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As more and more employers take their interview process online, the chances are that you’ll be interviewed via video at some point during your job search. Whether you’ve had previous remote interviews or if this is a completely new experience for you, these seven tips will help you avoid the pitfalls and take the stress out of video interviews! 1. Test Your Tech Is your internet connection fast enough to chat in real-time? What room do you have the best reception in? Does your webcam work? Have you checked if your microphone picks up your speech well? Make sure to check these things well in advance of your interview and do a trial run with a friend or family member beforehand to make sure everything is working as it should. Your interview could be taking place on a variety of different platforms such as Skype, Zoom, Google Hangouts etc. so find out which one they’ll be using. Then get signed up to it and have a play around to make sure you know how everything works before your interview. Don’t forget to send them (or your recruiter if you’re going through one) your contact details so the interviewer can set up the call. You may want to share your screen during the interview (e.g. to show your portfolio or to complete a live tech test), so double-check that there are no other irrelevant windows open on your desktop. 2. Set The Scene Before your interview carefully assess the background that will appear. Are you in a messy room? A neutral background with plenty of natural light works best. Have a play around to find what computer height and angle looks the most flattering and raise your laptop on some books if needed. How’s the lighting? Arrange some lights so that your face is lit and there are no major shadows, but avoid placing lights directly behind you, since they can interfere with the camera’s ability to focus. Seeing yourself on video can be distracting so practise looking straight at the camera for that all-important eye contact. Finally, keep a pen (that works!) and paper close by in case you want to make any notes or write down any questions you want to ask at the end. 3. Avoid Distractions Your interview is not the time to replicate the famous BBC live interview that went viral for all the wrong reasons. So if there’s anyone else in the house make them aware of your interview. Be sure you schedule the interview for a time when you will have some privacy, and when any children or animals are out of the house or are being supervised in a non-adjacent room. Remove any distractions such as children’s toys or personal items that may distract from your interview. Also, make sure to either switch off your phone or put it on silent. This also goes for your radio and/or television. 4. Look The Part Even if you’ve spent all day in your loungewear, you want to make sure you still dress appropriately for your interview. Dress as if you were going to meet your interviewer face to face. Not only will this leave a much better impression but also gets you into the right frame of mind. Do your research into the company to establish their dress code (if you are working with a recruitment agency, you can always ask your recruiter for this information). Remember, your appearance also reflects your attitude! Practice speaking clearly and, calmly, and rehearse a bit in the clothing that you intend to wear so that you can spot any potential wardrobe issues ahead of time. 5. Do Your Research Research and prepare for the interview as much as you would for an in-person interview. Delve into their website, look at their social pages and their company news – dig up as much information as possible! Not only will this make a good impression on your interviewer, but it will leave you feeling confident and prepared. If you need to refer to any notes, keep them as minimal as possible so that your eyes aren’t always flitting away from the screen. Are you working through a recruitment agency? Make some time to speak to your recruiter before and after your interview (a good recruiter will schedule these with you). 6. Ask Questions Make sure you go into your interview armed with questions for your interviewer. As a rule of thumb, you should always have at least five questions prepared as some might be forgotten or answered during the interview. If something about the role is unclear now’s the time to ask. You’ll find more great questions to ask in this blog. 7. Show Your Personality Showing enthusiasm about the company and the role in your interview can go a long way. Think about your posture and your tone when speaking to your interviewer – if you are perceived as being bored or restless, it will seem like you’re not interested in the role. Remember - employers want to hire people who want to work for them! Of course, it’s important to be professional and get your points across succinctly but you also have to make sure your personality shines through. Wasting time badmouthing your former manager and the company you worked for is a massive no go. Instead, take the time to highlight your successes and contributions and how you can apply these to your new role. As with any interview, make sure to thank the interviewer for their time and express your interest in the company/position a final time. Finish your interview on a positive and don’t forget to follow up with a thank you message. If you’d like any more help with prepping for remote interviews please get in touch with us to schedule a call with one of the team. Good luck from all of us at Understanding Recruitment!

Onboarding is one of the most important times for a new person joining your company. Done well, it immerses them in your culture and sets the tone for their engagement right from the start. ​Having to onboard new starters without physically being in the office may seem challenging but companies of all sizes are taking this experience online and we’re here to help you find out how they do it. Getting Started Find out what common challenges your employees faced when they joined your business. To get this information send out a quick survey to existing onsite and remote employees. Once you're aware of any issues you’ll be in a better place to mitigate these in your remote onboarding. Pre-Onboarding 1. Have the right tech Send your new starters IT hardware and manuals and make sure to order these well ahead of their start date. A client in the financial cloud space sends their candidate's laptops across the EU using private couriers, who are still operating during the lockdown. Don’t forget that the current situation may cause delays to delivery dates. Make sure to check with your candidate if they’ve received their equipment and need any help getting it set up. 2. Send a welcome package Time to get creative! Sending out a welcome package by post is a nice touch and will make them feel excited to join the team. Here are some things you could include: Items that embody your company culture Information about your company Welcome letter from your CEO (handwritten is always a nice touch) Postcard from the team they’re joining Branded merchandise including homeworking essentials – mugs, hoodies, stress balls Some sweet treats 3. Induction documents Prepping a comprehensive ‘guide’ for their role will make sure new starters get off to a flying start. Here’s what to include: List of tasks to help them learn about the role and what's expected of them List of handy tools your company uses Where to download useful apps Logins/passwords they’ll need Contact details for their team members Regular meetings 4. Prep for their first day A schedule for their first day/week can help new starters know what to expect and stay on track. We also recommend sending legal and formal documents using an e-signature tool, like HelloSign or DocuSign, so that employees can add their signatures digitally and share contracts with you in a secure environment. Their First Week 1. Introduce your new team member to the rest of the team on their first day Your weekly team meetings are a great time to introduce new faces. You can also get them to write a short bio about themselves and send it to the team so everyone can get to know them. At the end of the first week get the whole team to check in with the new starter to introduce themselves and their role. 2. Communicate, communicate, communicate Communication is key to making remote onboarding a success and there is an array of tools at your disposal (we’re fans of Microsoft Teams!). Employees at Stack Overflow are mostly home-based across 12 countries and enjoy orientation calls with each member of the executive team where they learn about the company’s history, culture and goals. A healthcare technology company we work with recommends setting up video calls with: Their co-workers Their manager and direct reports Employees from other departments they’ll work closely with HR (as needed) 3. Set up a buddying system Mentors are a great way to guide new starters through your onboarding. They can help make them feel welcome and answer any questions. 4. Set up social events for the team Remote working can be lonely so make sure your new starters stay connected with the rest of the team! This could be online fitness sessions, a Friday happy hour on Skype or team tea breaks on Zoom. There are loads of fun things you can do so make sure to get the team involved in planning these! 5. Create training goals Starting a new job can be overwhelming. Setting smaller milestones can make new joiners feel more at ease. Agree on the targets and goals for their first 30 days as soon as possible and adjust them as needed. Their manager should also discuss goals for their first 30, 60 and 90 days. 6. Have regular check-ins You should schedule important appointments such as reviews and team meetings in advance. Less formal check-ins are ideal to discuss personal and professional goals. They are also a great forum for new starters to share their ideas and suggestions. Don’t try to force your way of working because it has worked until now – be open to change! For the More Advanced Dell, who have 160k employees worldwide, have a dedicated onboarding website. They also have a "Day 1 success team" providing support via chat, email and calls during the onboarding process. Some companies enable people to learn at their own pace, housing all of their onboarding materials such as pre-recorded videos, guides and company news on their existing intranets. In a mobile-first world, many companies have also designed their own onboarding apps. Feedback Is Everything To get the onboarding process right make them feel welcome, encourage honest conversations and feedback. New starters bring a fresh perspective so make sure you listen to their feedback, not just about their onboarding experience but on the business as a whole. Would you like more advice? Download our complete Remote Onboarding Guide here or contact us to schedule a call with one of the team.

Unprecedented times. This has to be one of the most used phrases over the last few weeks. The monumental impact the COVID-19 outbreak has had on so many lives and how it has turned our world as we know it upside down so quickly is unbelievable. With offices all over the world emptying out, employees working from home and supermarket shelves bare, companies are facing tough choices. One of which is what to do with their hiring plans. So, what now? There probably isn’t a single business out there that has been unaffected by COVID-19. Uncertainty is not good for business, people or the economy. But one thing is for sure, the choices companies make over the coming days and weeks will no doubt impact on how they navigate and come through this crisis. Roughly 50% of our client base has frozen their recruitment (especially those within aviation, hospitality and other highly impacted sectors) whilst others aren’t showing signs of slowing down and have simply moved their hiring processes online at record speed. And while for most of our clients this has been a seamless process thanks to their tech infrastructure, some are choosing to put jobs on hold or defer their candidates’ interview dates. However, with it being unclear how long the current situation could last, these companies are in real danger of losing out on talent to their competitors. Chris Jackson, our Founding Director commented “Some clients are being really open-minded to adapt within the current climate and they’re the ones that will probably come out of this period of uncertainty in better shape, equipped and ready once the recovery starts. There’s also going to be potentially less competition at the moment for some of the most sought-after talent, so those that are prepared to take the plunge will probably be the ones that benefit the most in the longer term. We’re always here to help and support our clients in whatever way we can do to accommodate this.” 1. Benefits of remote hiring Access to the market has probably never been this good and with most people working from home, it is easier to have a conversation about making a career move with them. Access to a bigger talent pool is another major benefit to hiring remotely. With many EU countries on lockdown, using the likes of Microsoft Teams, Google Hangouts, Skype or Zoom means you can still access these candidates quicker, and without the cost of flying them in for a face to face interview. 2. Remote interviewing A strong online employer brand is crucial to attracting talent that will have to rely on your digital presence to experience your company and its culture during the remote interview process. Luckily, we live in the age of connectivity with tools like Microsoft Teams, Google Hangouts, Skype, Zoom etc. at your fingertips. Paired with phone interviews these will be your primary communication channels to connect with candidates during the recruitment process. Many of these tools will also let you record interviews and watch them back later to help make objective hiring decisions, even if you're not meeting the candidate in person. We can also help you facilitate all types of remote testing that is a great way of evaluating a candidate’s code. For example, many of our clients use Codility, an online technical interview and coding challenge to help evaluate candidate’s code easily. If you’re looking for a new role check out our latest vacancies interviewing remotely. 3. Delayed start dates or remote onboarding? When it comes to the onboarding process many companies take this experience digital too. Check out our Guide to Remote Onboarding to get some inspiration. With the help of websites, documentation, and videos alongside digital communication with their team and manager, this process can be just as welcoming as onboarding at the office. Download Your Guide to Remote Onboarding It will be interesting to see if COVID-19 revolutionises where and how we work in the future even after the restrictions are lifted. Whether remote hiring will ever become the preferred method of hiring remains to be seen. Working remotely is already mainstream for so many professions and proving that it works in this situation could revolutionise a lot of office-based jobs in the future, making a remote workforce a reality going forward for many companies. If you’d like some advice about how to move your interview process online or would just like to speak to us about your market, we are here to help and support you with your hiring needs. Java - James Hunt Charity - Tom Rankin Contracts - Jack Carscarino DevOps - Tom Parker Javascript - Simran Hundal .NET - Arjun Gillard Machine Learning & AI - Anna Heneghan Delivery - Nicola Parker Germany - Alex Bloisi USA - Matthew Ferdenzi

You expect lots of questions to come your way during the interview but are you prepared for your interview to be a two-way street? Preparing a set of questions you can ask the hiring manager at the end of an interview will show your interest in the role and company, but it's also the prime opportunity to find out if the job is right for you. Not having any questions makes you look unprepared and uninterested, so make sure you research the company and make notes of topics you can ask about. Your best bet is to prepare at least five questions in case some are answered during the interview or you forget any. Here are a few suggestions about what to ask when it’s your turn to call the shots. Have I answered all your questions? – This gives you a good chance to clarify any questions or doubts the interviewer still has. You can also expand on answers you may have given during the interview and it will give you a good idea of how you’re doing so far. What is your company culture like? – It’s a good idea to find out what the company’s philosophy is and if you can see yourself fitting into their environment. What are the day to day responsibilities of this job? – Hopefully, this will shed some light on what your day to day in your new job would look like and if it sounds like something you want to be doing. What are your expectations for this role during the first 30 days, 60 days, year? – Find out what expectations they have for the role to see if it aligns with what you’re looking for in your new role. What are the biggest challenges you’re facing? – Asking about their challenges not only makes them think but also is a way of uncovering trends and issues in the industry. Who do you consider to be your major competitor? – You should have already researched the company’s competitors but getting your interviewer’s insights can be useful and could be different from the information available on the internet. What are the challenges of this position? – This question will help you identify areas the role will be focussing on over the next months. What qualities are the most important for doing well and advancing at this company? – This question can uncover information that’s not in the job description and gives you a chance to show you’re a good fit for the team. Is this a new position? If not, why did the person before me leave this role? – Asking this will uncover what happened to the person doing the job before and why and how they left. If you had to sum up the company in three words what would they be? – This can give you an interesting and spontaneous insight into what the company is really like and gets the interviewer thinking. What do you like best about working for this company? – Asking your interviewer about their personal experience at the company is a great way to gain insight into the company and to make a more personal connection. Watch for any telltale signs here in their expression or body language that might indicate some issues or underlying negativity. Where is the company headed in the next 5 years and how can I grow in this job? – Find out if the company is growing and if there is room for you to progress your career over the coming years. Can you tell me a bit about the team I would be working with? – Some companies will volunteer this information and even introduce you to the people you’d be working with during the interview process. If not, it’s a good idea to clarify what the team looks like and what the pecking order is. What are the next steps in the interview process? – This is a great way of finding out how many stages are left in the hiring process and clarifies when you can expect to hear from them.

Joe Snowdon joined Understanding Recruitment with two years’ experience in a London based recruitment consultancy. Previously a BI, Database & Data Warehousing Consultant, Joe now specialises in Java recruitment, specifically within the Berlin market. What was your career journey before joining Understanding Recruitment? Towards the end of my final year at university, I was looking at careers in recruitment. I graduated on the Monday and started work at a recruitment consultancy on the Tuesday. I was there for over two years before joining UR. What do you like best about working for Understanding Recruitment? Compared to where I was working before, there is a much greater customer satisfaction approach. Within the recruitment industry, there are several companies that focus on mindless KPI’s. The targets at Understanding Recruitment are a lot more relevant to the job (no targets of 30+ calls a day, cumulative time on the phone etc.) and reflect a quality over quantity approach which makes us come across a lot better to candidates and clients. How does working in the tech industry differ from your previous industry? I was already working within tech but the tech market I work in now is slightly different. My new market, Berlin Java, is a market going through a large expansion, so there are always new opportunities and the city has a diverse client base. What would your advice be to recruiters thinking about moving to a different company/different industry? Recruitment is an industry where if you’re not satisfied at your current company, it can be hard to be motivated and work to your full potential. When I was looking for a new company, I interviewed at a few other organisations, but it was only really Understanding Recruitment that I was interested in. Everyone I met during interview stage seemed genuinely invested in the company, and it was clear that every employee is treated well and given the support and encouragement to be the best version of themselves and progress through the company. The opportunities for learning (both internally and externally) started the day I joined and have continued to this day. How does the earning potential in the tech market differ to the industry you worked in before? The earning potential at Understanding Recruitment is greater and the commission structure is better. At my previous company, you were only able to earn a commission and there was no option to earn any bonuses. For example, if I hit my annual target here, I earn a bonus, and if I can bring a certain amount of business on, I will also earn a bonus for that. How would you describe the culture at Understanding Recruitment? Everyone works as one. Recruitment is a very competitive industry and can lead to rivalries within businesses, but at Understanding Recruitment that is not the case at all. It has a really nice social environment, and everyone has been welcoming from day one. The learning environment and personal development is something that is really appealing here. Across all the teams here, everyone is supportive of individuals achieving their goals. There is no favouritism based on your level within the company – everyone is treated equally and on merit. What would your advice be to your younger self? Work is where you spend most of your time awake, so pick somewhere where you are supported and encouraged to achieve your goals, both personal and professional. Curious about #LifeAtUR? We'd love to hear from you. Message Emily Kitamura on LinkedIn or drop her an email emily@understandingrecruitment.co.uk to have chat.

Think you have to commute to London to have a successful recruitment career? Well, our internal recruiter and self-professed sausage dog lover Jessie is here to tell you there is another way… This time last year I had the choice between taking a role in London or in St. Albans, Hertfordshire and I chose to work locally! Why? Because traveling into London is tiring, uncomfortable, boring and rather expensive. Having traveled into the city from Stevenage for only two days a week in one of my previous roles I know this firsthand! I also like to sing songs out loud and apparently that’s frowned upon on public transport, in the comfort of my own car… there’s no judgment! Admittedly, if you absolutely love your commute into London, this blog isn’t for you. But if you’re fed up with feeling like a squished sardine on an overcrowded tube and paying thousands a year for the privilege, read on… Like most people I used to think that being successful in recruitment meant that I had to work in London, that by working in the city it was more fast-paced, the social scene was more lively and there was a lot more money to be made. Turns out, I was wrong! Recruitment has always been a super-fast paced industry, so whether you work in London or in Hertfordshire you’re always going to be working in a fast-paced and lively environment. After I joined Understanding Recruitment it was great to discover that they’re a really social bunch and that with a variety of restaurants, bars and clubs on our doorstep the social side of work is thriving! You’ll often catch us out in St. Albans of a Friday evening after work to see in the weekend, no different than London really but the drinks aren’t as overpriced! Moneywise, we offer great basic salaries (the sort you’d see in London but you don’t have to shell out lots of money for a season ticket just to get to work) and an amazing commission structure ranging from 15 – 40% uncapped with only a £5k threshold each quarter. So, having experienced working both in London and locally I know what I prefer. Here’s my summary of the pros and cons of choosing a recruitment career outside of London: Pros of commuting into London Sometimes you see dogs on the tube, always a bonus! Cons of commuting into London You rarely ever get a seat… standing for your whole commute isn’t ideal I’m pretty sure trains are delayed the majority of the time and you hear the dreaded ‘this train has been delayed’ or ‘this train has been canceled, there is a replacement bus service’ that echoes over the whole platform, instantly killing your mood and that of your fellow commuters It’s SO expensive – yes, your salary may look like more with a London weighting than it would if you worked locally, however it costs thousands per year to commute into the city (for example a season ticket from Watford Junction to London Victoria costs £3,584 (not including the cost for onward travel on the tube) just to stand on a packed train and be squashed… 261 days a year). According to the BBC, commuters pay a fifth of their take-home pay on season tickets, with fares set to increase every year for a deteriorating service. Pros of driving You always get a seat Depending on how far your journey is petrol is cheaper than an annual train ticket No one invades your personal space My team members commute an average of 28 minutes each way depending on where they live, with most living in Hemel Hempstead, St. Albans, Harpenden, Stevenage, and Luton. Cons of driving Traffic, literally nothing you can do about it and there’s nothing more annoying! But, at least you can sit in the comfort of your own car, on the phone or listening to you a podcast or an audible book that can only benefit you You can’t blame the delayed trains if you’re late to work! What would you do with an extra hour every day? Find out how much time you’re spending commuting with Total Job’s commute calculator. Curious about what more we can offer you? Take a peek. Let’s have a chat! Connect with me on LinkedIn, email me at jedwards@understandingrecruitment.co.uk or call 01727 228 078

The salaries presented have come from candidate placements within the Understanding Recruitment JavaScript team in 2019 and from salary ranges for active vacancies with current partners. The JavaScript market has given more power to the candidate, so if a Front End Developer is actively looking, they have more options than ever, and are on the market for a much shorter amount of time. This means that London companies and start-ups have had to adapt to create more sophisticated and quicker interview processes. This year has seen a growing demand for JavaScript developers as companies understand that a great user experience of their product / platform is critical for their reputation and brand image. We have also seen higher salaries being given to candidates with Cloud and DevOps tools experience and knowledge. Alongside JavaScript, highly sought after skills across the London market include AWS/GCP/Azure, Docker, Kubernetes, CI/CD, TDD and BDD methodologies. PLACEMENT SALARIES IN 2019 Lead Front End Developer up to £110,000 Normally 4 years+ working with a modern JavaScript framework either React.js, Vue.js or Angular2+. Also team management and mentoring experience. Senior Front End Developer up to £90,000 Normally 4 years+ working with JavaScript framework such as React.js, Vue.js or Angular 2+. Mid-level Front End Developer up to £75,000 Normally 2 ½; - 4 years working with either React.js, Vue.js or Angular2+. Junior Front End Developer up to £50,000 2 years working with either React.js, Vue.js or Angular2+. BENEFITS (in addition to standard benefits) Remote working -candidates will often prioritise a role that offers remote working. Paid leave to attend conferences & Meet-Ups. Relocation packages – for candidates relocating across the UK or overseas. Shares/stocks in the company particularly common in start-ups. Free food on-site, or ordered in meals such as Deliveroo, Uber Eats etc. Unlimited annual leave Private health insurance Season ticket loans – commonly offered in London. Personal development and training courses e.g. flying candidates out to attend training in different sites across the world. Free technology e.g. MacBook, Laptops, Company Phones etc WORKING EXPECTATIONS & CULTURE Flat line structure – candidates are increasingly asking about company structure and ability to progress within an organisation. Mutual trust / flexible work times, trust in getting the work done and meeting deadlines without micro-management. Budgets for personal development – companies are actively increasing spending on training facilities/programmes. Extended parental leave for both parents (not gender exclusive). Having clear company values that employees must uphold & "being heard". For any further information about the statistics above or other information about the UK JavaSript market, including competitors, tech on the rise and hiring processes, feel free to contact me Let's have a chat! 01727 228 231 Drop me an email simran@understandingrecruitment.co.uk or Connect with me on LinkedIn.

At Understanding Recruitment we put a huge emphasis on self development. So much so that one of our values is dedicated to being 'the very best you'. We also host our monthly Bookclub meetup where we discuss our latest reads. Here are the team's favourites for you to enjoy! THE SLIGHT EDGE BY JEFF OLSON What it’s about The Slight Edge shows you how to create powerful results from the simple daily activities in your life, by using tools that are already within you. And all you need to make that happen? Discover that "one" thing that will help you achieve that goal, realize a life-long dream or propel you up the ladder to success. About the Author Jeff Olson has built several multimillion-dollar sales and marketing organisations, hosted seminars in every major city in the United States and produced more than 900 television programmes centred on personal development. Over the past twenty years, Jeff has helped hundreds of thousands of individuals achieve better levels of financial freedom and personal excellence. Order it here SHOE DOG: A MEMOIR BY THE CREATOR OF NIKE BY PHIL KNIGHT What it’s about In 1962, fresh out of business school, Phil Knight borrowed $50 from his father and created a company with a simple mission: import high-quality, low-cost athletic shoes from Japan. Selling the shoes from the boot of his Plymouth, Knight grossed $8000 in his first year. Today, Nike's annual sales top $30 billion. In an age of start-ups, Nike is the ne plus ultra of all start-ups, and the swoosh has become a revolutionary, globe-spanning icon, one of the most ubiquitous and recognisable symbols in the world today. But Knight, the man behind the swoosh, has always remained a mystery. Now, for the first time, he tells his story. About the Author One of the world’s most influential business executives, Phil Knight is the founder of Nike, Inc. He served as CEO of the company from 1964 to 2004, as board chairman through 2016, and he is currently Chairman Emeritus. Order it here CAN’T HURT ME: MASTER YOUR MIND AND DEFY THE ODDS BY DAVID GOGGINS What it’s about For David Goggins, childhood was a nightmare — poverty, prejudice, and physical abuse coloured his days and haunted his nights. But through self-discipline, mental toughness, and hard work, Goggins transformed himself from a depressed, overweight young man with no future into a U.S. Armed Forces icon and one of the world's top endurance athletes. The only man in history to complete elite training as a Navy SEAL, Army Ranger, and Air Force Tactical Air Controller, he went on to set records in numerous endurance events, inspiring Outside magazine to name him “The Fittest (Real) Man in America.” In Can't Hurt Me, he shares his astonishing life story and reveals that most of us tap into only 40% of our capabilities. Goggins calls this the 40% Rule, and his story illuminates a path that anyone can follow to push past pain, demolish fear, and reach their full potential. About the Author Goggins has competed in more than sixty ultra-marathons, triathlons, and ultra-triathlons, setting new course records and regularly placing in the top five. A former Guinness World Record holder for completing 4,030 pull-ups in seventeen hours, he's a much-sought-after public speaker who's shared his story with the staffs of Fortune 500 companies, professional sports teams, and hundreds of thousands of students across the country. Order it here THE COACHING HABIT: SAY LESS, ASK MORE & CHANGE THE WAY YOU LEAD FOREVER BY MICHAEL BUNGAY STAINER What it’s about In Michael Bungay Stanier's The Coaching Habit, coaching becomes a regular, informal part of your day so managers and their teams can work less hard and have more impact. Drawing on years of experience training more than 10,000 busy managers from around the globe in practical, everyday coaching skills, Bungay Stanier reveals how to unlock your peoples' potential. He unpacks seven essential coaching questions to demonstrate how--by saying less and asking more--you can develop coaching methods that produce great results. About the Author Michael is the founder of Box of Crayons, a company that helps organizations do less good work and more great work. Michael has written for or been featured in numerous publications including Business Insider, Fast Company, Forbes, The Globe & Mail and The Huffington Post. Order it here 7 HABITS OF HIGHLY EFFECTIVE PEOPLE BY STEPHEN COVEY What it’s about To live with security and wisdom, and to have the power to take advantages of the opportunities that change creates, we need fairness, integrity, honesty and human dignity. Quite a tall order when you consider that most of us live our lives in a permanent state of flux, questioning our ideals and values and fighting a daily battle with the lack of self-confidence that stops us from taking risks of any kind. But, in The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, Covey manages to make it sound as if changing the way, we look at ourselves and the world around us so that we can become more successful both personally and professionally an absolute doddle. About the Author Stephen R. Covey is a renowned leadership authority, family expert, teacher, organizational consultant, and co-founder of FranklinCovey Co. He is author of several international bestsellers and was named one of TIME Magazine's 25 Most Influential Americans. Order it here FIRST MAN IN: LEADING FROM THE FRONT BY ANT MIDDLETON What it’s about No one is born a leader. But through sheer determination and by confronting life’s challenges, Ant Middleton has come to know the meaning of true leadership. In First Man In, he shares the core lessons he’s learned over the course of his fascinating, exhilarating life. About the Author Ant Middleton is the front man for Channel 4’s hit show, SAS: Who Dares Wins. Born in Portsmouth and raised in rural France, Ant set his sights on a career in the armed forces and didn’t stop striving until he achieved his goal. Over the course of his career he has served in the Special Boat Service, the Royal Marines and 9 Parachute Squadron Royal, achieving what is known as the ‘Holy Trinity’ of the UK’s Elite Forces. Order it here HIGH PERFORMANCE HABITS: HOW EXTRAORDINARY PEOPLE BECOME THAT WAY BY BRENDON BURCHARD What it’s about It's one thing to know that habits are important, it's another to know the secret rituals of the world's most successful people. Twenty years ago, author Brendon Burchard set out to discover why some people can easily change, develop skill rapidly and rise in their chosen career field, while others work hard but struggle for decades. What he discovered is a unique set of habits that apply across all areas of our lives, that when practiced lead to success across any domain. In this book, you'll learn: How the world's highest-performing people think, respond to challenge and achieve goals faster than their peers Why high performers shirk the advice of 'just be yourself' and 'do what comes naturally to you' Why motivation, grit and practice are not enough despite the recent buzz When to give up or start over so that you can move ahead faster Tactical advantage habits that help you become 30% more productive in 7 days Absolutely must-do habits to immediately follow for your health, relationships and career. And much more! About the Author Brendon Burchard is one of the most watched personal development trainers in the world. A #1 New York Times bestselling author, his books include The Motivation Manifesto, The Millionaire Messenger and Life's Golden Ticket. Brendon dedicates his life to helping others find their charge and share their voice with the world. Order it here HOW TO DEAL WITH DIFFICULT PEOPLE: SMART TACTICS FOR OVERCOMING THE PROBLEM PEOPLE IN YOUR LIFE BY GILL HASSON What it’s about Whether it’s a manager who keeps moving the goal posts, an uncooperative colleague, negative friend, or critical family member, some people are just plain hard to get along with. Often, your immediate response is to shrink or sulk, become defensive or attack. But there are smarter moves to make when dealing with difficult people. This book explains how to cope with a range of situations with difficult people and to focus on what you can change. This book will help you to: Understand what makes difficult people tick and how best to handle them Learn ways to confidently stand up to others and resist the urge to attack back Develop strategies to calmly navigate emotionally charged situations Deal with all kinds of difficult people hostile, manipulative and the impossible Know when to choose your battles, and when to walk away About the Author Gill Hasson delivers teaching and training for educational organisations, voluntary and business organisations and the public sector. She has 20 years’ experience teaching and writing on a range of personal development issues; confidence and self-esteem, communication skills, assertiveness and resilience. Order it here THE CHIMP PARADOX: THE MIND MANAGEMENT PROGRAMME TO HELP YOU ACHIEVE SUCCESS, CONFIDENCE AND HAPPINESS BY DR STEVE PETERS What it’s about Do you sabotage your own happiness and success? Are you struggling to make sense of yourself? Do your emotions sometimes dictate your life? The Chimp Paradox is an incredibly powerful mind management model that can help you become a happy, confident, healthier and more successful person. Prof Steve Peters explains the struggle that takes place within your mind and then shows how to apply this understanding to every area of your life so you can: Recognise how your mind is working Understand and manage your emotions and thoughts Manage yourself and become the person you’d like to be The Chimp Mind Management Model is based on scientific facts and principles, which have been simplified into a workable model for easy use. It will help you to develop yourself and give you the skills, for example, to remove anxiety, have confidence and choose your emotions. The book will do this by giving you an understanding of the way in which your mind works and how you can manage it. It will also help you to identify what is holding you back or preventing you from having a happier and more successful life. About the Author Dr Steve Peters is a Consultant Psychiatrist and has worked in the clinical field of psychiatry for over 20 years. He specialises in optimising the functioning of the mind and holds degrees in mathematics and medicine. Dr Peters is Undergraduate Dean at Sheffield University Medical School and resident psychiatrist with the British Cycling and Sky ProCycling teams. Order it here GRIT: WHY PASSION AND RESILIENCE ARE THE SECRETS TO SUCCESS BY ANGELA DUCKWORTH What it’s about In this must-read for anyone seeking to succeed, pioneering psychologist Angela Duckworth takes us on an eye-opening journey to discover the true qualities that lead to outstanding achievement. Winningly personal, insightful and powerful, Grit is a book about what goes through your head when you fall down, and how that – not talent or luck – makes all the difference. About the Author Dr Angela Duckworth is a 2013 MacArthur Fellow and an associate professor of psychology at the University of Pennsylvania. She is an expert in non-IQ competencies, including grit and self-control. A highly sought-after international speaker, her TED talk on grit has been viewed by over 10 million people. Order it here MINDSET: CHANGING THE WAY YOU THINK TO FULFIL YOUR POTENTIAL BY CAROL DWECK What it’s about Dweck explains why it's not just our abilities and talent that bring us success-but whether we approach them with a fixed or growth mindset. She makes clear why praising intelligence and ability doesn't foster self-esteem and lead to accomplishment but may jeopardize success. With the right mindset, we can motivate our kids and help them to raise their grades, as well as reach our own goals-personal and professional. Dweck reveals what all great parents, teachers, CEOs, and athletes already know: how a simple idea about the brain can create a love of learning and a resilience that is the basis of great accomplishment in every area. About the Author Carol S. Dweck is an American Professor of Psychology. She is best known for her work on the mindset of psychological traits. Order it here LEGACY: WHAT THE ALL BLACKS CAN TEACH US ABOUT THE BUSINESS OF LIFE BY JAMES KERR What it’s about Champions do extra. They sweep the sheds. They follow the spearhead. They keep a blue head. They are good ancestors. In Legacy, best-selling author James Kerr goes deep into the heart of the world’s most successful sporting team, the legendary All Blacks of New Zealand, to reveal 15 powerful and practical lessons for leadership and business. Legacy is a unique, inspiring handbook for leaders in all fields, and asks: What are the secrets of success sustained success? How do you achieve world-class standards, day after day, week after week, year after year? How do you handle pressure? How do you train to win at the highest level? What do you leave behind you after you’re gone? What will be your legacy? About the Author James Kerr specialises in leadership and high performance. He is the co-founder of Fable Partners, the Leadership and Change Consultancy. Order it here UNSTOPPABLE: A 90-DAY PLAN TO BIOHACK YOUR MIND AND BODY FOR SUCCESS BY BEN ANGEL What it’s about Unable to overcome debilitating fatigue and depression, bestselling author and personal development expert Ben Angel set out on a 90-day mission to find and conquer the root of his rut. The result of his journey is Unstoppable, a highly revealing book where Ben gives you a look into the world of nootropics, wearable devices, and nutrition and delivers a guide to help you reduce stress, increase focus, improve physical performance, and eliminate your fears. You’ll hear from world-leading biohackers, neuroscientists, doctors, and New York Times bestselling author Dave Asprey as Ben helps you: Identify the seven triggers causing your brain fog Discover the key to better health, more energy, and a better mood Optimize your mental performance and feel more alert with six nootropics Form new behaviours and break old patterns (the real secret to your success) Interrupt your stress response through breathing Align your biochemistry with your soul’s purpose in three easy steps Use progressive overload to become an upgraded version of yourself About the Author Ben Angel, author of CLICK, Sleeping Your Way to The Top in Business and Flee 9-5, is Australia's leading marketing authority. Founder of benangel.co, a site dedicated to providing entrepreneurs advanced online marketing courses and education, Ben provides easy-to-apply and even easier-to-understand strategies for reaching new customers with ease. Order it here EGO IS THE ENEMY: THE FIGHT TO MASTER OUR GREATEST OPPONENT BY RYAN HOLIDAY What it’s about It's wrecked the careers of promising young geniuses. It's evaporated great fortunes and run companies into the ground. It's made adversity unbearable and turned struggle into shame. Every great philosopher has warned against it, in our most lasting stories and countless works of art, in all culture and all ages. Its name? Ego, and it is the enemy - of ambition, of success and of resilience. In Ego is the Enemy, Ryan Holiday shows us how and why ego is such a powerful internal opponent to be guarded against at all stages of our careers and lives, and that we can only create our best work when we identify, acknowledge and disarm its dangers. Drawing on an array of inspiring characters and narratives from literature, philosophy and history, the book explores the nature and dangers of ego to illustrate how you can be humble in your aspirations, gracious in your success and resilient in your failures. About the Author Ryan Holiday is the bestselling author of Trust Me, I'm Lying, Growth Hacker Marketing and The Obstacle is the Way. His books have been translated into seventeen languages and his writing has appeared everywhere from the Columbia Journalism Review to Fast Company. He was director of marketing at American Apparel for many years, and his strategies in growth hacking and advertising are used as case studies by Twitter, YouTube and Google. Order it here THE POWER OF HABIT: WHY WE DO WHAT WE DO, AND HOW TO CHANGE BY CHARLES DUHIGG What it’s about We can always change. In The Power of Habit, award-winning New York Times business reporter Charles Duhigg translates cutting-edge behavioural science into practical self-improvement action, distilling advanced neuroscience into fascinating narratives of transformation. Why can some people and companies change overnight, and some stay stuck in their old ruts? The answer lies deep in the human brain, and The Power of Habits reveals the secret pressure points that can change a life. From Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps to Martin Luther King Jr., from the CEO of Starbucks to the locker rooms of the NFL, Duhigg explores the incredible results of keystone habits, and how they can make all the difference between billions and millions, failure and success – or even life and death. About the Author Charles Duhigg is a Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative reporter for The New York. A graduate of Yale University and Harvard Business School, he has received the George Polk, the National Academies of Science and other awards. Order it here

Towards the end of 2018, I broke away from the London Java market to embark on a fresh Berlin Java Developer recruiting operation here at Understanding Recruitment. Building something from scratch has its challenges, however, myself and the growing team knew we had Java recruiting expertise that would benefit tech companies in Berlin. Of course, there were still the apprehensions of stepping into the unknown. Sometimes I found myself asking the question, were we relevant here?! Every tech hub has its nuances, but recruitment will always be recruitment wherever you are in the world, but I did find people in Berlin to be open, honest, and happy to work with you providing you are offering a niche product that can cut through the noise (In our case this was Java, just in Berlin, and only the best). Our pure specialism approach has really helped us because let’s face it, people only use external agencies when they really need to. When it is business-critical. When you really need a service, you want the peace of mind that it can deliver and do the best job. If you really need Elbow surgery, you choose the surgeon who does Elbow surgeries all day every day. Not the one who does a bit of Elbow, Heads, and Knees and as a result dilutes their expertise. When it counts specialism always wins, and with a small team we have used this to build up a valuable network that can be mobilized at any time – and the whole network is relevant to our current and future clients. In 2019 I have had to manage and train up new recruits myself and say goodbye to some great recruiting talent all in a constantly moving market. I wanted to highlight some trends that I have noticed about the Berlin Java market in 2019 that I think could give us an idea to what 2020 might look like. The Powerful Candidate There are more Java Developer vacancies in Berlin than Java Developers – and in 2019 this gap has intensified. The hiring landscape has given more power to the candidate, so if a Java Developer is actively looking, they have more options than ever, and are on the market for a shorter amount of time. Berlin companies have had to adapt to create more sophisticated and quicker interview processes, and we have had to educate on the growing demand for our Java network. It still has not reached the levels of London where if you are a strong Java Developer who starts looking around on a Monday morning, you will have interviews booked in by lunchtime and could find yourself signing a new contract within 7 to 14 days. I feel Berlin will move in that way especially as numerous heavyweights are opening tech hubs in Berlin over the next couple of years – I am sure Elon Musk will have something to do with it… The German language is more of a plus now When the team and I came into the Berlin market it was very international and most tech teams were international speaking. However, this year the ones who required fluent German have struggled more than ever to find and hire top German-speaking tech talent. This has led some companies to relax their German-speaking requirements with some parts of the team being English speaking. However, if done incorrectly some Software Developers can feel alienated when there are languages being spoken that they do not understand. It seems trivial but it is us tech recruiters who speak to these Software Developers when they want to leave. It happens! Relocation Perks never looked so good! In 2019, 56% of our placements were in Berlin already whilst 44% relocated. People relocated from the EU Block, Egypt, Iran, Ukraine, Russia, Mexico, and Brazil. Someone looking for a move to Berlin has now numerous lucrative relocation packages to choose from, and it is not just the Unicorns offering it anymore. We have seen some impressive temporary accommodation being offered, big relocation lump sums up front, moving costs covered, and close and personal support to help you settle into your new surroundings. Some companies are really going the extra mile to help candidates with the emotional side of relocating to a new city. 2020... Berlin currently ranks 10th globally for Unicorns with 11 and is still regarded as the 2nd largest Tech Hub in Europe behind London. Furthermore, between 2014 and 2018 there was €474 million in investment per Capita, so there is still plenty of room for Berlin to grow (Stat from Dealroom). Although it is a mature tech hub it can still “mature” a hell of a lot more, and the hiring process of Java Developers and tech teams, in general, will not be excluded from this exciting maturing process! Bring on 2020!!!