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In 2021 and beyond tech will continue to change our everyday lives. But how will it change the world for the better? Find out in this collection of thought-provoking TED Talks. 1. What will the pharmacy of the future look like? Personalised pills, 3D printed at home. Should we change the way we prescribe drugs? Physician Daniel Kraft calls for a smarter approach to healthcare. Many drugs don't work for those they're prescribed for and can cause side effects. There are also challenges around dosage and patients taking the medicines as they should. In this TED Talk Kraft makes a compelling case for leveraging tech to make a change. Thanks to the internet of things and connected devices, real-time data could be used by healthcare professionals to improve prevention and lead to personalised medications that adapt to individual needs. 2. SpaceX could soon be flying you across the globe in 30 minutes. What's next for SpaceX? Find out from employee number seven at Elon Musk's pioneering aerospace company who is now its President. Engineer Gwynne Shotwell discusses the exciting race to put people into orbit, taking humanity to Mars and space travel for earthlings. 3. Creating Google Search for the Earth. Could the surface of the each soon be as easily searchable as the internet? Will Marshall and his team at Planet are already on a mission to index the entire Earth using satellites. Now they're using AI to index all the objects on the planet which could make ships, trees, houses and everything else on Earth searchable.  4. How Arduino is open-sourcing imagination. From toys to satellite gear, Arduino has inspired thousands of people around the globe to make the coolest things imaginable. Find out more about this easy-to-use open-source microcontroller from Massimo Banzi who helped invent it. 5. The way we trust has changed. There has been a shift in who we trust. Instead of placing our trust in institutions we increasingly rely on others, who are often strangers. Just look at the rise in popularity of platforms like Airbnb and Uber.   6. What could a driverless world look like? Transportation geek Wanis Kabbaj finds inspiration in the genius of biology to design the transit systems of the future. In this forward-thinking talk, explore exciting concepts like detachable buses, flying taxis and networks of suspended magnetic pods that could help make a driverless world a reality. 7. What AI is - and isn't. Educator and entrepreneur Sebastian Thrun wants us to use AI to free humanity of repetitive work and unleash our creativity. In an inspiring, informative conversation with TED Curator Chris Anderson, Thrun discusses the progress of deep learning, why we shouldn't fear AI and how society will be empowered if dull, tedious work is done with the help of machines.  8. Could a smog vacuum cleaner transform our cities? Daan Roosegaarde uses tech and creative thinking to produce imaginative, earth-friendly designs. In this TED Talk, he presents his latest projects from Van Gough inspired bike paths in Eindhoven to a smog vacuum cleaner in Beijing.

GitHub’s annual Octoverse report celebrates 365 days of achievements in the software community and we’ve got the highlights for you right here! 2020 was a year of change. We’ve all had to adapt in some shape or form with most balancing (or trying to – homeschoolers we salute you!) working remotely with home life. But the way developers collaborate as part of a global community stayed much the same, driving a sense of camaraderie across the globe. With 60 Million+ new repositories created this past year developers came together to innovate, connect and solve problems. In addition to GitHub’s growth and usage, this year’s report offers additional analysis around work-life balance and hours worked, the state of open source security, and what role automation plays in faster software delivery. Dive into the full report – or read on for the highlights.   56M+ developers are part of the GitHub community Based on data collected between October 2019 - September 2020, there were a total of 56m+ developers on GitHub with 72% of Fortune 50 companies using GitHub Enterprise. Not only were there 60 Million+ new repositories created this past year, but there were also a staggering 1.9 Billion+ contributions added. This year saw an increase of new users to GitHub, including Data Analysts, Scientists, Teachers, Students, and Designers suggesting that collaborations on the platform will increasingly include more than code. Take a look at the full report to see how the GitHub community has grown and evolved over the last year. JavaScript still the most popular language As it has since 2016, JavaScript ranked as the top language amongst GitHub’s users in 2020. Python takes 2nd place, having overtaken Java in 2019, which remains the 3rd most popular language. TypeScript appears to be the most progressively popular language this year going from 10th place in 2017, all the way up to 4th place this year. Could we see TypeScript continue to gain in popularity over the next years?   Developers have spent more time on Open Source while stuck at home Developers have been putting in long hours and over the last year contributions to open source increased by 25%. These levels noticeably increased as the pandemic unfolded and remained high even on weekends suggesting open source could be an important escape from work as well as a place to learn and create. Open source projects that used GitHub Actions to automate their pull requests also saw noticeably faster software delivery and better collaboration. Global growth Over the course of the year, GitHub has grown globally in size and diversity. Despite a 2% decrease from last year, most GitHub users are found in North America (34%), closely followed by Asia (30.7%) and Europe (26.8%). Countries and regions such as Egypt, Indonesia and Saudi Arabia saw a large growth in contributions in 2020. Nigeria was ranked at the top with a 65.9% growth, closely followed by Hong Kong (SAR) at 64.5%.   Want to know more? Dive into the full report

Around three and a half years after the UK voted for Brexit, the clock is ticking towards 11 pm on 31st December 2020, the date upon which the United Kingdom will start a new trading relationship with the European Union. Despite being so close to the end of the transition period, there are still a number of things that Boris Johnson and his Cabinet must iron out. Having missed the original deadline of 15th October, the Prime Minister has very little time left to agree on a trade deal. If a deal isn’t struck, the UK will leave the EU without any trading agreements in place. So it goes without saying that whatever happens in the coming weeks, from 1st January 2021, things will be different, deal or no deal. Established businesses can expect to feel the effects of Brexit, be that positive or negative depending on which side of the fence you sit. The UK’s smallest companies, including freelancers and contractors, have also been told by the government to prepare for change. But what specifically do contractors need to know about Brexit? And what, if anything at all, can we be confident of as the transition period comes to an end?   No guarantees over EU working As part of the EU, UK citizens are granted freedom of movement thanks to access to the Single Market. However, things are set to change when the transition period ends on New Year’s Eve and there will be no guarantee that contractors can live, work or retire in EU countries going forward. This is at least something we can be certain of. It means contractors living in the UK but working with clients in the EU may well need a visa or work permit to continue doing so. Given the rules vary country to country it’s worth checking this page on the government website. Similarly, if you’re a contractor living and working in an EU country, you should check this page for the latest guidance on visas, work permits and residency.   Immigration changes beckon Most foreign nationals, including those from EU states, will need to apply online for a visa if they want to live and work in the UK next year. A ‘points-based’ immigration system will decide this, with the government aiming to encourage what they perceive to be ‘skilled-workers’ to settle on these shores. A score is awarded to an applicant, who is marked based on a job offer (typically with a wage of at least £25,600), their grasp of the English language and skill level in a desirable occupation. How tailored this system is towards overseas freelancers and contractors remains to be seen. If you’re an EU national already living in the UK, or move here before 31st December 2020, you do not need to go through this process. Instead, you’re required to apply to the EU Settlement Scheme before 30th June 2021. It is worth noting that due to the Common Travel Area, Irish citizens retain the right to live and work in the UK and reciprocally UK nationals retain the right to live and work within Ireland post Brexit.   IR35 considerations With changes to the IR35 legislation on the horizon, many contractors working through personal service companies registered in the UK want to know if the changes will apply to contracts held overseas, whether in the EU or further afield. In other words, from 6th April 2021, will contractors be responsible for assessing their IR35 status when working with medium and large businesses based abroad? Or will businesses be tasked with this? It depends, but Brexit won’t have any bearing. If a business is based wholly overseas without a permanent establishment in the UK, such an office, factory or residence, then IR35 reform isn’t a consideration. This means contractors can carry on determining their IR35 status beyond April 6th 2021. If a client is based abroad but has ties here in the UK, then the reform will apply and the business - assuming it is medium or large - must abide by the new rules. Contractors working with small private sector businesses, whether in the UK or overseas, will maintain responsibility for IR35. While there are still many unknowns for contractors regarding Brexit, we at least know that the UK will certainly leave the EU at the end of this month. And given the post-Brexit landscape is changing all the time, be sure to pay close attention to the government’s Brexit webpage, where you can stay up to date with everything you need to know.

Rhiannon joined the U's in Summer 2020 right in the middle of the global COVID-19 pandemic.  With over three years' experience in recruiting for the not-for-profit sector, she came on board as our Head of Fundraising Recruitment, within our specialist Charity Division. We caught up with her to see how she's been getting on over the last months and what it was like starting a new job in such a tumultuous time.    What was your career journey before joining Understanding Recruitment? I started off working in the hospitality industry before getting into recruitment. Before joining UR, I was working for a recruitment agency based in central London where I supported the market research industry before moving into fundraising recruitment within the not-for-profit sector. Having supported charities and higher education organisations for the last three years, I was looking for the next step in my career that would give me more autonomy. I was also planning to relocate to St. Albans, Hertfordshire and that's when I came across Understanding Recruitment who were looking for someone to head up their fundraising team. I applied, had some virtual interviews with the internal recruiter, hiring manager and the directors. Then the stars just aligned and I got the job!   Why did you choose a career in recruitment? I've always loved forming relationships and listening to others, offering help where I can. Recruitment offered me the chance to do this, whilst having the variety to support a range of people and work on different projects each day.   How did you find joining a new company during a pandemic? It was definitely a different experience, but surprisingly seamless! Everyone was very welcoming, and I was lucky enough to spend my first few weeks working in the office and meeting people in person while the Government was advising people to go back to the office.  When we went back into lockdown we all worked from home and kept in touch virtually.    What do you like best about working for Understanding Recruitment? Everyone is very supportive, and you get given the freedom to develop your desk as much as you want. They also provide the key resources needed to do this and always provide constructive advice when wanted.   What would your advice be to recruiters thinking about moving to a different company/different industry? Make sure you do your due diligence. Always research the market or company first to ensure they match your own ambitions and will support you with these.   How would you describe the culture? Everyone is really friendly at UR and always happy to help in any way they can when needed. There is a real feel of everyone wanting to see you succeed and supporting you to do so. There's also a great open-door policy and I always feel I can speak to anyone when I need to.     What would your advice be to your younger self?  Find a job that you enjoy where you get to work with people you like and who will continue to teach you new things!   Curious about #LifeAtUR?  We'd love to hear from you!  DM Emily Kitamura on LinkedIn, email your CV to emily@understandingrecruitment.co.uk  or call 01727 228 255 to have chat about the ​opportunities we have for you.

The COVID-19 pandemic has taken a huge economic toll globally with the latest UK unemployment rate at 4.8% according to the Office for National Statistics. To lend a helping hand to those impacted, LinkedIn has launched a new tool called Career Explorer that helps you identify new kinds of jobs based on your skills. It does this by utilising data gathered from their 722 million members to map career paths that professionals have taken. LinkedIn then merges this data with the current in-demand jobs. Check out the Career Explorer and see where your skills can take you. ​ ​ Unlike a job search engine, the LinkedIn Career Explorer tool matches a person’s skills with jobs they might not have considered before. It also suggests which skills you may want to learn to become even more relevant and provides you with direct links to the appropriate courses in LinkedIn Learning. The Career Explorer can also show you relevant jobs and people in your network who are already in these roles so you can start a conversation. For more helpful tips on using LinkedIn to find your dream job check out this blog.

The Chancellor Rishi Sunak has announced a further extension to the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme until April 2021. The government has confirmed that they will continue to pay 80% of the salary for hours not worked until the end of April. Therefore, employers will only be required to pay NICs and pensions for furloughed hours, and wages, NICs and pensions for any hours worked. Read more on gov.uk.  Under the new scheme, the cost for employers of retaining workers will be reduced compared to the previous scheme, that ended on the 31st of October. Businesses forced to close in England will receive grants worth up to £3,000 per month under the Local Restrictions Support Grant. £1.1bn is being given to Local Authorities, distributed on the basis of £20 per head, for one-off payments to enable them to support businesses more broadly. What the Government pays: 80% of wages up to a cap of £2,500 for the hours not worked by the employee. What employers pay: Hours worked in the normal way, National Insurance Contributions & Pension Contributions. Employers can also choose to top up employee wages above the scheme grant at their own expense if they wish. Employers will not need to contribute to wages for the time an employee spends furloughed. Flexible furloughing will be allowed as well as full-time furloughing. Who's eligible? All employers with a UK bank account and UK PAYE schemes can claim the grant. Employers small or large, charitable or non-profit, are eligible for the extended Job Retention Scheme, which continues for another month. Neither the employer nor the employee needs to have previously used the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme. Employees must be on an employer's PAYE payroll by 23:59 30th of October 2020. A Real Time Information (RTI) submission notifying payment for that employee to HMRC must have been made on or before the 30th of October 2020.  Employees can be on any type of contract. When claiming the CJRS grant for furloughed hours, employers will need to report and claim for a minimum period of 7 consecutive calendar days. Employers will need to report hours worked and the usual hours an employee would be expected to work in a claim period. For worked hours, employees will be paid by their employer subject to their employment contract and employers will be responsible for paying the tax and NICs due on those amounts Businesses have the flexibility to bring furloughed employees back to work on a part-time basis or furlough them full-time. Employers will only be asked to cover National Insurance and employer pension contributions which, for the average claim, accounts for just 5% of total employment costs.  Business Grants  Businesses required to close in England due to local or national restrictions will be eligible for the following grants: For properties with a rateable value of £15k or under, grants to be £1,334 per month, or £667 per two weeks; For properties with a rateable value of between £15k-£51k grants to be £2,000 per month, or £1,000 per two weeks; For properties with a rateable value of £51k or over grants to be £3,000 per month, or £1,500 per two weeks What else can businesses get? Up to £3,000 per month under the Local Restrictions Support Grant if their premises is forced to close £1,000 for every furloughed employee kept on until at least the end of January £1,500 for every out-of-work 16-24-year-old given a ''high quality'' six-month work placement £2,000 for every under-25 apprentice taken on until the end of January, or £1,500 for over-25s Payments The extended Job Retention Scheme will operate as the previous scheme did, with businesses being paid upfront to cover wages costs. For the short period when the government need to change the legal terms of the scheme and update the system, businesses will be paid in arrears.

Chris Mullen joined Understanding Recruitment in 2019 having previously worked at a well known high street recruitment agency. Before getting into recruitment, Chris was a Senior Sales Negotiator at an Estate & Lettings Agency. Now Chris is our Client Engagement Consultant and IT Recruiter, focusing on providing clients with an expert level of service and supplying them with quality, hard to find tech talent across .NET, Java, DevOps, JavaScript, AI, and machine learning. We caught up with Chris to find out more about his recruitment journey and how he’s finding it so far! Where were you working before you joined the team, Chris? I had worked in an Estate Agency for five years before deciding to move into recruitment. I started my recruitment career at a well known high street recruitment agency in Watford for a year, before joining the Understanding Recruitment team. What do you like best about working at UR? I enjoy working with very talented people who have a great attitude and are always willing to lend a helping hand. The company always rewards hard work and good performance throughout the year. There are also loads of incentives everyone can get involved in ranging from trips abroad to team activities and director's lunches.  How does working in the tech industry differ from your previous industry? It’s a big change and one that comes with a lot of research and preparation. The tech industry is a lot more fast-paced which definitely comes with more rewards than high street recruitment.  Because the tech industry is constantly evolving the demand for quality tech talent is very high. This demand creates a higher earning potential and makes the average deal value larger than most industries. What would your advice be to recruiters thinking about moving company/industry? Be prepared to work hard and learn about the new industry as much as you can. Ask questions and learn from those around you. They have experience in the industry that you're entering and will be able to help and guide you. How would you describe the culture at UR? I would say it's a good mix of hardworking, inclusive, friendly, professional, and respectful. There are loads of opportunities for career progression and I would say that the team overall is really engaged. What would your advice be to your younger self?  Although working for a high street recruitment agency gave me some good experience, I would have liked to have gone straight to UR and started learning and developing with the business from the get-go!  ​Curious about #LifeAtUR?  We'd love to hear from you!  DM Emily Kitamura on LinkedIn, email your CV to emily@understandingrecruitment.co.uk  or call 01727 228 255 to have chat about the ​opportunities we have for you.

At the beginning of 2020, the number of searches for “how to start a business”, increased to 18,100 - the highest on record. A recent survey of 1,000 adults in the U.K. backs up this trend with a staggering 65% of respondents planning to start their own business. While start-ups are popping up left, right and centre, building a business to stand the test of time is another ballgame. According to Review42, 90% of new start-ups fail and 20% will do so in their first year. Only 1 in 10 will survive past five years and only 1 in 10,000 will reach unicorn status, worth at least $1 billion. While there is rarely one sole reason for a start-up’s failure these are some of the red flags keeping them from gaining the traction they’d hoped for. 1. No Market The number one reason start-ups struggle to gain traction is because there is little to no market for the product or service they have created. How many new products that come onto the market solve people’s pain points or are needed? A report by CB Insights stated that tackling problems that are interesting to solve rather than those that serve a market need, was cited as the No. 1 reason for failure, noted in 42% of start-up postmortems. Passion and the belief in what you are creating are fundamental to the success of any start-up. But these can also be a hindrance leading founders to see a “gap in the market” for their product, which is not always there. Success has a lot to do with the timing being right. Launching a product before it’s ready can leave a negative impression on customers that is impossible to fix. When the market or technology has not developed as quickly as hoped for some products may fail because they are simply before their time. When the product/market fit isn’t quite right many start-ups pivot, often dramatically changing their strategy to cater to a different market. While there are a lot of success stories where start-ups have pivoted many founders struggle to act decisively and adjust to the new circumstances. For example, YouTube successfully pivoted and went from starting as a video-based dating service to become the hugely popular video streaming platform it is today. 2. Lack of Resources This one’s obvious: lack of capital resources. Many start-ups lack the financial resources to position themselves in the market in the long term. There are times where they cannot raise the money they need because a competitor already has. Some start-ups may have funding, to begin with, but burn it hard fast or scale too quickly. Likewise, it can be difficult to get the pricing right, so it covers costs but is still attractive to customers.  Some of the key issues include: High payroll costs Low profit margins Small but often recurring purchases Delayed or late payments from clients High expenses 3. Wrong Talent According to Statista, 23% of start-ups fail because they don't have the right team in place. The first five hires are key and can make or break a business. If the team doesn’t work well together, doesn’t share a vision and is lacking the skills needed, the start-up won’t stand a chance either. A diverse team with different skill sets and an understanding of the market is also critical to the success of a start-up.   Many start-up teams do not have a good understanding of the market they are operating in. Likewise, a lack of real long-term interest and passion for the market can also lead to failure. 4. Not Listening  It’s easy for start-ups to get tunnel vision. Some founders wind up building products for themselves and not the user. Losing sight of what the customer wants and needs accounts for 14% of start-up failures according to CB Insights. Despite doing all the research and finding “the gap in the market”, the product isn’t always right. Many start-ups have made the mistake of planning their product or service completely out of the market instead of getting input and feedback from clients right from the start. 5. Competition While most start-ups are built around a novel idea, the first-mover advantage can quickly fade. The market can become saturated with large companies and other start-ups quick to swoop in and capture the market you helped validate.   Unfortunately for some start-ups, these competitors can be longstanding companies with large budgets and the capacity to make the products cheaper and more effective, pricing them out of the market. How We Can Help We understand the challenges you're facing and focus on getting your early hires right, giving you the rocket fuel to supercharge your business. Hiring quality talent doesn't have to cost the earth. We know that cost is key so we've made our Talent Accelerator fee structure flexible to suit your needs.  So whether you're at seed series or series A, B or C of your funding journey, we would love to play a part in your success story. 

So, you’ve applied for the job, aced the interview process and are basking in the glory of that awesome new job feeling. Well done you! But now what? Where do you go from here to make sure you get off to a great start in your new role? The first 90 days are crucial and the actions you take during this time will have a major impact on your success or failure. Most probation periods also last around this time so it can often be a vulnerable phase while you’re also trying to climb a learning curve and operate in a new environment. But don’t worry. Our experts have put together some tips to help you settle into your new role without putting too much pressure on yourself. Good luck!     1. Don't be shy! By staying in touch with your employer before you start you can get ahead of the game and find out more information about your role and how it fits into the wider team and business goals even before your first day. While the thought of introducing yourself repeatedly might fill you with anxiety, you’ll want to show your enthusiasm and get to know people in your first days. You can also ask your manager for a list of people they think you should meet with. Try to remember people’s names but if you do forget, a simple “Could you remind me of your name?” will do. We spend a lot of time at work (90,000 hours over a lifetime*)! That’s a lot of time spent with your colleagues so, make sure to get to know them outside of work and try to get involved in after-hour activities. Drinks after work, lunches with your team or even virtual quizzes are all great ways to develop strong relationships with your new colleagues.   2. Define success In your first few weeks, it’s important to establish mutual expectations with your manager. Find out what is expected from you within the team, the wider business, and as in individual. What does your success look like? While you need to know the basics aspects of your role, for example; your working hours and responsibilities, it’s also important to understand the more in-depth parts of your role and how it contributes to the bigger picture. How your performance will be measured and what your job progression will look like, are just a couple examples of this.   Write down any questions you have so you don’t forget and raise them in a one to one with your manager. This is also a good time to find out what their pain points are and to plan how you can reduce these and add value quickly (although you may already know these needs from your interviews).  Also ask them how they prefer to communicate – in person, over the phone, via email or video chat?   Ask yourself: What do you want your legacy to be?   3. Develop good habits Get into good habits from day one. A new job can be a fresh start, so make sure to start it on a positive note and turn up ten minutes early. Decide on how you're going to manage your time, calendar and projects and get set up for your new way of working. By establishing a good working routine early on, you're taking steps in the right direction to achieve your goals and earn the respect from your team and colleagues. This is also the time to set boundaries. Coming in early and staying late after starting a new job can be a way of seeking acceptance but you should try and re-establish the boundaries that help you do your best work. Remember, saying “no” will help you focus on your goals and better manage your time.   4. Ditch the bad ones! This is the ideal time to shed old routines that aren’t serving you anymore! In your first 90 days, avoid developing negative habits and work hard to break any existing ones.   5. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes Nobody likes making mistakes, but they can happen, especially in a new role. Feel the fear and do it anyway and make sure to throw yourself into your new role and step outside of your comfort zone; know that you will make a couple of initial mistakes and that it is perfectly fine to do so! Although we don’t like making mistakes, they are a great learning tool and sometimes you need to make mistakes to improve.   6. Get up to speed Your first weeks are more about listening and less about talking. Every organisation has a culture and norms of behaviour that people are expected to operate within so try to absorb these in your first weeks. Take the time to get up to speed on both your industry and your job role; what kind of technology your candidates and clients will be working with, how these fits into their businesses etc. Is there a particular code you need to learn for your role?    7. Review, review, review Don’t forget, while your employer will be seeing how you get on for your first three to six months it’s also a time to see if they are the right fit for you! Don’t be afraid to ask your manager directly for ways to improve and ask for feedback on how you’ve been doing and make sure to check you’re still on track to accomplish the goals you set in your first weeks. Finally, make sure to regularly highlight your wins in a way that makes your manager and team look good throughout the first months in your new role and celebrate those early successes!         * Source: Gettysburg College