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We get quite a few interesting dev profiles and code submissions on Geektrust. What makes them interesting is how the profile and code combination paints a picture of the candidate – what kind of skills, value and dynamics she/he will bring to an organisation, how unique their approach to coding and solutions are – and these profiles make potential employers as well as us look forward to starting a dialogue with them.
So we looked deep into these developer profiles, asked ourselves and some of our clients what makes for a great dev profile – what makes some candidates make companies want to create an opening even if there is none. And from those conversations we found it’s rather basic: here are 3 simple things any developer can start doing today to get them into that “most wanted” talent pool in 3 months.
1) Be very thorough with your primary skill
The most important, and possibly the easiest self-improvement to make.
Just earlier this month, we had someone solve our online coding problem with minimal lines of code. It was a perfect solution, a very original way of solving it and together with the candidate’s profile, spoke volumes about the developer who solved it and his command over his primary tech stack.
Companies value candidates who are strong in their primary skill because employees who know what they know are not only capable of handling their work on their own, but can also think out of the box and stretch their potential. Very often, we get so caught up in our daily work that we lose sight of new developments and best practices in our core tech skill. We forget what is that best way to implement a solution. We forget standard industry practices. We then reach a point where we know how to work on our project and on nothing else.
That sort of beats the purpose of knowing how to write code, doesn’t it? So start brushing up on your primary tech skills. This is where a lot of people get caught out.
2) Start learning – explore and read up on other technologies
If you’re working on Java, you should know what NodeJS gives you. It shows that you’re interested in sharpening your skills and getting better as a technologist. If Big data is something that you say interests you, do something about it. Take a course from Udacity or go for some meet ups and start learning on your own. If you’ve worked primarily on jQuery, try some of the modern frameworks doing the rounds. Check out Angular, React etc. to become a more well-rounded expert in your core tech stack.
3) Be clear about what you’re looking for
Before you even decide to look for a job, stop for a couple of days and reason out with yourself why you want to change your job. Having this clarity before hand shows through in everything you do during the process. And it becomes easier to take seemingly tough decisions as you proceed.
Don’t change your job just for a salary hike. In all likelihood you will get a good hike in salary when you change jobs (unless you’re at a startup that’s paying you a ridiculous salary just to make sure you don’t leave!). However, don’t jump jobs based on who gives you a better salary. A lot of companies will offer a good salary when you join but will make sure your next review salary hike will be less to even it out. They’ll promise a 30-40% hike with the knowledge that they will give you a 5% hike in the next salary review. Instead, look for options based on your priorities at your stage in life and work. Is a promotion and more responsibility what you would appreciate now? Or is it a chance to work in a smaller company to create a bigger impact? Or do you want to expand your skills and work at a company where you can learn new technologies? Or is there a genuine financial obligation that needs you to get a major salary hike? Get your priorities right before you set out on the job search.
Give yourself enough time to find the right job.
Don’t rush into a job in a span of 1-2 months. Start looking out at least 3 months in advance, evaluate your options and take the right decisions. Now the question is, how do you do this? Today, it’s very hard to find genuine job options unless you create resumes and send them out through referrals or recruitment consultants. And then you have to follow up on the applications, go through rounds of interviews and code pairings just to get to the decision-making stages. It’s quite lengthy and complicated.
This is where Geektrust comes in. We help technologists stay aware of their job options over a span of time, even when they are not actively looking out. On the GT platform, you can find companies interested in your profile and what salaries you can potentially earn. You can also assess and get feedback on how market ready you are by solving the coding problems on the website. Companies give preference to GT candidates. So when you decide to connect with them, you proceed directly to a face-to-face with the key decision maker. And when you’re in the interview, having these 3 things in place will shine through you.
So get working on you, focus on being the best version of you so you attract the best opportunities for you.