Stuart Hughes

Developers don't like technical debt and don't see AI as a threat. Stackoverflow released its 2024 survey last week. It's always an interesting read to see where things are heading as a recruiter specialising in software development. In the opening gambit of the blog post on their website, they touch on summary points: "This year, technologies such as JavaScript and PostgreSQL remain most popular, Rust and Markdown remain most admired, developers are most frustrated by technical debt at work, and they don’t see AI as a threat to their jobs." Technologies can be the focus of another day. Today I want to break down the last 2 points. "Developers are most frustrated by technical debt." Hardly a revolutionary insight; it was always likely to be that, being micromanaged, or having to go to the office 🤷‍♂️. "They don’t see AI as a threat to their jobs." This is more interesting. And I'm sure at some point it will be used to nullify the above frustration 🤔. Whenever there is a new technology or idea that is 'ahead of the game,' the 'woe is me' narrative rears its head with spectacular claims of the emergence of systems that are going to replace workers/people/the world. Of professional developers, 69.6% do not see it as a threat, and only 11.7% do (the rest are on the fence). It's positive to see the developer community embracing the potential assistance, rather than worrying about any detrimental impacts. It's a long survey, so I've not gone through all of it. Are there any sections that YOU think are worth a look?

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So why do most Software Developers only actively code for 26-50% of their working week? It's common for software developers to spend a significant portion of their time on tasks beyond coding, such as: ➡️ meetings, planning, debugging, testing, collaborating with colleagues... These activities are crucial for the success of projects but don't always involve writing code directly. Additionally, developers may also need time for: 💡learning new technologies 📈 addressing technical debt 🔍 reviewing code What are the pesky distractions that often pull you away from your primary focus on coding? 👀👀👀 #SoftwareDevelopment #CodingTime

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*Asking for friend* Where are all the mentors at? I've just come away from a chat with a developer, that was a lot like a lot of other chat's I've had with developers - "I don't have mentors!". After trying to get the support at their current gig they've decided it's going to be best to move on and find that support elsewhere. In this challenging market it could take some time to find that fit. So I'd love to know if there are any Brisbane, or online, based services that could help this person and others like them. Where are all the mentors at? Let me know if you have any good suggestions, subreddits, meetups etc that have helped you connect with someone to show you 'the way'. #justnation #softwaredeveloper #softwareengineer #mentor

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There's so many career paths within Software Development, and if you're just starting out, it can be conflicting on deciding on the path to take. Here's a brief outline of some of the niches within development you could do based on conversations I've been having… 💫 Web dev - specialise in building web apps and websites, you'll most likely use HTML, CSS, and JavaScript 💫 Mobile Devs - focus on creating apps for smart phones and tablets - iOS and Android 💫 Frontend Devs - work on the user interface 💫 Backend Devs - work on the server-side of applications and focus on functionality 💫 Full Stack Devs - work on both the front-end and back-end 💫 DevOps - you are bridging the gap between development and operations If you're looking for your next software dev role, pop me a message ✨ #SoftwareDevelopment #Programming #Frontend #Backend #FullStack

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📢 Diversity in software engineers teams includes diversity of interests and hobbies!!* 📢 Have you ever seen a job advert that includes interests as a requirement? I remember beekeeping being a requirement for a STEM role I fancied many years back (and frankly would be up for beekeeping if I had the time! 🐝)   I've had client briefs that look for sporty people, musicians, makers. I've dodged one that required an IT Manager be a religious leader for the team...   These requirements pop up as the hiring managers wants the team to be invested - and who's more invested than your user base?   But your audience includes complete novices, they don't require advanced features and may find the learning curve off-putting. If you don't have a "non-user" involved in your product design, are you going to have a blind spot for your novice audience? If everyone is a 'maker' then who is going to suggest an off-the-shelf solution rather than spending a year building an expensive tool in-house? Not to mention the socio-economic, cultural and gender barriers associated with certain interests. Bring me a job that includes music, cooking, climbing and caving - but until then I'll bring the soft skills I develop in those hobbies to any team I join. *ok, this is just my opinion

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This is incredibly interesting and undoubtably what the market needs - what goes up must inevitably come down to level out in way in which the market can accommodate. Now Software Developers what do you think? Does this impact the way you're looking at your career and your next move? #developmentrecruitment #salariesaredecreasing #acallforsomeinsight

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Another post I created today for my thoughts over the weekend! 🚨 The Real Cost of Hiring the Wrong Python or Golang Developer 🚨 👉 Read more here: https://lnkd.in/dvN2BmQz From my experience working with tech companies, I’ve seen how hiring the wrong developer can lead to wasted resources, missed deadlines, and serious product quality issues. When you're working with languages like Python and Golang, the stakes are even higher—especially for fast-growing companies in London and Cambridge. The wrong hire can: - Extend project timelines - Pile on technical debt - Undermine the quality of your product But the right hire? They’ll keep your projects on track, reduce technical debt, and help you scale faster. In my latest blog post, I break down the real cost of making the wrong hiring decision and share my insights on how to avoid these costly mistakes. 👉 Read more here: https://lnkd.in/dvN2BmQz Hiring the right talent is critical—whether you’re building scalable systems with Golang or developing cutting-edge AI with Python, it pays to get it right from the start. #PytoGo #Python #Golang #Hiring #TechRecruitment #BackendDevelopment #AI #MachineLearning #TechHiring #LondonTech #CambridgeTech #SocodeRecruitment

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Engineering Managers how do you track the performance of your team? 🤔 Its one of the most important parts of being a manager, ensuring your teams performing highly! In recruitment there are lots of quantitative metrics are used to analyse the team and individual performance. I'm keen to understand from EMs is this the best approach to track your teams performance? Be great to discuss in the comments below ⬇️ #EngineeringManager #TechLeaders #Performance

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omg I can't believe it! 😱😱😱 Who would have thought that a Software Engineer's favourite part of a project is ACTUALLY WRITING CLEAN CODE?!? 🤯🤯🤯 mindblown 🤯🤯🤯 All jokes aside, the work day of a Software Engineer is built up so many different factors. Most of you (41%) seem to derive satisfaction from building and coding over strategic planning or optimisation. 💡Tip for Employers: If you're hiring or managing a team, emphasising opportunities for writing quality code might attract or retain talent. ❓Question to you: Performance optimisation ranks lowest (12%). Why is this? Is it viewed as less creative? Is it undervalued? Keen to hear your thoughts in the comments👇🏼 #TechInsights #Poll #CleanCode

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"𝘑𝑜𝘳𝑑𝘢𝑛 𝑎𝘳𝑒 𝑦𝘰𝑢 𝑔𝘰𝑖𝘯𝑔 𝑡𝘰 𝘱𝑜𝘴𝑡 𝑚𝘰𝑟𝘦 𝘴𝑒𝘳𝑖𝘰𝑢𝘴𝑙𝘺 𝘯𝑜𝘸 𝘺𝑜𝘶'𝘳𝑒 𝑎𝘵 𝘈𝑙𝘣𝑎𝘯𝑦?" Nope. Busy times here at Albany headquarters and myself and the team are spinning multiple plates for several clients trying to find a number of engineers 😬 Here's some of the things we're working on... ⚙️Senior Engineer (Node / TypeScript / AWS) ⌚Tech for good company in wearables 💵£80k - £100k ⚙️Full Stack Engineer (React / Node / mid level) ⌚Tech for good company in wearables 💵£50k - £60k ⚙️QA Engineer 💓Health tech company 💵£55k - £65k ⚙️Tech Lead (JavaScript / Next.js / Node) 📊Intelligence Platform 💵£90k - £100k ⚙️Senior PHP Engineer (PHP / Laravel / React) ♻️Tech for good circular economy 💵£80k - £110k ⚙️Mobile Tech Lead (React Native) ⌚Tech for good company in wearables 💵£90k - £100k If you fancy a chat on any of these then pop me a message or if you know of anyone tag your friends! 📨 [email protected] Niruban Retnanandam Ethan Cohen Joe Burder #hiring #SoftwareEngineers #Jobs #JavaScript #React #Node #PHP

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Developers aren't doing themselves justice with the number of DRY CVs that I’m seeing… We strive to write clean, efficient code, that doesn’t repeat unnecessarily. Many developers stick with the mantra Don’t Repeat Yourself (DRY). But on your CV? It’s time to break that rule. When it comes to writing a CV, repetition is your friend. Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) and AI scrapers are scanning for the right keywords, and sadly they don't appreciate subtlety. They want to see specific technologies, skills, and achievements repeated. They want you to hammer home what you’re good at. So when writing your CV, think WET instead: Write Everything Twice or even Write Every Time! Emphasise your key skills, make those core technologies pop up more than once, and don’t shy away from restating your impact across different projects. Sometimes, the best way to show your value isn’t by keeping it clean and elegant… it is by making sure it’s loud and clear. If you’re struggling with your CV, I’d be more than happy to take a look and give some feedback. Just drop me a message! #TechHiring #DeveloperCV #JobSearchTips #CareerAdvice #CVWriting #ATS #Recruitment

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As a tech recruiter, understanding why engineers are seeking new opportunities is crucial. It allows us to better match them with roles that align with their career goals and expectations, ensuring a better fit for both the candidate and the employer. I'd love to hear from software engineers in my network: What are some common reasons you've seen engineers wanting to switch jobs? Let's see how perceptions have changed since 2022. Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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If you have a company of 20 people or less, this should be your interview process for software engineers 👇 1) A 45 minute call with a senior member of the team. A chance to give the candidate more details on the business, role, company roadmap etc. Also a chance for you to find out more about them & essentially work out if you are on the same page. 2) A 90 minute technical interview. This could be paired programming, a general discussion or anything along those lines. At that point, you should either make an offer or reject the candidate. It really is that simple if you think about it. What more could you possibly need during an interview process? If you're working in a bootstrap / seed level startup, you should be interviewing like one. Don't try and be Meta. I promise you, it impresses nobody. Quite the opposite in fact. What do you think?

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Some of the BEST Software Engineers I've worked with have some of the WORST CVs I've ever seen. And some simply do not have one. The top 5% of talent are not scouting out new roles and applying to adverts... ..they're headhunted. So there's simply no need to create a CV. And that's where the job of a Recruiter comes in, to shine a spotlight on those who are unseen in the market, or to fill in the gaps on those awfully written CVs. So the next your recuiter show's you a horrible CV, they might just be showing you a superstar. G.Digital | G&T (girls and tech!)

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✨Is a big name on your CV always the best career move?✨ Many Software Developers dream of working for tech giants like Apple, Microsoft, or Google. These companies are seen as the pinnacle of innovation and prestige, with names that stand out on any CV. But let’s pause for a moment: 👉 Does the reality always match the hype? For some, working at a major tech firm means incredible opportunities: 💡 Cutting-edge projects 🌟 Unmatched exposure 🚀 A career boost But for others, it can come with: ⚙️ Bureaucracy 🎯 Limited role scope 💭 A misalignment with personal growth goals Here’s what I’m curious about: -Does a big name open as many doors as we think? -Are smaller startups or mid-sized firms sometimes more rewarding? Have you worked for a big-name company? If so, what was your experience? 💬 I’d love to hear your thoughts - let’s spark a healthy debate! Whether you’ve taken the big-name route or found value in a different path, your story could inspire someone else.

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Bit late to it... but better late than never, right? Rundown of Q2 in Team Java & Kotlin incoming ➡➡➡ 💪🏼 122% of our quarterly target 💸 Highest billing UK team at Understanding Recruitment 🏆 We hit our team incentive 📅 23 new client meetings ✅ 1.09 CV : 1 Interview ratio It's no secret that the last 18 months haven't been the smoothest sailing for the tech market, but one thing for certain is that things are moving in the right direction. What have we got in store for Q3? 💥 If you're looking to scale your engineering team this quarter and need some advice or support, feel free to reachout for a chat about how we can alleviate some of the headaches that come with hiring! #quarterlyupdate #hiring #techrecruitment #java #kotlin

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🌐 Saw the below and it reminded me of a report I'd read recently with regards to ongoing developments within the world of Java that I know a lot of that side of my network could be interesting in reading. 💭 Be interesting to see how this rolls out and how it affects projects going forwards but definitely worth a read - more than open to anyone's thoughts! https://lnkd.in/ehUJPXRA #java #softwaredevelopment #techtoday

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Hiring Software Engineers? We recently surveyed 4,917 candidates across the UK. Here's what we learnt... 1 - WFH 7/10 are currently only open to fully remote roles. This number was WAY higher than we expected. Struggling to hire? Try adjusting your WFH policy. 2 - Speed 94% aren't interested in roles with 3+ interview stages. If you find a candidate (that you like), then don't delay. Move fast, or be left behind by your competition. 3 - Tests Most 'take home tests' never get completed. Do a 'real time assessment' on the call instead. It achieves the same result, but actually gets it done. -- Was this useful? ➡️ Follow Alfie Whattam for more like this. ♻️ Repost to share with your network.

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