Blog

This year, a lot of contractors have been wondering what impact IR35 is having on recruitment when it comes to opportunities and how they need to work. One of the first initial questions we commonly get as a contract technical recruiter from professionals is: ‘Is it an “outside” IR35 job?’, so we thought we’d do some myth-busting, as well as launch our new off-payroll (IR35) FAQ.   What is IR35 – simplified? “IR35” isn’t new, it’s the name given to the tax legislation in the Income Tax (Earnings and Pensions) Act 2003 (ITEPA).  IR35 applies to any contractor working through a Personal Service Company ‘PSC’ and seeks to ensure that PSC contractors pay the correct employment taxes and NICs. Essentially, IR35 was introduced to ensure that PSC contractors, who would be employed by the client, if it were not for the PSC they work through, pay PAYE and the correct National Insurance contributions. IR35 seeks to establish whether a contractor is genuinely self-employed or a ‘disguised employee’ for tax purposes.   How do you know if you’re ‘inside’ or ‘outside' IR35? If you are considered ‘outside IR35’ then you are classified as genuinely self-employed and can receive gross payments to your Ltd company and enjoy the tax advantages that come with it. If you are considered ‘inside IR35’ then you are ‘a disguised employee for tax purposes’ and are required to have PAYE tax deducted prior to your Ltd company being paid. If the off-payroll working rules apply then the end client that you are working for is responsible for determining whether you are genuinely self-employed or a disguised employee for tax purposes. They will take into consideration the contracts in place as well as how you will work and interact with the end client.   The key principles considered when determining if an assignment is outside or inside: Your off-payroll status is not determined by one factor, instead, all of the below factors are considered to paint an overall picture of your employment status for tax purposes:   Direction and Control Do you have complete autonomy over how, when and where you complete the work? Or; Does the client specify that you need to be at the office, what hours you should work and when you can take a lunch break? Does the client request that you report to a manager to provide updates on your progress?   Substitution Are you able to send an alternative worker in your place, if you are unable to fulfil your obligations? Or; Are you personally required to carry out the work? Do you have practices in place that show how you would enlist a substitute if you haven’t previously used one?   Mutuality of Obligation When your contract finishes, is the client obliged to offer you further work and extend your contract? Are you obliged to accept an extension, if your contract has come to an end? Are you obliged to complete a notice period, similar to length to that of an employee?   Other factors to consider: Financial Risk Are you required to correct any faulty or sub-standard work at your own expense and time? Are you required to hold business insurance to protect yourself from any claim that could arise against your company? Do you incur expenditure on training to ensure your skills are to the required level for the engagement? Do you provide your own equipment?   Part & Parcel Do you have access to all the same staff facilities that employees do? Do you attend staff meetings? Do you attend staff social events or receive staff benefits?   Exclusive Service Do you work for just one client or do you work for a number of different clients? Have your contracts been renewed numerous times?   Basis of Payment Are you paid a fixed hourly/daily rate? Self-employed people are often paid by the job.   Intention of the Parties Did the end client intend the worker to be self-employed? Are you engaged through a contract which is a contract of service or a contract for services?   How are small companies affected by IR35?​ On 6th April 2021, the IR35 changes in the private sector were introduced, which means the responsibility for operating the off-payroll working rules are now on the fee payer rather than the contractor. This means that both Public and Private sector clients are now responsible for determining the IR35 status of an assignment. The new working rules only apply to medium and large private businesses as ‘small companies’ are exempt. The definition of a small business is based on the s382 Companies Act 2006 which means that a company qualifies as small if two of the following conditions apply for two consecutive financial years: Annual turnover – no more than £10.2 million; Balance sheet total – no more than £5.1 million; and Number of employees – no more than 50 employees. If an individual “provides services to a small client outside the public sector, the worker’s intermediary is responsible for deciding the worker’s employment status and if the rules apply,” according to official government guidance. Let’s break it down and try and reduce any headaches when it comes to IR35.   What effect is IR35 having on contract recruitment in tech? Since updates to IR35 came in in April 2017, it’s reported that as many as 35% of contractors have moved on from self-employment. Contractors are stated to be moving into permanent employment, overseas work or not working. According to the Association of Independent Professionals and the Self-Employed (IPSE), over a third (34%) of professionals are working through umbrella companies and over a third are also working through engagements ‘inside’ IR35. As a contract recruiter, we are disheartened to see some professionals leave the contract sector and want to reassure our contract and freelance partners that we only foresee growth in contract jobs available in the sector. Our dedicated contracts team has grown at a record pace this year and is having a number of roles come in to fill with the brightest contract talent.   Need advice or support on your next tech contract role? IR35 is a notoriously complicated matter and differs on a case-by-case basis. Read our IR35 FAQ below to find out more about the legislation and how it may affect you or get in touch and one of the team will be happy to help. There will always be a demand for contractors due to their diverse skillset and ability to bolster short-term projects, irrespective of IR35, and we’re here to partner with you on the most exciting opportunities in tech contract recruitment.   Form ID:6286  

As the tech sector bounces back with force, it’s an ideal time to look at industry trends during Q3 2021 among the developer community, using SlashData's 21st State of the Developer Nation Report as a guide. What are the most popular programming languages, what languages are growing the fastest and what sectors are hiring specific skills, according to 19,000 surveyed developers across 160 countries? All this and more, in our special round-up. So, what were the key findings of the 21st edition of the State of the Developer Nation Report run by the Developer Nation community and independent analyst firm SlashData, exploring software developer trends including languages, tools, APIs, apps and technology sectors?  The report also gauged how long developers were in their current role and what would most likely be the reason for them to consider a move, which makes for interesting reading in such a competitive market for talent.   JavaScript popularity continues to soar JavaScript has, after all, been the world's most-used language for several years now, and this hasn’t changed. The language’s continued popularity in web and back-end applications means it still has the crown of the most popular programming language by a significant margin in Q3 2021. The report showed that over 2.5 million developers joined the JavaScript community in the previous 6 months to the report’s release, and 16.4 million developers use it globally.​   "The report showed that over 2.5 million developers joined the JavaScript community in the previous 6 months..." Even in software sectors where JavaScript is not among developers’ top choices, such as data science or embedded development, a fourth of individuals still said they used it in projects. Note: data for JavaScript also included language derivatives TypeScript and CoffeeScript. Our work filling JavaScript developer jobs up until Q3 2021 indicates continuous demand for individuals with JavaScript skills, in comparison with 2019.   Machine Learning jobs & more propels Python forward The market continues to be hungry for Python developers. The boom in Python uptake leaves the language second in the league table of most popular languages after JavaScript, and one of the fastest-growing. As many as 2.3 million are reported to have joined the Python developer community in the past 12 months, which totals an approximate growth of 25%. According to SlashData, the language is now used by some 11.3 million coders, primarily within data science and Machine Learning and Internet of Things (IoT) applications – with over 70% of ML developers and data scientists reporting they use Python(and 17% stating they use R). Our work with clients to recruit for Python developer jobs shows significant growth compared to 2019, with more roles in Python filled in 2021 from Q1 to Q3 than the whole of 2019 alone. The report states Python has overtaken Java, which is still very widely used (by approximately 9.6 developers) and a go-to for mobile and desktop apps. As tech recruiters, we are still finding Java jobs to be in high demand among our clients, which was still found to be the go-to for mobile and desktop apps in the report. “The rise of data science and machine learning is a clear factor in Python's popularity. More than 70% of ML developers and data scientists report using Python. For perspective, only 17% use R, the other language often associated with data science,” states SlashData. The other most popular languages included C/C++ at 7.5 million developers, PHO at 7.3 million and C# at 7.1 million, with web and backend favourite, PHP charting the fastest growth out of the three – growing by approximately 1 million developers in 2021 (up until Q3), with C# acquiring just over half that in the same period.   The fastest-growing language of the past 24 months is… One language that has steadily continued to grow over the past 2 years has been the open-source programming language, Rust. It’s used mostly in embedded software and ‘bare metal’ development, as well as AR and VR development, growing faster than any other language in this period – almost tripling in size from just 0.4M developers in Q3 2019 to 1.1M. The SlashData report states that Rust has “formed a very strong community of developers who care about performance, memory safety, and security.” In our tech recruitment, we are seeing Rust grow in popularity at an exponential rate too, with over five times the increase in Rust Engineer and Rust Developer jobs in 2021 up until Q3, compared with the whole of 2019.   Kotlin developers are reportedly in high demand too, with the language highlighted as a “rising star,” with SlashData stating that its audience has roughly doubled in three years (from 1.5M developers in Q2 2018 to nearly 3 million in Q3 2021).   The state of Machine Learning and Data Science workflow SlashData’s report furthermore provides interesting insight into how individuals are working in data science and machine learning roles as working models continue to become more complex.  It found that only one in ten DS/ML developers are involved end-to-end in the DS/ML workflow and end-to-end involvement is decreasing. Excluding these generalists, around two-thirds of the remaining DS/ML developers are involved in three or fewer distinct stages of the DS/ML workflow, which represents a longer-term trend towards specialisation in data science and machine learning. “As working practices mature and technical complexity increases, developers have to specialise in order to stay competitive,” states the report. The report stated data exploration and analysis, model development, and visualisation/presentation are currently forming the bedrock of DS/ML projects and that the workflow is becoming siloed. Developers involved in a particular stage, such as data ingestion, are also often involved in adjacent stages, such as data and feature engineering, but are often less likely to stray further upstream. Read the full Machine Learning & Data Science report (from p30-36). In terms of experience, in the majority of stages in the DS/ML workflow, developers have a fairly similar experience profile according to SlashData. Developers involved in model health and lifecycle management and overall project management/specifications, however, tend to be more experienced: 48% of DS/ML developers involved in overall project management/specifications have three to ten years of experience (compared to just 31% of developers involved in any other stage). This rises to 61% for those involved in the model health and lifecycle management stage, as these stages require a distinct skillset. “For the overall project management and specifications, a generalist skillset and a high-level view are advantageous, allowing these developers to marry business needs with technical requirements for the bigger picture. On the other hand, model health and lifecycle management instead require specialist knowledge,” states the report.   What would make a developer leave their current role? With tech talent extremely sought-after and lots of movement in the current market, it’s interesting to see developers’ insight into what would make them leave for a new role. For half of developers, better pay would seal the deal and a better financial package would make them leave their current position.   "For just under a third of participants, career advancement and expanding their knowledge or skills are important..."   How can companies retain talent outside of pay incentive? For just under a third of participants, career advancement (31%) and expanding their knowledge or skills (31%) are important, with advanced and taking on more challenging work most valued among developers with 3-5 years’ experience. Outside the top three reasons to move roles, was the ability to work remotely (22%) and an attractive company culture (20%), which obviously are significant factors that contribute to employee health and wellbeing. SlashData found that experienced developers were frequently the most content in their roles and around one in six with over 16 years plus experience said there were no external factors that could make them want to change roles. “We see much smaller changes with experience for benefits, company culture, and physical working environments as drivers for a change in employer,” states the report. “Developers at all experience levels have similar views on their importance. Interestingly, remote working isn’t so important to early-career developers - many developers at this stage of their careers value the close contact with colleagues.”   An exciting time to be in tech In summary, the market is demonstrating healthy growth across many languages, with JavaScript, Python and Java leading the way. It’s important to note that all these figures from SlashData’s report are approximate as measuring the adoption of a language completely accurately is quite a challenge. Its figures are based on two pieces of data: the organisation's own estimate of the number of software developers worldwide (which it puts at 26.8 million), as well as its bi-yearly surveys, which reach “tens of thousands of developers every six months.” Overall, the positive growth in the market is what we’ve seen mirrored in demand for tech talent and we’re delighted to be partnering on many developer jobs across a variety of markets and be part of the industry’s wider bounce back. Read our 6 takeaways from working in tech recruitment in 2021 for more insight into how we’ve found the year so far.

As Head of Machine Learning & AI recruitment, every day I look for great talent to fill machine learning jobs that are going to have an impact on the world. There is a growing need for diversity in tech across all areas when it comes to candidate selection, however, and I’m here to make a case for why. This month, I’m joined by research scientist, Ye Tian, who played a part in the development of Amazon’s Alexa voice assistant technology and an all-around NLP (Natural Language Processing) expert. Reflecting on the AI &Machine Learning job industry right now and following on from recent conversations with successful engineers working in AI, I feel like we’re at a crucial point for diversity in tech. A ‘diversity disaster’ According to the AI Now Institute at New York University, there is a ‘diversity disaster’ which is, in turn, having an effect on technology and resulting in flawed AI systems that perpetuate gender and racial biases. All things point to the need for change and increasing openness in the sector. 80% of AI professionals are men and only 15% of AI researchers at Facebook, and 10% of AI researchers at Google are women. Most may not be surprised by these statistics, but that highlights the problem itself.  "A ‘diversity disaster’ is, in turn, having an effect on technology and resulting in flawed AI systems that perpetuate gender and racial biases." There’s no quick fix here, but there’s industry-wide change trickling in. Talking to those leading the way in the sector as a minority is a reminder of the power of a diverse team, and inspiration for those on the fringes of the tech sector and at the early stages of their career. From linguistics to a career in AI and joining Amazon For my third edition of Diversity in AI I’m thrilled to talk to Ye Tian, founder of How Am I Weird Game Studio, former Research Scientist with Amazon Alexa (focused on Natural Language Generation) and currently working as Research Scientist in Conversational AI & NLP at Wluper. She received her PhD from UCL on computational linguistics in 2014 and has since been Visiting Lecturer & Research in NLP. Rewind back to 2008/9, however, and this path wasn’t always so clear. “When I was doing my Masters and during the early stages of my PhD, I hadn’t heard of AI and NLP was really at its infancy – that’s how far away it was,” recalls Ye. Ye is a fantastic example of the value of a humanities path to the AI & Machine Learning world. Her background was originally linguistics rather than computational linguistics and naturally, focused on human interaction rather than building machines. “Studying dialogue in my post-doc was my first entry point to the computer science world, and I gradually started mixing with people from this background and going to conferences, and that’s how I realised that I think there’s something in the intersection that I can work on.” Then Amazon came calling and with it an opportunity to combine her expertise in NLP, linguistics and computational linguistics, to work on its Alexa voice assistant technology a year after the initial product launch. Computer science + humanities = the future of AI? The experience, says Ye, taught her a lot about working with colleagues from different academic backgrounds. “Working on projects that require coding engineering daily with colleagues who are from the background is challenging, but also exciting,” reflects Ye, on her time working at Amazon’s Cambridge office. “I’ve always learned in my jobs as much as I’ve learned in time in education. The field is advancing so fast, we all are – whatever your background.” “It was interesting to see how perspectives merge and how people who are in linguistics see language, for example, from a slightly different point of view. I think we ask different types of questions. If you imagine how a conversation works in terms of what we see in films – for instance, conversations where one person speaks and the other person speaks, that’s naturally how we think conversation sounds like, but it actually doesn’t sound like that,” explains Ye. “In natural conversations, there a lots of overlaps – people speaking at the same time, very freely. Around 40% of utterances have overlap and that’s something if you didn’t study linguistics, you just wouldn’t think like that. I think a humanities background gives you different perspectives. Someone from a computer science background, for instance, may not even realise that was a question in the first place, so together they can find a solution.” “It’s eye-opening to see interns I work with from humanities background working on data, language and NLP problems with engineers.” “It’s eye-opening to see interns I work with from humanities background working on data, language and NLP problems with engineers.” Catherine Oxley, a previous guest of Diversity in AI, is a shining example, of how a language background can lead to a rewarding career in AI when growing companies broadening their criteria. Ye says companies are slowly starting to realise that they’d benefit from having someone from a languages or humanities background, opening up the industry and AI jobs to a wider field of applicants. “As you work into a problem, some are getting to the point when they realise through solely engineering or whatever data they have, it’s not enough and they need insights of seeing language a different way are needed.” She affirms: “I think the fine-tuning needed to make something next level will see more people come into the industry from an arts background.” Does biology affect gender diversity in engineering? Ye says the tradition of computer science and engineering being male-dominant has been evident in her career, due to socialisation and the expectation of what the norms are. Ye asks, however, if the gender split in engineering is something there could be biological reasoning behind. “One could also argue there’s a certain affiliation of feeling about engineering, as there are some biological differences – for example, babies at 10 days old have shown slight preferences, such as female babies prefer to look at faces and male babies would rather look at things to do with objects. Females are more interested in things to do with social interaction.” Of course, there can be brilliant engineers of any gender, but the question of nature of interest is a fascinating one, and if there is an inclination towards human socialising among females whilst interaction with machines is inherently more ‘male’. “NLP is an interesting subject, as although it’s traditionally put within the engineering domain (i.e. interaction with machines), you’re building something to interact with a human.” Ye says she thinks this opens up possibilities for more women and people from a variety of diverse backgrounds – of thought, ethnicity, and more, to help build great systems that interact effectively with humans. “I do think there will be more individuals from different backgrounds, because if we’re not interested in how people interact then how can we build something that interacts with people.” Ye’s advice for those applying to AI jobs It’s great as someone in close contact with machine learning and AI companies every day creating gender diversity reports, having more awareness about their hiring process, and see the increasing openness to candidates outside the ‘typical’ mould. I think people are recognising there’s only a certain amount of job candidates out there, and a lot of companies who want them. “When I applied to Amazon, I didn’t expect to get it at all,” recalls Ye. “I thought my background was too different, but I got it.” “I’ve been running seminar series a UCLA (University of California, Los Angeles) about NLP, and I’m seeing a lot of female students from a linguistics background wanting to get into the industry and ways that maybe help them get there.” She continues: “Within traditional education, PhDs and Masters from Universities are of course very valued. Within industry, I’d say ask yourself what you enjoy and how you may be able to get experience in this,” states Ye. “When I applied to Amazon, I didn’t expect to get it at all,” recalls Ye. “I thought my background was too different, but I got it.” “I feel that the industry is valuing self-education more and more, and individuals that have online courses (e.g. Stanford’s machine learning course) even if they don’t have a computer science degree, for example. I have an intern working with me who studied history, but she’s at the same time interested in NLP, so she took online courses on it, as well as deep learning and machine learning, to get certificates, but also experience and knowledge that can help her get into AI.” “I feel there are more ways to get into the sector now, even if you didn’t take the traditional path. You can self-study and then go on to do self-projects, so you can show people your knowledge and build an NLP application.” From a recruiter perspective, I sometimes speak to candidates who fit the bill perfectly, but their 'imposter syndrome' can come into play when they see a long list of requirements. To those candidates, I say believe that you’re a great fit, and to some clients, I suggest let’s be flexible with the job spec and put together a bullet point list of key personality traits and skills, and together let’s create a more inclusive AI & machine learning industry. A big thank you to Ye Tian for taking part in my Diversity in AI series and sharing how a linguistics background can lead to fascinating work in NLP. Looking for your next great tech job in machine learning? Do get in touch to have a chat about your experience and ambitions for your career in machine learning and AI, or if your business has any roles in the sector you would like to discuss. ​

As office life gradually returns, we’ve been reflecting a lot on wellbeing at work following the past two years of adjusting to a new way of life during the pandemic. We’re on a mission to do all we can to support our tech recruitment team, whether with flexible working, team days, or clear career progression, and lead the way on wellness like the tech partners we work with. With the tech recruitment business bouncing back hugely and significant internal growth taking place, it’s been an ideal time to check-in on and hone what we have in place to support everyone, whether their job title states recruiter, marketer, accounts, or director, so they can live a fulfilling life inside and outside work. There are of course the huge rewards of working in recruitment when it comes to financial incentives, skill development and career progression, and supporting someone in finding their dream role. Work stress can affect us all at some point, however, even if we are supported by great colleagues and meeting our targets. How is recruiter work wellbeing? One pre-pandemic report stated that in 2019 nearly three-quarters of surveyed recruiters had had some form of mental wellbeing issue to deal with that year, with over half stating they’d been affected by anxiety. Another study from Every Mind at Work found 38% of recruiters stated their mood as ‘up and down’ (with 25.7% reporting their general mood as ‘happy’ and 11.8% as ‘average’), with over 60% saying they notice sudden changes to their mood. Our team spend most of their time at work, if they are struggling it’s vital to do our part to help them feel their best again (more about this below) and having things in place in our work environment and support available so the occasional low points are as manageable as possible. We don’t want wellbeing at work just to be a tick box exercise, but what we have in place to make a real-life impact on how staff feel in the long-term. Empowering employees to talk about mental wellbeing Of course, one of the most important facets of wellbeing at work is not being afraid to have an open dialogue about mental health in the first place. The earlier CSG study mentioned above stated just over half of surveyed recruiters were comfortable talking about mental health challenges with their manager. These figures indicate recruiters may struggle to discuss mental health in the workplace, so it’s integral to everything else we have put in place to foster a positive, supportive work environment – from the top down. Our journey to supporting every employee’s wellbeing at work is ongoing, like everyone else’s, but we have the following in place for our employees and are always on the lookout for new ways to bolster our wellbeing, so the team feels supported as possible and crucially, enjoys working here! How we work to support wellbeing at work: 1. A welcoming work environment We moved into newly refurbished headquarters in 2019 and the feedback has been great. We have six breakaway rooms from our main office space, as we recognise sometimes staff may need a break from their desk or bustling office, or need to have a one-on-one chat, and a pool table and seating area in the kitchen for lunchtime. Our kitchen is stocked with fruit, drinks, snacks, and coffee if anyone needs a boost. Staff are welcome to take a two-hour lunch to fully recharge their batteries and we finish early on Fridays. We also have a casual dress code so everyone feels as comfortable as possible at work. 2. Clear communication and career progression We recognise and see every day as tech recruiters that often the reason people leave jobs is feeling stagnant and not valued by their employer anymore. This is why, as well as regular team catch-ups, reviews and one-on-ones with line managers on everyday progress, we also check-in with our staff’s personal goals so we can work collectively towards great things. We’re well aware that achieving goals releases ‘feel good’ chemicals dopamine into the brain and is really important for our ambitious team. Listening, furthermore, is one of the most important ways we can support staff, whether it’s about something new a team member wants to do, an extra piece of training or their ambitions. "We have clear pathways and education along the way from sourcing to making business development calls, so no one feels unprepared for the next step in their career" Training is a huge part of what we do, that’s why our growing Training & Development team and other staff run useful training on all areas of tech recruitment from a starter’s induction (and work wellbeing) and beyond. We have clear pathways and internal and external-led education along the way from sourcing to making business development calls, so no one feels overwhelmed or unprepared for the next step in their career as a recruiter. It’s also important for us to recognise people’s talent and growth when they’ve been achieving fantastic things not just when there’s an empty desk when it comes to job promotion. We’re certainly never opposed to really shouting about when someone has done fantastic work on our Microsoft Teams chat, too! 3. Work from home flexibility We are proud to say that working from home isn’t just a benefit we’re going to offer due to the pandemic, but as we return to the office too. We recognise our recruiters have a life outside of Understanding Recruitment, and the more stress-free it is, the happier they are going to be as employees. That’s why we offer hybrid working and two days a week at home for those who want to for easier childcare, dog care… whatever is going on in life! Working from home wellbeing is hugely important too, so we’re often hopping on Teams chats to check-in and share work, just like when we’re in the office. 4. Health & fitness benefits For those of the team who enjoy a gym session, we’ve got it covered. We happily offer gym membership for our team members, so they can enjoy a workout and lower their cortisol levels (the stress hormone) to be in the best headspace possible. It’s important to keep the mind fit too, so everyone can access a paid-for subscription to the Calm app and practice meditation, listen to soundtracks and sleep stories. We’re big fans of the app and it’s been known to reduce stress and improve mindfulness and self-compassion in short-term contexts. We also offer a Cycle to Work Scheme for anyone who wants to come into our St. Albans office via bike. Our Employee Assistance Programme is also available for anything affecting a team member’s health and wellbeing in the longer term, with an online health portal, 24/7 help phoneline and in-person support available if needed. 5. Recharge time We offer unlimited holiday for Understanding Recruitment staff who have been with us two years, so they can enjoy their travels or a well-earned relaxation break and come back recharged. A 5 and 10-year sabbatical is also available –  read what our long-term employees Tom and Nicola got up to on their adventure-filled sabbatical. Our top performers also are treated to breaks internationally (though locally, more recently due to the pandemic) every 6 months and year, as well as a trip to swap our St. Albans headquarters for our Acceler8 Talent office in Boston, Massachusetts. 6. Wellbeing Committee We’re proud to have a Wellbeing Committee, comprised of different employees across teams, who work to improve and promote all things wellness across the company. We believe it’s hugely important to have these Mental Health First Aiders to spot the signs someone may not be feeling their best and help them with advice or point them in direction of support. "We believe it’s hugely important to have these Mental Health First Aiders to spot the signs someone may not be feeling their best." 7. Team spirit! We have regular check-ins across our UK and US offices to celebrate the wins of the week and the great achievements some of the team have made. Every department also has a wellbeing day and budget to take the team out and enjoy an activity (crazy golf is a very popular choice!) and some food and drinks, as well as an end of year celebration. We also have a Social Committee in charge of organising events throughout the year and we’re passionate about there always something going on for the team to get to know better at and unwind after all their hard work. We’re still learning and introducing new elements of workplace wellbeing, and this is where our journey has taken us so far. We’ll continue to foster an environment where conversations about wellbeing are the norm, because we’re only at our best when everyone is feeling their brightest. If our wellbeing offering sounds like it would be a good fit for what you look for in a company, then do check out our internal vacancies! Mental Wellbeing resources: https://www.mentalhealthatwork.org.uk/ https://www.samaritans.org/how-we-can-help/if-youre-having-difficult-time/signs-you-may-be-struggling-cope/practical-ways-help-yourself-cope/ https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/tips-for-everyday-living/ https://mentalhealth-uk.org/

Our Head of Machine Learning & AI recruitment, Anna Heneghan, is back to discuss diversity in tech and the huge benefits of not just more women in tech, but diversity in all areas. Her guest for episode 2 is the talented Priscilla Boyd, who has worked in various software engineering jobs in the UK and US and has been an integral part of forming a diverse, high-achieving team at iTech Media. Don’t miss what Priscilla has to say about how diversity is propelling the company forward below. “When I was five, my parents had a computer at home and now and then my Dad worked from home and I’d start playing with Windows 3 and it soon became natural to me,” recalls Priscilla Boyd, talking about where her love of tech was first apparent. “Growing up, I was also very obsessed with Lego just because I wanted to build things, but I eventually realised it doesn’t just have to be hardware that I can build, but it’s software that can make the hardware more useful.” This was a big realisation for Priscilla, who has built a very successful career working in data and engineering roles for the likes of Siemens, and currently works as senior engineering manager at iTech Media, involved with all things data analytics and AI machine learning – a role I’m delighted to say I placed her in. She’s also been a TEDx speaker and is an all-around diversity champion. “For me, it started by having exposure to tech at home and having the encouragement from my parents to just go out and try stuff,” reflects Priscilla on what shaped her career in tech. But like for most women in tech, her timeline wasn’t the most direct and there was a journey and a mindset shift that got her to where she is now. “I didn’t consider software engineering as a career until I had already started a different course at university and realised that wasn't the thing for me.” How can we drive more diversity in tech? I launched this series due to feeling the need for more open conversations about diversity in tech and what better place to start than with this stat: PWC research states 78 students can't name a famous female working in technology, 16 of females have had a career in technology suggested to them, as opposed to 33 males, and 5% of leadership positions in the technology sector are held by women. There’s obviously no quick fix to this, but where can we start? “As a female in engineering I just want to see more of us, but it is going to be a process. Over the years, it’s been changing and growing up I saw others’ parents labelling computers as a thing for boys and I think this has continued throughout the years,” comments Priscilla. “Some people grew up with that perception, so they started tailoring their education with other things in mind because engineering wasn’t necessarily for women. We’re at the stage where we’re seeing a bit of shift, but it might take a bit of time until we see a more equal split. Working and being a leader, these statistics do paint quite an accurate picture. When we look at role models in technology we talk about Steve Jobs and Bill Gates, but we also need to talk about the Grace Hoppers of the world too.” How can recruitment processes create a more diverse tech industry? Priscilla is a fantastic example of a woman in tech making strides in changing things for the long term, and her company are clearly invested in making change happen. “In my current role, we’re increasing the size of the team quite substantially and diversity is a focus and a goal,” she explains. “It’s not just a matter of attending a diversity event and being aware it’s about trying to bring more of it in the pipeline by all means.” This means making sure you put in the effort, whether through hiring-related events or working with agencies that specialise in it, according to Priscilla. Later down the pipeline, iTech Media has many practices focused on ensuring candidates are treated the same way, including having as diverse interview panels as possible, consistency in what is asked of candidates so they are evaluated the same way and having a consensus-driven decision-making process. The company also uses tools including gender decoder for job descriptions to use gender-neutral language as much as possible. Priscilla stresses that it’s not solely about the way jobs are listed, but the whole recruitment process being as open as possible; “If the pipeline is no different then you’re not solving the problem you’re just waiting for it and being reactive – there is lots that can be done.” Diversity: more than a box-ticking exercise From my perspective, I feel some people almost need to change the narrative in their head that isn’t just about trying to get as many women in possible as technology. It’s more about focusing on the value of a diverse team environment, which can bring so many different experiences and skills to the table. It’s about having the full scope and doing everything everywhere to have an impact, not just doing a talk or pledging alliance to something. It's about looking at everything from job adverts to the structure of your company and how people are allowed to progress. “...it’s important to flag I’m not just talking about gender diversity, but neurodiversity, and being open to people with disabilities and from other backgrounds.” Diversity, of course, is about more than gender – it’s about openness to everyone and not being afraid to change how you operate. “We have opened up our jobs so you can be either London or Warsaw-based, but also remote, and we’re exploring the possibility of offering roles in other countries,” states Priscilla. “By opening up locations and being a remote-first team, you start with the idea that we can hire people from diverse backgrounds and different perspectives. It’s important to flag I’m not just talking about gender diversity, but neurodiversity, and being open to people with disabilities and from other backgrounds that may not have had the same opportunities as others – this is really important for getting a mixed team.” Why aren’t there many women in engineering? In my last interview with Catherine Oxley, we talked a lot about education and how certain biases can hold women back from pursuing a career in tech. With platforms like Coursera and Udemy, YouTube and loads of other resources, accessibility to learning about tech has never been easier, yet often degree requirements are still a barrier to entry into the industry.  This issue feels certainly pressing from my everyday experience working recruitment, and Priscilla is a big advocate of not looking for certain criteria to be met when it comes to candidates’ academic backgrounds. “We don’t have requirements when it comes to degrees or education on purpose,” explains Priscilla. “The reason being you could have had an amazing education, but you decided to move sectors or maybe you didn’t have that privilege to start with, but that doesn’t mean you couldn’t do a job.” “...you could have had an amazing education, but you decided to move sectors or maybe you didn’t have that privilege to start with, but that doesn’t mean you couldn’t do a job.” Priscilla questions the need behind putting out there you require proof of computer science degree to show you can do the work; “I’ve come across amazing people who didn’t have a degree and did the job very well.” I fully back this approach, and that some of these requirements are holding women back from a career in engineering right now, which is especially problematic when you consider women growing up aren’t encouraged to take up subjects relevant for a career in STEM. “I think this is changing, but it’s also for organisations to not just say they are going to get diverse candidates for a role, but think about requirements and the level the person that you actually need to fulfil the job and how you're going to grow that person to learn your skills and progress and become more senior.” She adds, “Don’t just look to fulfil the role with senior candidates that only have this degree with first-class honours, as you are lowering the pool of potentially diverse candidates you can get. It’s really important to think of the why rather than just putting the requirements out there.” Why is diversity in tech so important? “I’ve been fortunate that every team I’ve worked in I’ve had great people around me from diverse backgrounds like me,” says Priscilla on how a diverse workplace has helped her in her work and life. “I’m from a half Brazilian and half Japanese family, so diversity is part of who I am and is key.” She continues: “There have been situations in my life where I would maybe dress or talk a certain way, and I think over time I realised that there is so much value for me as a human being to the authentic self that I am everywhere and not just at home.” This feels more important than ever to remember when you are perhaps part of a minority at work, especially early on in your career, and perhaps mimic the corporate environment around you to try and assimilate, says Priscilla. “If you have fewer female role models out there, then all you can do is mimic what role models you do have (which are men), but it’s important to be true to you whether you are at a coffee machine having a chat or meeting with very senior people.” It’s clearly part of the culture of iTech Media to nurture a diverse workforce, not just in gender, race or another differentiating factor, but in personality type. Everyone shares their Myers Briggs personality type, so the team is aware of everyone’s preferred communication style and strengths and weaknesses – something Priscilla notes particularly helps from a leadership perspective. What is Priscilla’s advice for a career in tech? I couldn’t sit down with Priscilla, who has made a name for herself in tech on both sides of the pond, without asking her advice for those who don’t feel like they fit the typical ‘tech employee’ stereotype on a long, happy career in tech. “Challenge the status quo, honestly, as cliché as it sounds,” says Priscilla. “If you want to work for a company and you don’t meet the requirements reach out. Let them know you’re interested, and you’d love to work for them, even if you don’t meet the requirements but have relevant experience and can show you’re eager. Reach out on LinkedIn and the company’s contact page – be proactive!” “I didn’t hear back for 3 weeks and I thought my application had been discarded, but then out of the blue I was invited for an interview and 2 weeks later I had an offer. It’s easy to look at a job advert and think you don’t fit the bill, and studies show it’s increasingly common among women, so I echo this sentiment completely. Priscilla concludes, “I always tell the story of when I was working as a systems engineer, and I saw a project manager job at Siemens. I looked and thought ‘this is cool – I don’t think I’m going to get it, but I’m going to apply anyway!’” “I didn’t hear back for 3 weeks and I thought my application had been discarded, but then out of the blue I was invited for an interview and 2 weeks later I had an offer. People always say if you don’t ask, you don’t get and if you don’t try you won’t either, so challenge things and even if you see a job that doesn’t fully fit with what you’ve done, show interest.” She adds: “I will 100 percent value a candidate more if they reach out with a unique cover letter and makes it personal and human showing genuine passion about the company and that can demonstrate they’ve got the skills. Our process is designed to explore the person and that they can solve problems and work in a team setting and meet the culture of the company. We’re not interested in the long list of huge courses you’ve done or your degree, we’re just interested in your experience and your ability to work well in a fun environment.” Thank you to Priscilla for the inspiring insight she shared about how diversity is the backbone of her team’s success and for sharing her wisdom on how to build a successful career in tech. Looking to expand your AI & Machine Learning team? Feel free to get in touch to have a chat about how I can help you expand your team to reach your business goals, or if you have any feedback about the series. Read our latest Machine Learning & AI salary survey.

We are delighted to announce that our US consultancy Understanding Recruitment Inc has rebranded as Acceler8 Talent following the consultancy’s rapid growth in the machine learning and emerging technology markets. ​ After launching in Boston as Understanding Recruitment Inc in 2019, as part of the award-winning UK-based technology, software, and digital staffing group Understanding Recruitment, we’re proud to have gone from strength-to-strength sourcing exceptional tech talent and scaling up teams around the USA. ​ Leading the way in tech recruitment Five additional team members, a bigger office space, and many targets being surpassed later, we’re thrilled to reposition ourselves in the market as Acceler8 Talent to best represent the ground-breaking work our partners are doing in next-generation tech and our ambitions for our future. With our rebrand, we’re excited to reinforce our position as the leading specialist consultancy to place tech talent in roles in AI and machine learning, hardware acceleration, quantum computing, silicon photonics, and related technologies, and look forward to forming new partnerships with startups and large companies as Acceler8 Talent. Our mission remains the same: to connect companies to the best talent in tech to help them fulfill their potential, every day.    New branding, same high performing team In addition to a new company name in Acceler8 Talent, our visual identity has been revamped too, with our new logo and website launching today representing the dynamism we endeavor to bring to everything we do as staffing experts working in the most exciting industries in the world.  Acceler8 Talent’s specialist recruitment team of consultants and researchers remain based out of its Portland Street office in Boston, led by Matthew Ferdenzi, and in close collaboration with the wider Understanding Recruitment group. Matthew Ferdenzi, COO of Acceler8 Talent, commented on the rebrand: “Two years after launching, we are now in a unique situation where we are still a small, but rapidly-growing outfit in the USA – if we were to ever rebrand, now is the time to do so. We wanted to find a name and brand that really represented who we are and what we are passionate about recruiting for." He added: “As Acceler8 Talent, we would like to continue to be recruitment leaders within the space of highly advanced computation, and we feel our rebrand reflects our mission and how the market has shifted over the years, where lightning-fast computation and systems and devices are conducting the way that the world operates.” “Coming here and starting from nothing has certainly been a challenge and my team and I worked hard, laughed, and cried our way through the recruitment roller-coaster. I couldn’t be prouder of my team and what we have achieved so far, and this is just the beginning.”  Understanding Recruitment would like to thank everyone involved across branding, marketing, website development, and our six in-house specialists who embody everything Acceler8 Talent is about, for their contribution to the rebrand and our continued growth. To find out more about how partnering with Acceler8 Talent could transform your business, contact the team to discuss how we could help make your vision for your product a reality and support you to hit your targets.   

The resilience of everyone at Understanding Recruitment over the last 18 months has shown really what we’re made of as a tech recruiter, and I couldn’t be prouder. It’s been more than the outstanding figures and records broken and an example of how we’ve come together as a team to help support each other, finding new, creative ways to communicate as a team and to our audience, and setting ourselves up for an exciting future. Here are my 6 takeaways as Director of Understanding Recruitment: I’m writing this in August 2021 – which still feels a little odd, the year has flown by and our third lockdown feels like a lifetime ago, let alone where we were in March last year. We, as a tech recruiter, whilst still having huge ambitions for the future, also had sensible expectations for the year ahead as we continue to tread uncharted territory of having team members at home and in the office, people that caught COVID and thankfully recovered well, and being in the great position to expand the UR team and look towards a bright future. From a company perspective, it’s been an absolutely incredible year for Understanding Recruitment. To look back on what we have achieved against the backdrop of a really challenging time is astonishing. This is down to many things, but fundamentally, the whole team going above and beyond in several ways to support each other and become even better at what we do. 2020 was a big lesson in what we needed to do to come out stronger, as a recruitment consultancy and as human beings, and wow, has that hard work paid off so far in 2021. 1.Tech recruitment is booming: A record-breaking year Coming into January 2021, obviously, we didn’t know exactly what to expect for the year ahead, however, I’m delighted to say that the markets picked up considerably and our performance has gone through the roof. This has resulted in seven consecutive months of record-breaking results and each month since January being better than the last, more records being broken, more individuals securing promotions and so on.  It really has been incredible. Last month, we superseded our first million-pound month in our 13-year history of doing this, which was a huge milestone for the business (and I’m sure there’s plenty more to come!).  There have been some incredible individual and team performances, and collectively we have come together to achieve fantastic results. 2. Internal hiring is propelling us forward We have all seen how badly the job market has been hit by the pandemic, however, I’m delighted that we have been in the position to grow our brilliant team and warmly welcome back the few people who were on furlough. When we went into the country’s first lockdown last year, we still wanted to look to the future knowing at some point, we would come out the other side. We wanted to take the opportunity to not just come out of it but come out stronger and we made this commitment clear to the entire business from the outset.  So, we hired fresh talent, both at entry-level and for experienced roles as well, knowing that that future investment would pay off and launched many new initiatives to take to market and help add even more value to our clients and candidates alike. "We hired fresh talent, both at entry-level and for experienced roles as well, knowing that that future investment would pay off."​ Already this year, we’ve seen new talent coming through at graduate level and senior level. What’s even more encouraging is seeing the internal development of new management, allowing us to scale up and create even more opportunities for people to join us at Understanding Recruitment. We’re now looking to double our headcount in the next couple of years across our UK and US operations, and we’re investing more in training and development than we ever have done to get us ready for the future. 3. Adapting and innovating is essential as a recruiter in 2021 One of the things we learned last year was how to be better in every department. One key area we’ve really developed in is how we use social media, have strong personal brands and wide company brands, as well as utilise our technology to explore new ways of working and identifying talent. Whether it be through the UR team doing podcast interviews, our Head of Machine Learning & AI Anna’s Diversity in AI series, our salary surveys, and other market reports, we’ve got creative when it comes to how we provide a better client and candidate experience. It’s paid off as the client feedback has been fantastic, and it’s elevated our position from much more than being a transactional recruitment business to one of true partnership. And it’s only going to carry on in this direction as we move forward. What this all comes down to is hiring individuals with a growth mindset – our team is forward-thinking and come to us with ideas. We always want to listen to and explore new ways of working, and not be doing the same thing as a couple of years ago. 4. Improving our client experience remains at our core When we entered the remoted working world, which was an unusual situation for lots of us, we maintained that we still wanted to use the opportunity to broaden our solutions. We wanted to give our clients more options and solutions to their problems growing their employee base. That’s why we’ve created a whole series of talent solutions and launched our Understanding Solutions, specifically focusing on delivering project-driven support. The feedback to date has been fantastic and we’re thrilled to be partnering with clients in this way to help solve their challenges. I’ll add that we’ve won some incredible clients this year, but whether it’s the likes of TikTok or a brand-new start-up every project is treated as its own project with specific requirements. Although there’s been a massive upsurge this year, we look less at the number of opportunities we’ve taken on board, but the fill rates. We ensure whatever project or assignment we take on from our clients, that we fulfil it and not just that, but go above and beyond – every opportunity matters to us. 5. The future is very bright for the US tech recruitment market We’ve been active within the US market for nearly two years under the brilliant leadership of Mat Ferdenzi who has grown the Boston-based UR team to six with further expansion on the cards. The camaraderie they have epitomises our entire culture, and it’s been brilliant to see the difference they are making in their market in such a short time and a testament to how well they work as a team. "...it’s been brilliant to see the difference they are making in their market in such a short time and a testament to how well they work as a team" We’ve been able to engage with some fantastic clients, such as Google, on some hugely exciting opportunities. The team is leading the way in their specialist fields of machine learning and AI, hardware acceleration, quantum computing and silicon photonics, with lots of business coming through recommendation referral. Our presence in the US market is only going to get bigger, and it’s incredibly exciting for all of us as it only creates further opportunities for everyone. 6. Investment in staff wellbeing is more important than ever Certainly, in the darkest moments of lockdown where there was complete isolation and we were all at home, it was so important for us to communicate with each other and check in through Teams and Zoom. We also have introduced a Wellbeing Committee, which is a hugely important aspect part of our business culturally, especially in these times. We’ve got to look out for each other and give everyone the support they need. Our committee involves all team members of all levels and it’s seeing some very positive benefits, whether that be small activities during the week, monthly events, open conversations, and breakout conversations, just to make sure no one is feeling isolated. We also offer a subscription to the mindfulness app Calm to all the UR team. One of our values is ‘together stronger’ and the last year and a half have shown how relevant it is, as we all look after each other. It’s not just about business, it’s about people, and really making sure they’re okay and checking in because you genuinely care about them.  We’ve always had an extremely collaborative team however the last year has brought us even closer together and in my opinion, will only set us up for even better years ahead.  2021 and beyond! Looking back on 2021 so far, it’s already been an outstanding year for our company’s growth. This has been the collective effort of everyone in the business over the last couple of years. Every single bit of activity, every bit of energy invested in Understanding Recruitment has counted and got us where we are today. "The tech market is absolutely booming. We're evolving our services constantly. We're getting better at our job all the time. And we're going to do it together." By focusing on the successes of the year, I, of course, do not want to take away from what a difficult time facing this pandemic – I have seen so much resilience from everyone and every day and supporting each other’s wellbeing amazingly. Hopefully, we’ll never see the likes of this experience again, but knowing we’ve got through this so well and come out stronger fills me with immense pride and huge amounts of excitement about the future and where we’re going. The tech market is absolutely booming. We're evolving our services constantly. We're getting better at our job all the time. And we're going to do it together. The future is incredibly bright for Understanding Recruitment. Find out more about joining us below! ​

Did you know, when our Head of Machine Learning & AI recruitment, Anna Heneghan, is not filling some of the most exciting, new AI jobs, she’s hosting her very own ‘Diversity in AI’ interview series? In case you missed out, we’ve recapped what we learned from episode one, featuring software engineer Catherine Oxley. Diversity in AI is something I’m truly passionate about. I may not work directly in tech, but every day I am talking to hiring managers and candidates, and whilst there have been positive changes since I joined Understanding Recruitment in 2017, I’m still struck by the lack of women in AI. How do we attract more female-identifying people to jobs in AI, best support them in their career, and keep them in the industry? What needs to change within our education system, hiring processes, and company culture? These are all important questions I want to have an open conversation about, and more, in my new ‘Diversity in AI’ interview series, which you can catch on the UR YouTube channel and recaps on the UR blog if you’re short on time. For my first Diversity in AI interview, I sat down (virtually), with Catherine Oxley, who has made a name for herself working as a software engineer in e-commerce and other sectors, and is currently finishing her Master’s in Computer Science. I am delighted to have placed her in her newest role in the exciting world of AI-driven software technology and was keen to discuss diversity in technology with her – why it is lacking, what impact this could have on the industry, and how we work towards a solution and change things for the better. Why aren’t there many women in AI? The stats speak volumes – according to Diversity in Tech, a recent study showed that two of the biggest barriers for women in tech are lack of mentors (48%) and lack of female role models (42%), and having little support can of course impact gender diversity, as it can cause uncertainty for those who are interested in entering the industry. This feels problematic when you consider that the tech sector is expanding three times faster than the rest of the UK economy, is worth around £184 bn, yet diversity is one of the biggest challenges for the industry. Only 15% of the tech workforce are BAME and gender diversity sits at if you can believe it, 30% less than all other jobs (49% vs 19%). I think these statistics are quite shocking, and that’s why I wanted to talk to Catherine, as someone who has worked so hard to have her place as a woman in AI. Meet Catherine Oxley "I’m a software engineer and I’ve mostly been working in full stack development and front end for the past four years or so and am doing my Master’s degree,” explains Catherine. “I’ve had a strange introduction into software engineering as I’ve done things backwards, but I do think a lot of women are coming into the field later in life. I can’t wait to branch out into a new domain and thanks for helping me find my new role!” she adds. Does education hold women back from careers in tech? We all probably remember the stage in our teenage years when we had to start thinking about what we may want to do as a job. I think a lot of women will resonate with the feeling of subconsciously being pushed towards the arts. I  certainly showed skill in ICT but studying felt it was never going to be a conversation. There’s perhaps a damaging presumption that men like maths and sciences and women like the arts holding women back from pursuing studies that will lead them toward a career in tech. “I absolutely think there is, and I think it’s a cultural thing leading to men being more interested in and going onto study those subjects more than women from an early age,” says Catherine. “I didn’t love maths at school, but maths using coding is a lot more interesting and creative than you actually would think at school age!” Catherine took another path initially, completing a French degree and coming back to academia to do her Masters course, where there were around seven women out of a hundred students. “Then you go into the workplace it’s unusual to see many other female developers too.” Can you come to a career in tech later in life? Every day I meet people who show me sometimes all you need is a spark – an interest in tech, and a handful of determination, that can lead to a great career in tech. “Growing up I really enjoyed gaming and I thought I’d love to build the games I’ve been playing. There turned out to be too much of a block degree-wise, but when I started looking at other options and web development stood out as something I also enjoyed that I could get started with quicker.” Catherine is a shining example of how you don’t have to come from the most conventional background. Working in the field as a recruiter, I sometimes see people holding themselves back because I think they think as they’ve not done a certain degree so they can’t go into a specific career. “I realised later in life I was interested in tech in a way that was different from my friends. Even though I’d grown up around computers, it never actually occurred to me it might be something I do in my career,” explains Catherine. A year abroad teaching English lessons about technology and she came to realise it’s what she wanted to do in life. It was not without its struggles however when it comes to academia; “I thought working with coding and mathematical concepts for four years would be enough to get onto a Masters, but it was a big struggle to get universities to believe I could do it. I had to fight hard to get a place.” There are so many blockers in the way for women in tech, being open to individuals who have industry experience, but maybe don’t have the STEM degree, seems like it would be a huge positive for creating a more diverse tech industry. Catherine’s persistency paid off, but it does take that resilience and sometimes the confidence to change paths. “Women do tend to come to it later and it is a hindrance and they can remain junior for longer because they come into it later or are from a different background.” How can we keep women in tech? Individuals like Catherine show what is possible as a woman in tech, but the challenges highlighted by Diversity in Tech can be detrimental. “Women do tend to drop out of tech more than men because there are a lot of barriers especially if you haven’t got that academic environment and have come to it later,” states Catherine. Of course, this is not part of an agenda against anyone who has different pronouns to she/her working in tech. My concern is one identity dominating an industry can prevent others from joining and companies benefitting from other methods or solutions that you could come to, and there being a kind of a bubble that doesn't get broken for a long time. How does Catherine feel things can get better in the long term in the tech industry? “I think targeting girls at younger ages would be beneficial and making conversations around things like maternity leave easy to have.” Catherine also highlights the importance of female peers; “Even though there are not many women developers, I’m really lucky that I’ve worked with quite a few and my last two managers who were at a very senior level were female (which is unusual). It’s been amazing for me to have those role models, but I know a lot of female developers don’t have the same benefit,’ explains Catherine. “I wouldn’t want to put any woman off joining the industry because I think it’s opening up a lot but it [lack of other women] does impact your work and can affect how you feel on a day-to-day basis, especially if you're the only woman on projects or in a job.” She says having female managers had a significant impact on her career; “They understand what you experience and can give you specific advice about how to deal with certain situations.” Catherine pinpoints job adverts as another aspect of the industry potentially holding women in tech back from future career development. “I think job adverts especially for tech can be very intimidating,” she affirms. “There’ll be pages and pages of long requirements and you may not know half of them, but you realise it’s quite normal in this industry and you’re only really expected to tick half and learn the rest.” There’s a stat I read stating that women will make sure they pass every single job requirement before they even apply for a job, whereas men don’t. Catherine’s advice? “If you see a job that you’re missing a few qualifications for, go for it anyway!” What does Catherine value in a tech job? “Personally, what’s most important is the culture and the tech stack,” states Catherine, on what is appealing in a potential employer. “To be always learning is a priority for me. I think it’s quite a common concern in tech that you go stale because technology moving so fast, so I always want to be learning – whether that be a new language, technology, leadership skills, or letting you go do hackathon!” Catherine also stresses the importance of culture too and feeling comfortable in a team due to the atmosphere. “I think there's just as time goes on companies are realising it's not that easy to attract talent and there's so much competition for it,” she says. “Sometimes when you're in a startup or even at a big company you can forget candidates have a lot of options for how they move forward in their career, so it’s essential to be an attractive employer but also promote the right attitude [to inequality].” In terms of future advice for any young people considering a career in tech, Catherine stresses getting involved as early as possible; “Think about what you may need to do as soon as you can. There are so many free resources out there now (like Harvard’s CS50 course) that are so useful for getting started – give it go and I’m sure you’ll find it a lot more fun than you think!” A big thank you to Catherine for being the first to take part in my Diversity in AI series and share her path to working in tech, and I’m very excited to see all she achieves in her new role! Hiring in AI and machine learning? Feel free to get in touch to have a chat about how I can help you expand your team to reach your business goals, or if you have any feedback about the series.

This is a guest blog by Umbrella Company Parasol.  The perils of being caught up in a tax avoidance scheme have been well documented in recent years. These vehicles, which are set up with the sole aim of avoiding tax, bend the rules of the tax system in a way that the government never intended for and pose big risks to anyone who enters one - even if by accident. Work through a tax avoidance scheme and you may find yourself under investigation from HMRC and end up having to pay a lot more than the tax that you tried to avoid once retrospective tax payments, fines and even interest are all totted up. So needless to say, freelancers, contractors and umbrella employees need to know what a tax avoidance scheme is and how to steer clear of one. But how do you recognise a non-compliant arrangement? What are the hallmarks of tax avoidance schemes? Too good to be true  If it sounds too good to be true, chances are that it is. Many tax avoidance schemes claim that with their help you can compliantly take home upwards of 85% of your income after tax. This is unrealistic without some kind of tax avoidance or illegality taking place somewhere along the line.  ‘Non-taxable’ payments  Tax avoidance schemes often pay people through loans, annuities, bonuses or shares that the promoter may claim to be ‘non-taxable’. In other words, they advertise that tax doesn't apply. This simply isn’t true given any income above the personal allowance threshold is subject to tax. You may have heard of the Loan Charge, which was a retrospective tax introduced by the government in 2019, affecting people who had operated through tax avoidance schemes dating back as far as 1999. These contractors, who were paid via ‘non-taxable’ loans, often bought into these schemes on the basis that they were compliant. In short, HMRC decided they weren’t and a reported 50,000 individuals were told to pay back missing Income Tax and National Insurance Contributions.  Complicated arrangements  Confusing payment arrangements - whether through loans or offshore trusts - that you struggle to make head or tail of, should be avoided. So be wary of complicated processes that divert money through a chain of companies, trusts or partnerships. And if your contract doesn’t clearly state how your income will be paid or detail all deductions, it could be a tax avoidance scheme.  ‘HMRC approved’  Many tax avoidance schemes claim on their website to be ‘HMRC approved’ - you might notice a stamp of approval somewhere on the site. The problem, however, is that HMRC never endorses schemes. So beware of any provider that says it has been endorsed or certified by the tax office. Difficult to contact  Tax avoidance schemes targeting contractors operate in the shadows and you are likely to struggle to find out much information about the business. If you want to do some digging into a particular tax avoidance scheme you’ll do well to find anyone to speak with or contact. In many cases, these schemes make very little information available deliberately so as to avoid having to answer difficult questions about their legitimacy and keep a low profile.  On HMRC’s radar With tax avoidance schemes seemingly on the rise in recent years, HMRC are unsurprisingly clamping down on them and a number are under investigation. The schemes that HMRC believe have the hallmarks of tax avoidance arrangements are listed on the government website. It goes without saying that if you have any concerns, walk away.   Does all of the above apply to businesses? Not necessarily. There are still many unscrupulous businesses out there promoting schemes that claim to avoid tax and often these are short-lived. Whilst many will bear the majority of the hallmarks above, the one thing they will all have in common is a claim to reduce your tax bill by using contrived payment arrangements. If you are a contractor or freelancer that is looking at using an umbrella company, you should be paying employment taxes on all of your income. Any arrangements that suggest otherwise are not worth your time, or the risk.    If you'd like more advice on contracting connect with our Head of Contracts Jack Cascarino on LinkedIn & check out our latest contract jobs. ​