sobering revelations about the future of cybersecurity — with the aim of helping security and risk management leaders succeed in the digital era.

Richard Addiscott, senior director analyst, and Rob McMillan, managing vice president, of Gartner, highlighted important patterns in their opening keynote talk. One of these trends was the emerging relationship between Executives performance evaluations and the capacity to handle cyber risk.

Gartner’s experts noted that almost one-third of all nations will regulate ransomware response within the next three years; and security platform consolidation will help organisations thrive in hostile environments.

“We can’t fall into old habits and try to treat everything the same as we did in the past,” Addiscott told attendees. “Most security and risk leaders now recognize that major disruption is only one crisis away. We can’t control it, but we can evolve our thinking, our philosophy, our program and our architecture.”

Gartner recommends that cybersecurity leaders build several strategic planning assumptions into their security strategies for the next two years:

1. Consumer privacy rights will be extended

Privacy regulation continues to expand and the tech analyst predicts it will be extended to cover five billion people, and more than 70% of global GDP. It said organizations should track subject rights request metrics, including cost per request and time to fulfill, to identify inefficiencies and justify accelerated automation.

2. By 2025, 80% of enterprises will adopt a strategy to unify web, cloud services and private application access

Garter said with the rise of hybrid work, vendors are offering integrated services across web and cloud-application security. The benefit here is tighter integration, fewer consoles to use, and fewer locations where data must be decrypted, inspected and re-encrypted.

3. Many organizations will embrace zero-trust, but fail to realize the benefits

The tech analyst predicts that by 2025, 60% of organizations will attempt to adopt zero-trust security, a concept that assumes there is no traditional 'perimeter' to the corporate network, so all devices and users have to be regularly re-authenticated. But it said more than half will fail to realize the benefits.

Replacing implicit trust with identity -- and context-based, risk-appropriate trust -- is extremely powerful, said Gartner, but requires a cultural shift and clear communication that ties it to business outcomes to achieve the benefits. And not all companies will be successful.

4. Cybersecurity will become key to choosing business partners

Gartner predicts that 60% of organizations will use cybersecurity risk as a "primary determinant" in conducting third-party transactions and business engagements by 2025. Only 23% of organisations monitor third parties in real time for cybersecurity exposure, according to Gartner. But as a result of pressure from customers and regulators, it believes organizations will start to insist on measuring cybersecurity risk, ranging from simple monitoring of a critical technology supplier to complex due diligence for mergers and acquisitions.

5. Ransomware payment legislation will rise

At the moment there is little legislation around when companies can -- and can't -- pay ransomware demands. That could be about to change; Gartner predicts one in three countries will introduce such laws soon. The decision to pay the ransom or not is a business-level decision, not a security one. Gartner recommends engaging a professional incident-response team as well as law enforcement and any regulatory body before negotiating.

6. Hackers will weaponize operational technology environments to cause human casualties

Attacks on OT -- hardware and software that monitors or controls equipment, assets and processes and is often the brains behind industrial systems in factories or power grids -- have become more common and more disruptive, Gartner said, warning that threat actors will have "weaponized" operational technology environments to cause human casualties by 2025. "In operational environments, security and risk management leaders should be more concerned about real-world hazards to humans and the environment, rather than information theft", according to the analyst firm.

7. Resilience will be about more than just cybersecurity

By 2025, 70% of CEOs will drive a culture of organizational resilience to deal with threats from cybercrime, but also from severe weather events, civil unrest and political instabilities, Gartner said: "With continued disruption likely, Gartner recommends that risk leaders recognize organizational resilience as a strategic imperative."

8. Cybersecurity will matter for the CEO's bonus

By 2026, 50% of C-level executives will have performance requirements related to risk built into their employment contracts, Gartner said. As boards now increasingly regard cybersecurity as a business risk rather than just a technical problem, accountability for cyber risk will shift from the security leader to senior business leaders, it said.

Video interviews are an important part of the hiring process and are becoming more popular and they're definitely here to stay. Understanding the requirements of a video interview will help you feel more at ease and succeed during the process. In this article, we'll go over what a video interview is, how to prepare for one, and how to handle any potential issues that may arise.

Choose a Suitable Location

It's important to choose a quiet and appropriate environment for your video interview. If you want an interviewer to focus on you, go somewhere with few interruptions. Select a wall with a neutral background and, ideally, no photographs or artwork behind you. Make sure you have adequate lighting, either from natural light or from a nearby light source. Set up your camera so the upper third of your body is clearly visible to the interviewer.

It is critical that you have a stable internet connection at your location. Whether you're concerned about your home's internet speed, ask if your local public library has a private room that you may reserve. Even if they have better internet, coffee shops and other communal locations should be avoided.

Dress Appropriately

You want to make sure that you're dressed appropriately for you if video interviews, it doesn't have to be the traditional suit, but make sure you're wearing something smart and also make sure there's no distractions in the background. Research the company culture before your interview, so you have a good idea of what's appropriate. Position the camera so that you are looking up slightly and centred on the screen. While it's likely that the interviewer will only see your upper half, it's still a good idea to wear professional trousers or a skirt in case you need to stand up for any reason.

Arrive Early and Review your Setup

You want to give a really good first impression to your next potential employer and it’s a sign of professionalism for you to arrive on your video interviews approximately five minutes before they start. This gives you time to review and ensure all your technology is working before the interview, make sure you have a strong internet connect and to make sure that you've got the right link. Ensure you check the camera and audio on your computer or phone and if you're going to wear headphones throughout the interview, ensure sure they're compatible with the software.

Use Video Interviews to your Advantage

 You've got a lot of great resources that you can have open while she sat at home. During your interviews, you can have the company website, you can have your resume open in front of you. You can have the interviewers LinkedIn profile, actually using all the things to your advantage should make a great first impression and make sure you got there in the smash video interviews.

To Conclude

It's imperative that you are able to check all the things that you can control within the interview; however, we do understand that some things do go wrong with doing video interviews. That is part of doing them remotely, but control of the controllable.

DevOps culture and procedure are critical for enterprises to keep up with the pace of cloud-native software development, especially when code deployments happen multiple times per day. The capacity to construct, populate, and grow cloud apps and infrastructure in real time, frequently through code, offers for extraordinary agility and speed. Security, on the other hand, is frequently left in the dust when things move so swiftly.

The reality is that many businesses have yet to figure out how to effectively secure the cloud. A lack of cloud security knowledge, along with legacy security regulations that do not cover the cloud and a scarcity of cybersecurity expertise relevant to cloud systems, is a problem. And thieves are eager to exploit these flaws: according to a 2021 research, nearly half of the more than 2,500 publicly publicised cloud-related vulnerabilities were discovered in the recent 18 months.

Security must be integrated at every level of the DevOps life cycle, also known as DevSecOps, due to the flexible nature of cloud technology. Any firm that uses the cloud must adopt a DevSecOps approach, which necessitates new security guidelines, policies, procedures, and technologies.

There are two primary goals of DevSecOps-

1. Secure Code  

2. Speedy Delivery

Advances in IT like cloud computing, shared resources, and dynamic provisioning requires application security in every stage, and DevSecOps entails the same.

The Cloud is a Vulnerable Platform
Data breaches are one of the most pressing risks for any company today. The methods employed by attackers to enter cloud settings differ from those utilised in on-premises environments. Malware attacks are rare; typically, attackers take use of misconfigurations and other flaws.

Another important worry is that most firms employ multi-cloud, which might result in a lack of visibility. It can lead to cloud workloads and traffic not being properly monitored, allowing attackers to exploit security flaws. DevOps teams also have a habit of giving people considerably more privileges and permissions than they require to do their jobs, which increases the risk of identity-based attacks. According to studies, identity-based assaults were used in roughly 80% of cyberattacks to compromise legitimate credentials.

Installing cryptominers onto a company's system is another option for attackers to profit from cloud vulnerabilities. Cryptocurrency mining necessitates a significant amount of computational power. Threat actors will employ hacked cloud accounts to carry out this operation and make as much money as possible while draining the company's resources.

Security Shifting to the Left
Protecting the cloud entails safeguarding an ever-increasing attack surface that includes everything from cloud workloads to virtual servers and other cloud-related technology. Attackers are continuously on the lookout for weak points in systems, especially susceptible cloud applications. With more organisations turning to the cloud than ever before to fulfil the needs of a remote workforce, the number of cloud apps available has grown.

Traditionally, security is applied to code as the final step before it is released. When vulnerabilities are discovered, the release is either postponed or the development team is forced to hustle to fix each security flaw while the security team scrambles to review the updates. Shifting security left for DevOps teams guarantees that vulnerable code is found as it is built rather than during the testing phase, lowering costs and resulting in secure cloud apps.

Shift left security is a critical component of the software development life cycle, and getting it correctly should be a top concern. Organizations can accomplish DevSecOps and greatly reduce security issues surrounding cloud-native software and application development by incorporating security into the early phases of the development process.

Cloud security that is effective can enable DevSecOps

DevSecOps technologies and techniques can help companies develop a strong and secure cloud foundation. Cloud security requires a unified view of multi-cloud environments and constant intelligent monitoring of all cloud services. That unified visibility must be able to detect misconfigurations, vulnerabilities, and security threats while also giving developers and DevOps teams with actionable insights and automated remedies.

Additionally, it's critical to have the correct security policies in place that enforce cloud security standards throughout the entire infrastructure to satisfy (or exceed) industry and government regulations. This encompasses everything from multi-factor authentication to general security best practises for all employees, as well as a robust incident response system that guarantees the organisation is ready for an attack.

Up-to-date threat intelligence, on the other hand, should always be at the heart of any good cloud security strategy. Adversaries are continuously devising new techniques to attack the cloud and looking for flaws to exploit. It's critical to have the most up-to-date information about threat actors and their techniques, and then apply it to breach detection. Threat intelligence allows security teams to anticipate attacks and properly prioritise protection, mitigation, and repair in order to avoid them. DevSecOps provides enterprises with the prevention, detection, visibility, and reaction tools they need to defeat attackers by delivering all of this functionality from and for the cloud.

Juneteenth is a commemoration of the end of the United States' historic practise of slavery, which takes place on June 19th. In this sense, Juneteenth is a day dedicated to celebrating the "freedom" of all Americans.

Whether you grew up celebrating Juneteenth or are unfamiliar with the festival, here's what you need to know about its meaning, how it came to be, and why it is so important to so many people.

History of Juneteenth

The Emancipation Proclamation (signed by President Abraham Lincoln on January 1, 1863) is widely regarded as the official end of slavery. While this isn't totally accurate, many African descendants were enslaved for several years following the proclamation. That's because Lincoln's edict was more concerned with preserving the Union than with abolishing slavery.

In an open letter to Horace Greeley, the editor of the New York Tribune, Lincoln stated, “My paramount object in this struggle is to save the Union, and is not either to save or destroy Slavery.”

"If I could rescue the Union without freeing a single slave, I would do it; if I could save it by freeing all the slaves, I would do it; and if I could save it by freeing some slaves while leaving others alone, I would do it." What I do in regards to slavery and the coloured people is because I believe it aids in the preservation of the Union." Lincoln, who was known for his forthrightness, plainly saw his proclamation as a political instrument rather than a method of liberty.

Its impact confirms this. "All persons held as slaves" within the rebellious states "are, and henceforward shall be free," Lincoln announced in his Emancipation Proclamation of 1863. This meant that the proclamation only applied to states that had seceded from the Union, leaving slavery in border states and Southern states under Northern rule unaffected. Furthermore, the promise of abolition that Juneteenth commemorates was conditional on the Union army's victory in the Civil War, which did not occur until April 1865.

But here's where the significance of Juneteenth comes into play: The Union had to enforce emancipation even after slavery was proclaimed abolished. After Union troops commanded by Major General Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston on June 19, 1865, roughly 250,000 individuals in Texas were still enslaved when the war ended and all of the enslaved were set free.

Although slavery would not be abolished in all states until the 13th Amendment was ratified in December 1865, June 19 — Juneteenth — was the day when the last enslaved persons in America were freed, resulting in tremendous celebrations.

How do people celebrate Juneteenth?

The first Juneteenth anniversary celebration took place in 1866, a year after Granger's order. Since then, events in various parts of the US have carried on the practise of recognising this significant day. In 1872, a group of freed slaves pooled $800 to buy ten acres of property in Houston, Texas, for the city's annual Juneteenth celebrations. Emancipation Park was the name given to the area, and it is still used for Juneteenth festivities today.

Following the 2020 racial justice uprisings, an increasing number of businesses have opted to make Juneteenth an annual holiday for their employees. Texas was the first state to declare Juneteenth a state holiday in 1980, and the day is now recognised as a state holiday in 45 states and Washington, D.C.

Despite the lack of official recognition by the federal government, the holiday has survived thanks to rich traditions. Every year on June 19th, since the first Juneteenth, little communities across the United States have exploded in celebration. However, everyone has an own perspective on how to commemorate Juneteenth. Grand parades or community meetings may be held, as well as vibrant celebrations such as festivals with local musicians performing, storytelling, picnics, and a Juneteenth mainstay – barbecues. Red drinks and delicacies are traditionally served at these barbecues, with red representing resilience.

Why does Juneteenth matter?

Juneteenth's history encapsulates both the good and the terrible of what makes the United States what it is: it's a symbol of emancipation, but one that was postponed owing to white supremacy's persistent hostility and resistance to equality - something that all too often feels very American.

After all, what good is freedom if you're treated as a second-class citizen? Black people have fought for equality and a different sort of freedom from the beginning of Juneteenth to the present day.

“Today's political climate is the result of a concerted effort over many years to teach individuals a revised history: that the system of slavery was related to state’s rights, when in fact it was a treasonous act that this nation must not revisit. One of the ways we can prevent another uprising of a treasonous act [like slavery] is to recognize milestones like Juneteenth,” president of the NAACP, Derrick Johnson says. “I think the significance and purpose of recognizing Juneteenth is something that all citizens should acknowledge because, if there is not a retelling or remembrance of the true history in this nation, we're doomed to repeat it.”

In a country that prides itself on being the “land of the free,” this is just one of our many national contradictions and hypocrisies, another one of which is, notably, right around the corner: The 4th of July. It’s a day meant to celebrate when America declared independence from the British in 1776 and is referred to as “Independence Day,” despite the fact that black Americans weren’t even considered to be people at that time.

“This Fourth July is yours, not mine. You may rejoice, I must mourn,” said Frederick Douglass on July 5, 1852, during an event commemorating the signing of the Declaration of Independence. “I am not included within the pale of glorious anniversary! Your high independence only reveals the immeasurable distance between us. The blessings in which you, this day, rejoice, are not enjoyed in common. The rich inheritance of justice, liberty, prosperity and independence, bequeathed by your fathers, is shared by you, not by me.”

Creating a company vision may be simple, but getting your employees to buy into it is tough. Even the best employees can struggle with this at times, and may require direction on how to best match their vision with the company's.

Employees must closely align with their company's values and goal in order to attain this vision. Only 40% of millennial employees polled felt closely linked to their company's vision, according to Gallup's 2016 research, How Millennials Want to Work and Live. This gap will almost certainly result in a lack of direction and disgruntled staff.

Here is how to get your valued employees to align with your company vision:

1. Set clear company goals

Every company needs a set of clearly stated objectives that employees may follow and match with their personal objectives. This allows them to prioritise their tasks and concentrate their efforts in the most effective way possible. The more specific the objectives, the better!

2. Hire the right culture fit

Hiring people that fit your company's culture minimises turnover, increases job happiness, and improves the quality of work you do. Employ people who have the necessary skills and personality attributes for your company's culture, not just those who meet the job description.

3. Play to employee strengths

According to Gallup's "State of the American Workplace" report from February 2017. They discovered that focusing on an employee's strengths rather than trying to improve their faults is far more effective. Know your employees' talents so you can align them with the company's goals.

4. Get top management to involved

Employees must hear the company's vision at all times in order to become aligned with it. During the hiring process, the vision should be communicated, incorporated into the onboarding process, and then continually reinforced during their employment. When this happens, employees are more likely to have a sense of belonging and are less inclined to leave. Top management must be actively involved and regularly communicate and remind staff of the company's objectives.

Virtualization is a process of creating a virtual environment. It enables users to run different operating systems on a same computer. It creates a virtual (rather than physical) version of an operating system, a server, or network resources. Virtualization can be considered as part of a broader trend in IT environments that will govern themselves based on perceived activity and utility computing in many organisations. The most crucial goal of virtualization is to reduce administrative tasks while improving scalability and workloads. However, virtualization can also be used to improve security.

In today's work context, virtualization offers numerous advantages. Running many workloads allows physical server resources to reach their full potential. Operating system instances are able to be divorced from the underlying hardware and move freely between several hosts in a cluster setup without causing any negative consequences.

High-availability mechanisms that were never before possible, such as the ability to restart virtual machines on a separate server if the primary host dies, are now possible. By abstracting the network from the underlying physical network switches, wiring, and other devices, virtualized networking provides many of the same benefits to network traffic.

In this article, we will see how virtualization technology is improving security by means of innovative ways security problems and challenges are being met with virtualized solutions.

Security is of Primary Concern

Organizations today are quickly recognising how critical security objectives are, regardless of the project or business activities involved. However, security is being scrutinised more than ever before, particularly with regard to technology infrastructure. Large-scale, high-profile data breaches that make significant news headlines are not the type of attention that companies want. Ransomware attacks that disrupt business-critical systems are equally alarming. Today's businesses must have a razor-sharp focus on security concerns and how to effectively address them.

With any plans to integrate new technologies or go forward with new infrastructure, security cannot be an afterthought. It must be built into the project as a required component to ensure that essential aspects of the security thought process are not overlooked. The virtualization era has altered the way businesses think about security and privacy. Many of the security boundaries that existed in the strictly physical world have been broken down because to virtualized technology.

After installing new technology, many companies consider the security concerns. Virtualization has numerous advantages, making it simple to sell in IT architectures. Virtualization can help you save money, improve business efficiency, reduce maintenance downtime without disrupting operations, and get more work done with less equipment.

The following are the few ways to minimize risk and improve security through virtualization:

Sandboxing

Sandboxing is a security strategy that isolates running applications from untrusted third parties, vendors, and websites. It's commonly used to run untested code or programmes. Sandboxing's major purpose is to increase virtualization security by isolating an application to protect it from external malware, destructive viruses, and stopped-running apps, among other things. Put any experimental or unstable apps in a virtual machine. The remainder of the system is unaffected.

Since your application can be attacked maliciously while running in a browser, it's always a good idea to run your apps in a virtual machine. Virtualization and sandbox technology are closely related. Virtual computing provides some of the advantages of sandboxes without the high cost of a new device. The virtual machine is connected to the Internet rather than the corporate LAN, which protects the operating system and apps from viruses and other malicious threats.

Server Virtualization

Server virtualization is the process of dividing a physical server into smaller virtual servers in order to maximise resources. The physical server is divided into many virtual environments by the administrator. Hackers nowadays frequently steal official server logs. Small virtual servers can run their own operating systems and restart independently thanks to server virtualization. Stable and compromised programmes are identified and isolated using virtualized servers.

This sort of virtualization is most commonly found on web servers that offer low-cost web hosting. Server utilisation manages the complex aspects of server resources while enhancing utilisation and capacity. Furthermore, a virtualized server makes it simple to detect dangerous viruses or other harmful items while simultaneously safeguarding the server, virtual machines, and the entire network.

Network Virtualization

Network virtualization combines network hardware and software resources, as well as network functionality, into a single virtual network. Virtual networks, which use network virtualization, reduce the impact of malware on the system. Furthermore, network virtualization produces logical virtual networks from the underlying network hardware, allowing virtual environments to better integrate.

Isolation is an important feature of network virtualization. It allows end-to-end custom services to be implemented on the fly by dynamically combining various virtual networks that coexist in isolation. They share and utilise network resources received from infrastructure providers to operate those virtual networks for users.

Segmentation is another important element of network virtualization. The network is divided into subnets, which improves performance by reducing local web traffic and enhancing security by making the network's internal network structure invisible from the outside. By generating single instances of software programmes that serve many customers, network virtualization is also utilised to develop a virtualized infrastructure to fulfil complicated requirements.

Desktop Virtualization

This lets users to generate, change, and delete photos while also separating the desktop environment from the computer that is used to access it. Administrators may simply manage employee computers with desktop virtualization. This protects people from attacking computers with viruses or gaining illegal access.

Additionally, the user gains additional security from the guest OS image for the desktop environment. Such environment allows the users to save or copy data to the server rather than the disk, thus making desktop virtualization more secure option for networking.

To Conclude:

On the security front, virtualization is possibly one of the most effective strategies that businesses can use to combat harm and criminal intent. These principles demonstrate how virtualization can help your firm reduce risk and increase security.

Regular upgrades and vulnerability scans are required for all technology-based systems (virtualization included) to reduce the chance of weakness, and the adoption of hardened virtual machine images is strongly recommended.

June is Pride Month, a month dedicated to honouring LGBTQ+ groups and celebrating the right to be oneself. It is a celebration of people coming together in love and friendship to illustrate how far LGBTQ+ rights have progressed and how much work remains in some areas.

Acceptance, equality, honouring the achievements of LGBTQ+ persons, learning about LGBTQ+ history, and raising awareness of issues affecting the LGBTQ+ community are all part of Pride Month.

The initial organisers picked June to commemorate the Stonewall riots in New York City in June 1969, which sparked the contemporary gay rights movement. The majority of Pride festivities take place in June each year, while some areas celebrate at other times of the year.

But how did the last half-century of Pride become what it is today, and what are the best ways to celebrate? Let's take a look at Pride's history, its impact around the world, and what the future holds for the movement.

What is Pride Month?

Pride Month is an entire month dedicated to uplifting LGBTQ voices, celebrating LGBTQ culture, and advocating for LGBTQ rights, and it is founded in the long struggle of minority groups to overcome discrimination and be accepted for who they are. There have traditionally been parades, protests, drag performances, live theatre, and tributes and celebrations of life for members of the community who have died as a result of HIV/AIDS during the month of June around the country. It's a combination of political campaigning and a celebration of everything the LGBTQ community has accomplished over the years.

Where did it start?

Pride Month commemorates the June 1969 Stonewall Riots. 

In the early hours of June 28, 1969, police raided the Stonewall Inn, a gay bar in New York's Greenwich Village, and began dragging customers outside. Tensions quickly escalated as patrons resisted arrest and a growing crowd of bystanders threw bottles and coins at the officers. The LGBT community in New York, fed up with years of harassment by authorities, erupted in three-day neighbourhood riots.

The Stonewall Riots gave the global 'Gay Liberation' movement a new push. Encouragement of talks regarding the lives and perspectives of LGBTQ+ people was a key component of this movement, as did fighting for fundamental change in how LGBTQ+ persons were viewed by society. In the UK, for example, the Pride movement witnessed the emergence and establishment of grassroots organisations that sought to stop the mistreatment of LGBTQ+ individuals. The Campaign for Homosexual Equality is a key example of this.

Brenda Howard, a bisexual activist, organised the first Pride event in New York City on June 28, 1970. The first march, dubbed the Christopher Street Liberation Day March (after the street on which the Stonewall Inn is located), was a mix of celebration and protest. The next year, in 1971, Howard organised another event, and Pride marches sprung up all around the world.

The Stonewall Inn was designated as a historic landmark by the city of New York in 2015, and President Barack Obama later declared it as a national monument in 2016.

What has the Pride Movement achieved? 

Since the Stonewall Riots, LGBTQ+ people have fought globally for their rights and liberties. In most countries, more than 2,000 years of homophobic, biphobic, and transphobic persecution have been significantly scaled back in less than half a century, which is a remarkable achievement. All of this achievement is the product of national and worldwide LGBT+ groups' courageous, imaginative, and unwavering campaigning despite all odds.

Following the first Pride, the number of nations that have legalised homosexuality has increased, and same-sex marriage is now permitted in over 30 countries. LGBTQ+ people today have personal and political rights in countries around the world, including Colombia, New Zealand, Iceland, Ireland, and the United Kingdom (for example, equal partnership).

The Pride movement is still fighting for LGBTQ+ rights in the twenty-first century. Following a protracted campaign for state support and safety, Serbian LGBTQ+ activists held a successful Pride march in Belgrade in 2014. In 2014, Denmark became the first European country to enable transgender people to have official documents (such as passports) that reflect their gender identification, thanks to the work of LGBTQ+ activists.

Why is the History of the Pride movement important today? 

It is important to learn about and remember those who fought for the right to celebrate Pride in order to truly appreciate it.

1. Remembering that Pride began as a protest reminds us of how Pride can continue the battle for LGBTQ+ rights around the world today.

2. Knowing who founded the Pride movement serves as a reminder that Pride Month events must be inclusive.

3. Reflect on how the Stonewall rioters were treated highlights the significance of Pride as a celebration.

Learning about the origins and history of Pride and the Pride movement not only informs us about why Pride month exists, but it also demonstrates how this past is essential to how people will celebrate Pride in the future. Pride is "a reminder of the strength of standing together in spite of those who wish to divide us," according to Stonewall. Because of the efforts of LGBTQ+ activists and individuals from all around the world, Pride is a unique event.

A job interview is an opportunity for the organization to find out what it wants to know about finalists for a position, but it is also an opportunity for each finalist to find out what he or she wants to know as well. Interviewing is a two-way street.

As much as the hiring manager wants to know more about the individual they hire, the individual wants to know about the hiring manager, future co-workers, and the organization. A finalist that neglects to prepare and ask questions during an interview misses opportunities to impress the hiring manager and to gather more information that will inform the decision to accept a job offer.

This is a scenario-based question that really should be answered on an individual basis. It depends on the specific information you want to get out of the interview or the interview, or if you just want to see if it's a good fit. However, there are a few things that you can stick to consistently.

To begin, make sure your queries are tailored to the individual you're interacting with. Going on a call with HR and asking them questions regarding technological environments can appear to be poor judgement at times.

Second, I believe you should make sure to ask thought-provoking questions. The questions should allow you to get the information you require and desire from the interview. It is today, more than ever, used as a two-way street. Future growth opportunities, firm expansion plans, strategy, technology plans, points, ambitions, and realistic roadmaps are all good things to ask.

The most important thing is that you're demonstrating an interest in the position and showing that you've done your research beforehand and gathering the information that you need to make an educated decision at the end of the interview on whether it's the right fit essentially.

There is no right or wrong answer to which questions to ask; just make sure you've thought about them ahead of time. Before going into an interview, I normally recommend preparing six to eight questions. The reason for this is that some of these issues are likely to be covered throughout the interview, and you don't want to be left speechless when it comes to the questions part at the end.

Finally, I usually prefer to end an interview with a question, such as 'do you have any reservations about anything I've done or said today?' This just allows you to manage any objections that are voiced and maybe offer them a cause to rethink their thoughts or opinions.

We talk about diversity and establishing inclusive teams a lot as recruiters. A varied workforce brings to your firm an unique set of viewpoints and opinions. In reality, businesses with a diverse staff outperform their competitors and report happier employees.

Despite the hype, just around half of firms have strategies in place to attract a diverse workforce. Approximately the same number of companies do not keep track of workforce diversity.

Unfortunately, bias – even if it is unconscious – can impede some businesses from naturally achieving diversity. It's critical for your recruiters to have initiatives in place that encourage more diverse hires in order to build inclusive teams.

Inclusive hiring can help your team develop more quickly, produce happier employees, form stronger teams, and help your company outperform its competition. Here are a few best practises for inclusive recruitment that your organisation can use.

What is inclusive hiring?

The inclusive hiring process actively accepts a wide range of traits and viewpoints that candidates offer to the firm. It's not just about filling quotas by hiring persons from underrepresented groups or those with disabilities. Instead, inclusive hiring practises seek to level the playing field for all applicants in order to combat bias in hiring and discrimination in general.

In an inclusive recruiting environment, multiple perspectives, beliefs, and values are considered in order to reach a common goal. Your employees will be forced to think outside their comfort zones and challenge new notions or ideas by having a diverse workforce.

It's difficult to avoid unconscious bias when examining a candidate's job application, even with the greatest of intentions. Organizations that want to improve their team's diversity and attract the greatest talent can't afford to have recruitment practises that unintentionally exclude specific groups of people. Bias can occur at any point of the hiring process, but the talent attraction stage, application review, and face-to-face interview are the most important to investigate.

Through job ad placements, bad language choices in job descriptions, and bias in the interview stages, your organisation may be unwittingly decreasing the number of quality applicants from the very beginning of the recruitment process.

Requirements for the Job

Taking a second look at what you're asking of them is one of the simplest methods to attract more diverse prospects. When you're interviewing candidates for an open position, you'll probably have a list of requirements in mind. While having certain standards can be beneficial, adhering to them too rigidly can actually hinder your chances of finding a quality hire.

Your ideal applicant may have five years of industry-specific expertise, but if you focus solely on this criteria, you'll overlook a multitude of other candidates with diverse backgrounds. While this assures that you select someone with the degree of expertise you require, it also eliminates individuals who may be exactly what you need with only three or four years of experience.

Language Used for Audience

Job descriptions can either entice or repel candidates depending on the language used. A good job description speaks to a wide range of candidates while being explicit about the skillsets required. Leading with sensitive, thoughtful, and inclusive language demonstrates to prospects that you are a diverse workplace that evaluates all applicants regardless of gender, race, disability, or status.

Make sure you get it correctly by removing any terminology that could be interpreted as catering to a specific demographic. When it comes to hiring, use inclusive language, which means avoiding gender-specific vocabulary and words, as well as industry jargon. Begin with a job title that is devoid of any references to gender or industry. Keep things simple and concentrated on the task at hand. Work on removing masculine and feminine words as well from job postings.

Advertising the Role

Consider where you're advertising if you want to create a truly inclusive process and attract applicants from various backgrounds. Elite universities may produce outstanding individuals, but they struggle with diversity, as do many other institutions. Your search may be too restricted if you notice that your candidate pool is made up of people with similar educations, histories, and experience levels. After all, similar individuals prefer to apply for employment through the same routes.

While knowing how to connect with the people you want to apply for your open positions is beneficial, you shouldn't limit your prospect pool too much. Get imaginative about where you post your openings to reopen it and attract more different applications.

Many candidates may be looking for jobs via print ads, contacting and visiting job fairs and boot camps, conducting searches on social media, or using their mobile devices to access job adverts. With this in mind, try looking for new employees in a variety of venues; this increases your chances of recruiting for a more diversified demographic. 

Screening and Interviewing

Preventing and Exclusion in the CV Review

It's even more important to have an effective screening process in place if you've drawn a larger pool of applications in order to objectively evaluate your candidate pool. This is when bias, whether conscious or unconscious, may creep into decision-making and undermine all of your hard work in attracting diverse candidates.

This problem has two solutions: removing identifying information from CV’s or abandoning CV’s entirely in favour of another way of candidate screening.

• Blind hiring involves removing any information from resumés that could cause bias, such as age, ethnicity, gender, education, and geographic location. Ideally, only the facts that matter will be left: their skills, experience, and achievements.

• The practice of replacing CV’s with skills testing is gaining traction in the recruitment industry. The idea is to hire based on skills rather than background. Candidates are tested for technical skills (such as coding) and soft skills (like communication), then graded and ranked according to their performance — creating a shortlist of top candidates without any identifying information.

The blind hiring method delays rather than removes bias if your recruitment process includes a face-to-face or video job interview. The key advantage is that you can rest assured that the shortlist of candidates for interviews was generated without bias, and that no promising candidate was screened out for the incorrect reasons.

Minimising Bias in the Job Interview

If you have conducted a blind hiring process up to this stage, the job interview should be the first moment you see the candidate’s ethnicity, age, gender, and appearance. Unconscious bias is therefore unavoidable, but it can be minimized in the following ways:

• Screen questions for exclusive language

• Ask every candidate the same set of standardized questions and stick to the script.

• Use the same assessment criteria and debrief for every candidate.

• Avoid one-on-one interviews. Have a panel of at least three interviewers.

• Make sure your panel is diverse

• Beware of hiring for likeability.

• Don’t make a decision based on the interview alone.

Conduct panel interviews to reduce interview bias and provide for a variety of perspectives during the interview process. You can gather feedback, viewpoints, and ideas from people with a variety of requirements and expectations if you have a lot of people following along in the hiring process. Those outside of your recruiting and hiring staff should be involved in the hiring process. By reaching out to other departments, team members, and company executives, you can eliminate bias by considering other points of view and use their diverse experiences to build an inclusive workplace for newcomers. 

Onboarding New Hires

The first step is to have an inclusive hiring process. Employees who don't fit a homogeneous mould will be unhappy in their new jobs if you simply focus on developing an inclusive hiring procedure and overlook your company culture.

You need to build an inclusive work atmosphere to persuade them to stay––and to actually enjoy their time at your company. Each employee has an unique voice in an inclusive workplace culture, which encourages them to be themselves. Not only are their particular needs met, but they are also encouraged to devote time to personal duties that they consider vital.

To Conclude

There should be a purpose and meaning behind establishing an inclusive workplace and recruitment process, not just another box to check.

There are numerous reasons why having a diverse workforce is advantageous, but it won't happen immediately. As a result, for modern firms, putting in place the proper processes and mechanisms to build an inclusive recruitment team is a step in the right way.

The efforts you take to increase inclusive hiring should be tracked and reviewed on a regular basis, with training being a top emphasis. If you want inclusive hiring to work, you need buy-in and passion for what you're attempting to do.

In today's job market, your ability to acquire your desired job is no longer only determined by your technical abilities. Every job has essential hard skills and experience necessary for the work. Despite the importance of these abilities, there are specific "soft talents" that employers seek for when employing new employees.

While technical skills are commonly discussed during interviews, it is becoming increasingly important to assess a candidate's prospects of integrating into the company's culture and work environment. Soft skills include human characteristics like as communication, time management, teamwork, and work ethic.  Soft skills are more important than ever.

Here are 10 soft talents that employers are looking for if you're thinking about improving yours:

Creative Problem-Solving Skills

Within companies, problems will always arise. Employees who can solve problems and identify solutions are more valuable to a company than those who find problems but no solutions. Some managers prefer to have an issue given to them together with possible remedies at the same time.

Be an Effective Communicator

Employers value individuals who can communicate well both verbally and in writing. It is impossible to overstate the impact of excellent communication. Employees must be able to communicate as well as listen in order to work effectively with bosses, co-workers, and clients in the workplace. An excellent communicator can inspire others, explain complicated situations, and provide vital feedback.

Leadership Skills

Leadership is not simply being the one in charge and leading a team. It's your ability to persuade other employers, especially your peers, to hire you. Employers want employees who can collaborate with others, explain their expert viewpoints, and persuade them to make decisions that are in line with their ideas. Persuasive leaders travel from project to project, use their abilities to ensure that their portion of the project is completed on time.

A Positive Attitude

A positive attitude can go a long way toward turning around a department or company. It's crucial for businesses to have that energy in the office since having employees with a positive attitude can be contagious. It keeps individuals going when they're stressed, makes difficult job appear less challenging, and can make a workplace more pleasant.

Adaptability

Even without the challenges of the past few years, change is an important part of the modern workplace. Due to the rapid growth of technology, we are constantly doing things differently. Adaptability allows us to be more flexible and adapt to change. Many of us dislike change but learning to adjust to constantly changing needs and goals in the job while maintaining a positive, problem-solving mindset can make you an invaluable asset to your business. It will also help you stay relevant in your profession so that you can continue to be a valuable contributor in the future.

Time Management

This is an important soft talent that benefits both you and your employer. Time management refers to the ability to organise your schedule on a daily and weekly basis in order to complete jobs on time and efficiently. Taking care of any of these concerns and managing your time will show management that you are dependable and that you will give them your all every day.

A Strong Work Ethic

A strong work ethic is the will to work hard and achieve success. Finding and hiring people with a strong work ethic is critical to any company's success. A strong work ethic is difficult to instil and even more difficult to maintain if one does not already exist. Having a strong work ethic is incredibly valuable in any profession or business. Employers prefer to hire people who will work to their full potential. It's not about being perfect; it's about being trustworthy and professional, as well as respecting your co-workers and workplace.

Emotional Intelligence

The ability to notice, assess, and respond to your own and others' emotions is referred to as emotional intelligence. This soft skill, like communication and adaptation, goes beyond understanding and controlling your own emotions to placing yourself in others' shoes for optimal collaborative production and success. It can also aid in stress management, conflict resolution, and the assessment of nonverbal cues.

Teamwork

Employees used to look for jobs that matched their desire to work independently or in a team setting. Those who believe they know how to do the job and don't trust others to do their part might cause stress in the workplace and reduce overall efficiency.

Much of the work in today's workplace is done in groups; while employees must be able to work individually (sometimes as part of a team), you will almost certainly be part of a group working toward a common goal. Now you must be able to complete all of this while not in the same room as your co-workers. Learning to trust others, collaborate, and provide and accept feedback is a challenging talent to master, but if you can, you'll be well ahead of the competition.

Perform Under Pressure

Working under pressure requires dealing with constraints that are frequently beyond your control. Last-minute adjustments, impending deadlines, and a lack of expertise required to complete your job are all possibilities. When urgent needs emerge, you can keep your calm instead of being stressed out and overwhelmed if you have work under pressure skills. And no matter where you work, there will surely be times when you are required to work under pressure.

To Conclude

At each step of the job search, it's critical to cover both your hard (technical) and soft (transferable) skills. Consider how you'll express these abilities in your CV, and practise describing them in person before your interview. To give your future employer a greater understanding of your traits and abilities, include real-life examples of how you've used your soft skills.

Keep in mind that you offer a lot more to the table than just technical abilities. Soft skills are valued by employers since they show your personality and attitude. It's a big part of who you are!

Whether you're actively looking for new work or happy in your existing position, it's a good idea to keep your CV updated on a regular basis. As your career progresses, you may acquire valuable new talents, experiences, and attributes that will appear on your CV. It's a good habit to examine your CV on a regular basis to highlight your most current accomplishments and eliminate any outdated information.

Your CV will most likely be your first opportunity to impress hiring managers, so it must effectively highlight your talents, experience, and qualifications. According to studies, recruiters spend only seven seconds on average looking at a CV before assessing whether or not a prospect is suited for the position. As a result, first impressions are crucial to success. So, before you start looking for a job, clean up your CV and give it a makeover.

Here are 4 keys things to keep in mind when updating your CV on a regular basis: 

Tailor to the Specific Job

One of the most important things to remember when writing a CV is to personalise it to the job description and company you're applying to. No two positions are the same, and no two CVs you submit should be the same. It's a good idea to do some research to make sure your CV is optimised for the employment role you want. Look at job ads and job descriptions for the role you desire and underline common keywords that you can use in your CV.

Examine company websites and professional networking sites for talents, qualifications, and values that are significant in your chosen field. Locate relevant keywords in a particular job description to include in your CV. Where applicable, add those keywords throughout your skills section and other areas. When you apply to a second job, spend an extra 10 minutes repeating this process rather than sending in the same CV, and you’ll have a much higher chance of success.

Make it Easier on the Eyes

Don't only change the text on your CV; pay attention to the design as well. CVs are summaries of your whole professional and academic experience, plus a little more, so expect them to be rich. Make sure there's plenty of white space so the hiring manager can easily read it. Use clear titles for the various subsections so that they can skip right to the bits that are most interesting to them.

Other design components should also be considered. Choose a legible font and avoid using too many colours. Use clean columns to keep things organised, and if you haven't done, insert bullet points beneath career history and other relevant parts.

Remove Unnecessary Information
When you add a new piece of information to your CV, you can generally remove an old piece of information. Remove prior positions that are no longer relevant to your target position to make room for more information about your professional goals. You can consider eliminating your school achievements and solely mentioning your degree-level qualifications as your job progresses. This can free up space for you to emphasize more professional achievements that recruiters will find more impressive.

Proofread

The value of proofreading cannot be underestimated. A single spelling or punctuation error could turn off a hiring manager, so double-check, triple-check, and quadruple-check your CV before sending it out.

Cloud computing has existed for nearly two decades. Cloud computing has grown in popularity among IT and business professionals over the years. Businesses are more aware than ever before that cloud computing is the way of the future and want to incorporate it into their operations. Public cloud services from Amazon, Google, Microsoft, and others are seeing a major rise in usage as the pandemic validates the necessity for cloud. According to Gartner, this trend will continue, with public cloud services expected to rise by more than 18% in 2021 and continue to grow at a steady rate through 2024.

What is the Cloud?

The cloud, in simple terms, is a collection of servers that host databases and software and are accessible over the internet. These servers are spread across the globe in data centres. Businesses can reduce the need for duties like server maintenance and administration by using cloud computing. Cost effectiveness, security, ease of management, scalability, and reliability are all advantages of cloud platforms.

The epidemic of COVID-19 has accelerated cloud migration. Many businesses have already made the switch to cloud platforms and are seeing increased productivity and profitability, and others are starting to gradually shift.

What's the bottom line? Digital transformation and cloud migration are critical in today's complex business world.

What is a Private Cloud?

A private cloud is one in which the servers are owned by and dedicated to only one business (referred to as the user or tenant). A private cloud can be developed on-premises, using hardware that you control and operate, or hosted by a third party in a data centre. The fact that the servers are inaccessible to other users is the most important distinguishing feature.

The owner is in charge of server management and maintenance, as well as future capacity and performance planning to suit organisational needs. Long lead times are frequently required for provisioning extra hardware and services (power, broadband, cooling, and so on) to satisfy future demand. It's popular among businesses that manage sensitive data and value the adaptability and scalability it provides.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Private Cloud

A private cloud, like any other technology, has advantages and disadvantages. A private cloud can provide a better level of security and service to industries with highly specialised demands, such as government and defence. Companies outside of these areas may nevertheless benefit from a private cloud if they have data-intensive customers in highly secure fields.

Here are some other vital advantages that are offered by the private cloud:

Security- Since organisations can physically secure their servers and access data through private networks, private clouds provide a high level of security.

Control- Private clouds give businesses the freedom to control their data and customize their core architecture as they want. It also makes monitoring easy and effective.

Customization and Reliability- The private cloud allows organisations to customize the components of their infrastructure in order to improve performance. Private clouds can also be trusted and are incredibly reliable.

Performance- Public clouds suit companies with powerful computing needs since they offer space for upgrading the infrastructure.

Latency is Minimal- Because resources are closer to users, data stored in an on-premises private cloud may be served rapidly, avoiding latency (i.e. delays in data transfer).

Despite having a plethora of advantages, the private cloud has its own dark side. Here are some disadvantages of private clouds:

Cost- Private clouds are expensive compared to public clouds. Components such as software licenses, hardware, network infrastructure, and labour costs contribute to the increased costs.

Maintaining and Deploying- The business needs to hire a qualified team to maintain the infrastructure which increases the cost of operation. However, you can overcome this challenge by hiring a managed cloud service provider to do the heavy lifting.

Limited Remote Access- Due to its security-first approach, remotes access is limited, which tends to reduce performance in some cases

What is Public Cloud?

A public cloud is a cloud architecture provided by third-party cloud vendors via the public internet that shares resources among multiple unconnected tenants. This strategy allows businesses and developers to have affordable access to high-performance computers, storage, infrastructure, and software.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Public Cloud

Using a public cloud as well as private cloud storage has advantages and disadvantages. Understanding the advantages and disadvantages can help you decide if the public cloud is right for you.

Here are some other vital advantages that are offered by the public cloud:

Cost-Effective. In contrast to building a data centre, you do not need to invest money upfront to accommodate public cloud; you can use pay-per-use model.

Fast setup. Further, most public cloud services are designed to be easy to start, though there are exceptions.

Reliability. Public cloud platforms are reliable because backup data centres are always there in the event of failure.

Scalability and stability – Public cloud services allow you to scale up and down as needed, and they are simple to set up and manage.

Here are some of the disadvantages and challenges you may face when using the public cloud:

Security Limitations — This is the main concern for businesses that want to integrate cloud computing into their workflow.  Defence contractors and banks, for example, may require a higher level of security protection. A private cloud makes it easier to meet these security standards.

Limited customization capabilities and poor technical support: The public cloud's multi-tenancy prevents users from personalising certain components. In addition, most public cloud providers provide inadequate or no technical support, which might limit performance.

Latency. Most businesses don't care about fractions of a second, but in other industries, even little delays in transferring or retrieving data to and from the cloud can cause performance issues.

Hybrid Cloud

You don't have to choose between a private or public cloud; you can also adopt a hybrid cloud strategy. The presence of various deployment types (public or private) with some form of integration or orchestration between them is referred to as hybrid cloud.

A hybrid cloud makes sense in a number of situations:

To improve disaster recovery time: A hybrid cloud is a solid solution for storing backups and using them in a disaster recovery situation for firms that value speed and dependability. In this case, the strategy is to have a "warm disaster recovery" service on standby in case of a calamity and then switch to it when needed.

To comply with legal obligations: Some laws compel you to keep data within a certain geographical footprint. One method to achieve these needs is to use a hybrid cloud.

For data-intensive tasks: Companies or departments that operate with significant amounts of large files, such as media and entertainment, can benefit from a hybrid cloud strategy. They can use on-premises technology to get fast access to huge media files and use a scalable, low-cost public cloud provider to store data that isn't accessed as frequently—archives and backups, for example.

Choose the Best Cloud Model for Your Needs

Both models have advantages and disadvantages and work differently in different contexts The most essential aspects in choosing a cloud for most businesses and organisations will be affordability, accessibility, reliability, and scalability. Your type of organisation, laws, budget, and future plans will determine whether a private or public cloud, or a combination of both, is the right answer for your needs. The good news is that there are numerous options to suit almost every use case or budget.

As a recruiter, much of the advice I've seen published about the hiring process is aimed at the candidate, and how to make your profile more appealing to a client. The current job market, on the other hand, is very candidate driven, with each candidate we see having multiple opportunities and offers. As a result, it is now more important than ever to make your company and job as appealing as possible.

Below are some tips on how you can go about ensuring you maximise your possiblities of securing high quality candidates in the hiring process:

1. Strong Job Advert

A job advert is one of first impressions a candidate will get of a both you as a company, and then about the role. Knowing this, you need to really make your advert stand out from the rest. Use your advert to sell back to common desirables that candidates in your market often look for. If you have really strong benefits, include them! If you have a great development programme, mention this! By doing this and putting a little bit more time into your advert, it will not only increase the number of responses, but increase the quality of people.

2. Have a Good Hiring Process

The current market moves very fast for good candidates. If your interview process is too long, or too straining on the candidate’s time, this can be the reason for losing a candidate to a company with a faster process. It may be hard to hear, and although WE may know that your company and the opportunity you have is amazing…the market is filled with hot job opportunities who are all looking for your good candidate. Is not doing that technical test really going to affect you in the long run, or are you going to be more affected by losing out on good candidates?

3. Choose the Right People to Interview

It’s all well and good to shorten and improve the length of your hiring process, but it is then important to be selective about who you are putting in to interview candidates. From previous experience, this person needs to be able to truly represent your company, be a good advocate for your brand, and give a good first impression. By only choosing the decision makers to conduct the interviews, this can lose rapport with the candidate who may want to get a sense of what the company is like from someone more junior.

4. Competitive Salary, and a Strong Offer

The most obvious way to secure good candidates, but something I see getting overlooked way too often, is the importance of paying a competitive salary. This is something that we as recruiters can definitely help you with as we have extensive market knowledge and will have insight into what salaries competitors are paying, and what good candidates are expecting. It is easy to think your job opportunity is amazing even at an average salary rate, and although this saves you money, it will not appeal to candidates who are financially driven. The national average in the US for a salary increase is 14.8%, meaning candidates will expect a good offer for them to consider leaving. On top of this, it is important to make your first offer strong. It is extremely hard to go to a candidate with a second offer after you have already low-balled them. They will ask questions like…If that flex was there to start with, why did they try and offer me lower? Do they really appreciate my value by offering me lower than we originally agreed?

5. Use Us Recruiters!

Although potentially a bit biased, one of the best bits of advice I can give regarding securing good candidates in a tight market, is to utilise your chosen agencies…this really is what we are good at! As recruiters, we have extensive market knowledge and can help add value to your hiring. We also build up strong relationships with candidates and are trained negotiators, so will actively help you secure the candidate through knowing their selling points and lowering their expectations if needed. We also have the time and resources that are required to find those candidates that aren’t on job sites and aren’t going to reply to your job adverts. Don’t miss out on an entire pool of candidates, let us help.

Are you stuck deciding whether to take that great new job or accept your boss' counteroffer and stay where you are?

These enticing offers can cause you to seriously reconsider your decision to leave, whether they offer you a promotion, more flexibility and responsibility, or a pay raise. But that's exactly the point.

On the one hand, it's a fantastic issue to have. If your boss/employer is willing to up the ante in order to keep you, you're obviously doing something right. Moving on to a new company, on the other hand, may provide you with additional benefits and opportunities that your current employer does not provide.

It can be difficult to decide whether to accept a counteroffer, and there are numerous factors to consider. Your decision will most likely have a significant impact on your career and should not be taken lightly.

Why do companies make counter offers?

Is your current employer making a counteroffer because they are concerned about losing a valuable employee or for other reasons? In a candidate-led market, where competition for talent is fierce, counteroffers are becoming increasingly common. Counteroffers are understandably, incredibly flattering, and can evoke lots of new emotions that make you wonder why you ever wanted to leave your employer in the first place. However, keep in mind that a counteroffer from your employer or a senior executive within the company is not about you.

Aside from salary, the costs of advertising your job, filling the vacant position you leave, and training a new hire can total tens of thousands of pounds. Furthermore, many IT and digital jobs are currently difficult to fill due to current skill shortages. Such difficult positions can remain open for months or even years, inadvertently costing companies money by delaying them from meeting their objectives. Employers do not make counteroffers because they like you and will miss having you around. Although their counteroffer may make you feel special, the main reason businesses make counteroffers is to save money.

Why You Might Accept a Counteroffer

Over 50% of employees accept counteroffers. At the time, it can seem like the right decision as you won’t have to master the working methods of another company or build relationships with new colleagues. Being offered more money is one of the most common reasons that employees will accept a counteroffer. This will work well if you are satisfied with your current position, like the company, and get along well with your work colleagues. You get to stay in a place that is comfortable for you, and you are fairly compensated for the work that you do.

Accepting a counteroffer should be done with caution, as the employer may question your loyalty to the company, and you may be perceived as only interested in financial gain. 80% of employees that accept a counteroffer leave within six months and 90% within a year. Proving that money isn’t always enough to overcome the problems that made you want to look for a new job in the first place.

Why You Shouldn’t Accept a Counteroffer

Unfortunately, there are more reasons to turn down than accept a counteroffer.

Consider the Reasons for Wanting to Leave

Getting a raise is, at best, a temporary fix. Only 12% of employees resign for financial reasons; poor work-life balance, a lack of career development opportunities, and a lack of benefits are increasingly motivating factors to leave. So, chances are you're looking for a new job for other reasons than a higher salary, and these reasons aren't going away with a higher salary. Consider why you started looking for other opportunities in the first place. Most likely, salary was a factor, but it was not the only one. Perhaps you felt stuck, with few opportunities for advancement, or you realised you were comfortable but not reaching your full potential.

Trust is Broken

Accepting a counteroffer will almost certainly harm your relationship with your current employer. Your resignation will be interpreted as a lack of dedication to the company. The desire you expressed to leave may indicate that you are not as loyal or committed as other employees, which may have an impact on your career development as you may be passed over for promotions in favour of co-workers who have not attempted to leave.

Will Things Really Change?

The frustration, suffocating feelings, and dissatisfaction that drove you to look for new opportunities will remain, and the raise in pay is unlikely to make them any less unbearable. Whatever turned you off about your job before the new offer will irritate you even after you accept it. Perhaps you were passed over for a promotion or were simply not given the opportunities to advance. You most likely expressed these concerns to your employer at some point, but they were not effectively addressed. These issues are likely to persist after you accept the counteroffer and will eventually force you to resign – this time for good.

Will my Job Security be Affected?

Accepting a counteroffer significantly reduces your job security. Your boss has worked hard to keep you from leaving, but you can bet that when it comes time to make redundancies or reduce personnel, you'll be near the top of the list because you've already tried to jump ship. This desire to leave may indicate that you are not as loyal or committed as other employees, which may have an impact on your career development as you may be passed over for promotions in favour of co-workers who have not attempted to leave.

Making a Final Decision

It can be difficult to decide whether or not to accept a counteroffer. It is critical to consider each of the previously discussed points and create a list of pros and cons. You may discover that you require additional information about your potential new employer. In this case, it's often best to consult with your recruiter so you have all the information you need to make the best decision for your personal and professional development.

The increased reliance of business on their IT functions means that the cybersecurity sector is required to evolve and grow almost on a daily basis. From single phishing attacks to nation-state attacks used in the midst of the theatre of war, the versatility required from cyber professionals and organisations has never been so imperative, especially with the constant changes in threat landscapes and business operations.

Although not conventionally correlated, the global pandemic has directly influenced complexities in developing robust security architectures. The rise in remote working and the increased preference for cloud-based approaches have ensued major shifts in not just technical advancements, but also in operational.

How has COVID influenced operational arrangements?

The position of CISO has seen advancements in many aspects, from increased salary ranges to restructured hierarchies. With cybersecurity being viewed more as a business risk as opposed to a technological risk, the role of CISO has become fundamental to every business and therefore expanded to include business continuity decisions and liaising with board members for wider business decision making.

As the cybersecurity landscape continues to evolve the more prevalent the CISO is in the overall success of a business, especially considering the shift to more remote working. We have seen an increased requirement for senior cyber professionals to join organisations and begin maturing and building out their internal security functions.

What technological advancements are influencing the cybersecurity landscape?

The biggest driver of change has been the quick implementation of cloud-based services since the onset of the pandemic. This has meant that cybersecurity strategies have too required quick implementation of new and robust procedures and tools to remediate the increased variety in threats.

The increased aggregation of company data into cloud systems means an efficiency and practicality on terms of the client, however the provider becomes a prime target for data breaches and attacks. With the likes of IaaS and PaaS, the responsibility of securing data, user access, applications and operating systems falls under the remit of the organisations and at differing levels, requiring comprehensive plans and strategies to ensure robust security protocols. IAM and PAM requirements are prevalent in job specifications at the moment, simple access practises are no longer acceptable in environments with increase collaboration and remote access requirements.

What does the future of the cybersecurity landscape look like?

Ultimately, the cybersecurity landscape will continue to evolve and develop to coincide with the constant shifts in attack vectors. Organisations will continue to utilise the most up-to-date systems and platforms available and with this leaning more towards cloud-based computing, robust security strategies, functions and tools will become highly sought after.

There are increasing calls for more governmental regulated approaches to cybersecurity and defence, particularly due to recent events in which cyber attacks are being used in the theatre of war.

There is no doubt that cybersecurity will be at the top of corporate agendas in the post-COVID era, it will be interesting what innovations and transformations will come as a result of this.

Who, what, where, when, why?  

Despite common misconception, the concept of a metaverse isn’t a new one. First introduced in 1992, sci-fi writer Neal Stephenson coined the term 'metaverse' to describe a 3D virtual space. This idea was then realised for the first time in 2003 through an online multimedia platform called “Second life”.  

Since then, there have been numerous examples of gaming platforms exploring the potential applications of this concept. For example, in 2020 the immensely popular video game Fortnite conducted a virtual Travis Scott concert within the game, and 12.3 million people worldwide tuned in. A more general example is any game within the MMORPG (Massively Multiplayer On-line role-playing game) genre such as World of Warcraft, where thousands of players can inhabit the same virtual space, with players logging in and out continually, and able to interact in various ways. 

The Covid 19 pandemic has been a large extrinsic motivator for the growth of this industry, accelerating and driving the convergence of physical and digital. Companies invested heavily within collaboration and messaging technologies such as Teams, Zoom and Skype, and have now created a digital hiring, onboarding, and remote working world.   

Meta, the rebrand of Facebook, and Microsoft, are leading the path for the metaverse alongside other large names in the tech industry which are all racing towards securing their name and real estate in the 3D VR world that will soon become a reality.  

The evolution of emerging technology and digital transformations will see a huge transition for the main 3 pillars of human activity: Work, Education and Entertainment.  

Over the years, Retail as an industry has taken a huge, and successful move onto online platforms, saving money for physical resources, allowing mediation of our activities remotely, and putting products in the hands of consumers worldwide. The metaverse could be the next evolution of this journey, allowing consumers to get that physical feel whilst they shop online from the comfort of their own homes.  

Many companies are already looking at being a part of this virtual world and benefiting from a dedicated virtual space in which they can conduct interviews, doctors’ appointments and try on clothes without moving a muscle. 

On a larger scale, geopolitics will see an impact, which could be both a help and hinderance to have present governing bodies for smaller counties but to also create communities transcending borders in reality.  

Understanding how the Metaverse will be accessed

To first give a broad understanding of how the metaverse will be accessible, you first need to understand the different tech behind it. Extended Reality (XR) covers both Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) where VR enables you to fully immerse yourself in a 3D platform with the use of a headset whilst AR will overlay images onto the real world.  

Whilst the metaverse doesn’t have to exclusively exist in XR, it’s the version of it that does that’s getting the most attention. This is because more immersive, experiential environments are central to the whole concept – something that XR interfaces lend themselves to very well. 

Meta is focusing heavily on the VR aspects through its well renowned and recently bought hardware brand Oculus. 3D environments, avatars, and gamification – three fundamental aspects of the concept – all fit well with VR interfaces. And AR, too, with its potential to blur the distinction between virtual and real worlds, is another idea that meshes well with the metaverse concept.  

2022 should see the release of Meta’s Horizon platform as an expanded VR world, this will be the first step into giving people a sensation of what the metaverse could become, and VR will be the window through which they experience it. 

How will it ‘feel real’? 

As a running trend for technology becoming smaller and more powerful, over the next few years we will also see this for VR which is a huge benefit for lighter headsets.  

First seen in CES 2022 was the rebrand of the chunky VR sets to sleek and easily wearable AR devices which will be made available to buy over this coming year. HTC also made a device called the flow which is a slimmer stand-alone model making this device easier to use which focuses on entertainment and mental health.  

AR devices will get lighter, too – California start-up Mojo-Vision has already demonstrated the potential for AR contact lenses that project information directly onto the retina. 

Other innovations will attempt to solve the problem of enabling realistic movement within virtual environments (which will always be a problem if your actual environment doesn’t match the size and proportions of your virtual one and isn’t free of hazards that might cause you to trip over!). Proposed solutions to this problem include both boots, as offered by Ekto VR, and treadmills, like the one developed by Virtuix. 

Another technology known as haptic feedback will attempt to solve the problem of providing sensations of touch in XR environments. One example is the Teslasuit that provides tactile feedback through electrostimulation. The suit currently costs around $20,000 and, among other uses, is used by NASA for astronaut training, but we can expect to see smaller-scale consumer versions on the market in 2022. 

We can also thank the 5G rollout which is picking up pace in 2022 to become a mainstream proposition with speeds 20 times quicker than existing networks for data transmission. In addition to increasing this differential, the benefits also include different types of data and services. This is likely to include the large data volumes needed to run XR, making wireless and cloud-based VR and AR a possibility. Plutosphere, for example, and other start-ups offering similar services, let users stream VR games from cloud servers. This will dramatically lower the barriers to entry for many businesses wanting to deploy XR solutions without making large infrastructure investments. 

How will this impact us?  

Within education, XR technologies make it easier for students to visualize concepts – from the numbers used in accounting to historical events or even the inner workings of reality exposed through quantum physics – in interesting and engaging ways. Evidence suggests that when we learn through experiencing in this way, rather than simply reading dry facts, we can improve our knowledge retention by 75 to 90%. 

Examples in a working environment include VR being used for training and to simulate operations in dangerous situations, such as the FLAIM system used to train firefighters to tackle wildfire and aircraft fires. AR is increasingly being used to provide real-time inputs to trainees during on-the-job learning, such as using computer vision-equipped glasses and headsets to recognize and warn of potential dangers in the work environment. 

For businesses, AI will be able to inform target audience creation, creative optimization, and inventory forecasts.  

In the agricultural world we have seen a ‘bovine’ matrix for happy cows testing in Turkey, where cows will experience a virtual open field and sunny setting rather than cooped up in a milking parlour which has proved results in higher quantity and quality of milk. Despite the positive results for farmers, the process raises serious questions about ethical farming. Would more milk be worth putting animals in a bovine matrix where they have no perception of the real world (a cooped-up milk farm with tens of other cows)? 

Complexities and challenges of a new reality

Regulators will need to be put in place with facial expressions, blood pressure etc. being tracked for digital rights. On top of this if this is a pixelated replica of our universe, will this face balkanization as seen in our world where the internet already operates in different parts of the world.  

Even more of a frightening thought is with a Metaverse containing so much private information, what risk is there for digital espionage and how much technical support will the Infrastructure and Security of a platform of this size need?  

Control of data will also be the control of market. The opening advantage in the metaverse will go to those with the data to make the new virtual activities relevant to the user. The result is no different from the present online world in which those with the data hoard it to control the market. 

Facebook algorithms are programmed to maximize user time on the site to maximize the number of advertisements that can be sold. As the algorithms are programmed to maximize engagement this means the algorithms send to each user news that is in line with their pre-established views, not news that creates a shared foundation. Even worse, is that one of the best ways to hold engagement is to create conflict and outrage, regardless of the veracity of the claim. This brings us around to the development of government-overseen behavioural standards protected consumer, workers, and competition in the industrial revolution—while simultaneously enabling a vibrant and growing economy. Where the digital revolution requires similar government-overseen standards. Facebook is currently discussing behavioural standards for the metaverse, but it is not sufficient. Many people are looking to distract from our current challenges with the shiny new metaverse, however we have yet to resolve the challenges in the current online universe—problems that will simply metastasize into the metaverse if not dealt with. 

Efforts to increase diversity in the tech industry are missing a critical element if neurodiverse hiring practices are not included.

According to, 72% of HR professionals said neurodiversity was not included in their people management practices, and 17% said they didn't know if it was. This untapped talent market exists primarily as a result of a lack of awareness and comprehension of neurodiversity.

There is a lot of ambiguity in the terminology. The term "neurodiversity" refers to people who have certain neurological conditions or who are on a neurodiverse spectrum. Autism spectrum disorder, dyslexia, dyspraxia (a neurologically based physical disorder), social anxiety disorders, and other conditions fall into this category. People on the neurodiverse spectrum frequently struggle with social interaction and communication in the same way that a neurotypical person would, but many people with these 'disorders' also have above-average abilities, often in areas such as pattern recognition, concentration, memory, or mathematics.

However, when compared to other minority groups, neurodivergent individuals are frequently overlooked, and this problem exists across multiple conditions and on a global scale.

How can neurodiverse talent benefit a company's workforce?

Neurodivergent candidates are hardwired to think outside the box and are gifted in skills required for digital success. People with ADHD, for example, have exceptional focus and problem-solving abilities. Autistic people, on the other hand, are meticulous and have higher analytical thinking abilities.

Organizations can reap significant benefits from encouraging neurodiversity in terms of innovation, creativity, and thought diversity. It can also benefit neurotypical employees by allowing them to grow and prosper in a variety of ways.

How can organisations alter their hiring processes to attract neurodiverse talent?

Traditional hiring, employment, and workplace management models have a flaw in their design: they are centred on neurotypical people. A traditional job interview can be problematic because it favours neurotypical candidates while automatically excluding neurominorities. You may struggle to understand social norms and nonverbal communication if you have a neurodivergent condition such as autism or dyspraxia. Autistic people are also prone to sensory processing issues, which makes a panel interview difficult to navigate because the candidate must focus on multiple people's verbal and nonverbal communication at the same time.

The interview process can also be modified to create a welcoming environment for neurodiverse candidates. Instead of a panel of interviewers, you could, for example, conduct a series of sequential interviews with one interviewer at a time.The interviewer can give candidates extra time before and after the interview to settle in and have the best opportunity to demonstrate their technical knowledge and communication skills. In addition, an external job coach can help [candidates] prepare for interviews and provide support throughout the hiring process — and even afterward.

What are some effective strategies for creating an inclusive environment for neurodiverse candidates?

It is critical to educate neurotypical employees on the dos and don'ts of communicating with neurodiverse employees. Managers and team members must be trained in advance in order to get the most out of neurodivergent individuals. Greater education and understanding of our cognitive differences will not only help to dispel some of the misconceptions but will also encourage neurodiverse employees to feel more comfortable opening up to their employers and make it easier for managers and colleagues to understand the type of support they require.

Inclusion can also be seen from the standpoint of physical space in the office. According to the research, neurodiverse people are more sensitive to noise, smell, light, and crowded places. As a result, placing their workstations in less congested and dimly lit areas of the office can boost their productivity. Organizations can also provide noise-cancelling headphones to their neurodiverse employees to create a distraction-free environment.

When communicating with a neurodiverse individual, managers and team members should be clear, concise, and complete. They should avoid asking open-ended questions and be specific about who needs to do what by when. It is also preferable to use literal expressions rather than metaphors or ambiguous messages.

Creating a neurodiverse-friendly hiring process and workforce will require hiring managers and employees to take a step back, remove assumptions and communicate in a new way. The bottom line is that inclusion is worth the extra effort and ultimately companies are missing a critical element if neurodiverse hiring practices are not included.

The battle for talent is at an all-time high with organizations doing whatever they can to attract and retain industry-leading talent. Whether or not you choose to accept this, the reality is that we are currently in a candidate-driven market and if organisations fail to adapt, they risk falling behind in the race to the top. 

One of the biggest downfalls that organisations are facing is failing to streamline their interview process to remain competitive with progressive organisations who are willing to adapt. I recently spoke with a client who had been struggling to remain competitive due to having a six-stage interview process, and a technical assessment which even their most Senior Engineers were unable to complete. This resulted in candidates being unwilling to go through such a long, drawn-out process or receiving offers from companies with a more streamlined process. Thankfully, they were an adaptive company who were willing to recognise their downfalls and make changes to the way they structured their interview process. Following this, they reduced the size of the process by 50% and have since been thriving ever since.

I've summarised 5 key points in which organisations can do in order to attract and retain the top talent:

1. Get your job description and advert right

A well-written and informative job post that defines abilities and needs should not only weed out unsuitable individuals.

2. Communication

Once applications begin to roll in you must ensure that the candidates are acknowledged and informed on the next step. When you ask someone for an interview, tell them everything they need to know beforehand, including who’s doing the interview, how long it’s likely to last, if there are any tests, and who to contact if they need to change or cancel the interview.

3. Get your interviews right

In some circumstances, two or three step interviews are necessary, but with the current unemployment rate at around 4.1% it is likely that you will be competing with other employers and roles and let’s face it, nobody likes the waiting game created by an unnecessarily lengthy interview process.

Most of us expect to have a couple of interviews for a position. But many more than that and you risk losing Don’t forget about video interviews either – even though things are now returning to normality after the COVID-19 pandemic, a video interview could be much quicker to schedule. And it also means you can recruit from further afield. You could always look to carry out first interviews by video and then bring the best candidates in for a face-to-face later.

4. Remember that one size doesn’t fit all

Always have a plan for your interviews. You’ll want to tailor each one for the candidate you’re talking to. So, make sure you’ve studied every CV – there’s bound to be some specific skill or experience that you’ll want to ask them more about. Having said that, you’ll also want to have some standard questions you ask everyone. This is a great way to help you choose between similarly qualified candidates.

5. After you’ve found your person

You’ve got your perfect candidate. So don’t wait around to make your offer. And when you do, make sure you give them a deadline as to when you want their decision. A couple of days should be enough, although bear in mind they might have other companies interested in them as well – so try to be flexible if they need a bit more time Once they accept, keep in touch with them before they start. This will help make onboarding go much more smoothly.

My advice is therefore aimed towards both clients and candidates. Candidates: You are in demand. Understand your value and do not settle for long drawn-out interview processes where you are made to jump through hoops which even existing employees are not able to. Clients: Adapt. It is a candidate-driven market and I appreciate that you may have traditional processes which you have worked in accordance with for many years, but the most successful organisations are those which are able adapt in an ever-changing and increasingly competitive market.

International Women’s Day (IWD) is a day to celebrated annually on the 8^th of March. The purpose of the day is to highlight how far women have come in society, politics and economics, whilst addressing the inequality women face and what we can do to minimize these issues going forward.

IWD stemmed from the labor movement in 1908, which saw 15,000 women marching through New York demanding shorter working hours, better pay and the right to vote. One year later, the Socialist Party of America declared the first National Women’s Day.

Clara Zetkin, who was an advocate for women’s rights, suggested the creation of an international day to celebrate women. She put her case before the International Conference of Working Women in Copenhagen in 1910, where a 100 women from 17 countries, agrees unanimously.

IWD was first celebrated in 1911 in various countries in Europe, before the day became official in 1974 by the United Nations. The day adopts a different theme year-on-year, with this year calling for women around the world to #BreaktheBias.

In the build up to IWD, I have been highlighting numerous influential women in STEM. I wanted to put the spotlight on just a few of the many female role models, working tirelessly to make the technology industry more visible and accessible to others, helping to close the gender gap. This series considered what these women are doing to encourage greater diversity and representation in their fields.

1. Kimberly Bryant

Name: Kimberly Bryant
Role: Founder & CEO of Black Girls Code

Bryant earned a scholarship to Vanderbilt University, where she studied an electrical engineering degree with minors in mathematics and computer science. After graduating, she took on technical leadership roles in several pharmaceutical and biotech companies.

Later on, her daughter's interest in computer science highlighted the lack of Black women in STEM professions. She realized this wasn't due to a lack of interest, but very few opportunities to access and gain exposure to these topics.

Bryant founded Black Girls Code in 2011, a San Francisco based nonprofit that exposes girls of color ages 7 to 17 to STEM subjects. This provides the opportunity for them to learn in-demand skills as they think about what they want to be when they grow up. The organization has the goal of teaching 1 million Black girls to code by 2040. Today, the organization has 16 chapters across the US and 1 chapter in Johannesburg, South Africa.

2. Safra Catz

Name: Safra Catz
Role: CEO of Oracle

Catz immigrated to the US from Israel at age 6. She earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School and her Juris Doctor from Penn Law.

Catz began as a banker at Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette, working her way through the ranks and eventually becoming the senior vice president of the firm. In 1999, Catz joined Oracle as their senior vice president. She joined the company's board of directors in 2001 and was named president in 2004.

Under Catz's direction, Oracle initiated more than 130 acquisitions and mergers over the next decade. The most well-known of these acquisitions was direct rival PeopleSoft, which Oracle acquired in 2004 for $10.3 billion.

In 2014, Catz became co-CEO of Oracle, along with Mark Hurd, and later became the sole CEO in 2019. She also teaches accounting at the Stanford School of Business and was elected to the board of directors of the Walt Disney Co in 2017.

3. Ellen Pao

Name: Ellen Pao
Role: Co-Founder & CEO of Project Include

Pao learnt how to code at age 10 from her mother, who was working as a computer engineer at the University of Pennsylvania. Pao later graduated from Princeton University with a BSc in electrical engineering and a certificate in public policy. She also earned a Juris Doctor from Harvard Law and an MBA from Harvard Business School.

After working for several Silicon Valley companies, she became the technical chief of staff at Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, a San Francisco venture capital firm. She later sued the company for bias and gender discrimination.

In 2013, Pao became Reddit's head of business development and strategic partnerships, then interim CEO in 2014. Pao is an advocate for women's rights and transforming corporate culture, and she banned the use of unauthorized nude photos on Reddit. This move inspired other social media platforms to institute similar policies.

Pao later resigned from Reddit and founded Project Include with other #WomenInTech. The group's mission is to address and prevent sexism and gender discrimination in Silicon Valley, and to improve diversity and inclusion within tech companies.

4. Susan Wojcicki

Name: Susan Wojcicki
Role: CEO of YouTube

Susan Wojcicki originally pursued a career in academia, after graduating from Harvard with a BA in history and literature. In her final year of study, she developed a passion for technology. She went on to earn a MSc in economics from the University of California Santa Cruz and a MBA from UCLA.

She returned to Silicon Valley to work in Intel's marketing department and later moved to Menlo Park, where she rented her garage as office space to Larry Page and Sergey Brin, the founders of Google. Wojcicki was Google's 16th employee and very first marketing manager, assisting in the creation of Google Images and Google Books.

Wojcicki helped develop AdWords and AdSense, Google's advertising and analytics products. She became Google's senior vice president of advertising and commerce, where she led the company's advertising and analytics division, including Google Video.

She proposed acquiring YouTube, who was a direct competitor of Google Video. In 2006, Google purchased YouTube for $1.65 billion. She became the CEO in 2014, and continues to lead the Google subsidiary in its role as one of the most influential and frequently used platforms on the internet.

5. Reshma Saujani

Name: Reshma Saujani
Role: CEO of Girls Who Code

Originally graduating from the University of Illinois with a bachelor's degree in political science and speech communication, Reshma Saujani went on to receive her Master of Public Policy degree from Harvard's Kennedy School of Government and her Juris Doctor from Yale Law School.

In 2010, Saujani was the first Indian-American woman to run for US Congress, when she campaigned for a New York House seat. She was the first person to run a political campaign using Square to receive donations. Whilst visiting educational institutions as part of her campaign, she witnessed the gender gap in computer classes.

In 2012, Saujani founded Girls Who Code to address the gender gap in the tech industry, with programmes from grades 3 all the way through to college. The organisation offers online resources, books, summer immersion and campus programs, clubs and college alumni programs. To this day, the organisation has served more than 450,000 girls, approximately half of which are from underprivileged communities; made up of Black, Latina and low-income girls.

Saujani published a book, Girls Who Code: Learn to Code and Change the World, in 2017, to promote the tenets of her organisation.

6. Gwynne Shotwell

Name: Gwynne Shotwell
Role: President and COO of SpaceX

Gwynne Shotwell achieved a Bachelor and Master of Science degrees in mechanical engineering and applied mathematics from Northwestern University. Shortly after graduating, Shotwell enrolled in Chrysler Corp.'s management training program to begin her career in the automotive industry. However, she quickly changed course to work on military space research contracts with Aerospace Corp. in El Segundo, California. There, she became the chief engineer of an MLV-class satellite program, where she researched and developed policies for commercial space exploration for the Federal Aviation Administration and NASA.

In 2002, Shotwell's interested in space made her a ideal candidate for #SpaceX, who brought her on as their 11th employee and VP of business development. She is now the company's president and COO, so is responsible for day-to-day operations and company outreach and development.

SpaceX was the first private company to launch a commercial satellite into orbit, and is now the world's largest commercial satellite constellation operator. They were also the first private company to send humans into orbit and to the International Space Station.

Shotwell was introduced to the Women In Technology International Hall of Fame and was named one of Time magazine's 100 most influential people in the world in 2020.

We have come a long way since IWD officially began in 1911, however, there is still so much that can be done to create a fairer society for people of all genders. This year, IWD has encouraged individuals to ‘think globally, act locally’, so do your bit that the future for girls is bright, equal, safe and rewarding.

What will you be doing to celebrate International Women’s Day this year?

Elon Musk, Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg – there are many male leaders in tech. But what about the decades of further women technologists? From COO of Facebook, Sheryl Sandberg, to CEO of YouTube, Susan Wojcicki, women have continued to make waves in the technology business.

Despite the fact that more women are dominating the headlines, they are still underrepresented in boardrooms around the world. According to theOffice of National Statistics (ONS), only 31% of UK tech jobs held by women, while women make up fewer than 20% of technology jobs in the US, according to Evia data.

In fact, according to INvolve's data, men named David and Steve are more likely to lead FTSE100 companies than women and ethnic minorities which is a shocking realisation that businesses need to push for an increase in gender balance. 

March 8^th marks International Women’s Day: a global day celebrating the social, economic, and political achievements of women. It’s also a day which calls for action to accelerate gender parity. The theme of this year’s event is #BreakTheBias highlighting that gender balance isn’t just a women’s issue, it’s a societal issue. Whether campaigning for equal wages or calling for a crackdown on harassment, now the race is on to create a board room which is diverse, a workforce which is inclusive and a society where difference is valued and celebrated.

Thankfully, times are changing, and more women are being encouraged to join the ranks of inventors and creators who are driving world-changing technical advancements. Diversity is a significant societal issue, but it is equally significant in the corporate sector.

Diversity in the workforce amounts to a wider range of perspectives and experiences, making it a valuable business asset and a win-win situation for all.

It all starts with education

Education is one of the barriers. Despite 74% of females demonstrating an interest in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) in middle school in the United States, just 0.4 percent choose degrees in this field, according to research from the non-profit organisation Girls Who Code.

Due to a lack of resources and information from a young age, as well as role models within the industry, just 3% of women choose a technology-based career as their first option, according to PwC's own study, Women in Tech: Time to Close the Gender Gap.

To encourage women to explore STEM subjects, we need to provide a welcoming learning atmosphere. Not only is the professional world dominated by men, but so is the educational world. As a result, it is critical to create an environment or community in which women feel at ease in STEM fields. Breaking down gender biases and supporting young women interested in STEM fields – regardless of their level of skill – should be a top priority for any modern company. Why? Diversity has been shown to boost workplace innovation, productivity, and, ultimately, profitability.

Making space for women in STEM

With the increasing demand for new technology, there is an urgent need for women to be better supported in pursuing STEM careers.

If barriers are to be broken, preconceptions challenged, and hurdles conquered in regard to women's participation in and contribution to innovation, educators, corporations, and individual mindsets must be broadened. More coding clubs in schools are needed. More female role models and mentors are needed. In the workplace, we must overcome gender bias. Companies must also provide more flexible working conditions for women, such as programmes to assist women who are returning to work or improved maternity leave policies.

In the future, the technology sector should contribute to a more gender-balanced world, honour women's accomplishments, and raise awareness about bias. It will aid the growth of the technological sector, stimulate new talent, and make a significant difference for women. While we've made significant progress in recent years, the technology sector still has a long way to go before it is genuinely diversified.

Elon Musk, Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg – there are many male leaders in tech. But what about the decades of further women technologists? From COO of Facebook, Sheryl Sandberg, to CEO of YouTube, Susan Wojcicki, women have continued to make waves in the technology business.

Despite the fact that more women are dominating the headlines, they are still underrepresented in boardrooms around the world. According to theOffice of National Statistics (ONS), only 31% of UK tech jobs held by women, while women make up fewer than 20% of technology jobs in the US, according to Evia data.

In fact, according to INvolve's data, men named David and Steve are more likely to lead FTSE100 companies than women and ethnic minorities which is a shocking realisation that businesses need to push for an increase in gender balance. 

March 8^th marks International Women’s Day: a global day celebrating the social, economic, and political achievements of women. It’s also a day which calls for action to accelerate gender parity. The theme of this year’s event is #BreakTheBias highlighting that gender balance isn’t just a women’s issue, it’s a societal issue. Whether campaigning for equal wages or calling for a crackdown on harassment, now the race is on to create a board room which is diverse, a workforce which is inclusive and a society where difference is valued and celebrated.

Thankfully, times are changing, and more women are being encouraged to join the ranks of inventors and creators who are driving world-changing technical advancements. Diversity is a significant societal issue, but it is equally significant in the corporate sector.

Diversity in the workforce amounts to a wider range of perspectives and experiences, making it a valuable business asset and a win-win situation for all.

It all starts with education

Education is one of the barriers. Despite 74% of females demonstrating an interest in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) in middle school in the United States, just 0.4 percent choose degrees in this field, according to research from the non-profit organisation Girls Who Code.

Due to a lack of resources and information from a young age, as well as role models within the industry, just 3% of women choose a technology-based career as their first option, according to PwC's own study, Women in Tech: Time to Close the Gender Gap.

To encourage women to explore STEM subjects, we need to provide a welcoming learning atmosphere. Not only is the professional world dominated by men, but so is the educational world. As a result, it is critical to create an environment or community in which women feel at ease in STEM fields. Breaking down gender biases and supporting young women interested in STEM fields – regardless of their level of skill – should be a top priority for any modern company. Why? Diversity has been shown to boost workplace innovation, productivity, and, ultimately, profitability.

Making space for women in STEM

With the increasing demand for new technology, there is an urgent need for women to be better supported in pursuing STEM careers.

If barriers are to be broken, preconceptions challenged, and hurdles conquered in regard to women's participation in and contribution to innovation, educators, corporations, and individual mindsets must be broadened. More coding clubs in schools are needed. More female role models and mentors are needed. In the workplace, we must overcome gender bias. Companies must also provide more flexible working conditions for women, such as programmes to assist women who are returning to work or improved maternity leave policies.

In the future, the technology sector should contribute to a more gender-balanced world, honour women's accomplishments, and raise awareness about bias. It will aid the growth of the technological sector, stimulate new talent, and make a significant difference for women. While we've made significant progress in recent years, the technology sector still has a long way to go before it is genuinely diversified.

When it comes to IT, companies must make critical strategic decisions all the time. In doing so, it is essential to keep an eye on industry trends and developments. Looking ahead to 2022, there are several themes that have emerged because of the pandemic, as well as some that come up year after year.

In this article, we've compiled a list of our top IT trends for 2022, as well as looking at the overall direction in which the information technology market is moving.

Cybersecurity Mesh

With more staff working remotely and the cloud becoming the norm, it's critical for businesses to start thinking about network security in new ways. Cybersecurity mesh is a flexible architecture that combines best-of-breed, stand-alone security solutions to improve overall protection. It enables organisations to separate policy decision-making from policy enforcement: a cybersecurity mesh creates security perimeters around individuals rather than just the company. Organisations will be better equipped to protect data and information using this mesh technology, including what's inside the facility walls as well as what's on the outside.

Data Fabric

Data is one of a company's most valuable assets. To be able to carry out operational and transactional activities reliably and cleanly, it is vital to maintain excellent data quality. The "cleaner" the data, the more accurately, solidly, and confidently it may be examined and used to make business decisions."Data fabric," according to Gartner, is a design idea that acts as an integrated layer, or fabric, of data and processes. Data fabric makes use of both human and machine skills to access data that is already in place or to facilitate data consolidation when necessary. It allows for the flexible and reliable integration of data sources across platforms and business users, ensuring that data is available wherever it is needed, regardless of its location.

Privacy-Enhancing Computation

 Gartner defines PEC as featuring three technologies that protect data while it is in use. These technologies include:

- A trusted environment where sensitive data can be processed or analyzed.

- Performs processing and analytics in a decentralized manner.

- Encrypts data and algorithms before analytics or processing.

With this trend, organizations are empowered to conduct research securely across regions and with competitors without betraying their confidentiality.

According to Forbes, PEC allows different parties to extract value and achieve significant results from data in untrustworthy environments, letting them to interact without disclosing personal or sensitive data. According to Helpnet Security, as privacy and data protection legislation become more prevalent, more breakthroughs in data privacy have been created. PETs uses privacy-protection to extract value from data in a safe manner without jeopardising confidentiality, using a data-driven approach to security and privacy.

Hyper Automation

For a long time, Hyper Automation has been spoken about in aspirational terms, with the technology being dubbed '"the next frontier for organisations globally" by Deloitte. It's been featured on Gartner’s top 10 key technology trends for 2020 and 2021 and according to Gartner, during the next year, 85 % will enhance or maintain their hyperautomation investment strategy. Hyper automation is a method for quickly identifying, vetting, and automating as many business and IT activities as possible. The faster provisioning and utilisation of IT infrastructure saves time, people resources, and money. Employees will be able to focus on more critical / strategic duties as a result. Additional benefits include reduced error rates and faster scaling of various IT infrastructures, whether on-premises, in the cloud, or hybrid.

Cloud Computing

Cloud computing surged in 2020 and 2021 as businesses turned virtual to adapt to the worldwide pandemic by focusing on digital service delivery. In 2022 we will undoubtedly witness further rapid acceptance and growth in 2022, with predictions from Gartner, global spending on cloud services is expected to reach over $482 billion in 2022. Cloud-native platforms take advantage of cloud computing to provide enterprises with elastic and scalable capabilities that allow them to respond quickly to digital change. Cloud-native solutions are an improvement over the typical lift-and-shift approach to cloud, which loses out on the benefits of cloud and adds complexity to maintenance.

AI Engineering

Every day, the world generates approximately 2.5 quintillion bytes of data, and this figure is growing at an exponential rate. However, the effectiveness of that data is limited by the processes in place to manage, control, and assess it. Because this massive effort is practically impossible to complete manually, businesses therefore turn to artificial intelligence (AI). To make AI delivery more efficient, AI engineering automates data, model, and application upgrades. AI engineering, when combined with robust AI governance, will operationalize AI delivery to assure its long-term economic value.

By addressing common business challenges, the top strategic technology trends will advance digital capabilities and generate growth. Different trends will have different impacts on people organisations. Because most of the trends are tightly intertwined, different combinations of technology are likely to be necessary to compete at different stages of the company growth cycle.

For businesses that want to stay relevant to their customers and purposeful to their employees, diversity is essential. It plays a big part in attracting and retaining talent being competitive in a market where employees hold many of the cards. An inclusive work environment not only creates a culture of growth and progression, it also offers opportunity to win new business and embark on a wider range of projects. 

This month is dedicated to commemorating black history and leveraging this period of awareness to effect positive change. At Franklin Fitch, we are actively working with our clients and their employees to reach a new talent pool, foster an inclusive culture, and inspire a a more diverse audience to join the tech industry.

This month is also a time to recognise the need for change in order to promote diversity and inclusion, particularly in the tech industry. It's one thing to say that more diversity is needed. But how much do you truly know about diversity in tech and how it affects your company?

This article aims to give you an overview of diversity issues in tech and how we can improve them.

Why is diversity in tech important? 

You might be wondering why diversity in the IT industry is so critical. There are moral reasons for prioritising diversity in technology, such as greater equality. There are also important business reasons for supporting workplace diversity.

Racial diversity in tech is also a big problem. At Facebook, only 2.1% of tech jobs are occupied by Black employees. The situation is marginally better at Microsoft, where Black individuals making up 4.7% of the workforce. Black employees are frequently discriminated against in the tech workforce with 62% of Black workers reporting that they have experienced discrimination. This could range from being underpaid compared to a colleague doing the same job, to receiving less support from senior leaders or being passed over for growth and development opportunities. This makes tech jobs less accessible, and appealing, to those individuals.  

Many businesses, particularly those in the "Big Tech" sector, have consistently stated their commitment to diversity. However, data on diversity in the tech industry shows that this has only modestly improved over time. More work is needed to increase racial diversity in the tech industry without a doubt.

How a Lack of Diversity in Tech Harms Businesses 

A diversified workforce allows a company to better understand its consumers and end-users. People now have increased expectations for products and services that cater to their various requirements and tastes. Having a more diverse workforce implies having a wider range of viewpoints, opinions, and backgrounds. You'll have greater creativity, and a wider range of skill sets if you work with a diverse group of people. Plus, you'll have more options for solving business challenges, which will help your organisation succeed.

The world is bursting at the seams with diversity. Our tech-based world can't tap into the full variety of knowledge and experience of that diversity if there isn't diversity in tech.

We've seen how a lack of diversity in technology contributes to negative customer experiences, such as when AI fails to recognise customers with darker skin tones on several occasions. To prevent overlooking the blind spots in tech invention and development, we need to encourage more people from diverse backgrounds to enter technological professions.

Be Geographically Inclusive

There's no reason not to encourage remote work in the post-pandemic world. Remote employment has offered up amazing options for everyone. Companies could take advantage of this by being flexible with their work schedules as one example.

Because many tech companies are concentrated in expensive locations, the industry has lacked diversity for a long time. Companies must be open to remote work in order to appeal to people based in places across the country they are based in, or even the world.

Another alternative is to establish satellite offices in different parts of the country. In the US, new digital centres are springing up in less expensive states. Georgia, Texas, Delaware, Virginia, Connecticut, and Maryland are six states outside of the usual tech clusters of California, New York, and Massachusetts that rank high on the Tech Talent Diversity score. They also have a higher proportion of workers in tech employment and are located in states with lower living costs than the present tech clusters; and diverse employees are more likely to be found in these locations than in ‘traditional’ tech centres like Silicon Valley.

Attracting more Diverse Talent

Companies must adjust their recruitment and hiring methods in order to increase diversity in the tech industry. When it comes to filling a job vacancy, hiring managers must play an active role in attracting a diverse pool of candidates. They can do so by undertaking unconscious bias training, forming multi-person interview panels comprised of diverse staff, and other methods.

An applicant may have no clue what your organisation is doing to assist diverse employees when they apply for a position. You can recruit more diverse talent by promoting your initiatives and recognizing diverse employees via marketing channels and in interviews themselves.

Posting a job post won't actively seek for diverse talent. Instead, go out to organizations that advocate and promote diverse IT talent, and form partnerships with organisations that can help bridge the gap.

Put Effort into Nurturing and Retaining Talent

Hiring a diverse pool of IT talent is merely the beginning of the solution. Companies must build an inclusive workplace after acquiring diverse talent in order to retain their hires. Many firms are aware of the diversity aspect of diversity and inclusion and understand that a diverse workforce is crucial to its reputation and success in a global market. It's the part about inclusion that many don't get - establishing an culture where individuals can be themselves, where their unique talents and perspectives are valued, and where they want to stay.

To appreciate diversity and establish meaningful relationships, it is critical to foster inclusion and create a culture of belonging. It can provide possibilities for employees to learn from one another and collaborate on new ideas. When employees feel included in their work environment and have opportunity to develop new skills, collaborate with people from different backgrounds they are more likely to stay.

Many businesses have recognised the need of cultivating diversity and inclusion within their organisations and have begun taking significant actions to do so. However, much effort has to be done to enhance diversity in the tech world, as well as in tech-related occupations and professions in other industries. Diversity and inclusion in the IT business isn't just a "nice to have," it's a “must have” for the industry's future success.

Brooke Feinglass, a member of our US Austin team, relocated to Austin in July 2021 and enrolled in the Franklin Fitch Academy Program. She has been a part of our training programme since joining the team, which has provided her all the tools she needs to get started in the recruiting industry. We chatted with her about her time in the Academy, her decision to work in recruiting, and how she's adjusting to her new job and team at Franklin Fitch.

Introduce yourself, your career journey at Franklin Fitch, your current role and your responsibilities. 

I started my career in recruiting as a Trainee Consultant in Franklin Fitch's Austin, TX office at the end of July 2021. I had no idea what I was doing and spent most of my days attempting to soak up as much knowledge as possible from my colleagues and received specialised training and development from Academy Management Charlotte from beginning to end. With the help of my supervisors and colleagues, I gained confidence in dealing with applicants and made my first placement in September. I was promoted to Consultant in November after placing four candidates. Now that I've gained a thorough grasp of the hiring process, I'm tasked with sourcing, qualifying, and managing prospects throughout their job search, attempting to make the process as painless as possible.

Since joining Franklin Fitch what has been one of the biggest challenges you have faced? 

Finding a strategy that helps me keep organised has been my biggest problem since joining Franklin Fitch. I've been able to discover strategies to successfully manage my time and keep organised with my calendar as a result of my training, which is a valuable life skill to learn and develop.

What was the training programme like for you at Franklin Fitch?

My training at Franklin Fitch consisted of discussions, peer mentoring, technical studying etc. and I was extremely impressed throughout the entirety of it. The thoroughness of the program and its attention to detail assured me I was surrounded by people that wanted me to the best I could be. 

What are your thoughts on being on the programme and why did you choose a career in recruitment at Franklin Fitch?

Franklin Fitch's training programme continues to impress me. All of the training is designed to provide you with the support and resources you'll need to succeed. It's a true mash-up of several sorts of training, including on-the-job coaching, listening, and observation. The use of KPI challenges and activities to motivate you to meet your goals while still having fun was fantastic and made the experience even more pleasurable.

I chose a career in recruitment at Franklin Fitch because I wanted a company to give me the dedication, attention and training needed in order to be a great recruiter.

Any advice you would give to future recruiters?

Pay attention to what your peers are saying and learn from them. Everyone has a range of expertise and experience, and they are always eager to help if you have a query or want guidance.

Microsoft launched Windows 11 on the 5^th of October 2021 as a free upgrade. Throughout the previous 3 months, I have had many interesting discussions with candidates on whether Windows 11 is as good as it has been made out to be. Throughout this Blog post I will discuss some of the benefits and disadvantages of Windows 11 and would be interested to know your opinion on the matter.

Microsoft has made it clear that Windows 11 is available for all. There is no additional fee to be incurred for downloading Windows 11. However, it is not available to all, as the update is only compatible with a Trusted Platform Module (a dedicated chip that handles encryption) 2.0 and an Intel Core 8^th generation processor which came out in 2017. This means that most computers that are over 4 years old, are unable to receive the update. This is a huge problem for companies which have older infrastructure as Windows 10 will only receive one upgrade a year until 2025, after which  it will be decommissioned. This gives companies only 3 years to upgrade their computer hardware.

Despite the update being challenging to get hold of, it does bring its benefits. For Gamers, it provides automatic HDR which makes the games’ visuals more vibrant, and the direct storage helps the graphic card and the Solid State Drive (SSD) communicate faster.

Additionally, for MacOS users like myself, it should become easier to navigate the Windows 11 as Microsoft have opted for a new MacOS style taskbar. Unlike the MacOS where you can pin the task bar to any of the 4 sides of the screen, with Windows 11 it can only stay pinned at the bottom, a feature that could prove annoying. Furthermore, there has been confusion that users have been unable to see their live applications on the task bar, making navigation harder for the user. As well as the new tool bar, Windows 11 will also come with a “Microsoft Chat” App, very similar to iMessage and Facetime from Apple. The Chat App uses the users Phone Number or Email-ID to enable the chat feature.

One of my favourite new features will be the different Window Sizes, by that I mean there are “Snap Layouts” on Windows 11 which allow you to have more than one application or document open on your screen at once. I for one love this function as I work in my second language, making online dictionaries my best friend.  It will be so much easier to be able to have a dictionary and document open at the same time on the same screen. Moreover, it allows you to get more work done as you can see a larger variety of tasks you are working on. Home office plays a key part in our working lives at the moment with not all of us having access to multiple screens, “Snap Layouts” provides us with an alternative. On the contrary, one could also argue that by having more tabs open, it leads to more distractions, as you are not focused on one task.

The Windows 11 browser of choice is “Edge Browser”. This browser allows you to have sleeping tabs which can save memory and Central Processing Unit (CPU) usage. In addition, Windows 11 remembers what apps you had open the last time the was computer on. This has benefits meaning you can jump straight back in where we left off, but also means that if we want to start fresh the next day, we must make sure that we have shut all applications down at the end of the day.

I am really excited to be able to use the new Windows 11. I look forward to using the new taskbar, the “Snap Layouts” and the setting to have my last opened applications open again when I start in the morning. What is your opinion?

Every February, people in the United States celebrate the achievements and history of African Americans as part of Black History Month. It's also an opportunity for people to learn more about the effects of racism and how to challenge negative stereotypes. It’s been celebrated in the United States for close to 100 years. But what is it, exactly, and how did it begin?

The first commemoration of Black History Month took place in 1915, when Carter G. Woodson, dubbed the "Father of Black History," founded the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History, an organisation dedicated to researching and promoting achievements by African Americans and other people of African descent.

Carter G Woodson, the son of former slaves, was born in Virginia in 1875. Growing up, he had limited access to a good education and career possibilities, but after accumulating money from working as a coal miner, he was able to attend one of the few high schools for black students.  He made up for lost time by graduating in less than two years, despite arriving late to high school. Woodson served as an education superintendent for the US government in the Philippines after graduating from Berea College in Kentucky. Before coming to Harvard, he received his bachelor's and master's degrees at the University of Chicago. In 1912, three years before founding the ASNLH, he became only the second African American (after W.E.B. DuBois) to earn a doctorate from that institution.

Carter G. Woodson, a University of Chicago alumni with many Chicago connections, travelled from Washington, D.C. to take part in a nationwide commemoration of the 50th anniversary of emancipation sponsored by the state of Illinois. Thousands of African Americans travelled from all around the country to visit exhibitions showing their people's development since slavery was abolished. As he joined the thousands of Black Americans overflowing from the Coliseum, which housed exhibits highlighting African American achievements since the abolition of slavery, Woodson was inspired to do more in the spirit of celebrating Black history and heritage. Before he left Chicago, he helped found the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History (ASNLH). A year later, Woodson singlehandedly launched the Journal of Negro History, in which he and other researchers brought attention to the achievements of Black Americans.

Woodson witnessed how black people were underrepresented in the books and conversations that shaped the study of American history. On February 7, 1926, Woodson organised and supported the inaugural "Negro History Week" to commemorate and increase awareness of African American history. This week was chosen because it coincides with the birthdays of both Frederick Douglass, an abolitionist, and former US president Abraham Lincoln. During the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln led the United States, which was mostly fought for the enslavement of African Americans in the country.

 Negro History Week" had grown into Black History Month on many college campuses by the late 1960s, thanks in part to the civil rights movement and a rising awareness of Black identity. And in 1976, according to Texas A&M University Afro-American history professor Albert Broussard, it was renamed Black History Month and expanded into a month-long celebration.

In 1976, President Gerald Ford declared Black History Month, encouraging people to "seize the opportunity to acknowledge the too-often overlooked contributions of African Americans in every field of effort throughout our history."

In 2016, Barack Obama, the nation's first Black president, issued his last proclamation in honour of Woodson's project, which is now considered one of the country's oldest organised historical celebrations. “As we mark the 40th year of National African American History Month, let us reflect on the sacrifices and contributions made by generations of African Americans, and let us resolve to continue our march toward a day when every person knows the unalienable rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”

Today, Black History Month is a time to recognise African Americans' contributions and legacy throughout American history and society, from activists and civil rights pioneers like Harriet Tubman, Sojourner Truth, Marcus Garvey, Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X, and Rosa Parks to leaders in business, politics, science, and culture.

Carter. G. Woodson worked tirelessly throughout his life to promote black history in schools, to raise awareness of his mission, and to assist school systems in coordinating their efforts, leaving an everlasting legacy behind. 

Diversity and Inclusion isn't a new concept. For years, business functions have worked to make their teams as diverse as possible, bringing together people with different ideas, perspectives, and working styles to increase team effectiveness by up to 35 percent. In business, diversity and inclusion are all about ensuring that all employees have a level playing field, and that your staff reflects the broad mix of society. Your team should be made up of a diverse group of people with various backgrounds and experiences. 

Here is a vast array of benefits when making the recruitment process more diverse. Here are our top benefits of a more diverse recruitment process:

• New Perspectives and Innovation- A diverse team allows businesses to be more innovative, creative, and productive. Employee diversity contributes to fresher and more diversified ideas, as well as a variety of different opinions and experiences, which can assist in solving challenges and promote innovation. Individuals with a variety of cultural backgrounds, religious beliefs, and skill sets make for well-rounded teams, allowing for faster and more informed decisions. 

• Talent Pool- Making your recruitment process more inclusive implies attracting more candidates from various backgrounds and sources. You'll always reach the same type of people if you don't change the way your recruiting process is arranged. If you work to eliminate barriers to entry, you’ll have the pick of the most high-performing candidates, which enlarges your talent pool and improves your chances of finding the ideal hire. Aside from the fact that diversity enhances your existing business, 67% of people think about it when looking for work. It's critical to hire a broader range of people in order to attract more suitable applicants. Investing in tools that source qualified candidates across all backgrounds will result in you being able to access a larger talent pool. 

• Improved Culture- A more diverse workforce fosters a more open and adventurous workplace culture. Working with people from various origins creates a fascinating day-to-day culture and allows employees to bond over their diverse backgrounds and past experiences and learn from each other. 

• Faster Time to Hire- Vacancies are filled faster when there are more candidates, and they are of higher quality. You'll have everything you need to move through the recruitment process quickly if you create a more inclusive and diverse pool of candidates.  

There are numerous advantages to making your recruitment process more inclusive, including the ability to attract high-quality individuals from all walks of life. Businesses that actively seek to ensure that they appeal to a diverse variety of candidates will distinguish themselves against the competition.

When you receive a call or email from a recruiter, your first instinct is to hang up or ignore it, but you should view it as a learning opportunity, even if you aren't seriously considering leaving your current position.  

In most circumstances, the experience will help you learn more about yourself as a job candidate and give you an idea of what employers are looking for – information that will prove invaluable when time comes to make a change.  

When given a compelling opportunity, we've seen people, who weren't previously considering a career transition, dramatically transform their perspective — and approach — and end up better off.  

So, if you are contacted by a recruiter, consider asking some questions and building a relationship as you never know what you might find out. Below are some questions you should consider asking.

Consider asking:

Why is the position open? Determine whether the position is a newly created one or one that has become unoccupied. If the latter, inquire as to why the prior occupant of the position left and how long the position has been open.  

What skills and experiences do the hiring managers value the most? Request a list of the needed skills and experiences for the position from the recruiter. Having such a list will make comparing the employer's criteria to your own skill set and deciding whether to pursue the opportunity much easier.  

What does the day-to-day of the job look like?  This is a great approach to get past the repetition of a job description and gain a better understanding of what the role requires. Ask questions to help you figure out how you'll spend the most of your time.  

Why did you connect with me? What about my background indicates that I'd be a good fit for the job? The answer to this question can reveal how individuals outside your organisation evaluate your work and successes, as well as how rigorously the recruiter did their homework, which could indicate how well they understand the role they've been hired to fill.  

Is there anything concerning about my CV or background? This is a great tool to see how competitive you are for the job, and it will also give you information to help you plan a strategy for filling any perceived gaps in your cover letter, resume, and interview. 

What kind of flexible work arrangements does the job offer? This is particularly essential knowledge in the COVID era, when many people have become accustomed to working from home and may wish to do so in the future. Understanding the variety of advantages that come with a position in general is also a useful approach to learn about the culture and values of the company. 

What can you tell me about the company's culture? What are the organization's values, and how do they manifest themselves in its work? Organisational culture and values are important considerations for most people when deciding whether to accept a new position. Inquire about details that go beyond what's on the organization's website or in a handbook, such as how the organization's principles are demonstrated in day-to-day activities. Inquire about the company's professional development opportunities, human resources practices, and everything else that goes into developing a healthy organisational culture. 

What work has the organization done to become more diverse and inclusive? What has been done to make the organisation more diverse, inclusive, and equitable? This will be critical in 2022 for applicants looking for inclusive and progressive workplaces. Inquire about training and development opportunities that concentrate on diversity and equality.  

What does the interview process look like and how long does it take? If you choose to pursue the opportunity, the answer to this question should offer you an idea of how much time commitment you'll be required to make, as well as whether it's something worth investing your time and energy in. 

The questions above are meant to be a starting point for assessing whether a potential career is a suitable fit for you and deciding whether you want to pursue an opportunity presented to you by a recruiter. It’s always good to think outside the box and come up with a couple more questions of your own. Moving to a new company can be intimidating, but it's also a fantastic — perhaps the best — way to grow your career. Before making a decision, gather as much information as possible and act on it. 

When searching for a new role quality over quantity wins every time. I see many candidates who take the approach of submitting hundreds of applications for any role with a relevant title, who then end up frustrated when they receive little to no response. Learning why these are mistakes can help you avoid wasting time and focus on the position perfect for you.

So how can you fix this?

Be Specific – think about your next career move before starting to apply and only apply to roles that are truly relevant and match your skillset. Candidates that use job search sites to apply for many jobs at the same time and have a CV that is overly generic will almost certainly be sent to the bottom of the stack. The CV should demonstrate that the candidate has the qualifications to perform a certain job and that they would be a suitable fit for the position and the firm. This is why individuals who submit many applications rarely receive a response from recruiters. It is preferable to spend time researching the organisation and reworking a job application to meet the job description.

Tailor your CV – this can be difficult to do for every application, but for the ones that you're really interested in and believe you're a good fit for, it's worth it. It doesn't need to be a re-write, a quick re-shuffle of your technical skills and highlighting the skills that match the job specification on the first page makes a world of difference. Take the time to personalise job applications to indicate that you are qualified to fill specific jobs. (Extra Tip: Ask your recruiter if they have any advice on what changes you could make to put you in better stead!)

Follow up – don't let your CV get lost in the pile. If you've applied for a role and you can see a recruiter is managing it, follow up! Send them an email or a LinkedIn message to let them know you've applied and that you've read the job advert and explain briefly why you believe you're a good fit. This really helps you stand out from the crowd.

I'm a firm believer that It's better to do 10 deep applications than 100 shallow ones!

We spoke with Garett, who joined Franklin Fitch's Academy Programme in July 2021 and has swiftly progressed through the ranks, most recently being promoted to Recruitment Consultant, about his experiences in the programme, his best piece of advice and how he's adjusted into his job and team at Franklin Fitch.

Introduce yourself, your career journey at Franklin Fitch, your current role and your responsibilities. 

I'm Garett Bechdolt (aka GABE), and I work at Franklin Fitch as a recruiting consultant. I started as a trainee in the Austin office in June 2021, with no prior recruitment experience. My current responsibilities involve working with clients on business development, communicating with candidates, and managing both candidates and clients through their individual interview procedures.

Since joining Franklin Fitch what has been one of the biggest challenges you have faced? 

Learning efficient strategies to govern your candidates has been one of the most difficult problems (apart from sharing a small workspace with JOGU). Early on, I struggled to gain candidate buy-in, but I've made significant progress in this area in the last several months. The idea is to simply listen to the individual to determine their requirements, and then demonstrate how you can meet those needs. They are more likely to pick up the phone when you call again if they believe you understand their position effectively.

What was the training programme like for you at Franklin Fitch?

The Franklin Fitch Academy leaders are fantastic mentors, and they make sure that we are following daily practises that are the foundation of a successful recruiter. There are a lot of moving components in recruiting, but they make everything as simple as possible to understand.

What are your thoughts on being on the programme and why did you choose a career in recruitment at Franklin Fitch?

I chose a career with Franklin Fitch because I see great opportunities in our market, and I believe that we have the pieces in place to grow very quickly. I was also impressed with everyone I spoke with during my interviews, and I don’t think there is anything they told during that process that wasn’t true. Everyone within the company are always so helpful, and you can always reach out to anyone and they will be extremely supportive.

Any advice you would give to future recruiters?

Listen to your mentors and observe their work often. Your team around you should have the experience to guide you through difficult situations as they arise. It is important to listen to them when they give you feedback and do everything you can to incorporate it into your work. Spending time studying why they have been successful can unlock your ability to do the same.

The Great Resignation is here, and its real. A new era for the workforce as we emerge from the pandemic. In this new era, we see a critical movement from employees – a change in their hearts and minds about where and how they want to work. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, during the months of April, May, and June 2021, a total of 11.5 million workers quit their jobs. Anthony Klotz, the Texas A&M psychologist who coined the term “The Great Resignation,” believes a major factor in job departures is that people are re-evaluating their relationship to work in the wake of COVID-19. 

Workers have been able to reassess their jobs, working circumstances, and long-term ambitions as a result of the epidemic. Many have experienced “pandemic epiphanies” making workers less likely to maintain positions they find unsatisfactory, and more likely to feel empowered in their search for better (or more fulfilling) roles in the workforce. As a result of this paradigm change, a significant number of people are looking for new occupations, and many firms are striving to fill available positions.

If considering making a change in your career our advice is to critically evaluate each of the following:

• The Purpose- How does the goal of what you're going to undertake align with your own personal values? Consider how your own values connect with the firm, the products they sell, the services they provide, or the personal cause they support. As you invest in the moral good, your purpose will fuel your enthusiasm and transform your career into more than just employment.

• The Leadership- We know that one of the main reasons employees search for new chances is because of their direct or immediate superiors, it is critical to assess new leadership during the change process. Find a leader that will push you to be a greater contributor by challenging, coaching, and supporting you; one who will support your professional goals and objectives, your passion, and is focused on your best interests; one who will not hinder or stop you from advancement due to self-serving motives.

• The Job- Is your new position exciting to you? Is it a test for you? It might be the first step toward a new professional path or functional area. Alternatively, you may go into a firm where you've always wanted to work. If you're leaving to perform the same job for greater money, we recommend that you consider the various factors that led to this decision.

• The Culture- Make sure you're familiar with the company's culture before you start working there. Assess if the firm as a whole invests in its culture and holds the leadership accountable for their behaviour and actions in achieving the stated cultural objectives, rather than merely reading the companies' value statements. It's just as vital to find your people and a sense of belonging as it is to be paid and have opportunities. If you miss the target on this, you'll rapidly become unhappy and demotivated.​

Over the last several months, there has been a significant surge in competition for experienced talent, particularly in the Solution Provider and Consultancy market, where demand for individuals with a strong balance of technical competence and client-facing abilities has skyrocketed. Returning to the office and taking advantage of the market are two prominent reasons applicants have offered for quitting. Clients that are taking advantage of the market are doing so by listening to their current employees in order to improve retention, as well as modernising archaic recruitment methods in order to secure the finest personnel.Companies must consider adaptation and flexibility in this new era of the job market if they want to keep people and guarantee that they are satisfied in their roles.

At their first summit meeting since Joe Biden took office in January, the US President met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Geneva to discuss a cybersecurity arrangement. This follows a series of high-profile cybersecurity attacks in the US, many of which are suspected to have originated in Russia.

Perhaps the most high-profile example – the Colonial Pipeline ransomware attack – was carried out by hacker group Darkside who are thought to be Russian. Putin told reporters that the attack had “nothing to do with Russian authorities”.

Is there much evidence to suggest that many ransomware gangs are Russian? Surprisingly so… Over the past few years, patterns have been observed by experts that point in one clear direction. Ransomware groups predominately operate during Moscow working hours, use Russian-speaking forums, and avoid attacking Russia or former Soviet states.

"The intelligence and research community believes that the attacks are coming from former Soviet bloc countries, namely Russia, Ukraine, and others", says former Russian hacker and now cybersecurity expert Dmitry Smilyanets to the BBC.

That’s not to say that all ransomware groups are from Russia. The most serious ransomware attack in history was by hackers from North Korea in 2017, which impacted hundreds of hospitals in the UK.

Just this week, six suspected hackers were arrested in Ukraine for links to a ransomware group known as Clop.

Yet these instances are few and far between. Most experts agree that the destructive ransomware attacks of recent are originating in Russia and its former Soviet neighbors.

How do Biden and Putin plan to resolve this? Neither side gave any details on how their cybersecurity arrangement will look moving forward, but we can expect some tensions given the history of the US-Russian relationship.

written by Evangeline Hunt

Ransomware attacks on the rise

For the first time in 40 years, Americans found themselves queueing for gas last month. The long line of cars across the East Coast was a result of the ransomware attack on the Colonial Pipeline – one of many recent, high-profile ransomware attacks.

Just last week hackers attacked JBS, the world’s largest meat processor, shutting down facilities in the US, Canada and Australia.

In both of these cases, ransoms were made and paid. A total of $15 million in ransom was paid, which Colonial Pipeline CEO Joseph Blount said was the “hardest decision I’ve made in my 39 years in the energy industry”.

There appears to be a recent focus on supply chains, perhaps due to the huge knock-on effect that not paying the ransom can have – meaning it always gets paid.

What does the future of ransomware attacks look like? And how can organizations protect themselves from such attacks?

Predicting ransomware attacks over the next ten years

Cybersecurity Ventures predicts that ransomware will cost its victims over $265 billion annually by 2031.

“Ransomware is expected to attack a business, consumer, or device every 2 seconds by 2031”, says Cybersecurity Ventures founder Steve Morgan. This figure is based on 30% year-on-year damage costs over the next ten years.

We are seeing ransomware becoming more and more advanced – as expected. Attacks are moving away from locking users out until they pay, to multi-pronged attacks where ransomware is only the beginning.

Always one step ahead

Despite organizations putting plans into place to protect themselves from a cyberattack, they aren’t doing it fast enough. Hackers appear to be one step ahead of everyone else, meaning organizations find themselves responding to attacks once they’ve already happened, rather than planning to prevent them.

Malware attackers are only getting craftier and more advanced, meaning organizations need to move quickly to try to get ahead of the hackers.

Internet of Things devices are rapidly growing in numbers, which opens up concerning new avenues for ransomware attacks. Each of these connected devices provides a potential hacking opportunity, which could have a devastating impact.

IoT devices such as healthcare monitors or self-driving cars are examples of where the consequences of such an attack could be life-threatening. Smart-city initiatives that will be prevalent in 2031 means that we will be surrounded by devices susceptible to compromise – such as road safety signs and public lighting.

Not enough talent

Part of the reason that organizations are often chasing their tail with cybersecurity efforts is because of the global shortage of skilled cybersecurity professionals.

Cybercriminals know that organizations are slow to patch their vulnerabilities – and use this to their advantage.

This isn’t going to change any time soon, although by 2031 it’s expected that the majority of systems will be running via the cloud – where full-stack architectures can more easily patch vulnerabilities.

The unlimited storage capabilities of the cloud means that constant backups can be made for easy restoration of data if an attack were to occur.

Yet the human error still remains – opening malicious email attachments or similar.

What can be done about this?

Organizations need to have a cybersecurity strategy in place to prevent against future attacks. Part of the strategy could include ongoing company-wide education, tech that scans emails for malicious attacks, a solid plan of action if a malicious link is clicked, public awareness of the impact of ransomware attacks, etc.

The potential cost of a ransomware attack isn’t just the ransom itself – but could include the damage/loss of data, downtime, lost productivity, the investigation into the attack, restoration of data, and any reputational harm and remaining clean-up.

The only way to ensure that your organization is implementing everything it needs to do to be cyber-safe is to have a dedicated cybersecurity professional ensuring this is done. This is easier said than done when the unemployment rate in cybersecurity has been at 0% since 2011.

If you are looking to hire a cybersecurity professional but are not having much luck, we might be able to help. We have a pool of talent that could be the perfect fit for your role, so don’t be afraid to get in touch!

written by Evangeline Hunt

For a long time, organizations have focused their efforts and investments on financial capital rather than their human capital. However, with a lot more studies being conducted and evidence showing the significant impact top talent has on business performance, the focus of organizations has seemed to slowly start shifting. 

Knowing the value of talent for companies, there also comes a problem with it; talent is very scarce. A company needs to be outstanding in order to make scarce top talent apprised of their existence. The market is highly competitive; the more an employer understands talent’s needs and core motivations, the easier it will become to attract the exact people wanted and needed. Talent is as varied as the many job opportunities out there, so it is of utmost importance to match the right talent with the right job for long-term success. To do so, talent has to be looked at from all different perspectives such as age, gender or geographical location.

Building a strong EVP is one of the key attributes it takes to attract top talent, establishing an outstanding talent magnet position in the market, and communicating it successfully to the target audience. However most companies face limitations, especially when it comes to finding the best and brightest candidates. Therefore recruitment agencies out there can help them tap into different and broader talent pools. Recruitment needs to be a pro-active process, “employers cannot wait for the new talent to find them; they have to go out and look for it”. (Hillenbrand, 2020, p. 4)

Passive jobseekers make up a great share of talent and therefore have to be actively sourced and reached out to. There are many different possibilities on how to reach out to all the bright and different talent out there. Instead of focusing on only a few talent pools, companies should embrace diversity to fill open positions and take advantage of the effect it has on overall business success.

Recruitment agencies act as a middleman, a third party between the candidate and hiring company. Recruiters usually have a deeper talent pool than the in-house talent acquisition teams, as it is their job to have a large database with potential candidates to reach out to. They also do not wait for active applicants but put themselves out there, actively searching for talent. Hiring a recruitment agency is also time-saving, they take on the pre-screening and selection of potential candidates. It also makes the hiring process more efficient, as good recruiters act in the interest of the client and the candidate and think long-term. They know their market, what the client expects from a candidate and what the candidate will be able to deliver.

In order to attract the right talent, it is not only crucial to understand what talent wants, but also where required talent can be found and ways to make contact. Therefore, understanding the channels that are being used by jobseekers to search and apply for jobs will help to implement the right technology when reaching out to potential candidates, which will also differ from geographic location and age. Some information is more valuable than others for candidates when reading a job description. Recruiters ensure the right information is available upfront to an interview in order to increase the efficiency of the hiring process. The more transparency a candidate can get, the better he or she is able to understand what to expect from their potential future job and employer.

In conclusion, recruiters provide you with an exclusive and specific selection of top talent for your business. If you want to find out how Franklin Fitch can support your recruitment process please reach out to Carmen Hiemisch (c.hiemisch@franklinfitch.com or +49 69 971 94 2913).

Source: Hillenbrand, P. “The people-first approach to business building”, McKinsey Digital, 2020, p. 4

written by Carmen Hiemisch

What do Bitcoin, Charlie Bit My Finger, and Beeple’s digital art all have in common? They’re all powered by blockchain – a digital list of records that are linked together using cryptography.

Blockchain-powered tech has risen in popularity, most notably in the form of cryptocurrency. But more recently, the sale of NFTs (non-fungible tokens) online for often millions of dollars has created a new buzz around blockchain.

Blockchain was originally created in 1991 with the purpose of timestamping digital documents so that they couldn’t be tampered with. This new tech went mostly unused, until it was adapted by Satoshi Nakamoto in 2009 to create the digital cryptocurrency Bitcoin.

A blockchain is a decentralized ledger that is open to anyone. The complex properties of a blockchain make it near-impossible to tamper with. Each block contains a unique “hash” – like a fingerprint, plus the hash of the previous block. If a single block is tampered with, the hash will change and won’t correctly match the hash of the next block – invalidating the chain. This makes blockchains a very secure way of storing data.

These days, blockchain is essentially a peer-to-peer network that enables trusted trade between individuals without the need for a mediator. Mediators can be anything from banks, online servers such as eBay or Amazon, or physical shops.

This is all well and good, but it sounds a bit hypothetical. Where is blockchain being used in our lives as of now, and where can we expect to see it in the future?

Like any new technology, its potential is still being unlocked. The most commonly known use for blockchain tech as of present is Bitcoin.  Cryptocurrency uses blockchain encryption techniques to control the creation of monetary units and to verify their transfer between users of the peer-to-peer network. This removes the need for banks and even physical money.

In theory, blockchain can be applied to any sort of trade – be it goods or services, energy, or something like voting.

Most recently there has been a surge in the sale of non-fungible tokens, which are powered on the Ethereum blockchain. Non-fungible means something unique and can’t be replaced with something else – like a piece of art, or a song. Bitcoin, or a dollar, is fungible – one bitcoin can be traded for another bitcoin and it’s exactly the same.

The Ethereum blockchain is the cryptocurrency used to support NFTs – it stores extra information that makes them work differently. NFTs can really be anything digital, such as art, music, tweets, memes, videos, etc. A lot of the excitement surrounding NFTs is around digital art. Yes, artist Beeple did sell a piece of digital art at Christie’s Auction House for $70 million… The exact piece of art can be viewed online by anyone – yes anyone. But only one person “owns” it. The authenticity of this ownership is powered by blockchain.

Is paying $70 million for a piece of digital art crazier than buying a tweet from the founder of Twitter for $3 million? I can’t decide…

What makes blockchain so interesting is that its potential is only just being unlocked. Until recently, we wouldn’t have thought that it was possible to “buy” a tweet – but apparently it is. Who knows where this exciting new tech will go next… any ideas?

written by Evangeline Hunt

As we approach the halfway point of 2021, it’s a good time to reflect on the trends that were predicted for the year. Most of us were relieved to say goodbye to 2020. A year full of uncertainty and change. Not all of them were bad – the past year pushed engineers into a new way of collaboration to build, deliver and manage IT Infrastructure.

This digital transformation has become crucial for business success. As a result of the challenges of the past year the following DevOps trends have gained more attention:

1. In 2021 Service Mesh has increased and become one of the key components of the dedicated infrastructure layer built into an app as that’s how parts of an application can share data with another. Service mesh is used to facilitate service-to-service communications between services. Due to factors from choosing particular tools, people will be forced to use them. This means, as tools become a more and more inseparable part of other solutions, more service mesh will be used. On top of that, it will provide the features and standards within each application and therefore represent the platform for ALL kinds of applications.

2. DevSecOps is gaining more importance, ensuring security for businesses of any size as working with cloud-based technology is becoming part of our daily workspace. Vulnerabilities and security gaps need to quickly be noticed, detected and diminished by the DevSecOps team.

3. Kubernetes is an open-source container-orchestration system for automating computer application deployment, scaling, and management. It was originally designed by Google and is now maintained by the Cloud Native Computing Foundation. The use of Kubernetes continues to grow in 2021 as they are needed to build complex cloud-native infrastructures for automating computer applications. As these are difficult to understand, in 2021, cloud operators and practitioners create new supporting tools and will benefit the tech community. These tools focus especially on data science, visibility and secret management.

4. AI & ML driven DevOps approach: nowadays, traditional organizations need to handle a massive amount of data that is being generated with immense speed, variety and volume. To be able to analyze and compute this data of any scale and size, organizations work with AI (Artificial Intelligence) and ML (machine learning) as they are the boosters to transform the workflow of teams. ML helps to understand where blockages or capacity issues that occur in the delivery lifecycle and therefore improves developing, deploying, delivering and managing applications properly.

5. Observability or monitoring is the question. As systems are transforming into more complex, cloud-native and open source microservices running on Kubernetes, more engineers will be mindful of observing and monitoring the application to identify and respond to outages and events. This deeper insight into downtime is an approach to monitor, analyse, trace events to investigate the specific causes and pinpoint the impact on the company. 

Excited for the second half of 2021? Well, if you weren’t yet, then you should be now. The fact that DevOps is the best solution to increase quality, save time and money for companies hasn’t changed. But still, a new era is well underway in this cloud-centric and all-digital world. Therefore, upgrading and integrating techniques and tools are required for the rapidly changing market needs.

written by Sophie Finsterer

As recruiters, we get the opportunity to speak to a whole host of hiring managers, each facing their own challenges when looking to bring the best talent on board and grow out their teams. Although even the largest, most resourceful companies are still likely to face their fair share of tests, this article will focus on identifying the key challenges faced by SMEs when hiring for their IT/Infrastructure teams, as well as looking into best practices and new ideas on how to solve them.

I am in contact with a range of SMEs, speaking with hiring manages to get to the bottom of what works, what doesn’t and how they have managed to improve and streamline their recruitment processes. Outlined below are some of the key talking points that arose, which will hopefully provide insight and assist in building a hiring process that works for you.

What to focus on when hiring IT/Infrastructure employees?

Believe it or not, a surprisingly large number of hiring managers found putting too much emphasis on a candidate’s technical capabilities was ineffective in the initial recruitment stage. It was an almost unanimous agreement that on reflection, more focus should have been placed on values fit and working attitude. Bringing in someone that shares the values of the company, as well as having a positive can-do attitude can have a huge impact on SMEs.

Having a team of motivators is a sure way to maintain positivity, overcome challenges and create opportunity for innovation. Someone could be exceptionally talented in terms of technical ability, yet if they aren’t invested and motivated to make things work, they’re probably going to be more of a detriment to the business in the long run. As the saying goes, “one bad apple can spoil the bunch”.

Unlike technical skills, mentality can’t be taught. So, when it comes to technical skills vs mentality, let’s call it even. Hitting that perfect balance of technical prowess and personality fit in a new hire is any SME’s dream!

Make your interview process more effective

Giving candidates reasons to buy into the company from the start is crucial for attracting talent (and it only takes 10 minutes). The current market is extremely candidate driven; strong candidates are likely to have multiple other processes going on alongside the opportunity you’re offering. Ten minutes on the phone is all it takes to create a good first impression and make candidates feel like you are valuing their application and are aware that interviews are a two-way street. You are aiming to put your company at the forefront of the candidate’s mind.

Testing technical ability

The interview processes at SMEs are often far more thorough than some of the larger companies I’ve worked with, and why shouldn’t they be? The associated risk of every hire is far greater than in larger and more established companies. Holding some form of technical test, whether it’s an online screen share, or a verbal test in the interview from one of the senior team members is a great way to separate the technically strong from the lesser capable.

There are two big “don’ts” when it comes to testing technical ability. Firstly, jumping straight into a technical interview as a first stage, without previously giving buy-in to the company (yes, this again). This can be hugely off-putting and can give a sense of elitism to your hiring process.

Secondly, putting candidates through a ridiculously long process, just to prove what they’re capable of. The candidate shouldn’t need to be asked the same questions by 4 different people within the organisation. This can give the impression of poor communication and time management within the business, whether this is the case or not. Candidates are often reluctant to commit to such a long process for a job that they ultimately might not land.

One of my clients mentioned the idea of collaboration-based interviews. The way this works is that they get the candidate to participate in a real-life situation. Sit in on a brainstorming session with the team, focusing on how best to overcome a specific, real problem. This way you can test the candidate on how well they collaborate, how confident they are giving their own ideas and how they communicate these ideas to a wider audience. This also gives a positive experience to the candidate as they get a real insight into what it would be like working in the company – and ultimately the team.

Finally, something hugely important for all companies, big or small, is responsiveness and feedback. This is so vital, yet still not on the priority list for many companies. Due to the competitiveness of the industry, candidates can be off the market within a matter of days. If you aren’t providing constructive feedback on profile submissions or interviews within two days maximum and keeping candidates in the loop, assume that your competition is, and expect to be left behind!

How does your tech stack correlate with talent attraction?

I asked each hiring manager: “when choosing your tech stack, do you think about how that correlates with talent attraction and current technical trends for when you’re likely to be growing the team further down the line?” This often prompted the response: “I’d never really thought about it until now”.

Around 90% of the people I spoke to stated that the tech stack was chosen with the sole focus on implementing the best tools for the product, without giving a thought to how their choices would affect the future hiring process. Makes sense! However, keeping talent attraction in mind when discussing technical decisions is no bad thing. This doesn’t mean that you should pick a tool unsuitable for the job just because it’s the “next big thing” but keeping up to date with the latest versions of the tools and technologies that you’re using is likely to appeal to potential candidates when the time comes to grow out the team. Emerging technologies will also keep your product/service scalable as you continue to expand.

Being open to implementing new technologies and offering an element of technical freedom to your IT employees can also be a great way to attract talent, encourage innovation and ensure that your hires have the mindset of continuous development (which is the attitude needed in most successful tech SMEs).

How do you compete with the tech industries “Top Dogs”? And do you need to?

Interestingly, the majority of people I spoke to didn’t feel as though they are competing with large organisations on anywhere near the same level that they are competing with other SME’s. This is due to the belief that the majority of candidates either have the appetite for an SME, or they don’t.

If you have a candidate with their mind set on working in a small, more open environment, how do you attract them to yours? Many thought that it is more effective to focus on offering the candidate intangible benefits such as technical freedom, ownership over projects, the chance to make a real difference on projects and the company as a whole. This would often be more appealing than trying to match the ‘competitive’ financial packages that are being offered elsewhere.

Whilst these benefits will appeal to a “smaller company” minded candidate, it’s important not to use these benefits as leverage to negotiate a lower salary. Underwhelming a candidate with a job offer is a sure-fire way to put them off!

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If you have any questions, comments, or tried and tested methods for attracting talent to SMEs that haven’t been covered here, please feel free to share.

This week is Mental Health Awareness Week, which focuses on the theme of nature. During the long months of the pandemic, millions of people globally turned to nature as a coping mechanism - with 45% of people reporting that being in green spaces had been vital for their mental health.

There is lots of research to support the role that nature can play in protecting our mental health. This week, the Mental Health Foundation is encouraging those who can to spend some time connecting with nature. 

We care deeply about mental health at Franklin Fitch. Our charity of the year for 2021 is Heads Together, who are fighting the stigma around mental health. We've shared some of the ways in which we are connecting with nature this week, and encourage you to do the same.

Algida Gaidyte: 'I'm going to give my houseplants some extra love this week."

Richard Shayler: 'I'm growing some basil plants"

Charlotte Drury: 'My friend and I are growing spring onions from the end bit of old spring onions that we had in the fridge. They've already shot up after only a couple of weeks.'

Dane Keenan: 'I'm going to make the effort to eat my lunch outside rather than at my desk.'

Konstantin Ehrenberger: 'I'm going to take a picnic to Brickwell Park, where the oldest Oak tree there is over 600 years old.'

Carmen Hiemisch: 'I'm cycling to work this week rather than getting public transport.'

Parnian Faqiryar: 'I'll ditch the bus this week in favor of walking to work.'

Luned Jones: 'I'm spending a day at Kew Gardens with family and friends.'

Patrick Griffiths: 'I've been growing apples from the seeds, I even had to re-pot them this week'.

Dominique Lianos: 'Myself and my housemates are growing various herbs that we've already used in our cooking'.

Mona Aboud: 'I plan to take a walk in the forest this week.'

Maike Nenninger: 'I'm going to my parents' place with a protected landscape area for a family walk in the woods.'

Gareth Streefland: 'I'm going surfing in Swansea at the weekend.'

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How do you plan to connect to nature this week? For resources, tips and more information on Mental Health Awareness Week, please visit the Mental Health Foundation website.

A new Oxford University study reveals “little evidence” of a link between technology use and mental health problems in teenagers. This comes in the run-up Mental Health Awareness Week, which has the theme of ‘nature’ for 2021.

Over 430,000 10 to 15 year-olds from the UK and USA took part in the study, which found a small drop in the association between depression and social media use from 1991 to 2019.

"We couldn't tell the difference between social-media impact and mental health in 2010 and 2019”, said co-author Prof Andrew Przybylski. “We're not saying that fewer happy people use more social media, we’re saying that the connection is not getting stronger.”

Despite this, Przybylski said it was still too early to make any firm conclusions, and “certainly way too soon to be making policy or regulation.” 

While this study is good news for the tech industry, it goes against several reports that suggest a more harmful relationship. Mental health problems amongst young people are rising, and technology and social media are often blamed.

Regulators often point to risks of addiction, depression and anxiety among young users. In teenagers, multiple reports link social media use with feelings of suicide and depression, particularly among teenage girls.

The World Health Organisation recommends that children under five should spend no more than one hour a day in front of screens.

Moving forward, more research needs to be done to confirm or deny this link. Taking time away from social media and screens certainty won’t do any harm in the run-up to Mental Health Awareness Week.

written by Evangeline Hunt

The shortage of cybersecurity professionals is nothing new. The unemployment rate in cybersecurity has been at 0% since 2011 – a fact unmatched by any other industry.  According to Cybersecurity Ventures, there will be 3.5 million unfilled cybersecurity jobs worldwide by the end of the year, up from 1 million positions in 2014.

This issue has only been exacerbated by the pandemic. Businesses globally were forced to adopt a remote working model where employees were often working from personal PCs, laptops and phones with limited antivirus software. 

According to IBM, remote working increased the average cost of a data breach by $137,000. Despite these heightened security threats, many businesses are still cutting their cybersecurity budgets as we move through 2021. 

Even with the ever-growing threat of smarter and more advanced security breaches, the security industry is under-resourced to fight hackers. 
What can be done to address this issue? 

Upskill more people

Sounds simple, but giving people the skills needed to fill these roles is the single more effective way to close this talent gap. It’s clear that there isn’t enough talent to fill the roles needed, so businesses, organizations and educational programs need to take responsibility in training people in the skills needed. 

Organizations already have the wheels in motion for this. Massachusetts-based MassCyberCenter is partnering with businesses, academia and the public sector to train new cybersecurity workers to fill the more than 9,000 vacant cybersecurity jobs.

The NYC Economic Development Corporation has launched Cyber NYC, which aims to grow the city’s cybersecurity talent pool through training and education programs. 

The Cyber Innovation Center in BossierCity, Louisiana, plans to broaden its cyber skills preparation to 10 million students and 50,000 teachers in K-12 across the US – building a pipeline of young cybersecurity talent. 

Build a youth movement

Encouraging and nurturing young people to become future cybersecurity experts will ultimately solve the cyber skills shortage of the future. Instilling enthusiasm and excitement around cybersecurity and STEM from an early age will organically grow a new generation of talent. 

Various organizations are doing this already. Girls Scouts of the USA have joined forces with Palo Alto Networks to deliver the first-ever Girl Scout Cybersecurity badges for girls in K-12. 

The National Security Agency has been educating young people in cybersecurity through their GenCyber program since 2014. The NSA’s summer camp, Camp Cryptobot, runs annual cybersecurity camps to build the next generation of cybersecurity workers. 

Focusing on the impact that a cybersecurity professional can have on people, businesses and even nations can encourage young people to become invested in the industry. Framing cybersecurity as a career that helps people, does good and is morally right is something that young people in today’s world are keen to make time for.  

Diversity and Inclusion

Diversity and inclusion are particularly important in the fight against skills shortages. Untapped talent pools exist that often go unnoticed in the recruitment process.

How can the cybersecurity industry tap into neurodiverse talent pools, for example? Autism affects more than one in 100 people which means a huge amount of talent. However, only 16% of autistic adults are in full-time employment, and out of the ones that aren’t, 77% would like to be according to the national autistic society’s research.

The lack of awareness around neurodiversity often acts as a barrier of entry for neurodiverse professionals looking to enter the cybersecurity space. Educating decision-makers in unconscious bias is one way to create a more inclusive hiring process that can open doors for unnoticed talent. 

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As recruiters in the cybersecurity space, we know too well the need for talented candidates in this space. Do you have a cybersecurity role that you’re struggling to fill? We have a pool of talent that could be the perfect fit for your role, so don’t be afraid to get in touch.  

Franklin Fitch is proud to have been awarded a 2-star accreditation from Best Companies, representing "outstanding" levels of employee engagement. 

In addition to the 2-star rating (out of a possible three), Best Companies recognized Franklin Fitch as one of the following:
London's 30 Best Small Companies to Work For 2021
Recruitment's 40 Best Companies to Work For 2021
The UK's 100 Best Small Companies to Work For 2021

We couldn't be prouder of this achievement. We consider our people to be our biggest asset, and knowing that they feel engaged at work is very important to us. Having an engaged workforce encourages people to feel connected to each other and our aims at Franklin Fitch, meaning we all want to work towards a shared goal.

Looking forward, we're already getting started on analyzing and implementing the feedback from the Best Companies survey. This data will provide invaluable insights into what we can do to make Franklin Fitch the very best place to work - because that's the standard we're aiming for. 

This feedback comes at a great time for us, as we've got ambitious growth plans moving forward. We want to reach 100 heads by November 2023, and are looking for talented people to join us on this journey. Do you think this might be you? Are you keen to hear more about what it's like to work at Franklin Fitch? Get in touch with us today!

Diversity and Inclusion have been around for a while, but 2020 was the year that many businesses started to take the matter seriously. The global pandemic raised questions around remote working, coupled with the tragic murder of George Floyd and subsequent Black Lives Matter protests that swept the globe brought matters around diversity and inclusion to the forefront of conversations.

As a business, where is your place in this conversation?  Hiring, retaining and nurturing a diverse workforce that is representative of the wider population is something that all organizations need to invest in.

Widening the diversity of your candidate pool will give you more chance of finding the best person for the job. Combined with studies from McKinsey and the Harvard Business Review which demonstrate that diverse teams have real benefits to business outputs, as well as it being “the right thing to do” – investing in a diverse and inclusive recruitment practice should be at the forefront of every business in 2021.

A diverse recruitment strategy alone isn’t enough – it has to be part of a bigger commitment to move away from the dreaded “cultural fit” to a more inclusive culture that fits around each individual, no matter what their background. Only by nurturing this diverse talent in a culture of inclusion, are you able to tap into the diverse perspectives and thoughts being offered by your workforce.

Hiring and retaining a diverse workforce can’t be done overnight – it’s a long-term commitment. Below, we outline some of the practices we use to hire diverse teams for our clients, as well as internally at Franklin Fitch.

Is your branding inclusive?

A recent study by PWC showed that 86% of female millennials and 74% of male millennials seek out employers with a strong record of diversity. One way to show these millennials of your commitment to diversity and inclusion is by visually showing a diverse workforce in your marketing materials. Are you able to use diverse imagery?

The Flexible Job Index says an estimated 87% of employees want to work flexibly – meaning if you want to have access to the best possible talent, you need to show that your organization is happy to support those who choose to work flexibly. Are you able to show your commitment to flexible working with real case studies? Include these case studies in your marketing materials.

Avoid sweeping statements such as ‘we value diversity and inclusion’  unless you follow them up with specific examples of what you’re actually doing to place value on D&I. What exactly is your organization doing to champion diversity and inclusion? Use real and specific examples in your branding and communications.

Are your job adverts attractive to all?

You can be sure that if an applicant is looking at nothing else – they’re looking at your job advert. Therefore it’s worth spending time ensuring your adverts will attract a variety of diverse individuals to your organization. There are a few easy ways to do this:

• Use a debiasing tool to ensure that gender-neutral language is used. Language such as ‘competitiveness’ or ‘assertiveness’ can discourage women from applying.

• Advertise the role with some degree of flexibility to ensure that parents can apply.

• Focus on competencies, attitude and aptitude rather than formal education/qualifications.

• Instead of including a general equal opportunities statement, be clear in saying that the organizations actively encourage applicants with diverse backgrounds and perspectives and explain why.

• Describe the culture as inclusive and one that aims to fit around individuals – rather than wanting to hire people who fit into a specific culture that could be exclusive. Focus around looking for a ‘values fit’ rather than a ‘cultural fit’.

Make use of the variety of platforms and job boards that actively recruit people from underrepresented groups to advertise your vacancy. As well as listing your vacancy on your company website, utilize identity-based networks to advertise job listings.

Spend time cultivating networks of underrepresented groups by attending events and networking. Are you able to partner with one of these organizations?

How are you ensuring that bias doesn’t creep in when interviewing?

It’s an almost impossible task to prevent unconscious bias creeping in when interviewing someone. It’s not something to feel guilty about – it’s unconscious! But is it important to take steps to prevent it from occurring, and knowing when to recognize it.

Hiring managers are often reliant on ‘intuition or a ‘gut feeling’ when making hiring decisions. These feelings often occur when we like someone because we believe them to be similar to ourselves. Acting on these gut feelings results in a homogenous work culture where everyone comes from similar backgrounds/experiences – the very opposite of what we want to achieve.

The easiest way to avoid unconscious bias when interviewing is to ask competency-based questions. This prevents talented candidates from being filtered out of the interview process because of their diverse or individual differences.

When the final decision is being made, ensure it is made by a panel/group of people, rather than an individual. It’s much more difficult to act on feelings of unconscious bias when in a group.

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Diversity and inclusion is a long game, and isn’t something that can be “solved” overnight. It requires continuous work from organizations large and small. Don’t be afraid of getting things wrong – it’s a learning curve.

If you’re keen to hear more about how we hire diverse teams both in our external recruitment practice and internally at Franklin Fitch, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

written by Evangeline Hunt

Since the pandemic began, tech has become an essential tool for us to stay in touch with our loved ones, exercise, work, and study. Yet not everyone has access to the same tech – known as the digital divide, which appears to be widening.

Some young people might be able to complete all of their school work, while others only some if they have to share a device amongst the whole family or don’t have a strong enough bandwidth. Some homes don’t have any internet at all, making it impossible for children to engage in remote learning.

Research from Ofcom UK revealed that 1.8 million children in the UK have no access to a laptop, computer or tablet. Speaking on this issue, the Children’s Commissioner for England, Anne Longfield, said ‘if a child doesn’t have access to broadband, data, or the devices, then they’re not going to be able to lean, and that’s just unacceptable.'

This week, the creator of the world wide web has spoken out about concerns over the widening digital divide. In his annual letter to mark the anniversary of the world wide web, Sir Tim Berners-Lee said A shocking number of kids in the UK don't have meaningful connectivity’.

Sir Tim is calling on businesses and governments globally to make fiber broadband available for all a priority, with a push to connect young people to the internet. He quotes $428 billion (£306bn) which needs to be invested by governments and the private sector to achieve this aim by 2030. Although this sounds like a huge investment, the economic benefit would be equally huge.

One way in which private businesses are tackling this problem is through satellites. Elon Musk’s SpaceX program is already working on this. Their Starlink satellite internet constellation consists of thousands of small satellites in low Earth orbit (LEO), which work with ground transceivers to deliver high-speed internet access to consumers globally.

SpaceX has currently launched 1,035 Starlink satellites into space. The current consumer setup cost for Starlink’s internet is $499 plus a $99 monthly service fee. So while such programs are doing great work to implement the internet in more remote regions, it does nothing to tackle the socio-economic problem of those who cannot afford the internet. Potential solutions to this problem including driving down the cost of accessing the internet, which requires the development of low-cost technologies – not a simple fix.

Furthermore, individuals might be able to assess the internet, but there are additional barriers such as the ability to process the information that the internet is giving. This is more of a barrier in developing countries, where access to education in general is a challenge.

As IT Infrastructure specialists, we know how important this infrastructure is to keep the world connected. IT Infrastructure exists to provide secure connectivity, efficiency, and growth, so we developed our recruitment service to do the same.

IT infrastructure has been our sole focus since we were founded in 2011. We're proud to have placed thousands of IT professionals into meaningful roles that work to implement connectivity across the globe.

We pride ourselves on trusted partnerships, whether you're looking for a new role in IT Infrastructure, talent for your team or considering joining Franklin Fitch. Why not start that partnership today?

Dice recently released their 2021 Tech Salary Report – an annual report featuring detailed information on tech salaries and compensation across the US. Despite the devastating impact of Covid-19 on both personal and professional lives, the report shows promising results for technologists. The average tech salary in the US increased 3.6% between 2019 and 2020 – to $97,859.

Texas gives California a run for its money

Texas is solidifying its space as one of the top tech states, as salaries rose 5.6% in comparison to California’s 1.8% increase. Although Silicon Valley still boasts the highest tech salary, it also has an extremely high cost of living.

This might explain why some of the most prestigious tech companies, such as Oracle and Tesla, are moving their headquarters out of Silicon Valley and into Texas. The Texas government’s aggressive pro-business stance, as well as a lack of state income tax, make it an attractive home for businesses.

Austin continues to have one of the fastest-growing tech salaries across the country with a 9.7% rise in 2020. This is an exciting time for Austin as 39 tech companies established a presence in Austin during 2020.

A year into the Covid-19 pandemic marks a year of fully remote working for many businesses and technologists. As it became apparent that tech workers could work effectively (and often, better) from home, questions arose around the future of physical office space. If technologists can work remotely, will we see them move away from high-cost areas such as Silicon Valley? Given the increase in remote working, we might have the answer quicker than expected.

Remote working makes digitization a priority

The occupations that saw the largest salary increase over the past year were the ones that helped businesses analyze data, digitize and evolve, and generally keep them safe and efficient during the pandemic.

Remote working forced many employees to work from their personal laptops and phones, which provided hackers with ample opportunity to attack businesses. Businesses needed skilled technologists to plug these insecurities – hence Cybersecurity Analysts had the largest growth in salary out of all technologists at 16.3%.

Cybersecurity Analysts had a much higher salary growth than the more senior Cybersecurity Engineers, which suggests that shortages in the cybersecurity space led to employers increasing their offers to more junior technologists.

"As employers adapted to the pandemic by quickly shifting to remote work, we saw immediate needs for technologists skilled in preparing entire offices and teams to go virtual, and for cybersecurity experts to secure new cloud networks," said Michelle Marian, CMO of DHI Group, parent company of Dice. "As a result of dispersed teams and networks due to the massive adoption of remote work, the need for cybersecurity and cloud-based roles grew significantly in 2020, with cybersecurity analysts seeing the largest salary growth during the year."

It's not all driven by COVID

Some occupations saw salary growth that is likely unrelated to the pandemic. The longer-term growing importance of data to businesses in every industry caused an influx of demand for Data Scientists, which in turn pushed up their salaries by 12.8%.

Businesses are continuing to realize the importance of collecting and analyzing large amounts of data, which can go on to inform long-term strategies. Similarly, the salaries of Data Engineers, who build-out and maintain data infrastructure, increased by 4.7%.

Looking forward

How are we expecting technologists' salaries to look in 2021? It will be interesting to see how the success of remote working changes the landscape of salary adjustment based on location. We’re happy that our home is in Austin, which continues to solidify its place as one of the top tech hubs in the country.

To celebrate Black History Month, we have been sharing the stories of black tech heroes of the past, present, and future. While it’s important to recognize and celebrate this month, we must remember that American history is black history – which is important to celebrate all year round.

So what is the IT and tech industry doing to support their black employees and promote diversity and inclusion? And what can we do at Franklin Fitch to play our part?

The tech industry is, unfortunately, notorious for lacking diversity. This isn’t new information – 2014 saw several tech giants including Apple, Facebook, and Microsoft release their first diversity reports. The results were as expected – there wasn’t much diversity.

These companies have continued to share their diversity stats year-on-year. While we might have hoped, prayed, and dreamed of progress, the reality is far from that. Facebook has gone from a workforce that was 3% black in 2014 to 3.8% black in 2020 – this simply isn’t good enough.

After publishing these initial figures in 2014, tech companies acknowledged the stark gap and publicly stated their mission to improve it. This mission was reiterated, six years later, after the murder of George Floyd and subsequent Black Lives Matter protests that swept the globe.

Following the protests, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg said that Facebook “needs to do more to support equality and safety for the Black community through our platforms” and pledged to donate $10 million. While this sounds good on the surface, we’ve heard it all before. We need to see these promises showing up in the data before we can say congrats.

Diversity and inclusion targets are built into businesses with progress in mind, but this progress is not held to the same standards as other business targets – such as profit. The lack of consequences for failing to hit these targets makes the promises feel empty and unimportant.

It’s not just about hiring. The tech industry also faces challenges with retention of people of color. Stanford professor Margaret Neale says there is substantially higher turnover of people of color compared to white people in tech companies.

In a study that looked into who is leaving the tech industry and why, the results found that the main reason that minorities were leaving their current role was unfairness, mistreatment, or stereotyping.

So how can the tech industry combat this unfairness? It has to come from a genuine diversity and inclusion strategy that creates real opportunities for progression and mentorship, a respectful work environment, and a truly inclusive culture.

There is countless evidence to prove that diversity has real benefits to business outputs. A much-quoted McKinsey study reveals the following:

‘Companies in the top quartile for racial and ethnic diversity are 35 percent more likely to have financial returns above their respective national industry medians. Companies in the top quartile for gender diversity are 15 percent more likely to have financial returns above their respective national industry medians.’

Similar evidence was found in research from Harvard Business Review, which explained that diverse teams are better at problem-solving due to diversity of thought – they can create more innovative solutions.

So it’s a no-brainer. Improving diversity and inclusion within the tech industry will benefit everyone.  So what are we doing are Franklin Fitch to advance the cause?

We’re proud to run our Inclusive Infrastructure campaign, where we actively promote diversity and inclusion in our interaction with candidates and clients, as well as the way we run our business. We have four goals: to raise awareness; give people a voice; tackle bias; and build diverse and inclusive work cultures. We are providing a platform for those working within or interested in IT Infrastructure to share their experiences with us and to come up with possible solutions together.

Do you want to get involved with Inclusive Infrastructure by sharing your opinion or experiences? Get in touch for more information.

February marks Black History Month in the US, so we are celebrating black tech heroes of the past, present and future. Now more than ever we can see the power that IT and Technology have to bring communities together, inspire us, and change the world for the better.

We want to shine a light on a few of the black pioneering leaders in our industry, to give a platform to diverse technologists across the world. This week we tell the story of a present-day black tech hero – Kimberly Bryant.

Kimberly Bryant is an African American engineer and founder of the organization Black Girls CODE. BGC gives young black girls access to STEM topics such as coding and other in-demand skills in tech. Her long-term goal is to provide black girls with the skills to occupy some of the 1.4 million computing jobs currently available in the US.

Born in Memphis Tennessee, Kimberly Bryant gained a degree in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science from Vanderbilt University. Her early career focussed on high-volage electronics, and later moved on to biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies.

Bryant founded Black Girls CODE back in 2011 after noticing a lack of programs in tech and coding that focussed on girls. This came about after her daughter Kai found an interest in video game development.

Kai attended a tech camp over the summer that spurred her interest in computer science, but she struggled to relate to anyone in the class. Out of 40 students, there were only a couple of girls and no students of color, plus the instructors were all white men.

Bryant recognized similar biases in Kai’s summer camp that had been present throughout her studies and career. She wanted to create an opportunity for her daughter where she could really relate to her peers and mentors.

"I knew at that very moment I had to do something," Bryant said. "I wanted to create an easier path for my daughter. I wanted her to have all the opportunities that were available to her.”

This desire for that opportunity fuelled the creation of Black Girls CODE. Bryant launched a pilot class in 2011 – a six week program in San Francisco that taught the basics of coding and computer science to a class of ten girls.

The following year Bryant was contacted by software consultancy company ThoughtWorks who had heard about Black Girls CODE and wanted to know how they could help. ThoughtWorks provided resources in the form of office space, equipment, and instructors to help BGC operate.

Bryant wanted to take BGC out of San Francisco, so used ThoughtWorks offices in six cities across the US. Named the BGC Summer of Code, Bryant and her colleagues taught over 1,000 girls in 2012. The response to BGC Summer of Code was the catalyst for the chapter-based model still present in BGC today.

Fast forward to today and Black Girls CODE has taught over 14,000 girls, with the aim of reaching 1 million by 2040.

"We're really starting to see the results of the program in terms of the success of the kids and how confident they are, what leadership skills that they develop,” says Bryant. “They're now starting their own careers in the field of STEM or Computer Science based on the seed that we've been able to plant."

Bryant’s work goes beyond giving black girls practical skills to work in STEM fields (although this is a big part of it). Supporting these girls to become creators of technology rather than just consumers is a powerful tool to address systemic biases in race and gender that are present across the world. It changes the lives of not only these girls, but their families and their communities.

The competitiveness of the tech field coupled with a lack of representation of black women is enough to discourage young black girls from pursuing such careers. Implicit and explicit biases create an environment where these girls are often marginalized and victimized. Black Girls CODE offers a safe space by giving them practical skills as well as confidence in their abilities to be successful in this industry.

"We want to be the Girl Scouts of Technology - creating a pipeline for women of color tech leaders, innovators and creators”, says Bryant. “We are disrupting the tech sector and changing the ratio #1GirlAtATime."​

Over the following months, Black Girls CODE has a variety of virtual events, workshops, and presentations on offer. In April, BGC is partnering with Nike to host a virtual three-day hackathon called Just Hack It: Powering Human Connection. For a full list of events, please see the BGC website.

February marks Black History Month in the US, so we are celebrating Black tech heroes of the past, present and future. Now more than ever we can see the power that IT and Technology have to bring communities together, inspire us, and change the world for the better.

At Franklin Fitch, we want to shine a light on a few of the Black pioneering leaders in our industry, to give a platform to diverse technologists across the world. Starting by looking back, we tell the story of NASA mathematician Katherine Johnson.

Katherine Johnson was an African American mathematician whose work for NASA was critical to the first crewed launch into space. During her 35-year career, she used her brilliance with numbers to master complex manual calculations that pioneered the first use of computers within NASA.

Some of Johnson’s most notable works include calculating trajectories, launch windows, and emergency return paths for astronauts Alan Shepard and John Glenn – the first Americans in space.

Born in 1918, Katherine Johnson’s curiosity and intelligence propelled her ahead in school. By the age of 13 she was attending the high school on the campus of West Virginia State College.

Johnson enrolled in the college at age 18 – mastered the math curriculum and found a mentor in Professor W. W. Schieffelin Claytor, the third African American to earn a Ph.D. in mathematics.

In 1952, Johnson was told about open positions at the all-black West Area Computing section of NASA (known then as NACA). She began working in the summer of 1953 as a "human computer", analyzing data from test flights.

In keeping with federal workplace segregation, Johnson and other African American “computers” had to use separate bathrooms from their white colleagues – as well as working and eating separately. Their office was named “Colored Computers”.

Johnson reflected on being an African American woman during that time:

“We needed to be assertive as women in those days – assertive and aggressive – and the degree to which we had to be that way depended on where you were. I had to be. In the early days of NASA women were not allowed to put their names on the reports – no woman in my division had had her name on a report. I was working with Ted Skopinski and he wanted to leave and go to Houston ... but Henry Pearson, our supervisor – he was not a fan of women – kept pushing him to finish the report we were working on. Finally, Ted told him, "Katherine should finish the report, she's done most of the work anyway." So Ted left Pearson with no choice; I finished the report and my name went on it, and that was the first time a woman in our division had her name on something.” (1)

1957 saw the Soviets launch their satellite Sputnik, which put huge pressure on NASA to do something similar. NASA operations were ramped up, and in 1961, Johnson completed the trajectory analysis for Alan Shepard’s mission – America’s first human spaceflight.

In 1960, Johnson co-authored a report laying out equations describing an orbital spaceflight. This was the first time a woman in the Flight Research Division had been credited as an author of a research paper.

NASA and Johnson began preparations for the 1962 orbital mission of John Glenn. This was a complex flight that required the construction of a worldwide communications network.

NASA was using electronic computers for the first time, but Glenn asked for Johnson personally to run the same equations that the computer system was running, by hand.

‘If she says they’re good, then I’m ready to go’, said Glenn. Glenn’s flight was successful and marked a turning point in the space race between the US and the Soviets.

Johnson went on to work on the Space Shuttle, the Earth Technology Satellite, as well as authoring 26 research papers.

When asked what she considered to be her greatest contribution to space exploration, Johnson recalled the calculations that synced Project Apollo’s Lunar Module with the lunar-orbiting Command and Service Module. ‘I love going to work every single day’, said Johnson.

In 2015, President Barack Obama awarded 97-year-old Johnson with the Presidential Medal of Freedom – America’s highest civilian honor.

Johnson died on February 24, 2020. NASA described her as an “American hero”, noting her “historic role as one of the first African-American women to work as a NASA scientist”.

(1) Warren, Wini (1999). Black Women Scientists in the United States. Indiana University Press. pp. 143

Yesterday saw Joe Biden sworn in as the 46th President of the United States. As we wave goodbye to outgoing president Trump, we look back on the impact that his time in office had on the tech industry – and look forward to where Biden might take it.

Donald Trump’s impact on the tech industry was at times controversial. One of the better outcomes of his impact was his executive order on artificial intelligence.

The Trump administration issued the first-ever national AI strategy, which committed to “doubling AI research investment, established the first-ever national AI research institute, released the world’s first AI regulatory guidance, forged new international AI alliances, and established guidance for Federal use of AI.”

Given that the US is home to not only the major tech giants but also small start-ups that use AI, this was a positive move for the tech industry as a whole.

One of the most impactful decisions that the Trump administration made was the trade ban with China over the potential cybersecurity threat that Chinese firms Huawei and ZTE posed to the US.

Trump signed a bill in 2018 that banned the use of Huawei and ZTE across the government. In 2019, he took this a step further by signing an executive order that banned US companies from trading with ZHE, Huawei, and other Chinese organizations.

But what did this decision mean for the tech industry? The most significant impact was that Google was forced to block access to its services for Huawei phones – which damaged the spread of Google’s services amongst android users.

Finally, Trump’s relationship with social media was often fraught and came to a dramatic close as the likes of Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and others suspended Trump from their platforms. While it was too late in his presidency for Trump to be able to respond with any legislative changes, it did sour the already tense relationship between the outgoing president and these social media giants.

As Joe Biden settles into the white house, it’s expected that the ongoing pandemic will dominate his first few months in office. But what can the tech industry expect from his tenure?

The pandemic has highlighted a digital divide across the country, as millions of Americans don’t have access to the internet which is needed for things like education and medicine amidst COVID-19. In his Plan for Rural America, Biden recognized that high-speed broadband is essential for life in the 21st Century. He claims his office will ‘Invest $20 billion in rural broadband infrastructure and ensure that the work of installing broadband provides high-paying jobs with benefits’.

Biden’s election manifesto also included a commitment to clean energy technologies designed to innovate the US – such as battery storage and negative emissions technologies.

When considering Biden’s approach to tech giants, people are unsure what direction he might go in. According to the Center for Responsive Politics, five out of the ten largest contributors to the Biden campaign were tech giants. Could this suggest that he might follow in the footsteps of the Silicon Valley friendly-Obama Administration?

“For Big Tech companies, Biden still intends to impose stringent antitrust measures, as well as tough taxation and privacy regulations,” says founder of Tech London Advocates Russ Shaw. “However, with his history as the vice president of a Silicon Valley-friendly Obama Administration – and California-elected Kamala Harris as his vice president – a victory would likely be the outcome of choice compared to Trump’s ongoing allegations of anti-conservative bias from social media giants.”

In terms of social media, experts are predicting that Biden is likely to support a tough approach to tackling misinformation - especially considering the extent that fake news and misinformation impacted the election.

It’s known that Biden is in favor of a European GDPR approach to data privacy, but experts predict that this won’t happen until 2022.

Hopes are that Biden will bring a more collaborative approach to international digital diplomacy – including relations with China. “US restrictions on the likes of Huawei have already had serious implications for network infrastructure around the world,” says Shaw. “It is likely that Biden will take a more lenient stance on trade tariffs but will remain cautious when it comes to cybersecurity and IP theft, given the focus of his broader policies on data privacy.”

The proposed changes to the H1-B visas, which, under Trump, restricted foreign tech workers from working in the US, could encourage a more international approach to tech talent.

Time will only tell what the Biden administration has in store for the tech industry. We might be waiting a while as the Coronavirus pandemic takes precedence, but the next four years could likely see a significant change for the tech industry.

Following the attack on the US capitol early on in January, many tech giants took action to take Donald Trump and the extreme-right offline, under the pretense that they incite violence.

This raises bigger questions about the role that Big Tech has in deciding who does and doesn’t have a voice online, coupled with accusations of censorship.

The decision to remove users and tweets has been criticized by some as a violation of the First Amendment of the US constitution – freedom of speech.

Twitter boss Jack Dorsey recognizes the problematic nature of his decision to remove Trump from the platform. ‘Having to take these actions fragment the public conversation,’ he said. ‘They divide us….and set a precedent I feel is dangerous.’

Shortly after the deadly riots, Twitter temporarily suspended Donald Trump’s personal feed and removed three of his recent tweets citing violations of their Civic Integrity policy. Facebook and Instagram quickly decided to ban Trump ‘indefinitely’. The likes of YouTube, Twitch, Shopify, Pinterest, TikTok and Reddit also all followed suit and restricted Trump’s content.

Those who supported the decision to remove the 44^th US President from these platforms are asking why it didn’t happen sooner. ‘We recognize that sometimes it may be in the public interest to allow people to view tweets that would otherwise be taken down,’ Twitter's rules say. ‘At present, we limit exceptions to one critical type of public-interest content - tweets from elected and government officials.’

It isn’t just social media giants that are in the process of silencing Donald Trump online. Amazon booted controversial right-winged app Parler off of their cloud hosting provider Amazon Web Services (AWS) after calls for violence on the app violated its terms of service.

‘Recently, we’ve seen a steady increase in this violent content on your website, all of which violates our terms,’ an email from Amazon reads. ‘It’s clear that Parler does not have an effective process to comply with the AWS terms of service.’

Apple and Google have also chosen to take action against Parler, by removing the app from their app stores.

‘This was a coordinated attack by the tech giants to kill competition in the market place,’ wrote Parler CEO John Matzer. ‘We were too successful too fast.’

This moderation didn’t stop there. Twitter announced that it suspended more than 70,000 accounts linked to the far-right movement QAnon. The BBC describes QAnon as ‘ a conspiracy claiming that President Donald Trump is waging a war against Satan-worshipping pedophiles in politics, business and the media.’

Twitter explains their reasons for doing so. ‘We’ve been clear that we will take strong enforcement action on behavior that has the potential to lead to offline harm. Given the violent events in Washington, DC, and increased risk of harm, we began permanently suspending thousands of accounts that were primarily dedicated to sharing QAnon content on Friday afternoon.’

Does Big Tech have the right to censor content? Technically speaking, yes – these are private companies that can moderate their own platforms as they wish. But where does the line fall? Content moderation is a slippery slope with no clear right or wrong.

Twitter believes the line falls when content has the potential to lead to offline harm. This is a grey area – if Donald Trump’s tweets hadn’t led to mobs storming the capitol, would he have been banned from the platform? Probably not.

Wired CEO Nicholas Thompson comments on Twitter’s decision to ban Donald Trump in a recent LinkedIn post. ‘Given the week, and how the Tweets were interpreted, one can see why Twitter did it. But it’s not a sustainable model for content moderation.’

Those whose content is being moderated, including Donald Trump himself, are calling it a ban on free speech.

A spokesperson for German chancellor Angela Merkel said she considered the social media ban ‘problematic’. Mexican President Andres Manuel López Obrador said ‘I don’t like anybody being censored’. Neither has a close relationship with the US President.

Do you think tech giants have a responsibility to moderate their content? Or have they gone too far this time?

Popular messaging service WhatsApp is forcing users to share data with parent company Facebook, or else delete their account. The previous privacy policy allowed users to opt-out of sharing data with Facebook – this option no longer remains.

Users ‘need to accept these updates to continue using WhatsApp’, according to the updated policy. If you don’t agree, the alert suggests you go to the help centre to delete your account. The deadline to accept these new terms is 8 February.

WhatsApp specifies what kind of information it can collect and share with Facebook, which includes our name, profile picture, phone number, contacts, transactions and IP address (which shows your location).

‘We share your information to help us operate, provide, improve, understand, customize, support, and market our services’, explains WhatsApp in the updated privacy policy. This could include sending you personalized adverts, content and friend recommendations.

This is disappointing news to users who want to minimize data collection from parent company Facebook, who have faced numerous privacy controversies in the past.

While there was initial confusion over whether this new policy would affect UK and EU users, Facebook quickly released a statement saying there would be no changes in the European Region. This is due to previous negotiations with European data protection bodies that prevent such data sharing. This European exception has been celebrated by some as a victory for EU privacy laws.

Despite these changes, messages will still remain end-to-end encrypted, which means neither Facebook nor WhatsApp will be able to read users’ messages.

Some people have already decided to stop using the platform. Tesla and SpaceX founder Elon Musk tweeted ‘Use Signal’, a similar messaging platform. Will this new privacy update encourage you to stop using WhatsApp?

written by Evangeline Hunt

2020 and the subsequent pandemic forced the world to start working remotely. Many tech workers are still working remotely to this day, but questions are being asked about the future of remote working in the post-pandemic landscape, and whether companies plan to reduce their expensive office space after the success of working from home.

Given that many tech workers are choosing to move out of expensive tech hubs such as San Francisco in favor of lower living costs, will we see tech giants follow this trend and move their headquarters too?

A recent analysis by Burning Glass shows the top metro areas for remote workers over the past 60 days. As expected, established tech hubs such as New York and San Francisco remain in the top five areas that are hiring remote workers. Up and coming tech hubs such as Austin and Boston show promise by being in the top ten.

Unsurprisingly, it appears that the more prominent tech hubs are still doing a lot of the hiring of remote tech workers. While the majority of technologists continue to work remotely, a lot of tech companies remain situated in the traditional tech hubs across the country.

Despite this, there has been a slight shift in this pattern. Tech giant Oracle recently announced they would be moving their headquarters out of Silicon Valley to Austin, Texas – making them the biggest tech company to relocate out of California. Oracle joins 39 other tech firms who decided to move to Austin in 2020, which includes Tesla’s Gigafactory.

Perhaps over the course of 2021 we will see more tech companies join Oracle in moving away from Silicon Valley in favor of more affordable cities.

2020 proved that tech workers could indeed work remotely – what trends in remote working do you expect to see from tech workers and tech companies in 2021?

written by Evangeline Hunt

Yesterday saw Google applications such as Gmail, YouTube and Google Docs experience a service outage which meant users were unable to access Google’s services. The outage occurred before 4am PT time and lasted less than an hour.

Initially there was uncertainty as to whether the system had been hacked or not and if user’s data was at risk. It soon became apparent that the fault was with the authentication system, rather than a security breach.

A Google spokesperson issued the following statement:

"Today, at 3.47 a.m. PT Google experienced an authentication system outage for approximately 45 minutes due to an internal storage quota issue. Services requiring users to log in experienced high error rates during this period. The authentication system issue was resolved at 4:32 a.m. PT. All services are now restored. We apologize to everyone affected, and we will conduct a thorough follow up review to ensure this problem cannot recur in the future."

The outage had a significant impact on the millions of users who rely on apps such as Gmail and Google Calendar to work.

Although the outage was only brief, it served as a stark reminder of how dependent many people and businesses are on cloud-based services.

The pandemic has proved how valuable cloud services such as GCP can be to keep businesses running remotely, yet those who use Google Cloud will be frustrated after yesterday.

Can Google guarantee that it won’t happen again?

written by Evangeline Hunt

Sometimes content around Thanksgiving can seem a bit ‘off-the-shelf’ or vanilla in its approach. At Franklin Fitch, we wanted to mark this year with a message that we hope resonates with all of our colleagues, friends, businesses and the entire IT Infrastructure community across the US.

The ongoing pandemic, which has affected so many families, can sometimes make us feel that we should write off 2020. We understand that. People have lost jobs, plans have been put on hold and in some tragic circumstances, we have lost people that are close to our hearts.

But we can still be thankful. We can be thankful for the time we have got to spend with friends and family; we can be thankful for the memories and experiences that we have created and we can be thankful for all that we have learned in a year which has been one of the most unexpected and stressful.

Away from the Coronavirus, we have had the General Election which although may feel divisive gives us all a chance to draw a line and look forward. We’ve heard from all sides and we should be thankful that the US is a country that allows that. It’s now on all of us to work together to make lives better, create opportunity, look at each other and thank one another for the diversity of skills, opinion and experience that makes the US such a great country to live and work.

Here at Franklin Fitch we’re personally thankful for the relationships we have started, the relationships we have grown and the way our business has been welcomed in the US over the past couple of years.

Especially where we have a presence in Texas and on the East Coast.

We thank the people we have helped find roles and advise on their IT infrastructure careers with as well as the businesses whom we find talent. We couldn’t do it without you (obviously) but how you engage with us and trust us with your career and your recruitment needs makes us extremely humble. Thank you.

However you choose to celebrate this unique Thanksgiving, please stay safe please and take the chance to focus on the things that matter and what you can take into next year with a positive mindset.

From all of us at Franklin Fitch, Happy Thanksgiving.

The people of America have spoken – the Democrats have won the 2020 election under Joe Biden and Kamala Harris. This marks a historic moment in US history as Harris becomes the first woman, and the first woman of color, to be elected vice president of the United States. 

Diversity and inclusion has always been a huge challenge for government, a challenge shared with the tech industry. A Wired survey from last year estimated that Black, Hispanic and Indigenous populations make up only 5% of tech workers in Silicon Valley. The wider IT industry fairs slightly better - the US Equal Opportunity Commission Bureau estimates that these groups make up 16% of the industry population. 

Gender diversity is equally lacking in the tech industry. The following tech giants reported these gender splits in their tech roles in 2019:

Apple: 77 % male

Facebook: 77% male

Google: 77% male

Microsoft: 80% male.

These statistics do not go unnoticed, yet why do they remain so stark? Freda Kapor Klein, founding partner at venture capital firm Kapor Capital explains that tech companies aren’t taking their diversity investments seriously enough. ‘If you wasted a billion dollars and nowhere near met your target, you wouldn’t get your bonus, you wouldn’t have a job. And yet there seem to be no consequences,” she says on Wired. “Despite all the words, despite all the money, despite all the platitudes and initiatives, it’s hard to say that the companies are really taking it seriously.’

What does the new office mean for diversity in the tech industry? Can we hope for any improvement? Even though tech policy wasn’t at the forefront of the election campaign, there is no doubt that Biden/Harris will have an impact on the tech industry.

The pandemic has highlighted a digital divide across the country, as millions of Americans don’t have access to the internet which is needed for things like education and medicine amidst COVID-19. In his Plan for Rural America, Biden recognizes that high-speed broadband is essential for life in the 21st Century. He claims his office will ‘Invest $20 billion in rural broadband infrastructure, and ensure that the work of installing broadband provides high-paying jobs with benefits’. 

‘It's hard for businesses to keep going and to grow the way they should without broadband access’, says Linda Moore, CEO of the TechNet lobbying group. ‘It's heartbreaking to see students having to go to their local businesses, or back to their schools after the schools have shut just so they can try to get WiFi access to do their homework. It shouldn't be that way in America.’

A lack of sufficient internet has directly impacted people’s basic necessities, so Biden will need to form an infrastructure policy on the deployment of the internet across the country, which should create hundreds of IT jobs. 

When considering Kamala Harris’ potential impact on the tech world, we can hope that she might want to address the issue of diversity in tech given that she is from San Francisco and therefore has ties to Silicon Valley.  Whether she chooses to address the challenge of diversity within the biggest industry in her state will be something to watch.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel publicly congratulated not only Biden but Harris too – something she hasn’t done for previous vice presidents. Merkel acknowledged that Harris is the first women to serve as vice president, also noting that as the daughter of two immigrants, Harris is an inspiration of what can be achieved in America. ‘I am looking forward to meeting her’, said Merkle.

Does the future look bright for the state of diversity in the tech world under the new office? Perhaps, but actions will need to follow the promises that have been made. 

written by Evangeline Hunt

2020 has seen job postings for DevOps Engineers increase rapidly. A recent Dice report showed that Q1 of 2020 saw a 39% increase in DevOps Engineer roles from the previous year.

Many companies are starting to invest in building strong DevOps teams. These teams can increase the rate that software is delivered, meaning a quicker time to market. This enables companies to remain competitive while also increasing the efficiency of their software.

Automation is a big part of DevOps, allowing efficient use of time and more focus on improving the business and the product.

‘DevOps ensures that companies are able to keep up-to-date with the competitive market’, says Dominique Lianos, our Consultant specializing in Server Infrastructure. ‘Companies need DevOps to run their IT systems in the fastest, most efficient and most cost-effective way possible’.

Looking towards 2021, careers in DevOps are a safe bet as the need to make software more efficient will only increase. According to Burning Glass Technologies, DevOps skills such as Chef and Puppet are predicted to grow by 50% over the next five years in order to meet the job demand.

Due to the collaborative nature of DevOps, soft skills such as team-work, communication and empathy are considered an important part of the personal skillset. The job involves translating tech-heavy plans and ideas to non-techy teams in a way that everyone can understand.

In terms of technical skills, DevOps Engineers need a range of Linux fundamentals, scripting, plus DevOps tools such as Kubernetes or Docker. Burning Glass Technologies analyzed millions of job postings to find the skills that appear most frequently in DevOps job postings:

• Python

• Linux

• Ansible

• Kubernetes

• Java

• Chef Infrastructure Automation

Given the number of companies who are migrating to the cloud, DevOps Engineers need to have a good understanding of Cloud vendors such as AWS, Azure or Google Cloud.

Some employers are keen for DevOps professionals to have the relevant certifications for the Cloud providers they are using, yet this isn’t essential.

We asked Dominique what skills she expects to see increase in 2021. ‘A lot more people seem to be learning about containerization, so while it used to be an extremely niche skillset, it’s slowly becoming more common.’

‘With the pace that the DevOps space develops, it’s important to always be on top of the trends and changes. Keep learning. Keep expanding the number of tools you can work with. Always look for the newest, sexiest tech and get your head around it quickly.’

What skills do you expect to see in high demand in the 2021 DevOps space? We’d love to hear your thoughts. ­

written by Evangeline Hunt

The H-1B visa gives highly skilled immigrant workers entry into the US, to fill jobs that cannot be filled by US nationals. The technology sector relies on this visa category to fill highly skilled jobs where skill-gaps fall amongst US workers. Data from the State Department shows that 188,000 H-1B visas were issued in 2019. 

The topic of immigration and visa approval has been debated throughout not only the 2020 election campaign, but also throughout Trump’s tenure. During the 2016 election campaign, Trump claimed he wanted to end the H-1B. ‘We shouldn’t have it, it’s very, very bad for workers’, said Trump. ‘It’s unfair to our workers and we should end it’.

Since then, Trump’s position on the matter has yoyoed. In 2019, Trumped tweeted the following: ‘H1-B holders in the United States can rest assured that changes are soon coming which will bring both simplicity and certainty to your stay, including a potential path to citizenship. We want to encourage talented and highly skilled people to pursue career options in the U.S.’

Yet earlier this year, we saw Trump issue a temporary ban of the H-1B plus other visa categories that ‘pose a risk of displacing and disadvantaging United States workers during the current [coronavirus] recovery’. The ban was rejected by US District Judge Jeffrey S White, yet new guidelines are being crafted to enforce a much stricter review of the visa application.

So what is Trump’s policy on the visa going into the 2020 election? It’s expected that the above reforms will go through, but will Trump ever act on his impulse of banning the visa entirely?

Biden’s policy on work-based immigration is more slightly clear-cut. According to his campaign website, Biden plans to ‘first reform the temporary visa system for high-skill, specialty jobs to protect wages and workers, then expand the number of visas offered…’

Though the word ‘reform’ does leave a lot to the imagination. What’s certain is that the upcoming election result will no-doubt impact the H-1B application process, for better or for worse. The current H-1B approval rate has been rapidly declining since the 2016 election. How will next week’s result impact this? We will wait and see…

written by Evangeline Hunt

The governments of the UK, US, and five other nations have issued a joint statement to Facebook and other tech firms to drop “end-to-end encryption policies which erode the public’s safety online”.

These nations want to weaken encryption by giving law enforcement access to messages in order to prevent serious criminal activity (such as terrorism), without reducing the safety of its users.

Yet those against the statement argue that the very idea of creating a back-door entry into end-to-end encryption effectively breaks the encryption.

Politicians from these nations state that when end-to-end encryption is applied to online messaging services with no access to content, it makes it impossible for organisations to respond to illegal activity occurring on their platforms – giving serious criminals a platform to operate.

A recent Forbes articles describes this very request as ‘mission impossible’ – technology is yet to exist that would allow law enforcement a back-door into end-to-end encryption without breaking the entire encryption. What they are asking for is currently technically impossible.

A spokesperson at Facebook responded to the request from the seven nations: “We've long argued that end-to-end encryption is necessary to protect people's most private information. In all of these countries, people prefer end-to-end encrypted messaging on various apps because it keeps their messages safe from hackers, criminals, and foreign interference. Facebook has led the industry in developing new ways to prevent, detect, and respond to abuse while maintaining high security and we will continue to do so."

Is that the end of that then? Will technology ever exist that allows entrance to the ‘good guys’ but not the ‘bad guys’? If cybersecurity continues to play catchup with hackers rather than trying to remain one step ahead, perhaps it will never happen.

The conflict between public safety vs personal security is ongoing. We wanted to know what our network thought of this debate, so asked the following question on LinkedIn: Should Facebook and other tech firms amend end-to-end encryption to give law enforcement access to content in the interest of public safety?

Yes: 34%
No: 66%
(100 votes)

Given that most of our network are tech workers, it is unsurprising to see that the majority believe that there should be no access to end-to-end encryption.

What do you think?

written by Evangeline Hunt

Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who died at 87 last week, was a pioneer of women’s rights in a male-dominated world. As both a lawyer and a justice, she spent much of her legal career advocating for women’s rights and gender equality.

Her death comes at a pivotal time with just weeks to go until the US election. The Supreme Court hangs in a delicate political balance – liberals fear that a more conservative replacement could lead to changes on important issues such as abortion rights.

In her early career, Ginsburg gained her first position as a professor at Rutgers Law School, where she was paid less than her male colleagues because she had a husband with a well-paid job. At the time, she was one of less than twenty female law professors across the USA.

Ginsburg was subject to huge amounts of discrimination not only as a female law professor, but also as a woman in the US in general. She successfully used her influence in the courts to argue against discrimination based on sex, race and other social factors.

At Franklin Fitch, we want to champion individuals who go against hegemonic culture. Ginsburg did exactly that in her continued efforts for not only the women’s movement, but for general civil rights in the US.

Our Inclusive Infrastructure campaign actively promotes diversity and inclusion in the tech and IT world. We are providing a platform for those working within or interested in IT Infrastructure to share their experiences with us and to come up with possible solutions together.

In the words of Ginsburg, ‘Society would benefit enormously if women were regarded as people equal in stature to men’. We champion these values within Inclusive Infrastructure – an inclusive and diverse workplace is beneficial to the entire IT infrastructure space.

This isn’t simply down to fairness - multiple McKinsey studies examining diversity in the workplace confirm this fact:

‘Companies in the top quartile for racial and ethnic diversity are 35 percent more likely to have financial returns above their respective national industry medians’.

We hope that the legacy of Ruth Bader Ginsburg continues to live on through the legal system. We will continue to actively promote equality, diversity and inclusion through Inclusive Infrastructure. If you are interested in hearing more about what we’re doing at Franklin Fitch, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

written by Evangeline Hunt

Software maker VMware is the latest technology company to announce a pay cut for their fully remote workers who plan to flee the expensive Silicon Valley. This comes after many tech giants, such as Facebook and Twitter, are giving their tech workers the option to remain fully remote even after the pandemic.

The rapid spread of COVID-19 forced most tech workers to start working remotely – many of whom are still doing so. This is causing a shift in workplace patterns, as many tech companies make the move to a more permanent remote set-up.

According to Bloomberg, tech workers at VMware’s HQ in California would have to take an 18% pay cut if they moved to Denver, or an 8% cut if they moved to LA or San Diego. This is because workers in VMware’s physical offices are being compensated for the high cost of living in San Francisco – which becomes redundant if they were to move away.

Localized compensation happens across global companies in a bid to make wages fair across the same role in different locations. Yet it is unsurprising that many tech workers are unhappy at the prospect of their pay being cut for doing exactly the same job. Especially considering that the global workforce has been working remotely for months now without talk of a pay cut.

VMware’s vice president Rich Lang defends their decision to cut wages  for remote workers by stating that salary is based on the cost of labor in that region – so some tech workers could get a pay rise if they moved to a more expensive city. The reality of that ever happening is slim, considering San Francisco is one of the most expensive places to live in the world.

VMware isn’t the only tech company doing this – cloud-software maker ServiceNow is considering cutting the pay of tech workers who move out of San Francisco. CEO Bill McDermott explained that the final decision was yet to be made, but that ServiceNow is expecting to have a hybrid workforce of employees in offices, at home and somewhere between.

Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg expects as much as 50% of his staff to become fully remote in the next five to ten years. Facebook became one of the first big tech firms to announce that it’s tech workers didn’t have to come back to the office if they would prefer not to – but those moving away from Silicon Valley might have to take a pay cut too.

But how will these tech workers respond to the idea of taking a pay cut? According to Dice’s ongoing COVID sentiment survey, 76% of tech workers interviewed said they wouldn’t take a pay cut in exchange for full remote working. Many argue that the value of the labor should be the same regardless of location.

'Traditionally we have seen that remote-only jobs have come with a reduced salary and candidates have been open to this due to the additional flexibility it has offered, coupled with the more scarce nature of these opportunities' says Steven Ewer, director of Franklin Fitch's US operations. 'Employers in these instances point to the fact a premium within the salary is paid not only to cover the cost of having to live closer to the office location, but the commute and the time invested in traveling to and from the office.'

'The difficulty is for those employees that have already been working in office-based roles that no longer require office attendance in expensive metropolitan hubs like San Francisco - employees will argue (with some merit) that if they are based in San Francisco or Wyoming their work is the same and therefore the measure of their value should also be the same.'

How will these new decisions affect the state of tech workers across the US? Will we see workers remain in tech hubs such as San Francisco in order to retain their higher wage? Or will we see tech workers forfeit these high salaries in favor of complete remote working in a city of their choosing? Only time will tell…

-----------------------------------

*Edit - following poll on LinkedIn*

We wanted to get a closer idea of how tech workers would respond to the suggestion of a pay cut in exchange for remote work. We asked the following poll on LinkedIn:

Many tech giants are giving their tech workers the option to remain fully remote after the pandemic. VMware is the latest tech company to announce that this would be paired with a pay cut if employees were to move out of expensive cities such as San Francisco, New York or London. Would you take a pay cut in exchange for complete remote working and the option to live in more affordable areas?

No: 74%
5% salary cut: 19%
15% salary cut: 6%
25% salary cut: 1%

(558 votes)

These results were coupled with numerous comments of tech workers exclaiming their frustration with the prospect of a pay cut in exchange for remote work.

"Should be a pay increase as I wouldn’t be having coffee or using their electricity"

"Using own heating/electricity, the company saving money in overheads, and like many people, working longer hours with a result in increased productivity from WFH. Pay cut seems opportunistic of companies IMO."

"If anything we should get paid more since the companies overheads would dramatically decrease freeing up more profit for the company."

These are fair statements to make, considering that many companies would indeed be saving on overhead costs such as office space and utility bills if their workforce became remote. 

What many people failed to consider, it would seem, is the fact that this pay cut would only occur if the worker was to move somewhere a lot less expensive than their current city - in order to make that pay in line with the local wage. 

Whether everyone who participated in the survey considered that they wouldn't be subject to a pay cut if they remained living where they do currently? We don’t know. But we can't ignore that the overwhelming majority would not be willing to take a pay cut of any sort in exchange for remote working.

written by Evangeline Hunt

Do you want to be part of something special right from the start? At Franklin Fitch we offer exactly that opportunity as we expand to the US East Coast.

Why the East Coast?

The home of bagels, steak sandwiches, the tallest buildings and the straightest roads – of course it’s the US East Coast.

Two years into starting our Austin-based operations we’re ready to take our US venture to the next step. Covid-19 hit the UK recruitment industry hard yet hiring in the US seems to have been less affected by the pandemic.

A recent Dice report on the state of technology jobs across the US supports the idea of a real hotspot for vacancies on the East Coast which have the potential to be tapped into. From May to June 2020, Boston saw a 39% increase in tech jobs, Pittsburgh saw a 44% increase, Philadelphia saw a 36% increase and Baltimore saw a 34% increase.

In addition to this, job postings within the technology sector increased in Q2 of 2020 compared to Q2 of 2019 – during a pandemic this is quite an achievement. Java Developer jobs increased by 14% from 2019 to 2020 Q2, while Cyber Security jobs increased by 15% in this period.

What we can offer you

To assist with our expansion to the US East Coast we’re looking for our next generation of recruiters. Based in our London HQ, you will be working the East Coast market alongside our already established US team.

Since this is a brand-new venture for our business, we’re offering a unique opportunity to our consultants – autonomy to shape your role from the beginning. Although we have existing clients with East Coast presence we are keen for you to build up your own business within our business.

In addition to this you’ll be able to benefit from our market-leading commission structure as well as our plenteous opportunities for career progression which enable you to fast-track your way up the Franklin Fitch career ladder.

Once we have established our presence in the East Coast we will be looking to open an office there. Have you always wanted the opportunity to work and live abroad? This could be your chance!

As an experienced recruiter, you will already know the skills, attributes and work ethic required for the job but do you have the ambition to lead a new operation to success? Do you want to make your mark on a new venture? Then give us a shout!

written by Evangeline Hunt

Organize your day into time blocks

Start the day by looking at your to-do list and assigning yourself specific time blocks for each task. If you have to look for candidates today, assign it an hour – then move in. This will make your hour more focussed knowing you have limited time to get it done, and prevents time wasting and procrastination. It can also just make you feel more organized, which in itself can be a motivator.

We all need breaks

We're only human – and all of us need short breaks fairly often. Don’t be hard on yourself by saying you don’t have time. Taking small breaks will ensure that your working time is more productive – which saves time in the long run. 

Reward yourself

As recruiters we like to be rewarded for hitting certain metrics. But this doesn’t have to come from someone else and it doesn’t have to be for big things. It can be as simple as making a cup of tea after your next CV send out, or having a walk around the office after an hour of work. Small targets will make each task feel small itself – winning!

Don’t start the day with admin

Admin can be done any time of the day, and is actually quite a good task to do when you’ve run out of brain power near the end of the day. Instead, start your day with the most challenging tasks – the things that require the most brain power to get through. It’s only natural to get a little tired towards the end of the day, so having something easy rather than challenging to fill your time later on will seem less daunting.

Learn to prioritize

Prioritization can sort your never-ending to-do list into something that resembles organization. It goes without saying that the most important things go at the top… but sometimes there is the temptation to start with the easy stuff. Don’t do it!

Get out of the office

Having a change in environment is so important. On your lunch break try to get outside for some fresh air and to stretch your legs. Changing your environment is important when taking breaks – it can be hard to shut off from work at lunch time if you remain in the office. Besides, fresh air is never a bad thing.

Hot drinks

The thing that unites office workers across the world – a love of hot drinks. We’re not suggesting 27 cups of coffee each day, but caffeine can stimulate your brain and help you focus.

If all else fails, try something a bit more structured

Trying something like the Pomodoro Technique can be an easy way of ensuring your day has some structure. This technique encourages you to break your day up into 25 minute chunks of work separated by a five minute break. It’s a firm favorite of many, so it might be worth giving it a go if you’re finding nothing works for you!

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What is your favorite productivity hack? If we’ve missed a good one we’d love to hear it!

written by Evangeline Hunt

To pivot, or not to pivot, that is the question: 

“Pivot” must be the business word of the year. In 2020, many businesses have taken stock and considered whether to channel their efforts in a new direction. I understand it, particularly as the current economic landscape and even future outlook is very different to previous years. However, my question is this; if you chose to pivot, at what cost, and should you also reconsider your brand?

We've been clear since inception that our vision is to be a market leading talent provider focused purely on the IT infrastructure market. Naturally we will follow technology trends and advances of the IT infrastructure stack, but we will expand our geographical coverage long before diluting our service offering into other sectors or technology areas. Our Franklin Fitch feet are firmly planted within our niche, we love it, and will not be pivoting anytime soon.

However, if a business does choose to pivot, and hopefully it’s only once, then should that company’s brand identity also change? Surely the original brand was set up for the initial service offering, I wonder how this translates to the new path of said business? From an employee perspective, if decisions are made too hastily, further pivots or a retraction could follow and this creates brand uncertainty and confusion. At some point it could feel like the circus is in town and the whole organization have spent too long on the Waltzers.

Our people and our time are the two most important facets of our business. I believe it’s paramount that everyone clearly knows our purpose, fully understands it and identifies with it. One pivot can be tricky, numerous pivots can be dangerous. Brand identities can be lost in translation, your all-important people can become disorientated and time will be frittered away.

Leadership is tough right now, pivoting can look appealing, but be mindful, the brand you’ve worked so hard to build, may quickly be lost in the ether.

Pause:

I’d like you to hit pause for just a moment.

Given the opportunity, would you rewind the last 6 months to take another shot at navigating the Coronavirus storm? I wonder which decisions you would make differently and which you’d keep the same. I do not believe many business leaders could have imagined the magnitude or ferocity of the ensuing turmoil caused by this pandemic. Reacting quickly was critical, the stakes were high and potential mistakes costly.

Rewind:

I’m writing this to give an insight into Franklin Fitch’s journey over the first half of 2020. To do this fairly, I need to give perspective, so I’ve shared previous years’ results, our expectations at the beginning of 2020 and our actual results from January to June this year.

I am proud to say that since our inception in 2011, we have grown our group Net Fee Income* (NFI) each and every year. Eight years of successful, sustainable, organic growth, mostly gained through a mix of careful strategic planning, rigorous hiring processes, a “people first” growth mindset, and a great deal of hard work.

The chart above illustrates our H1 results for the previous 5 years. Using 2015 as our baseline, the year on year compound H1 growth rates are:

2016: 43% increase

2017: 47% increase

2018: 39% increase

2019: 42% increase

Thus, from 2015 to 2019, I’m pleased to say our H1 results have produced an average compound growth rate of 43%. So, when forecasting our growth expectations for 2020, we didn’t deviate far from the norm (dotted purple line on the chart). Since our forecast in December, it’s been a whirlwind, the game has certainly changed.

The solid purple line on the chart plots our actual H1 2020 results. This year for the first time ever, we have tracked behind the previous years’ H1 results. In fact, by the end of June 2020, we tracked behind our 2019 results by 12% and tracked behind our original H1 forecast by approximately 55%. Whilst the latter number is worryingly large on first view, it is completely understandable when considering the severity and pace at which Coronavirus’ effects were felt across Germany, the UK and the US.

When reflecting on the above I have many thoughts and feelings. My first thought is always with our people and the wider physical and mental impact of this period. We continually search for ways to support and lead our people to excellence inside and outside of work. Guiding the leaders and team members through this has easily been the biggest challenge I’ve ever had to face.

How successful we have been is difficult to know at this point. We believe we’ve made good decisions with the information available, but only time will truly tell.

Play:

I’m hoping that my transparency here can give other leaders comfort and confidence when considering their company and team performances. I am sad that we will very likely lose our impeccable record for year on year growth, but I am proud of the efforts of our people, their work rate, focus and resilience enduring this relentless downpour.

I believe we need to pull together in times of hardship, not forget the bigger picture, whilst working daily on the more granular tasks and targets.

According to our recent datasets, the choppy waters are beginning to calm and we are hopeful for a few sunnier days in H2. We are consistently reviewing the course we chart and are diligent in our decisions and movements, hopefully plain sailing is not too far away again.

Fast Forward. Bonus track coming….

I’m sure most of us would like to fast forward this entire year, but unfortunately time is one thing we cannot control. I would be interested to hear your views and opinions on the above. If comfortable, feel free to share your results or simply your feelings. I wish everyone luck over the coming months, it’ll be Christmas before we know it!

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*NFI is a term often used in the recruitment sector and can be used as a metric to measure success/ growth. Of course, there are many other important metrics.

1. Social media is your best friend

This might go without saying, but LinkedIn is the perfect space to be able to show your level of expertise and knowledge. Write articles, make videos, record podcasts, host a virtual workshop, engage with content from others, have an opinion – you get the idea.

If you’re an IT infrastructure professional, make sure your content is focussed on this space alone. You don’t want to be known as someone who has an opinion on everything, but you do want to be known as someone who has an opinion on all things IT infrastructure – you want to be that guy. But don’t be robotic, be you, make sure your personality shines through.

When recruiters/hiring managers are looking over job applications, LinkedIn is likely to be one of the first places they’re going to look to verify your level of expertise. Do you claim to be an expert in cloud migration? If you’ve recently written, shared or engaged with an article about it, that’s a pretty good indication that you know what you’re talking about. 

Doing the above is a great way to virtually network. Given that we can’t network in person yet, engaging with others online and adding value to their conversations is a great way to get your name out there and maximize your connections. You don’t always need to be the conversation starter but you should try and be involved in them. You never know who might have the next job opportunity for you!

2. Show that you’re adaptable

Coronavirus has changed everyone’s working life in one way or another. For many it was as drastic as losing their job, for others it was adapting to working from home. However it was that you were affected, you want to show that you rose to the challenge and came out on top. With the uncertainty of the future, employers will be looking for someone who can deal with the changing way of the world, so showing you’re adaptable should be a key trait of your personal brand. In that sense as when, showing vulnerability is not a bad thing, people are able to relate to it and will buy into you a lot more.

So how do you do this? You’ve got a few options. Include a section on your CV/resume on how you responded to coronavirus. Write a short post on LinkedIn. Mention it when you have job interviews.

And if you struggled to adapt to the changing way of the world, then it’s all a learning curve. Think about what you could have done differently, and how you can use this moving forward. Self-reflection is essential for development and growth, while also showing you can be genuine and honest with yourself.

3. Don’t be afraid of failure

As humans, we want to avoid failure as much as possible – that’s natural. But the reality is that in order to push yourself one step ahead of the crowd, you’re going to fail a few times.

Most successes don’t come first time around – there’s a lot of trial and error involved. Take any successful brand/person/business and all of them will have stories of trying things that didn’t work.

Walt Disney experienced countless failures throughout his career, but instead of getting him down, he learnt from it. ‘It is good to have a failure while you’re young because it teaches you so much’ says Disney. ‘For one thing, it makes you aware that such a thing can happen to anybody, and once you’ve lived through the worst, you’re never quite as vulnerable afterwards.”

We worry about what people may think but those that are able to get past that hurdle of fear will connect with those who they want to start building relationships with. The others don’t really matter.

And surely, the only thing worst than failing is never trying in the first place?

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Do you think you’ve got an awesome personal brand? We’d love to see it! If you need help building your own personal brand, or have any other ideas on ways to do this, feel free to get in touch.

written by Evangeline Hunt

With redundancies happening across the board due to the current pandemic, it can be even more difficult than normal to make your application stand out in a hugely competitive market. Not to mention the frustration of not getting a response (even when you are promised one).

‘I’ve never seen it so competitive out there’, says Practice Manager Simon Nicholls. ‘With that many people applying for the same role it’s impossible as a recruiter to review all of the candidates, and similarly impossible to get attention as a candidate’.

Despite this, there are things that you can do to make it as easy as possible to make your application stand out. Simon shares his advice below.

1) Make sure the role is a perfect fit for you

It’s common for people to apply to anything and everything when job hunting. This not only wastes your time, but also the recruiter/hiring manager who has to go through the applications. If your profile doesn’t match the job description, you won’t get the job – simple as! With this in mind, you do want to challenge yourself to a role that you know you can do, but requires some brain power and is engaging. Some people suggest your profile needs to match 80% of the job description – this isn’t an exact science and varies every time but might be worth keeping in mind.

2) Apply to the role on the job board/LinkedIn etc

This might sound like it’s a given, but you’d be surprised how many people call/email to say they’re interested in a job but haven’t actually applied yet. Job applications can be tough, so try not to procrastinate and get it done. You’ll be in a much better position after you’ve applied to the role.

3) Track down the recruiter on LinkedIn and send an InMail & Email. This InMail/Email should include a very short overview of your suitability e.g.

"Hi Simon. I've just applied for the ROLE in LOCATION. I feel I am a good fit for the following reasons:
- The rate/salary is in line with my expectations
- I am based near to the location (description)
- I have experience in X, Y and Z and companies A,B and C
- I am immediately available for interviews and starting
Please let me know if we could discuss this role further."

4) Follow up with a call (but at the same time don’t spam call)

It’s all about getting your name heard! (and having the application to back it up…)

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This may not be a sure-fire guide to get your application viewed by decision-makers, but it can sure help. If you have any more suggestions or questions regarding this topic feel free to get in touch!

written by Evangeline Hunt

Ahead of the November 2020 Presidential Election, diversity is at the forefront of many social issues, such as the Black Lives Matter movement, the disparate death-rate from COVID-19 on elderly and BAME individuals, immigration, and LGBTQ+ laws.

On the surface, it appears that diversity is increasing in many US communities. But what does this actually mean for those living in the US? With less than four months until the election, we look at whether the US, and specifically our home in Texas, is really as diverse as it appears to be.

According to a recent study by the personal finance site WalletHub, Texas is the second most diverse state in the country.  This is based on an array of factors, such as household diversity, linguistic diversity, racial and ethnic diversity, and so on. The study shows clear evidence that the US is getting progressively more and more diverse, but what is the response to this?

According to a Pew Research Center survey, 77% of Americans say that the increasing diversity is a good thing, and 64% say that this diversity has a positive impact on culture. We’re pleased to see that our belief in diversity and inclusion is shared by the majority of people living in the US.

Having a diverse environment is important for so many reasons, but above all to bring diverse ideas. Businesses are amongst the first to see measurable success from having a inclusive working environment – multiple McKinsey studies examining diversity in the workplace confirm this fact. Their findings are clear:

‘Companies in the top quartile for racial and ethnic diversity are 35 percent more likely to have financial returns above their respective national industry medians. Companies in the top quartile for gender diversity are 15 percent more likely to have financial returns above their respective national industry medi