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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, people with disabilities and other backgrounds that may not have had the same opportunities as others.” 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. And it’s important to flag I’m not just talking about gender diversity, but neurodiversity, people with disabilities and 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 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. ​

Nick joined our specialist Machine Learning & AI recruitment team as a Researcher after graduating from Nottingham Trent University in 2020 with a Bachelor’s degree in Business Management & Marketing. As a Researcher, Nick finds the best candidates with the right technical skills for our client’s job vacancies, speaking to candidates on a daily basis, and mapping out markets. We caught up with him to see why UR was his first choice and to find out what it’s been like working within tech recruitment! What attracted you to Understanding Recruitment? Several things attracted me to Understanding Recruitment. After graduating from university, there were two things that I was looking for from an opportunity. Firstly, a great team environment. And secondly, clear progression. These were really emphasized throughout my time interviewing with Understanding Recruitment. The team environment is amazing! Everyone is very supportive and that's been evident even throughout the pandemic. I was made to feel a part of the team and they've been happy to support me in everything that I've been doing. I was also impressed by the progression routes and the company vision itself. There are clear career progression routes and structures in place to reach your goals. They are incredibly supportive and offer the right training to help you achieve above and beyond, which I find really beneficial and will continue to find beneficial in the future. "Starting a new role mid-pandemic after graduating from university was something that I was initially very apprehensive about. However, after speaking with the team, I was instantly put at ease." How well did you feel UR looked after you during the pandemic? Starting a new role mid-pandemic after graduating from university was something that I was initially very apprehensive about. However, after speaking with the team, I was instantly put at ease. When I joined in October 2020, I was able to work in the office and have since been working remotely - though we are adopting a hybrid model which means a mix of working from home and in the office. Since working remotely, the team has been really supportive. We've had continuous check-ins and training, which helped me to develop and learn as much as I can about the AI and Machine Learning market that I specialise in. From day one, it's been a really supportive environment - we have weekly team activities in the afternoon over Zoom, and this has really helped me integrate well and become part of the team. "The team environment is amazing! Everyone is very supportive and that's been evident even throughout the pandemic." What has been the best thing about starting your career in tech recruitment? For me, the best thing about starting a career in tech recruitment is the industry. It's an industry that's only been accelerated by the pandemic and is growing and is stronger than ever. To be able to be a part of that industry and have a real, significant impact within my specialism, AI and Machine Learning, is great! I have been able to learn from real experts within the field, and have been able to create an impact, which is something that I find really rewarding. ​We're on an ambitious growth journey and are hiring driven and tenacious graduates to join our team in St. Albans as Graduate Recruitment Consultants! Here's just some of what we offer you: Hybrid working: A mix of working from home & in the office We're a sociable bunch: Be it going to the pub on a Friday, team breakfasts, Director's Lunches or Holidays to exotic places, our culture is built on our values: 1. Together Stronger 2. Be The Best You 3. Reputation Is Everything 4. Exceed Expectations Always 5. Never Ever Give Up Fantastic career progression opportunities - we love to promote from within In-house training programme & mentoring scheme Want to know more about our Graduate Programme? DM Laura-Jayne Trimmer on LinkedIn, email us your CV or call 01727 809 008 to have chat about the ​opportunities we have for you.

Danielle joined our team after graduating from Nottingham Trent University in 2020 with a first-class honours degree in Business Management & Marketing. She joined our .NET recruitment team as a Researcher, finding the best .NET tech talent with the right technical skills for our client’s job vacancies. Danielle speaks to candidates on a daily basis and finds out what they want from their next career move and how we can help them get there. We caught up with her to see how she’s found the world of recruitment and what it was like starting her career during a pandemic! What attracted you to Understanding Recruitment? What initially attracted me to Understanding Recruitment, was the company culture and environment that they promote here. The people I work with are not just my colleagues, but also great friends. There's a great team relationship here, and I felt welcomed from day one. With a great commission structure and earning potential, I see the future of my career here and I can't wait to progress! "There have been some amazing incentives such as our wellbeing challenge! This helped to keep us all active, engaged, connected, and helped us through some tough times." How well did you feel UR looked after you during the pandemic? I feel that Understanding Recruitment has been fantastic throughout the pandemic, by offering flexible working and remote training. There's always someone you can go to, to ask for help or guidance. There have been some amazing incentives too, such as our wellbeing challenge! This helped to keep us all active, engaged, connected, and helped us through some tough times. "There's a great team relationship here and I felt welcomed from day one." What has been the best thing about starting your career in tech recruitment? The best thing about starting my career in Tech Recruitment is the amazing training and scope that we have here. I'm continuously learning and developing my skillset, speaking to amazing people daily, whether that be clients or candidates, and I've learned so much about different industry sectors, too. ​We're on an ambitious growth journey and are hiring driven and tenacious graduates to join our team in St. Albans as Graduate Recruitment Consultants! Here's just some of what we offer you: Hybrid working: A mix of working from home & in the office We're a sociable bunch: Be it going to the pub on a Friday, team breakfasts, Director's Lunches or Holidays to exotic places, our culture is built on our values: 1. Together Stronger 2. Be The Best You 3. Reputation Is Everything 4. Exceed Expectations Always 5. Never Ever Give Up Fantastic career progression opportunities - we love to promote from within In-house training programme & mentoring scheme Want to know more about our Graduate Programme? DM Laura-Jayne Trimmer on LinkedIn, email us your CV or call 01727 809 008 to have chat about the ​opportunities we have for you.

After graduating from the University of Birmingham in 2019 with a BA in Politics and Philosophy, Henry joined Understanding Recruitment as a Researcher in our Machine Learning & AI recruitment team. Finding the best candidates with the right technical skills for our client’s job vacancies, speaking to candidates, and mapping out markets are all part of his role. We caught up with Henry to find out why he chose to join the U’s and what the experience was like starting his career in recruitment during a global pandemic! What attracted you to Understanding Recruitment? I was initially drawn to Understanding Recruitment when speaking to people throughout the interview process. Everyone seemed to speak so passionately about the company and seemed so welcoming! They also offer a great training program at the start, which enabled me to learn as much as possible about tech recruitment. This gave me the confidence I needed when first speaking with professionals looking for jobs and our clients! "We have a Wellbeing Committee that come up with some great wellbeing incentives, check up on you, and make sure everyone's coping well mentally, especially whilst working from home." How well did you feel UR looked after you during the pandemic? Understanding Recruitment has been really supportive throughout the pandemic. When I first started, I was working in the office, but I've since been working remotely and will slowly be returning to the office as restrictions are lifted. We're continuously having meetings with our managers and within our teams, to make sure everyone's coping well mentally. Here at Understanding Recruitment, we have a Wellbeing Committee that come up with some great wellbeing incentives, check up on you, and make sure everyone's coping well mentally, especially whilst working from home. "We're continuously having meetings with our managers and within our teams, to make sure everyone's coping well mentally." What has been the best thing about starting your career in tech recruitment? The best thing about starting a career in tech recruitment is definitely the opportunity to learn about the tech industry! I work in the Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning department of Understanding Recruitment, and it's great to be able to speak to people daily who are so passionate about the work they're doing. It's also given me an amazing opportunity to learn about AI and how it's used in the world today. ​We're on an ambitious growth journey and are hiring driven and tenacious graduates to join our team in St. Albans as Graduate Recruitment Consultants! Here's just some of what we offer you: Hybrid working: A mix of working from home & in the office We're a sociable bunch: Be it going to the pub on a Friday, team breakfasts, Director's Lunches or Holidays to exotic places, our culture is built on our values: 1. Together Stronger 2. Be The Best You 3. Reputation Is Everything 4. Exceed Expectations Always 5. Never Ever Give Up Fantastic career progression opportunities - we love to promote from within In-house training programme & mentoring scheme Want to know more about our Graduate Programme? DM Emily Kitamura on LinkedIn, email us your CV or call 01727 228 255 to have chat about the ​opportunities we have for you.

What a year 2020 was! Although the pandemic halted some companies' hiring plans, we still helped lots of organisations scale their teams and developers find new roles. The information in this 2021 .NET Developer Report is based on data collected through our .NET survey completed by highly relevant developers on our database, the latest LinkedIn Insights data, data from our 2020 placements, and salary ranges provided by our current partners that include some of the best technology-driven businesses across the UK.  What’s the current state of the .NET talent pool in the UK? There are 31.3k professionals in the Software Developer talent pool with .NET & C# experience in the UK on LinkedIn.  88% of these identify as men and 12% identify as women. It definitely seems like UK developers are becoming more full-stack even if their job title doesn’t state it with many organisations requiring .NET developers to have front end skills.  We also saw a 48% 1y growth in .NET Core, a 44% increase in React, and a 38% increase in Microservices. On average, .NET Developers decide to move companies to pursue a new job after 1.5 years, highlighting the importance of retaining good talent. Overall 89% of developers were happy with the tech they use. 80% of respondents also said that their companies had moved into the cloud. Azure was the top choice in cloud platforms, closely followed by AWS. 9.8% of respondents used private cloud platforms while none used GCP. To find out more about which universities are producing this talent click here. What does this talent earn? The demand for talent within .NET remained high throughout 2020 despite the pandemic. Similar to last year, we saw higher salaries being offered to candidates with knowledge and experience of cloud and DevOps tools. We have also noticed that more organisations are looking for .NET Developers with some experience with front end technologies and are paying them more. Thankfully, we have found that organisations aren’t trying to pay their developers less as they are no longer commuting.  For more salary insights check out the full report.   What are the factors causing Developers to look for a new job?​ Where is this talent located? As expected, London is where the majority of developers reside. We are seeing an increase of developers based in cities such as Hove, Lincoln, and Leicester. Hiring demand across London, Manchester, Bristol and Leeds remains very high. The increase in more fully remote roles has meant that individuals can be based across the UK. The organisations that are open to more remote or fully remote are the ones who are securing more talent.   Remote Working is key in retaining .NET talent Remote working is definitely here to stay, with an overwhelming 68.2% of developers saying they wouldn't accept a new job that didn't offer flexi-time and/or remote working. This is up from 45% in last year's survey. Pre-Covid, we saw the majority of companies allowing developers to work remotely 1- 3 days a week. 67.3% said their employers will continue to offer remote working while 29.1% of respondents said they didn't know if their employers would allow them to carry on working remotely. We find this worrying considering it has become such a deciding factor for developers. To view more benefits, click here.   What do Developers look for in new employers? Openness to innovation Focus on quality Challenging the team Prioritising people   Let’s chat For any further information about the statistics in this report or other information about the .NET market, including competitors, tech on the rise and hiring processes, feel free to contact me for a chat. Arjun Gillard Head of .NET Recruitment Email me +44 (0)1727 809079 or +44 (0)7791 141 227 Connect with me on LinkedIn Schedule a call with me 

Daniel Nightingale joined the Understanding Recruitment team in early 2016 as a Trainee Recruitment Consultant. Since then, he has gone on to achieve promotion after promotion and now heads up the Digital specialist team within our Not-For-Profit Division. Having started a family a couple of years ago, Dan made the move to working from home long before the global pandemic made it a necessity.  We caught up with him about how he's found the last five years in recruitment and how UR helped him balance work and home life!   What was your career journey before joining UR? I came into recruitment quite late. After getting my degree in Sports Therapy, I went out into the world ready to cure the world of hamstring strains and tight calves! However, I found it was too much of a slow burner and became more of a side hobby. I still have clients I work with now and I work with a Semi-Professional Football club. I moved into the crazy world of eco-friendly app-based taxi services and worked my way up to Assistant Manager. Soon enough, I got a call from Understanding Recruitment and have never looked back!   Why did you choose a career in Recruitment? I feel like recruitment utilises the best parts of my personality and skillset. I love talking with people and taking an interest in their lives, but I can also identify an opportunity when it presents itself. There is nothing better than the satisfaction you get when you find a candidate their perfect role.   What do you like best about working for Understanding Recruitment? It sounds cliché, I have learnt from friends and co-workers that have worked in other recruitment companies, that UR is not your average agency. While we have KPI’s and targets like other agencies, the most important thing is us as the consultants. You have the ability to plan your career and almost build your own business within the business… this really drew me in.   How would you describe the culture at Understanding Recruitment? In a word, excellent. They are constantly looking for ways to improve, either from a social perspective or from a work satisfaction point of view. For example, consultants mooted the potential of having more holiday and after some research and planning from the directors, we now enjoy unlimited holidays!   What would your advice be to your younger self? For me personally, it would be “don’t worry about getting it right the first time”. This is true for me as a daily reminder, but also in relation to my career. Although I moved into recruitment ‘late’, it is genuinely the perfect role for me. So, although I didn’t get my career right the first time – I’m loving life now!   What have you been able to do by working from home that you couldn’t have working in the office? In 2019, we welcomed a little baby boy into the world! Working from home has enabled me to be part of such important parts of his life that I would have missed had I been in the office. Crawling, first words, first steps – I was there for them all. It has also ignited a passion for getting out and exercising. It is so important to get away from your desk and it’s something I didn’t appreciate enough before.   Do you feel like Understanding Recruitment enables you to balance work with home life? Absolutely. I was working from home for a long time before it was cool! My circumstances changed considerably in 2018 when I moved about 90 minutes away from the office. The directors were amazing and asked me what I would need to be able to continue working with UR and accommodated me effortlessly.   What advice would you give to people looking to move into recruitment? Do your homework into the organisation – there are some real horror stories out there and agencies will try and tempt you with £100000000’s. That sort of money is certainly achievable and I have experienced first-hand how getting recruitment right can change your life financially, but I have only been able to do this because of the nurturing I’ve received from Understanding Recruitment (I promise they didn’t pay me to say that!).   Curious about #LifeAtUR?  We'd love to hear from you! DM Laura-Jayne Trimmer on LinkedIn, email us your CV or call 01727 809 008 to have chat about the ​ opportunities we have for you.