Megan McArdle

🎩 Title : Freelance Senior Branding + PowerPoint Designer  🎩 Start : Ideally tomorrow 😅 🎩 Length : 1 month (view to 3 months) 🎩 Client : Real Estate 🎩 Day rate : £250 a day 🎩 IR35 : Outside IR35 🎩 Remote : Hybrid working - 5 days a week: 1-day in-house with the other 4 days remote per week (there is lots of flexibility here) 🎩 Brief : 🔫 Production of brand assets - specifically PowerPoint decks, + understand these narratives. 🔫 To understand how to finesse the content by putting together PowerPoints. 🔫 Creation of presentation. 🔫 This won't be defining the brand, but instead working with brand assets, guidelines, and TOV and then creating compelling presentations like pitching. 🔫 Solid in Figma and presentation.     🎩 Location : Central London     🎩 🌈

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UK Tech Trends in 2024 📈 Happy belated #WWDC day to iOS network. Every single year it is exciting to see what one of the world's most famous innovators come up with to improve the iOS space. This year we had iOS 18, further development of visionOS and Apple Intelligence. Big year ahead once again! 🎉 I read a fascinating article by TechRepublic which perfectly summarised the same trends I am seeing in the UK tech market. Some of the key stand outs I am noticing at the moment include: ⭐ Increased AI and LLM integration whilst keeping in mind the consequences of utilising this technology ⭐ Appetite from investors to place their money into FinTech, ClimateTech and HealthTech ⭐ Strong focus on increasing team size heading into H2 of 2024 and start of 2025 With all the negativity of the tech crisis in 2023 and start of 2024, it is good to hear positivity ringing out across the market again. With that in mind, I am still working #iOS roles in the UK space and similarly if you are a manager who is looking to gain an insight into how the market looks, I am always free for a consultative chat. What are your plans going into 2025? 🤔 #ai #tech #apple #uktech #londontechweek #techtrend #techdiscussion #techcommunity

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With the recent news around employers needing to pay an extra 1.2% in NI, hiring freelancers seems like an even smarter move! Not only can you bring in talented engineers with extensive project experience, but you also avoid all those extra costs! 🚀 With a full-time employee, you’re looking at paying for: Salary 💸 NI - 15% extra 👀 Pension Contribution - 3% minimum 📈 Equipment 💻 And that’s not even counting... bonuses, equity, and any other perks you might be offering! 🤷🏽‍♂️ When hiring a freelancer, you set the rate with no hidden costs. Plus, you don’t pay for holidays, equipment, or anything other than the days they work! 💼 Of course, culture is crucial, and roles like Tech Leads or Engineering Managers should be full-time team members. But for development work, could hiring freelancers be the way forward? 💡

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What’s the JavaScript market like?? Is a question asked on pretty much every call I have at the moment. ✅ The JavaScript market is slowly bouncing back. We’ve seen an increase in job flow, also in direct adverts from both agency and client side which is great ( mostly on perm ). An uptick in perm roles is usually a good indicator of a strong market and contract will soon be to follow. Candidates are getting involved in multiple processes at once. ✅ Time to hire still seems slow. Interviews are taking longer and feedback is delayed. Clients are saying they are wanting to hire but wont move promptly on signing things off/starting the processes or making offers. ✅ There are more experienced candidates on the market. A lot of contracts weren’t extended so there are more people looking. ✅ Seasoned contractors are more open to taking an interesting perm role. In short, things are slowly but surely improving. Feel free to reach out if you have more questions. #hiring #JavaScript #UK

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When creating a business strategy use data to access your ideal target market and clients 📊 Especially when entering the US recruitment industry💯 PGC have put together this useful map to help you choose the best place to area to place contractors in 2024 🗺 It shows the top areas our UK recruitment agency clients made onboards last year 💰 Interestingly... New York has regained its position as number 2 , after Texas took over last year! #recruitmentindustry #usstaffing #targeting

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Designers, is your portfolio visible? Just a quick heads-up; if you’ve added your portfolio link to your contact info section on LinkedIn, it doesn’t always open as expected. I've been seeing a lot of ‘site can’t be reached’ messages instead of your amazing work. To make sure your work gets the attention it deserves, double-check that your link is active. It might also be worth adding it to your About section or another key spot on your profile. It’s an easy tweak that could make a big difference!

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🚀 𝐈𝐦𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐓𝐞𝐚𝐦 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐌𝐢𝐜𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐨𝐟𝐭 𝐋𝐨𝐨𝐩 🗂️ Over the past three months, D7 Recruitment has implemented Microsoft Loop application into it's workflow, a relatively new application that has transformed how we manage our meetings and projects. 🌟 I was on the lookout for an intuitive tool to track our projects in real-time without additional costs, and Microsoft Loop fits the bill perfectly. It’s user-friendly, ensuring even those less tech-savvy can easily adapt. Currently, I am building workspaces for projects, management dashboards, and training - in my world, this is exciting stuff 📊📅😆 💡 MS Loop's superpower is that it allows real-time collaboration across all the common Microsoft 365 apps, including Outlook, OneNote, and MS Teams, and it's improving constantly. If your organisation uses Microsoft 365 and you’re looking for a collaborative, simple-to-use project management application, I highly recommend trying Microsoft Loop. It's already made a significant impact on our team's efficiency and communication, and just had to share it with you 😎 Check out the YouTube link in the comments for a more in-depth overview 😊 #MicrosoftLoop #Collaboration #Productivity #TeamProjects #Training #DailyHuddles

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What is it with job applications at the moment? 24 hours ago I posted a react developer role right before heading out for the rest of the day and I've come back this morning to 254 applicants, 57 connection requests and 42 linked in messages. Still working through them but at first glance the large majority aren't remotely suitable for various reasons including: 👉 No mention of React on the CV 👉 Not based in the right country 👉 Never worked in software or IT 👉 Not eligible to work in the UK There has to be a better way for everyone involved? It's incredibly time consuming screening applicants and filtering that list and good candidates get frustrated that they never hear back from recruiters and got lost in the shuffle. I have job board and linked in filters for out of country applicants and legal right to work in the UK + 4 pre-screening questions for react development experience but they don't seem to work. Does anyone have any ideas of better ways for this to work? Any new tools out there that can manage this? I'm Sam 🤝 I connect businesses with technology talent in the UK, USA & Canada ✔️ Tech managers & HR teams work with me to fill their niche vacancies 📈 Developers/Engineers use me to find their dream job 📞 02380 765 304  or 18572 440 919 📧 [email protected]

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If you are looking for your next Django Developer and unhappy with the current level of service you are receiving from your recruitment partner. Or if your internal team needs some support, here is a recent case study to give you an idea of numbers from Foxley Talent. If you would like more information about our process, please drop me an email to arrange a no-obligation call and let me tell you about why we are the only globally dedicated Python Django recruitment partner. #django #python #casestudy #djangoandproud

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2 offers accepted for designers this week 🚀🎉🎉🎉 The market has been tough for a long time However there has definitely been a noticeable difference since the beginning of Q2. Principal Designer and Senior Designer both accepted and will start their new roles this month! Both processes in 4-5 week turnaround! Onwards and upwards from here! #placements #design #uxdesign #productdesign #celebrations

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I often get asked by Product talent what can I do to set myself apart??? As we all know there's a lot of great talent out there and arguably it's never been more competitve when it comes to securing your next role Here are a few quick and easy to implement tips that's a good place to start... 🔍Optimise your Profile Use your most professional photo - I don't mean you need to be suited and booted but remember this is your first impression and write a compelling headline and ensure your "About" section reflects your PM skills and aspirations 🌟Post on the Regular Share your experiences, insights and perspectives on product management - speaking from experience the more you post, the less daunting it seems and I promise you will gradually learn to not overthink it as much 😅 🗨️ Engage with Others Comment on relevant posts, join discussions and support colleagues past and present and they will return the favour 🖍️Highlight your Achievements Use your profile and posts to mention successful launches, key learnings or innovative solutions

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🎉 Exciting News Alert! 🎉 The UK economy is officially out of recession, according to the latest official figures! 📈 Now is the perfect time for companies to capitalize on this positive momentum and expand their teams. 💼 Syntech Recruitment is here to support your recruitment drive and connect you with top talent to drive your business forward. Let's work together to seize this opportunity for growth! 💪 #UKeconomy #RecruitmentDrive #SyntechRecruitment Syntech Recruitment Ltd

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There's encouraging signs for tech sellers in the UK job market 😎 These 3 things happen regularly in a boom market But haven't really happened at all in 2024 Until this week! 🙌 Returning ESP customer unfreezing headcount, looking to hire multiple roles 🙌 Internal referral within a hiring company "I'm hiring and so are my 2 colleagues..." 🙌"We've just done our 2025 plan and need 7 new sales people by Q1" Small steps but here's hoping positive things to come! #salescareers #saas #recruitment

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🤷‍♂️How can I build relevant technical skills to better prepare myself for a new career? 🤷‍♀️What are some of the benefits of hiring those who have taken untraditional routes into tech? 🤷‍♂️How can I stand out/get my foot in the door, when applying for new roles? 🤷‍♀️How can I, as a Hiring Manager, be doing more to attract those from untraditional routes into my tech team 🤷‍♂️What should I be including on my CV? Just a few of the questions that you can expect to hear the answers to tomorrow, as Hera Voice🎙️teams up with Dr. Ailish McLaughlin and Lauren Gibson to discuss why its vital that the tech industry starts to prioritise skills, not schools! So, if you're curious about how you can make an impact as a hiring manager, or want to have some advice on what your own journey into tech might be looking like, pull up a (virtual) seat and enjoy the conversation. It's free to register and the link is below: https://lnkd.in/eiV-aYYs

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🚀 My CV Tips for Developers 🚀 Creating a CV within a market which is very employer led will always be challenging. Going up against 100’s of applicants for the same job will always cause issues. I’ve listed below a couple of tips I think will help you with your job search.   🌟 Technical Skills: Don’t put every tech stack and skillset under the sun on your CV. Clearly list your core technical skills! And if you want, categorise them into Front-End, Back-End, Databases, and Tools & Platforms.   🌟 Showcase Projects: Highlight professional projects that demonstrate your commercial experience and skills. I would say (if possible) personalise them to what the company wants i.e if the company wants someone with MEAN stack experience. Note down a recent project where you used MEAN stack.   🌟 Job Titles: Make sure when creating a CV that you put your relevant job title from each position you’ve worked in. I’ve seen a lot of Developers put “Software Engineer” or “Front or Back End Engineer” when they have been a FullStack Developer/Engineer. By having software engineer or front/backend engineer you might not come up on a company/or recruiters CV search. And where first impressions count, even CVs. You want to minimise any chance that the company or recruiter will say no to your application. Do let me know how you’re finding the market and anything else you think would be crucial for Developers with there job search. P.S to any of the “LinkedIn influencers” or “market geniuses & gods”. This is my personal view from what I’ve found within the current market and speaking to Developers. #FullStackDeveloper #CVTips #JobSearch #TechCareer #SoftwareEngineering

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🎨🎬 Motion designers, this one's for you! Just discovered a podcast that's a really interesting listen! ‘School of motion podcast’ comes out weekly with loads of interesting information (it will be especially interesting for the juniors in my network). The latest episode is on emerging trends in UI animation! It covers a range of topics including industry trends, personal growth in design, and the evolving job market for motion designers. The main takeaway from this episode is that fusion of motion design with UX is creating exciting new opportunities for designers who are willing to expand their skillset. How do the motion designers in my network stay up to date with industry trends - I’d be interested to know! Or are there any other podcasts/media you would recommend? Here is the Spotify link in the comments #MotionDesign #CreativeCareers #DesignInnovation

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💡6 Tips to prefer for a Technical Design interview 💡 1️⃣ Choose a relevant case study: Select a case study that is closely aligned with the company you're interviewing OR one you feel that you have really pushed the boundaries and proud of. 2️⃣ Incorporate statistics: When presenting, remember that statistics are super powerful so back up your design choices as these demonstrate the impact of them. 3️⃣ Explain your process: Be prepared to speak about the methodologies you have used, process you followed, stakeholders that you have engaged with and how you have navigated the design process. 4️⃣ Prepare for challenging questions: You may be asked, "What went wrong?" or "How did you handle difficult stakeholders?" Reflect on these questions and be ready to explain how you handled challenges and what you would do differently. 5️⃣ Articulation: When answering questions, aim to provide enough depth but keep your responses clear and to the point. 6️⃣ Think beyond the task, you should think about "What you would do if you had more time to work on the task?".This provides an indication of your forward-thinking and problem solving ability. What challenging questions have you been asked in a technical interview? #InterviewTips #FuturesDesigned #ExperienceDesign #UX #UI #ProductDesign #Amsterdam #Dubai

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Here’s my insights on what’s happening in the design market currently 💡 ⭐️ Speaking with lots of lead-level designers looking to take a step back into individual contributor roles due to the shortage of lead-level positions available ⭐️ When looking for a new role candidates are really interested in flexibility but also a large majority are saying their number one that outweighs everything is working with genuine, good people so company culture takes the win there! ⭐️ Although contract roles are still available, permanent roles are on the rise with some contract budgets being cut for a large majority of companies ⭐️ There has been an increase in recruiting for hybrid roles such as Service/UX designer roles - someone who can work optimising end-to-end customer experiences across multiple touch points but can also work up until lo-mid fidelity prototyping. ⭐️ Lots of community meet ups happening! Including a new event Content Design Hub offering a marketplace to access content design training & digital content services - would highly recommend checking it out! ⭐️ Portfolios are important now more than ever! With the market still being candidate heavy, now is the time to polish and update those websites! #uxdesign #designmarket

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